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‘Millstream’: Newsletter of the Lowell Museum (Fall 1978)
Spin the time machine and what comes up spurs recollections. Here’s an excerpt from the Fall 1978 issue of “Millstream,” the newsletter of the Lowell Museum, which operated out of the Wannalancit Mills complex on Suffolk Street in the 1970s. My co-blogger Marie Sweeney was president of the Lowell Museum Corp. for many years.—PM
“Calendar of Events”
Nov. 1–Trustees meeting
Nov. 19-25–Exhibit of Lowell Sun posters
Nov. 23–Vacation Special for children: “Clowning Around,” an original play performed by the Chelmsford High Drama Group, 10 am
Dec. 8–Irish Treasures, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (group trip)
Dec. 17–Annual Christmas Party, 6 pm
Dec. 27–Vacation Special for children: Louise Dunn of Lowell’s Children’s Library
Jan. 21-22–King Tut Exhibit, Metropolitan Museum, New York (group trip)
…
“Membership Committee: The Museum is pleased to report that we now have over 650 members….”
“Docent Committee: …The establishment of Lowell National Historical Park and the accompanying publicity has certainly had an immediate effect … Our visitor rate during the summer as well as the scheduled tours for the fall clearly indicate the importance of our major exhibit, ‘Spindle City: 1820-1940.’ Visitors are coming to the Museum from literally all over the world. …”
…
Some of the names in just one issue of the newsletter: Lewis T. Karabatsos, Philena Moxley, Judy Larter, Catherine Goodwin, Manny Tsaldekis, Margaret Cookman, Fannie Moore, Marilyn Pike, Elizabeth Sladek, Lydia Howard, Ella Donohue, Mildred Wahlgren, Elsie Samaras, Louise Abbott, Molly McCarthy, Fran Ward, Gretchen Ward, Janet Lambert-Moore, Eileen Healy, Kay O’Donnell, Nancy Clark, Peter Hollingsworth, Ina Greenblatt, Jeannine Lavoie, Sunny Dowling, Florence Marion, Mary Ellen Sullivan, Jan-Marie Considine, Margaret Duggan, Carleton Theimer, Kathy Callahan, Mary Anne Bowers, Susan Bellemare, Meg Randazza, Neal Barrett, Regina Faticanti, Robin LaBreque, Florence Rioux, Clementine Alexis, Jan Bonica, Adele Cooper, Anne Marie King, Mary Noon, Henry Paradis, Dottie Polak, Mickey Randazza, Joan Van Hooser, Richard Santerre, Connie M. Kalogeropoulos, Dennis Sarris, Christine Mills, V. Deignan and B. Willworth, Agnes Greenwood, Paul Donovan, Armand Sweeney, Fanny Knapp, William McCarthy, Irene Masse, Mrs. Saul Levine, Helen Myers, Cheryl Davis, Annette Gosselin, George Gamache, Phil Gauthier, Martha Zaroulis, Karthryn Chase Slipp, William York, Alan Stephens, Mr and Mrs Gustaves Meneau, William Cooper, Ellen A. Roseman, Mrs Joseph Riley, Mr and Mrs Raymond Sullivan, Gerald F. Donehue, Wayne Peters….
It takes a lot of people to tell the story of a city. All these people in their small and large ways contributed to the heritage revival in Lowell that continues today.
Paul
Another trip down Memory Lane! Wonderful, committed people supported and were active members of the Lowell Museum. Sadly, some are no longer with us but they left their mark as docents and donors… inspirational and indefatigable workers for the Museum goals like incomparable Lydia Howard. Catherine Goodwin led tours, created exhibits, shared the Goodwin family treasures… Adele Cooper, Mary Noon, Ina Greenblat and so many others others were docents doing tours, helping with workshops, being out there and confident about the mission and telling the Museum story… Regina Faticanti was a young staffer dressed as a mill girl… former mill worker Henry Paradis ran the loom in the lobby and told his stories… my great aunts Vera Deignan and Beatrice Willwerth loaned items for exhibits and always supported me in my role… many were board members Sunny Sowling (of the Round House), Mickey Randazza, Clemmie Alexis… donors like Gerry Donahue… creative workers like Judy Later in whose family mill space the Museum was housed… Director Lew Karabatsos who handled it all like a riingmaster… this is a “whos-who” of civic activists and people with an appreciation of Lowell’s history and a vision for its future. I am grateful for the opportunity to be involved with the Lowell Museum and all these wonderful people who reflected all aspects of Lowell – they were and are my colleagures and friends.The roots of the coming of the Lowell National Historical Park were sown here!