Volunteer Appreciation Night with a Special Presentation on Framingham’s Chautauqua Movement

Whether you’re already part of our volunteer family or considering joining us, this is an opportunity to get to know one another and learn about the exciting initiatives that lie ahead! The evening will feature historian Anita Danker for a talk on the Chautauqua movement in Framingham and the significant mark it left on the region.

The Forgotten Framingham Chautauqua: “In the Green Grove at Loved Lakeview.”

This is the story of how the quiet Mt. Wayte section of Framingham came alive each summer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when the New England Chautauqua Assembly came to town.

Situated on several wooded acres near Farm Pond, with a central location and convenient transportation, it was reportedly the largest “daughter” of the original New York-based institution. In its heyday, the Framingham Chautauqua at Lakeview provided a unique opportunity for individuals of all ages to enjoy a learning vacation that proved an engaging mix of education, religion, patriotism, popular culture, and a spirit of camaraderie. Largely forgotten now, the traces that do remain, including whimsical cottages and street names, are tangible reminders of a colorful chapter of Framingham’s history.

Please join us September 13 to learn more about this fascinating piece of Framingham History.

While the event is free, we encourage you to RSVP to ensure a spot, as space is limited. Please email Patti Burns Fiore at patti@framinghamhistory.org or call 508-626-9091 to confirm your attendance. Light refreshments will be served.

About Dr. Anita Danker

Before her retirement from full-time teaching in 2008, Anita Danker, EdD (Curriculum and Teaching Social Studies, Boston University), was an associate professor of education at Assumption University. Currently she serves on the Framingham Cultural Council and as a member of the Boston Women’s Heritage Trail Advisory Board. She continues to teach a graduate course on diversity in education, present lectures on local history topics, and pursue her research interests, which include women’s history and the labor movement in Massachusetts. Her book, Multicultural Social Studies: Using Local History in the Classroom, was published by Teachers College Press. Dr. Danker has written numerous articles in the fields of local history and education that have been published in the Massachusetts Historical Review, Historical Journal of Massachusetts, and other academic journals.