Nantucket Institute Courses

Nantucket Institute Offers Courses

Nantucket, with its rich architectural and historical resources, now provides a laboratory for preservation studies through an educational agency recently established as the Nantucket Institute. The first major program has been initiated in the summer of 1972 when the Nantucket Institute and the University of Florida join in sponsoring a course in historic preservation, conducted on the Island by Prof. F. Blair Reeves, Department of Architecture, University of Florida.

This is the first in a series of summer programs to be offered in preservation, conservation, the creative arts and physical and social sciences. Each will be designed to fully exploit Nantucket's resources, using courses regularly available at the University of Florida but applicable to special studies on the Island.

Paralleling this pre-professional program is a'workshop, scheduled for July 17-28, for ten participants recruited from the professional staffs of federal, state, and local agencies responsible for nominations to the National Register and for developing statewide plans and inventories. Other special purpose workshops for professional participants will be offered to parallel the summer academic pre-professional programs of future years. Now being considered are courses in preservation planning and conservation in 1973, preservation technology and crafts in 1974, and history and preservation in 1975.

The Nantucket Institute will also coordinate programs of general education in history, fine arts, and craftsmanship that do not involve academic credit. These will be available to the summer visitor and the island resident and allow the participants to share some of the activities of the pre-professional and professional programs.

The University of Massachusetts will give a six-weeks' course in Drama, to be conducted by Prof. Louis Roberts at the Coffin School. Also, to be held at the School, will be a series of lectures on Nantucket History, to include the early settlement, Quakerism, Whaling, Notable Leaders, the Great Depression, and the Coming of "Summer Business." These are sponsored by the Nantucket Historical Association, and will be presented by Edcuard A. Stackpole, Historian of the Association.

In cooperation with the Institute's program at the Coffin School, the Nantucket Maria Mitchell's Astronomical and Natural Science Departments will hold a series of evening lectures on Monday and Friday evenings. Thus through the cooperative efforts of the Coffin School, Nantucket Historical Association, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Nantucket Historical Trust, the programs will embrace a wide range of activities.

In the spring, fall and winter seasons, Nantucket Institute will offer special purpose educational programs for various local school groups. The facilities of the Institute will also be available to appropriate professional associations, corporations, and other institutions for special workshops and meetings. All activities of the newly established Institute will emphasize the full utilization of the Nantucket community.