NMHS:
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A CAUSE IN MOTION Annual Meeting at the New Bedford Whaling Museum
From rhe warm welcome by New Bedford Whaling Museum president James Russell to the outstanding tours by curator Michael Dyer, capped by a deck tour of schooner Ernestina by Polly Zajac, secretary of the Schooner Ernestina-Morrissey Association, the 48'h annual NMHS meeting was described by many who attended as one of the best. New Bedford, Massachusetts, rhe "Whaling City," is steeped in whaling and fisheries history, and the museum interprets this important past through modern interactive exhibits that explore the heritage of whaling and rhe transition from "pursuit to preservation," including a look at rhe science and the politics of whaling. Mystic Seaport's Dana Hewson brought us up to date on the Charles W Morgan's restoration. The last surviving wooden sailing whaleship, the Morgan originally hailed from New Bedford but has been maintained and exhibited by Mystic Seaport since 1941. The business meering revealed a successful organization with strong leadership, well-managed finances, a committed membership, and an active and valuable program. NMHS members voted in a strong new class of trustees: RADM Joseph Callo, USNR (Rer.); William Jackson Green; NMHS president Burchenal Green and chairman Ron Oswald Capt. Sally Chin McElwreath, USNR (Ret.); Michael Morrow; Dr. Tim- welcome the new 2014 Class of Trustees: (l-r) William Green, Tim Runyan, Burchie Green, Ron Oswald, jean Wort, Sally othy Runyan; and Jean Wort. Joe Callo, and Michael Morrow. McElwreath, During the meeting, NMHS trustee William H. White anno unced the winner of the Rodney Houghton Award for the best article published in Sea History in the last year is Mystic Seaport's Matthew Stackpole for his article, Restoring an !con-Preparing the Whaleship Charles W Morgan for her 38'h Vi>yage, which appeared in Sea History 134.
National History Day National History Day (NHD) is a year-long educational program for middle- and high-school students that involves them in a competition to research, learn, and produce a creative project on a ropic in history based on a theme. NMHS is an official supporter of this program in hopes of inspiring young people ro learn about their maritime history by offering special NMHS prizes to the students who do the most outstanding project on a maritime topic. The 2011 NHD theme was, "Debate & Diplomacy in History: Successes, Failures, Consequences." Students in Junior and Senior divisions submitted projects in nine categories ranging from developing a website to performance in costume to more traditional papers and reports. This year NMHS participated in NHD events in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey, and we plan to expand around the country. You just have to see the level of excitement and scholarship to know that this is a program worth supporting. It gets students motivated and nourishes an active interest in history. Helping judge for the NMHS prizes were NMHS trustee Captai n Cesare Sorio in Dr. Steven Park, judge for the NMHS Award New York; Dr. Steven Park, manager of the Learning Resource Center at the University at the NHD event in Connecticut, congratulates of Connecticut; Paul O'Pecko, vice president of Collections and Research and director of Jared Bell (left) and Graham Frassinelli (right), the G. W Blum White Library at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut; and NMHS chairman Ronald Oswald and trustee Jean Wort in New Jersey. -Burchenal Green, President 2011 NMHS award winners.
The NMHS National History Day Award Winners for 2011 Connecticut SENIOR LEVEL IST PLACE: Maya LevineRitterman from Wilbur Cross High School for her website: "The SS St. Louis Tragedy." Teacher: Alfred Meadows. JuNIOR LEVEL IST PLACE: Jared Bell from the Bell family home school for his website: "Successful Mutiny: Debate and Diplomacy of the Amistad. "Teacher: Colleen Bell JuNIOR LEVEL 2ND PLACE: Graham Frassinelli from Hall Memorial School for his documentary: "The Leviarhan's Salvation: The International Moratorium on Commercial Whaling." Teacher: Pat Pinney.
SEA HISTORY 136, AUTUMN 2011
New Jersey SENIOR LEVEL IST PLACE: (2 prizes) Conor Reid from Montvale Twp. High School for his documentary: "Pirates! The US and the Barbary Coast." Teacher: Perer Porter; and Keertana Anandraj from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South for her paper: "The Trent Affair: Seward's Diplomaric Response to rhe British Lion Saves Lincoln's Union." Teacher: Joan Ruddiman. SENIOR LEVEL 2ND PLACE: Olivia Qui from Montvale Twp. High School for her exhibit: ''Alabama Claims: The Establishment of International Arbitration." Teacher: Peter Porter.
New York SENIOR LEVEL IST PLACE: Sanjay Anchar from Shenendehowa High School for his website: "LBJ & the G ulf ofTonkin Resolution." Teacher: Amber Quinn. JUNIOR LEVEL I ST PLACE: AkashAdvaney, Daniel Esposito, Kanav Gupta & Rahiq Rafeeq from Jericho Middle School for theirwebsite: "Erie Canal: Governmenrvs. Private Financing." Teacher: Pamela Travis JuNIOR LEVEL 2ND PLACE: Jacob Tabor from Milford Central School for his website: "Barbary Wars." Teacher: Michael Richtsmeier.
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