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2021 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES
Wright Times
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A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES
Women & The War Effort Recruiting Posters Of WWII May 1st -June 10th
Women and the War Effort: Recruiting Posters of WWII illustrates how America used propaganda posters to recruit women to join the war effort. Using some of the best-known artists of the period to design appealing and patriotic posters, the initial focus was on recruiting WACS, WAVES, SPARS and women Marines. However, convincing women that they were badly needed on the production line was just as important. So designing posters aimed at recruiting women for the work force became important propaganda tools for the U.S. Employment Service and the Office of War Information. While some women worked outside the home before WWII, the number of “working women” increased dramatically with America’s entry into the war. The impact of that growth forever transformed the role of women in American culture. Women willingly accepted the fact that they would be needed to replace men on the production line, and that they could free men for combat by joining the military. Over 6 million women worked in production jobs and about 400,000 women joined the military. The impact of ‘working women” on the war industry alone was instrumental in helping to win the war. Women proved they could do any job that a man could do, changing men’s attitudes toward women in the military and the work force. Women’s own ideas about work outside the home also changed. This exhibit highlights thirty recruiting posters from the Wright Museum’s Permanent Collection. Exhibit made possible by John and Evelyn Frank and The Art Place with additional support from Linda Matchett, the Paula D. Garvey 2009 Trust, Green Mountain Communications and Eastern Propane and Oil.
The Wright Museum • 77 Center Street, Wolfeboro, NH • 603-569-1212 Open May 1 Through Oct. 31st • Mon - Sat 10am-4pm • Sunday Noon-4pm
Please Check Our Website For Any Changes Due To Covid19 Conditions www.WrightMuseum.org
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2021 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES
A Message From The Director The 2020 Wright exhibit season was (as you are aware) challenging, but also rewarding in many ways. Although our attendance was lower because of the pandemic, our visitors and members were universally positive about the dramatic renovations inside the Museum. As visitors entered the new brightly lit lobby, they began their tour of the Wright knowing that they were going to be treated to something very special. And, CDC and state-guided pandemic procedures that were put in place were much appreciated. The “ohs and aahs” continued as they viewed the new spacious DuQuoin Education Center (DEC) with its state-of-the-art technology and comfortable chairs. The DEC fulfilled all our dreams about having a perfect place for our Tuesday evening education programs. In 2021, we have scheduled a full slate of programs and are hopeful they can be presented. The second-floor Art Gallery with its expanded space and dramatic lighting also drew rave reviews. The Vietnam exhibit which christened the Art Gallery was appreciated by our visitors; however we are sorry that attendance wasn’t higher because this was an exhibit that should have been seen by many more Americans. One of our visitors wrote in TripAdvisor: “Yes, a world class museum in a small New Hampshire town! We spent over 2 hours absorbing the history of WWII from 1939 – 1945; a marvelous collection of artifacts and memorabilia from the era. Even with Covid-19, the staff made the journey through time educational and enjoyable. Highly recommend this to every age group!” Yes, even during this difficult period when just going to a museum was a “leap of faith” for many people, the Museum staff and docents made visitors feel welcome; but even more important they made visitors feel safe and NORMAL. Congratulations and thanks to all of them. And thanks to everyone that visited the Wright in 2020. The staff, volunteers and Board Members eagerly anticipate the 2021 season, and welcoming back many more visitors and members who can hopefully take full advantage of our new interiors spaces, programs, special events and exhibits. You will see in this Newsletter that we have planned an ambitious and fascinating season, with something for everyone. Please join us..
—Mike Culver
2021 SPECIAL EXHIBIT
WASP: The Untold Story May 1st - June 10th
The Army Air Forces had few modern airplanes when the U.S. was attacked by Japan in December of 1941. Commanding General of the Army Air Force Henry “Hap” Arnold began to reorganize the U.S. air arsenal, and airplane production rose dramatically from 19,000 in 1941 to 96,000 in 1944. With so many men being drafted into the service, and with all those planes being produced, pilots and mechanics who readied and transported the planes were needed. The answer was to train women pilots to perform these important tasks. The Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was a civilian women pilots’ organization, whose members were United States federal civil service employees. They were attached to the United States Army Air Forces to fly military aircraft during World War II. WASP was preceded by the Women’s Flying Training Detachment (WFTD) and the Women’s Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS). Both were organized separately in September 1942. On August 5, 1943, the WFTD and WAFS
merged to create the WASP organization. Members of WASP became trained pilots who tested experimental aircraft, repaired aircraft, ferried aircraft from factory to base, pulled targets behind their planes for artillery practice, and trained other pilots. These activities freed male pilots for combat roles. Even though the armed forces were involved in creating the WASP, the WASP and its members had no military standing. When the WASP program ended in Dec 1944, the women had flown over 60 million miles in 78 different types of aircraft. Each WASP was usually qualified on 10-12 different types of planes. Thirty-eight WASP members lost their lives and one disappeared while on a ferry mission. In 1977, thirty-three years after they were disbanded, the WASP were granted veteran status, and in 2009 awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. This powerful exhibit, portrayed through rare photographs, showcases WASP life at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, where the women were trained from 1943 - 1944. Created by the National WASP WWII Museum this exhibit honors the life and legacy of the Women Airforce Service Pilots - the first women to fly America’s military aircraft and forever changed the role of women in aviation. ~ This exhibit is curated by the National WASP World War II Museum, Sweetwater, Texas. Exhibit presented by Service Credit Union with additional support by Pratt & Whitney
2021 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES
2021 SPECIAL EXHIBIT
WWI America
June 16th - August 11th Although it was fought thousands of miles away, World War I transformed the United States from a relatively provincial power on the world stage to a full-fledged global, military-industrial leader, held together by a newly powerful federal government and charged with confident patriotism. This is the America that dominates popular memory: the saturated hues of patriotic posters, jubilant crowds at Liberty Loan rallies, the ranks of manly Doughboys, and hearty choruses of “Over There.” And yet there were darker sides of the American experience during the years 1914 to 1919: entire swaths of U.S. cities engulfed in racial conflagrations; workers striking by the millions; women demonstrating in the streets demanding the right to vote; immigrants harassed and deported; dissenters and “hyphenated” Americans pursued, surveilled, jailed, or lynched; and violent disagreements about the nature of civil liberties. WWI America explores vitally important stories of a transformational and divisive era, for a broad, multi-generational audi-
ence. The exhibition is visually dynamic, with large-scale photographs, moving images, multimedia environments, and re-created settings such as a movie theater. It is also a socially interactive forum, with stories and many period artifacts supported by authentic voices expressing competing views. WW1 America is made possible by NEH on the Road, a special initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities, which provided major funding support. It is adapted from the Minnesota History Center’s exhibition WWI America, and toured for NEH on the Road by the Mid-America Arts Alliance. The original WW1 America exhibition was created by the Minnesota History Center in partnership with the National Constitution Center, the National World War I Museum and Memorial, the Oakland Museum of California, and the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum, and was supported by major grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Exhibit is made possible by The Ballentine Family Charitable Fund with additional support by Laconia Daily Sun
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8th Annual “Cruise Into The Wright” Saturday, August 21st 10am-2pm
Bring your blankets and beach chairs, put on your poodle skirts, grease up your duck’s tail hairdos, and cruise into the Wright Museum for our 9th Annual Antique Car, Hotrod, and Motorcycle Show. The popular doo-wop group The Bel Airs will be there to entertain you with live music. Don’t wait! Only the first 100 vehicles will be allowed into the show. Register your vehicle online at www.WrightMuseum.org. You also can contact us by e-mailing Donna Hamill at Donna.Hamill@wrightmuseum.org or by calling 603-569-1212. There is a non-refundable $10 registration for each vehicle. Cars and motorcycles must be at least 25 years old. Regular admission admits visitors to both the Car Show and the Wright Museum. (We are part of the Blue Star Program, which gives free admission to all active duty personnel between Memorial Day and Labor Day when they show their military ID.) Food will be available for purchase.
50% ADMISSIONS DISCOUNT on Monday May 17TH Thanks To A Generous Donation From Maxfield Real Estate In Wolfeboro
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2021 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES
The Ron Goodgame and Donna Canney 2021 EDUCATION PROGRAM SCHEDULE Tuesdays from May 4TH - October 12TH
Admission is $8 per person for non-members and $3 for Wright Museum members, unless otherwise noted. The programs will be held in our new DuQuoin Education Center on the first floor. We expect increased attendance and strongly encourage you to reserve seats well ahead of time by calling 603-569-1212. Most programs begin at 7:00 p.m., unless noted otherwise. The museum’s doors open one hour before the program begins. Please check our website www.wrightmuseum.org for schedule changes because of unforseen circumstances. Ron Goodgame and Donna Canney have generously sponsored the Wright Education Programs for five consecutive seasons. We are truly indebted to them for making it possible to expand and enhance this popular series . TUESDAY, MAY 4, FROM 7-8 PM.
TUESDAY, MAY 19, FROM 7-8:30 PM.*
Presentation by Master Gardener Christin Kaiser
A film directed and written by Tim Gray and narrated by Tom Selleck *Note: This film is 90 minutes long
Interment Camp Japanese Vegetables and Recipes
Christin Kaiser will explain how to grow Japanese vegetables, share recipes, and will “raffle” veggie starts to some lucky audience members, Christin Kaiser is the Wright Museum’s volunteer gardener who designed, built, and maintains our Victory Garden, which is located on the Museum campus.
TUESDAY, MAY 11, FROM 7-8 PM.
Women of Valor: Polish Jewish Resisters to the Third Reich Lecture by author Joanne D. Gilbert
Joanne D. Gilbert, grew up in a predominantly Jewish suburb of Detroit where many Holocaust survivors lived. Her earliest influence was her grandmother, Millie Wineman Ron, who left Lithuania before the Nazis came. Millie never forgave herself for living when her family perished. Her stories caused Joanne to wonder about ways her relatives might have fought the Nazis—and whether their nonJewish neighbors helped. In 2012, Joanne was finally able to search for answers to these questions. Her journey took her throughout the US, Canada, and Europe. The result is Women of Valor.
Remember Pearl Harbor
This 2016 documentary honors the 80th anniversary of the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. It includes interviews with servicemen and civilians whose memories remain vivid of the day the Japanese planes dropped their bombs on a stunned American Pacific fleet anchored on “Battleship Row.” Tim Gray, Founder and President of the WWII Foundation, won five Regional Emmy Awards for documentary film writing and for outstanding documentary films. The Foundation also captured three prestigious Indie Film Fest Awards in international competitions. The World War II Foundation and Tim Gray Media also won the American Public Television’s prestigious National Programming Excellence Award.
TUESDAY, MAY 25, FROM 7–8 PM.
Heroes and Homecomings: Norman Rockwell and World War II A lecture by Jane Oneail
This is NH Humanities To Go Program and is free to the public Norman Rockwell created dozens of images related to World War II. What happens when an
artist known for his humor tackles the serious subject of war? Oneail explores how Rockwell’s work departs from earlier artistic interpretations of American conflicts. She also discusses Rockwell’s choice of themes. Jane Oneail is an independent scholar. She holds a master’s in Art History from Boston University and an M.A. in Education from Harvard University.
TUESDAY, JUNE 1, FROM 7-8 PM.
World War II: African Perspectives
A lecture by Richard A. Lobban, Jr., Ph.D.
Richard Lobban sets the stage of World War II Africa by discussing the political and military situation on the continent before the war, Africa’s occupation and “effective control” after the Berlin Congress, and the partition of Africa. Lobban also explains the unintended consequences of the war on African nationalism and independence after Africans acquired military experience and learned about armed struggles for independence. Dr. Richard Lobban is an Adjunct Professor of African Studies at the Naval War College.
TUESDAY, JUNE 8, FROM 7-8 PM.
Collapse of the Nazi Concentration-Camp System A lecture by Dr. C. Paul Vincent
The Soviet liberation of Auschwitz on 27 January 1945 symbolizes the end of the Holocaust. Dachau was liberated by American soldiers three months later, one day before Hitler committed suicide. Yet the collapse of the camps had already begun in parallel with the implosion of Nazi Germany. The concentration camps represented the essence of Hitler’s Reich. Emphasizing Dachau and Auschwitz, Vincent traces the horror and cruelty that accompanied the concentration camps’ destruction. Dr. C. Paul Vincent is Interim Co-Director of the Cohen Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, and Professor Emeritus
of Holocaust Studies and History at Keene State College.
TUESDAY, JUNE 22, FROM 7-8 PM.
Women of Espionage Lecture by Linda Matchett
Spies have always fascinated us, and the iconic image of a glamourous woman using her wiles to extract secrets from enemies is particularly compelling. However, the reality of how thousands of female operatives served extends far beyond the stereotype. Listen to first-hand, hair-raising accounts about the world-wide exploits of these stalwart women. Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. She is a volunteer docent and archivist at the Wright Museum of World War II.
TUESDAY, JULY 6, FROM 7–8:30 PM.*
In Their Own Words: The Tuskegee Airman *Note: The film is 90 minutes long
This 2011 documentary film is shown in honor of the 80th anniversary of the formation of the first African-American Army Air Corps Squadron in January 1941. In Their Own Words, tells the story of the African-American pilots who fought to protect the skies during WWII. Complete with personal interviews with 20 of the original Airmen, rare photos, and computer-generated recreations, this film chronicles the Airmen’s story from the rocky 1941 start, to the awarding of the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. **This program is admission free.
TUESDAY, JUNE 29, FROM 7-8 PM.
Plants Go to War: A Botanical History of World War II
Lecture and book signing by author Judith Sumner
As the first botanical history of World War II, Plants Go to War examines military history from the perspective of plant science. From victory gardens to drugs, timber, rubber, and fibers, plants supplied materials that played key roles in winning the war. Vegetables provided the wartime diet both in North America and Europe, where vitamin-rich carrots, cabbages, and potatoes nourished millions. In England and Germany, herbs replaced pharmaceutical drugs; feverbark was in demand to treat malaria, and penicillin culture used a growth medium made from corn. Rubber was needed for gas masks and barrage balloons, while cotton and hemp provided clothing, canvas, and rope. The list is endless. But Sumner will educate us all. Judith Sumner is a botanist and author who lives in Worcester, Massachusetts.
TUESDAY, JULY 20, FROM 7-8PM.
Code Name Lily
Lecture and book signing by author Dr. Julien Ayotte
Code Name Lily is an historical fiction novel based on the true story of Micheline “Michou” Dumon-Ugeux (code name Lily), who was a legend in the Comet Line escape network in Belgium during World War II. Lily was responsible for helping over 250 downed British and American airmen escape over the Pyrenees into Spain and freedom. Lily later received the highest honors given to a civilian from
2021 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES the United States, the United Kingdom, and Belgium. Julien Ayotte has a PhD from Columbia Pacific University. He was an adjunct professor at several colleges and universities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts.
TUESDAY, JULY 27, FROM 7-8PM.
The Other Resistance: Hitler’s Slaves. Lecture by Dr. Giovanni Frisone
In September 1943, when an armistice was signed with the Allies, Italian soldiers thought the war had ended for them. Instead, they were arrested by the Germans and given a choice: disregard the armistice and continue fighting under Fascist or Nazi command or be taken to a German prison camp. An estimated 650,000 Italian soldiers chose prison camp. Ferruccio Francesco Frisone was one of those soldiers, and his story will be told by his son in this unique presentation. Giovanni R. Frisone, PhD, is a clinical psychologist. Along with his wife, Deborah Smith Frisone, he has been working for the past fifteen years to tell the little-known story of the Italian Military Internees through his father’s diary and drawings from the war years.
Red Cross Clubmobile worker, and her colleagues, we witness firsthand not only acts of courage and sacrifice, but also the romantic bonds that grow even during the horrors of war. Healey’s superb research lets us see the decimated cities, smell the doughnuts and coffee handed out at great risk on the front lines, and hear the big band music—as well as the approach of the next bomb.” Jane Healey left a career in high tech to become a freelance writer. Her passion for historical fiction became her new career when her debut novel, The Saturday Evening Girls Club, was published in 2017.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 10, FROM 7-8 PM.
Dear Sis
A One-Woman Play by Catherine Ladnier
Journey through the tumultuous years of World War II through the letters of one American soldier to his sister on the home front. Eva Lee Brown kept the home fires burning on the family farm in South Carolina while her brother, Bill, served in the China Burma India theatre of war. Eva Lee’s letters to Bill chronicled the day to-day-life of their little town. Bill’s letters to Eva were homilies about his duties and his longing to return home to the good ol’ USA. Catherine Ladnier, who is Eva Lee’s daughter and Bill Lee’s niece, uses these letters to tell one family’s story during World War II.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, FROM 7-8 PM.*
Ghost Army of World War II: How One TopSecret Unit Deceived the Enemy with Inflatable Tanks, Sound Effects, and Other Audacious Fakery
TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, FROM 7-8 PM.
The Beantown Girls
Lecture and book signing by Jane Healey
In The Beantown Girls, author Jane Healey places us in the final harrowing months of World War II in Europe, and brings the war painfully, beautifully, and heartbreakingly alive. A literary critic said of the novel: “Through the eyes of Fiona Denning, a
Lecture and book signing by author Rick Byers *Admission: $12 for Museum members and $15 for non-members
In the summer of 1944, a handpicked group of young GIs landed in France to conduct a secret mission. Armed with truckloads of inflatable tanks, a massive collection of soundeffects records, and more than a few tricks up their sleeves, they created a traveling road show of deception on the battlefields of Europe, with the German Army as their audience. The
Ghost Army is a riveting tale told through personal accounts and sketches. And yes, there will be an inflatable tank on display. 6:00-7:00 p.m. Pre-lecture coffee and cookie gathering Meet Rick Byers before the lecture and see one of the Ghost Army vehicles. Historian Rick Byers is a bestselling author, award-winning filmmaker, and popular speaker. He wrote and directed the acclaimed documentary film The Ghost Army, which premiered on PBS in 2013.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 24, FROM 7-8 PM.
The Truth about Lies: Deception Plans in World War II A lecture by Dr. Marion Dorsey
Winning battles requires fighting and supplies, but sometimes tricks can turn the tide in one side’s favor. The Allies considered and implemented a variety of deceptions, sometimes massive ones, against the Axis powers. From the invasion of Sicily to the landings at Normandy, the Allies benefited from lies and deceptions that started before the first shots were fired and spread well beyond the battlefield. Marion Dorsey is an associate professor of history and a core faculty member in Justice Studies at the University of New Hampshire.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 31, 7-8 PM.
The Burning Monk: The Story Behind One of the Vietnam War’s Most Famous Photographs Lecture by Dr. Edward G. Miller
In June 1963, American journalist Malcolm Browne captured one of the most famous photographs of all time: the selfimmolation of the Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc. What caused Quang Duc to take his life in such a shocking and painful way? In his lecture, Edward Miller reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the power struggle in South Vietnam that led to Quang Duc’s act, and how the monk’s death shaped the subsequent course of the Vietnam War. Edward G. Miller is an Associate Professor of History at Dartmouth College and has a special interest in the Vietnam War.
TUESDAY,SEPTEMBER,7FROM7-8PM.
The American St. Nick Lecture and book signing by the author Peter Lion
It’s December 1944, and knowing they would not be home for Christmas, battle-weary GIs throw a holiday party for the children of Wiltz, Luxembourg. Ten days later the town is all but destroyed during the Battle of the Bulge. Wiltz however never forgot the kindness of the Americans and for 30 years searched for the GIs in hopes of bringing them back once more. This incredible story is told by author Peter Lion. Peter Lion is a seven-time Emmy-winning television producer/ director with a love of writing. His second book, “MERG”, also a WWII story, was released in 2019. Lion and his wife live in Connecticut.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, FROM 6:30-8 PM.* NOTE EARLY START
Documentary Film - An American Solo: The Story of Col. Norman Phillips (USAF retired)
*Note: Because of its length, the film starts at 6:30 *Admission: $12 Museum members and $15 for non-members
This is a fun, fast-paced biopic about Colonel Norman Phillips. No one has squeezed more out of 98 years than Phillips, and he tells his own story with clarity, candor, and charisma. Raised by illiterate, immigrant grandparents, Phillips grew up to become a decorated World War II fighter pilot, mentor to future astronauts, and a Vietnam vet as well as an artist, teacher, and novelist. The film is a Star Island Film production and directed by Jay MacNamee and Bob Bear. Jay is an award-winning playwright who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from Dartmouth College. Bob is an orthopedic surgeon with a life-long interest in music, film, and the arts. 5:30-6:30 p.m. - Pre-lecture coffee and cookie gathering. Meet Norman Phillips, and the film makers of An American Solo.
TUESDAY, SEPT 21, FROM 7-8 PM.
Moving On and Hanging On: The Complex Legacy of the Vietnam War for the United States
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Lecture by Professor Kurk Dorsey
Fifty years have passed since the United States began to disentangle itself from the war in Vietnam. Yet the war is still meshed into American society, politics, and foreign policy. In this illustrated lecture, Kurk Dorsey discusses some of the ways in which the Vietnam War continues to influence the United States years after U.S. troops finally left Saigon in 1975. Professor Kurk Dorsey, Department Chair, has taught history at the University of New Hampshire since 1994.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 5, FROM 12-3 PM.* **
In honor of the 76th anniversary of the end of WWII the Wright Museum presents the 1946 William Wyler film The Best Years of Our Lives. Starring Myrna Loy, Dana Andrews and Fredric March 170 minutes
The story concentrates on the social re-adjustment of three World War II servicemen, each from a different station of society. The crisis each veteran faced upon arriving home is a microcosm of the experiences many returning American servicemen encountered when they found an alien world awaiting them. The film won seven Oscars, including best picture, best director, best screenplay, best actor, and best supporting actor. **This film is free to the public thanks to the generous sponsorship of Edward Jones.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 12, FROM 7-8PM.
The M4 Sherman Tank, America’s Cavalry in World War Two Lecture by George Gurick
A close-up look at the history, development, production, and intended tactical use of the more than 50,000 Sherman tanks manufactured during World War Two. George Gurick, a “brown shoe Army brat” and former Staff Sergeant of the regular Air Force, is a long-time Museum volunteer and currently leads the Wright Museum motor pool in maintaining and operating the more than 20 vehicles in the Museum’s Permanent Collection. Among the Wright vehicles are Sherman, Stuart, and Pershing tanks.
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2021 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES
Challenge Grant Increases Your Donation By 50%
The Wright Board of Directors is pleased to announce that the Biber Foundation has created a wonderful fund raising opportunity meant to challenge all of those who truly love the Wright. From now until October 30th, 2021, the Biber Foundation has generously pledged to donate $1.00 for every $2.00 raised by the Wright, up to $60,000. All monies raised will be used for our ongoing multi-phased Project 25. Just think of it - your $100 gift would now become $150! This is YOUR chance, whatever size donation you make, to help the Museum raise up to $60,000. One of the largest matching grants ever received by the Wright Museum, this is an exceptional chance for you to enable the Museum to reach its future goals during a period when the pandemic has challenged all nonprofit cultural institutions. Help the Wright Museum earn $60,000 by sending your matching grant donation to the Museum at P.O. Box 1212, Wolfeboro, NH 03894. Be sure that your check notes it is for the Biber Matching Grant. You can also make your matching grant donation via credit card or by calling the Museum at 603-569-1212 or go online to www.wrightmuseum.org/makea-donation.
BIBER FOUNDATION MATCHING GRANT GIFT
I want to help! Please match my donation of $______________________ Please return this form by September 30th with your check payable to the Wright Museum of World War II and reference matching gift. To pay by credit card fill in the information below. Charge my ___MC / ___Visa / ___ Disc./___ Amex Card #__________________________________ CVV Code ______ Exp. Date ________ Mail to PO Box 1212, Wolfeboro, NH 03894
2021 SPECIAL EXHIBIT
Shaped By Conflict:
Mementoes Of WWII Era August 17th - October 31st
World War II was a defining event for all Americans. Whether they served in the military or worked on the home front, the war had a dramatic effect on their daily lives. Many Americans created and collected mementoes they thought would serve as a lasting reminder of this pivotal experience. These keepsakes fulfilled different purposes: from honoring a fallen comrade to reminding a sweetheart of one’s devotion. Yet, all were personal reminders of service and sacrifice in the fight for freedom. Our fourth special exhibit, Shaped by Conflict, gives visitors an in-depth look at common mementoes and personal items constructed by Americans on the warfront and the home front. Keepsakes include trench art, postcards, sweetheart pillows, jewelry, and much more. Shaped by Conflict is curated by the Wright Museum of World War II, using artifacts from its extensive Permanent Collection. Exhibit is made possible by Weirs Publishing Company
How Citröen Workers Fought The Nazis The French car company Citröen has been in business since 1919. Did you know Citröen workers actually fought the Nazis, but without the Nazis knowing it? Here’s the story: When the Naz i s o c c u p i e d Citröen T45 Truck France in 1940, they took over Citröen and made the workers build T45 Trucks for the Wehrmacht. The workers had no choice but to obey the Nazis’ orders. Citröen’s president, Pierre-Jules Boulanger, though, decided that he and his workers would fight back by secretly sabotaging the trucks. His plan was simple, but ingenious. He had his workers move the notch on the oil dip stick a little lower to indicate that oil level was higher than it actually was. The false reading resulted in the trucks running out of oil and their engines seizing up and not starting. So Citröen workers did their part in supporting the war effort.
2021 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES
IN MEMORIAM
Warren Pond (1923-2020) The Wright Museum is sad to announce the passing of volunteer Warren Pond, who was 97, on December 25th last year. Warren was an extraordinary man. In 1942, at age 19, he enlisted in the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. An early part of his cadet training was to spend time at sea. He ended up enjoying the maritime experience so much that he decided to forego the next training stage, which required his taking classes at the Kings Point Merchant Marine Academy in Long Island, New York. Being an honorable man, Warren wanted to drop out in an honorable way. He chose marriage, because cadets couldn’t be married. Fortunately, Warren had someone in mind: Katharine Westerfield. They remained together for 76 years. (Katharine died in 2019.) Warren joined the Merchant Marine as a common seaman. Three or four days after his marriage, he put out to sea, serving as an oiler on a liberty ship. During the course of his maritime career, Warren worked his way up from oiler to Lieutenant Junior Grade. He estimated that he crossed the Atlantic Ocean at least 108 times, mostly in liberty ships. He served in the North Atlantic, Pacific, and Mediterranean. During a voyage in the Mediterranean, his ship was torpedoed. After the war, Warren worked as a draftsman and an engineer before starting his own company, Pond Technical Sales, based in Hamden, Connecticut. His company dealt with control valves, electronics, instrumentation, and pneumatics. When he retired, Warren and Katharine moved to Wolfeboro, New Hampshire to live at Sugar Hill Retirement Community. In 2002, Warren became a volunteer at the Wright Museum, where he cheerfully served as a “jack of all trades and master of none.” He performed whatever tasks needed to be done, from helping put up the sign for our Victory Garden to changing light bulbs and painting. One high point during this time was the Museum’s helping to organize Warren’s Honor Flight in 2014. It was a memory he cherished. We at the Wright Museum will sorely miss Warren...
Due To The COVID19 Pandemic, Some 2021 Events, Programs & Exhibits May Be Altered Due To Circumstances Beyond Our Control. Please Be Sure To Review The Wright Museum Website At www.WrightMuseum.org For Updates Or Call The Museum At 603-569-1212 For Current Information.
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REMEMBRANCE GARDEN WALKWAY & BUY A BRICK
In August 2019, we dedicated the Wright Museum’s Remembrance Garden. This year we will add one more important feature. Daniel Marrone made a generous donation to complete a paved walkway from the front of the Museum to the Remembrance Garden, which will provide easier access to the Garden and the Memorial Bricks Wall. We are grateful to Daniel for his thoughtfulness. Memorial bricks are available and cost $125. You can purchase a brick online, print an order form from the Museum’s web site (www.wrightmuseum.org), or call the Museum at 603-569-1212. (Check the web site for when paving stones will be available and the procedure for ordering them.) You can order bricks any time during the year. But to have your brick installed by Memorial Day, you must submit your order no later than March 30. Bricks ordered after March 30 will be installed the following year.
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2021 WRIGHT MUSEUM NEWS - A SPECIAL FEATURE TO THE WEIRS TIMES
WRIGHT MUSEUM OF WORLD WAR II
Yankee Magazine’s “Best 20th Century History Museum in New England”
THE
RON GOODGAME & DONNA CANNEY
EDUCATION PROGRAM SERIES TUESDAYS FROM MAY THROUGH OCTOBER IN THE NEW SPACIOUS DUQUOIN EDUCATION CENTER Tuesday, May 4, from 7-8 pm.
Interment Camp Japanese Vegetables and Recipes
Tuesday, May 19, from 7-8:30 pm.*
Remember Pearl Harbor
This 90-minute documentary film Master Gardener Christin Kaiser directed and written by Tim Gray and will explain how to grow Japanese narrated by Tom Selleck honors the vegetables, share recipes, and will 80th anniversary of the December 7, “raffle” veggie starts to some lucky 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. It includes audience members, Christin Kaiser is the interviews with servicemen and civilians Wright Museum’s volunteer gardener whose memories remain vivid of the who designed, built, and maintains our day the Japanese planes dropped their Victory Garden, which is located on the bombs on a stunned American Pacific Museum campus. fleet anchored on “Battleship Row.” Tuesday, May 11, from 7-8 pm.
Tuesday, May 25, from 7–8 pm.
Women of Valor: Polish Jewish Resisters to the Third Reich
Heroes and Homecomings: Norman Rockwell & World War II
Lecture by author Joanne D. Gilbert, who grew up in a predominantly Jewish suburb of Detroit where many Holocaust survivors lived. Her earliest influence was her grandmother, Millie Wineman Ron, who left Lithuania before the Nazis came. Millie never forgave herself for living when her family perished. Her stories caused Joanne to wonder about ways her relatives might have fought the Nazis—and whether their non-Jewish neighbors helped. Her journey throughout the US, Canada, and Europe searching for answers to these questions. The result is Women of Valor.
A lecture by Jane Oneail Norman Rockwell created dozens of images related to World War II. What happens when an artist known for his humor tackles the serious subject of war? Oneail explores how Rockwell’s work departs from earlier artistic interpretations of American conflicts. She also discusses Rockwell’s choice of themes. **This is a NH Humanities To Go Program and is free to the public
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Admission $8 per person; $3 for Wright Museum members. Reservations strongly recommended, call 603-569-1212 for more info. Doors open 1 hour before the program begins.
Visit www.wrightmuseum.org for the entire series schedule
ut ADMISSION RATES: Ask Abonual n A r Museum Members - Free | Adults $12.00 Ou ships & r e b m (5-17) $8.00 / (4 and under) Free e s M ership AllChildren b m e M Military and Seniors (60 and over) $10.00 t Gif
THE WRIGHT MUSEUM OF WORLD WAR II OPENS FOR THE 2021 SEASON ON MAY 1ST
As we open for the season our top priority is the health and safety of our visitors, volunteers, and staff. With that in mind, we will be following State and CDC suggested safety measures.
TWO NEW EXHIBITS OPEN MAY 1st -JUNE 10TH
WASP: THE UNTOLD STORY This powerful exhibit, portrayed through rare photographs, showcases WASP life at Avenger Field in Sweetwater, Texas, where the women were trained from 1943 - 1944. Created by the National WASP WWII Museum this exhibit honors the life and legacy of the Women Airforce Service Pilots - the first women to fly America’s military aircraft and forever changed the role of women in aviation.
WOMEN & THE WAR EFFORT
This fascinating exhibit focuses on the posters used during WWII to recruit women during the war effort. Using some of the bestknown artists of the period to design appealing and patriotic posters, the initial focus was on recruiting WACS, WAVES, SPARS and women Marines. However, convincing women that they were badly needed on the production line was just as important.
MUSEUM OPEN DAILY Show AAA card for 10% discount on adult admission fees.
May 1st thru Oct. 31st
Monday – Saturday, 10am-4pm Sunday, Noon-4pm
603-569-1212 • www.WrightMuseum.org • 77 Center Street, Wolfeboro, NH