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In Fall 1985, Peggy Kimball, Education Site Manager at The Bostonian Society, called to say she had just attended a teachers' workshop and was enthusiastic about the idea of developing some historical programming.
"You are just the person I have in mind to do a historical character portrayal," she said. "I spoke with Tom Parker, the Director," she continued, "and in fact, we have someone to recommend: 'Susanna Haswell Rowson, America's First Lady of Letters and a trailblazer in female education. She was also an author and actress, who opened the Academy for Young Ladies on Federal Street, downtown Boston in 1797.'" Peggy also said that The Society had some needlework from students at Rowson's Academy in their collection, and that Rowson had lived on both sides of the Atlantic twice during her long and productive life.
My question, "But why isn't she better known now?" went unanswered -- "Well, she was renown in her day," was all Peggy said -- I was already drawn in. When I went to The Bostonian Society to view the archival materials, Peggy announced, "I've just applied for a Boston Arts Lottery grant," and smiled. The grant application was awarded for two performances at The Bostonian Society in May and November 1986. We brought together an artistic director, costume designer, and stage manager to assist us in the production, while I began the research and scriptwriting. Peggy coordinated the entire effort.
The premiere performance was staged on May 1, 1986, with 75 members in attendance. This was my first attempt at portraying an historical character; everyone was most encouraging that I continue in this pursuit. I sent out some letters of request, and an initial flurry of interest followed, including a performance for a Women's History and an American literature class at Simmons College, where I learned that Mrs. Rowson's literary efforts were studied in graduate level literature courses. At The Cambridge Center for Adult Education performance, Judeth Van Ham from Hull offered to apply for a Hull Lottery grant to bring Mrs. Rowson to the Hull Middle and High School(s).
Then in early 1996, the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities (SPNEA, now Historic New England), the Medford Historical Society, and the South End Historical Society each scheduled a performance. Even though there was a significant lapse in time since my last performance, I felt the "breathing space" allowed me to delve deeper into understanding who Rowson was as a person.
I made contact with Wendy Lement, who was researching the Rowson Academy and its impact on early female education for her doctoral dissertation at Emerson College. Wendy and I went to The American Antiquarian Society in Worcester to access materials on Rowson as pathfinder in 18th century female education. I met Patricia Parker too, the Rowson biographer, who resides on the North Shore. The three of us soon met with our Rowson biographies in-hand. Parker and I soon teamed up for a couple of 'biographer-character' performances, at The Cambridge Center for Adult Education, and for a comparative literature class at North Shore Community College.
In Spring 2001, I viewed the Rowson artifacts in the Medford Public Library collection that include an impressive collection of original handbound textbooks; letters authored by Rowson ahd her former students; articles and clippings about the Academy when it was located on High Street (present day site of Grace Episcopal Church, on Route 60) in West Medford from 1800-03.
Research continues to provide a steady 'paper trail' on Rowson's life. Various local sites include the Hull Public Library -- the building itself is located on the site that Rowson spent twelve of her childhood years on the eve of America's Revolution. The Houghton Library at Harvard University has an array of playbills from her Federal Street Theater days in downtown Boston, and a handwritten 'letter from Newton dated 1805.' The Worcester Art Museum has a Rowson portrait by Samuel Morse in their fine art collection; and even though the accession file correspondence suggests a dispute in the 'authenticity' of this portrait, it is still rather amusing to consider the possibility. The Boston Public Library has an assorted collection of Rowson materials in their Rare Books collection. And the Newton History Museum at the Jackson Homestead includes mention in several books as well as a marker near the Massachusetts Turnpike to commemorate the spot where the Rowson Academy was situated, in the Hull Mansion at Nonantum Corner, from 1803-07.
Selected Performance Sites:
(* Denotes materials available for download)
Millyard Museum, Manchester (NH), December 08
Discovery Days, Longfellow National Historic House garden, August 07
Medford Public Library, 150th Anniversary Celebration, August 06
DAR-Framingham chapter, Good Citizen Awards February 06
Fort Revere, Hull (MA), memorial placque dedication, July 05
Walpole Public Library, April 05
Daughters of the American Revolution, annual meeting, Lancaster, MA, March 05
Captain Samuel Robbins House, Avon (MA) March 04
* Royall House Museum, Medford, November 04
Upsilon Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, Annual Meeting, October
04
Pepperell (MA) Public Library, April 04
* Newton History Museum at the Jackson Homestead, March 04
Watertown High School, December 03
* Hull (MA) Public Library, August 03
* Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, Otis House, Boston, June 03
* Brookline Arts Center, June 03
* Merrimack (NH) Public Library, April 03
* Medford Public Library, May 02
North Shore Community College, October 99
Cambridge Center for Adult Education, May 98
Medford Historical Society, March 97
Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, Otis House, Boston, March 96
South End Historical Society, February 96
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