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From the Executive Director's Desk
Recently I asked Professor Rachel Siegel, CFA and North Star Follow The Money columnist for a succinct description of the soon-to-be-gone, tax break initiated by the IRS designed to help out our socially relevant institutions (non-profits). She thought for a moment and said:
“Give now… and get a gift from Uncle Sam”.
Noticing my look for further clarification, she continued: “There are so many great reasons to support the St Johnsbury Athenaeum, that we hardly need one more. But now there’s a beauty–a gift to the St Johnsbury Athenaeum from an IRA Rollover can also earn you a tax deduction, if you act before December 31st.
“An IRA Rollover is a gift made directly from your IRA to a charitable institution – like the Athenaeum. If you are over 70 ½, you have to take distributions from your IRA anyhow (which are taxed as income). But if you have enough income for your own needs, you can have all or part of your IRA distribution rolled over directly to the Athenaeum as a gift; and then take a tax deduction for the charitable donation. Best of all, you can do this even if you don’t itemize your deductions!
“Of course, there’s a catch. The law that makes this possible expires on December 31st of this year. To make your gift, and get your deduction from Uncle Sam, please talk with your financial advisor or investment manager soon. The clock is ticking.”
If you, or someone you know, might be in a position to benefit from this law, I hope you will give it your every consideration. If you would like to make a contribution to the Athenaeum's Annual Fund campaign, you can download our donation card here.
Please stop in and visit us during the coming months. The Board of Trustees and members of our staff join me in wishing you and your family a joyous holiday season.
Irwin Gelber
Don't Miss
November 30: Mark Twain Talks
Bern Budd portrays the author, on Twain’s 172nd birthday at 7 PM.
December 1 - January 30: Rodney Reis - Atmospheres
An exhibit in the tradition of the Hudson River School of painting. Through October 31st in the Upstairs Gallery.
FIRST WEDNESDAYS LECTURE SERIES at 7 PM. This Vermont Humanities Program is hosted by the Athenaeum.
December 5–Where in the World is Kingdom County? Vermont writer Howard Frank Mosher tells of how he first came to the Northeast Kingdom and discovered a fragment of a much earlier New England and Vermont, full of stories from the lives of some of the last independent-minded individualists in America.
January 2–27 Rue de Fleurus. Dartmouth College Professor Barbara Will describes the salon Gertrude Stein created on the Left Bank in Paris, which included many 20th-century creative luminaries.
February 6–Forward From Here: Leaving Middle Age and Other Unexpected Adventures. Author Reeve Lindbergh talks about “leaving middle age, and other unexpected adventures,” from snapping turtles in the road to new revelations, and new relatives in her family.
March 5–The Importance of Being Oscar. Dartmouth College Professor Peter Saccio considers Oscar Wilde’s comic genius, his social standing in late Victorian society, and his historical influence.
April 9–An Evening with Thomas Jefferson. In anticipation of the upcoming Presidential elections, former President Thomas Jefferson, portrayed by Clay Jenkinson, talks about democracy today and how it compares with democracy during his time.
Note: This talk takes place on the second Wednesday of the month.
May 7–The Founders and the Problem of Democracy. The founders never intended our nation to be a democracy, a concept they regarded with horror. Vic Henningsen considers how they became architects of their own frustration, overtaken by a revolution framed on notions of equality they espoused, but were reluctant to extend broadly.
Ongoing Events
Story Time in the Children's Library every Monday at 11AM. All ages are welcome.
"Six O'Clock Prompt" Writers Support Group - Veteran & new writers invited. 802-633-2617 or 802-592-3138 for more information.
Scrabble Club meets the 1st Saturday of each month from 12-4PM.
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Book Review
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen centers on Jacob Jankowski, a man who drops out of college and winds up joining a Depression-era circus. He falls in love with Marlena, the beautiful horseback rider, and befriends Rosie, the elephant. The book moves back and forth between Jacob as a 93-year-old and his memories of his years with the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth.
The gaudy, desperate world of the traveling train circus of the 1930’s is a fertile area for author Sara Gruen. In her note at the novel’s end she explains that her interest in the topic came about by accident when she saw photographs by Edward J. Kelly who followed traveling circuses around America in the 1920’s and 1930’s. Gruen was hooked by the images illustrating this exotic but vanished world and began her research for this unusual story. Photos mostly of the famous Ringling Brothers Circus are sprinkled throughout the book.
After spending 13 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list in the Spring of 2006 the book reemerged last summer as one of the best selling “sleepers” of the season. Although its sentimentality may not be to everyone’s taste, I found the book absorbing and truly magical. I relished the historical details and was drawn into this landscape of freaks and “rubes” (spectators,) roustabouts, and circus animals, with Rosie the elephant as its queen.
A delight to read and remember – highly recommended.
Lisa von Kann
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From the Archives
Ringing in the New Year for 2008, will be the unheard chimes of the various vintage clocks around the Athenaeum. Father Time may be slightly late in accordance with the grandfather clock, situated between the north windows of the reading room since 1916. The clock was once known as the “Old Venerable Timekeeper” at Edson’s Tavern on the old Center Village road in 1799. It was donated to the Athenaeum by Charles and George Hastings and is the only clock mentioned in the early history of the town.
The grandfather clock is wound weekly by its timekeeper Circulation Desk Librarian Amy Petersen. It is synchronized to the Atomic Clock, but consistently gains five minutes by the next winding. Not bad for a clock over 208 years old. Our patrons and guests in the Reading Room enjoy the soothing tick tock of the pendulum and the heralding of every hour. From the Old Venerable Timekeeper and those of us at the Athenaeum, Happy New Year!
Shara McCaffrey
More Words of the Day
As the year draws to a close, here are some more of our favorite words of the day. Remember, if you have a word or two that you’d like to share with us, email apetersen@stjathenaeum.org.
MISOLOGY (Noun) [mi-sol-uh-jee] Hatred of reason, argument, or enlightenment.
VIRAGO (Noun ) [vi-rah-goh] A woman regarded as noisy, scolding, or domineering. A large, strong, courageous woman. From the Latin vir for man.
ONYCHOLYSIS (Noun ) [on-y-chol-y-sis] The separation or loosening of a fingernail or toenail from its nail bed. From the Greek word onux for nail or claw.
SOBRIQUET (Noun ) [soh-bruh-key] An affectionate or humorous nickname. An assumed name. From the Old French soubriquet for chuck under the chin.
HABOOB (Noun) [huh-boob] A penetrating sandstorm or dust storm with violent winds.
TATTERDEMALION (Noun) [tat-er-di-meyl-yuhn] A person wearing ragged or tattered clothing, a ragamuffin.
Amy Petersen
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Gifts in Honor of Someone Special
As of November 1st, when you make a donation in honor of someone, we will acknowledge your gift by sending a note to the honoree with your name included.
Holiday Shopping Ideas
St. Johnsbury House is the latest addition to the Friends of the Athenaeum’s series of keepsake ornaments that capture the flavor of St. Johnsbury’s historic Main Street. This ornament joins five other ornaments, which are on sale at Secondhand Prose and at the Athenaeum. Don’t forget to visit our Gift Shop for gifts such as:
Note cards & tote bags
Framed and unframed reproductions of Raspberry Girl, Hiding in the Old Oak, The Domes of Yosemite, and Girl Reading.
The Handbook of the Art Collection
Signed adult and children’s books by Vermont authors
What’s in a Word?
Ever wonder what they call the @ (at-sign), seen everywhere from email addresses to signs in grocers’ windows, in other countries?
In many countries, descriptive words are used for the at-sign, many based on the shape of the character. Culled from several sources, here’s a sampling of at-signs around the world.
Afrikaans - monkey’s tail
Czech Republic - herring wrapped around a pickle
Danish - elephant’s trunk
Finnish - cat’s tail
German - hanging monkey
Hebrew - strudel
Korean - snail
Chinese - little mouse
Thai - wiggling worm
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Atmospheres: The Paintings of Rodney Reis in the Upstairs Gallery
Peacham resident Rodney Reis, whose works reflect the tradition of the Hudson River School, says “I have been greatly influenced by the Hudson River School artists, not only for their portrayal of the landscape utilizing light and atmosphere but for the
camaraderie they established with one another to foster a respect for the methods of the (old) masters. The paintings of Gifford, Durand, Bierstadt, Church and Whittredge, whose works are in the Athenaeum’s permanent collection, are a symphony of color for my eyes. The landscape has always been a place of refuge for me, a feast of all God’s creation placed before me as a gift to interpret and make everlasting for others.
Further, he states, “in honor of the true masters, I grind my own pigments to create my oils. I make all my own mediums utilizing the power of the sun to enrich the intensity of the oils. My paintings are composed on handmade panels utilizing the ingredients of the masters; rabbit skin glue and gesso, hand-sanded to a smooth finish. This process reinforces my respect for the mastery of painting and ensures that the paintings will be of heirloom quality.”
Educated at the Art Students League in New York, he is a member of the Salmagundi Art Club also located in New York City. His painting Crawford Notch captured “Best In Show” in their juried annual competition in 2006. The exhibit runs through the end of January 2008 in the Upstairs Gallery.
Visit the Children’s Library Gift Tree
We are, once again, getting ready to put up the annual Gift Tree in the Children’s Library. This is a chance to help us add to our children’s collection. Starting December 1st, the Gift Tree will be on display in the Children’s Library with ideas for library materials that we’d like to own. Come in and choose a gift; pay the wholesale price; and we will add a bookplate with the name of a person you choose to honor. You can also make your purchase a memorial gift. Stop by and browse!
Athenaeum at a Glance
11,595 Chidren’s picture books were borrowed in the last year.
9,400 Works of fiction circulated in the last year.
7,127 Videotapes and DVDs circulated in the last year.
1,115 Visitors to the Art Gallery during August and September of this year.
140 International visitors to the Art Gallery so far this year.
Stephen Huneck Print Raffle
Don’t forget that our Huneck print raffle will be continuing from now until December 31st. Tickets are $5 each or 3 for $10 and will underwrite the new Stephen Huneck library card. The winner of the raffle will receive BOTH Huneck prints. The prints are on display at the Athenaeum.
SecondHand Prose
Now open at 1222 Main Street, selling used books year-round; operated by the Friends of the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum. Hours are Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday 10 AM-2 PM and Wednesday 2:30 -6:30 PM.
Athenaeum Hours
Mon. & Wed: 10AM to 8PM
Tues., Thurs., & Fri.: 10AM - 5:30PM
Sat.: 9:30AM - 4PM
Free wireless Internet access now available.
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at the St. Johnsbury Athenaeum is published quarterly via email.Send your comments & feedback via email to newsletter@stjathenaeum.org. Our mailing address is: St. Johnsbury Athenaeum,
1171 Main Street,
St. Johnsbury, VT 05819
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