USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College

Students at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College recently organized and hosted an interactive college adventure tour for local Lewiston high school youth.  Thirty-nine high school junior and seniors from the Tree Street Youth program and the DEC Academic Success program visited USM’s Lewiston campus and explored their programs in Natural and Applied Sciences, Nursing, Leadership, and Social and Behavioral Science programs.  The students also learned of the varied community engagement opportunities available at USM LAC and saw the Franco-American Collection, which is one of the largest repositories of Franco-American archival material in the State of Maine. The tour began with a welcome from USM LAC Dean Joyce Gibson and concluded with admissions counseling and a reception.  USM LAC faculty and students attended the reception to answer the tour participants’ questions.

The tour was funded by a grant from Maine Campus Compact and was organized by USM LAC students Ryan Gray, Tracie Travers, Tristan Newton, Katie McCabe, Nesra Ibrahim, and Brittany Nadeau as part of a community engagement project for their Toward a Global Ethics course taught by Professor Michelle Vazquez Jacobus. Generous donations from the following community businesses helped make this tremendous event successful: Papa John’s Pizza in Lewiston, The Bread Shack, Ricker Hill Orchards, Poland Spring Bottling Co., and The Northeast Charter Bus Company.

The University of Southern Maine’s Franco-American Collection will be bringing its popular French-language sing-along to the d’Youville Pavilion at St Mary’s Regional Health Center, Monday, December 12. The hour-long session, from 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m., will take place in the chapel on the third floor of the Pavilion and will focus on traditional holiday favorites, and French Noëls (Christmas Carols).  Members of the public are invited to join residents for the festive session, which will be led by local singers and instrumentalists.  No prior knowledge of French is necessary, since song sheets with lyrics will be provided. Participants of all ages and backgrounds are strongly encouraged.

“Taking the program to St. Mary’s is a great opportunity to reach those who might not normally be able to make it to our regular events” says Collection Coordinator James Myall. “We had a great time last year at d’Youville – it really captured the spirit of the holidays.”

In case of bad weather, the event will be postponed until Thursday, December 22 at the same time. For more information, please contact USM’s Franco-American Collection at 753-6545 or franco@usm.maine.edu.  The D’Youville Pavilion at St Mary’s Regional Health Center is located at 93 Campus Avenue in Lewiston.

Recently, the Woman’s Literary Union of Androscoggin County
participated in a Collection Assessment and Workshop as fulfillment of
a grant awarded through the Historical Records Collections Grants
Program, administered by the Maine Historical Records Advisory Board,
with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records
Commission. The grant program is coordinated in Maine by the State
Archives.

Denise Scammon, an Arts & Humanities student at the University of
Southern Maine’s Lewiston‑Auburn College, wrote the grant and then
followed through with the grant requirements as part of her
Independent Study course with USM LAC  Professor Barry Rodrigue.
Consultant Anastasia S. Weigle conducted the assessment of W. L. U.’s
collection and then presented a workshop to W. L. U. members about the
care of its collection.

“W. L. U. was established over 100 years ago in 1892. Prior to this
project, many W. L. U. members were unaware of the worthy civic
activities of the organization’s early members. The reading of
documents, meeting minutes, correspondence, and programs in its
archives as part of this project has revealed a lot about the
organization’s history and members’ activities,” said Scammon.

“Many generations of women have participated in W. L. U. club
activities that have provided a rich cultural and social history in
the communities of Androscoggin County including labor movements,
woman’s suffrage, women’s involvement in war movements, and more,”
said Scammon. “W. L. U. even hosted a tea for the Maine Teacher’s
Association in 1953 which was attended by educators and Eleanor
Roosevelt.” The archives reveal that W. L. U. members have been
instrumental in educational and cultural projects such as establishing
local kindergartens, city beautification projects, and instructing
women in the use of the first electric stoves.

“The W. L. U. records have great historical value for the Auburn
community and the community at large. By raising an awareness of the
historical value of these records, we are preserving an important part
of Maine’s cultural history,” said Weigle. “This was an important
grant because it will help W. L. U. further their mission in making
materials of enduring value accessible to researchers.” Weigle is an
independent archivist and bookbinder from Old Orchard Beach; she is
also adjunct faculty at the University of Maine at Augusta’s Library
and Information Services Program.

W. L. U.’s mission is to further the intellectual, educational, and
cultural advancement of its members and community. Also, part of its
mission is to take and hold real estate and permanent funds from
whatever source received to serve as a museum for the preservation of
the Nationally Registered Historic Home at 19 Elm Street, Auburn,
Maine. The home is also known as the Horatio and Ella Foss mansion and
was bequeathed to W. L. U. by Ella Foss in 1941. The organization took
possession of the mansion in 1943.

Maine State Archivist David Cheever noted that a report to the Maine
Legislature indicates that many of Maine’s historical collections
(photographs, paintings, natural history collections, and letters) are
in danger of being lost to fire, theft, mold, or misuse.

“Maine has an estimated 200 million such records, many in facilities
with little or no security, fire protection, or environmental
controls. Local governments, historical societies, and libraries are
seeking help through grant programs such as this one to preserve our
heritage,” Cheever said.

The Maine State Archives is a Bureau within the Department of the
Secretary of the State. For information about the Historical Records
Collections Grant Program, call Janet Roberts at 287‑5791 or email
janet.roberts@maine.gov or visit
www.maine.gov/sos/arc/mhrab/grants.html. For more information about
Lewiston‑Auburn College, visit www.usm.maine.edu/lac. Learn more about
the Woman’s Literary Union at www.womansliteraryunion.org or find them
on Facebook at www.facebook.com/womansliteraryunion.

The Franco-American Collection at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College announces the return of French sing-alongs at the campus. The public and all ages are invited to join USM’s Franco-American Collection starting at 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, September 28 for an hour of songs, jigs and reels. The event takes place in the large function room in the north lobby.

Traditional favorite French songs will be featured prominently in the session led by Jacynthe Jacques and accompanied by Jeanette Gregoire on piano. People who attend are encouraged to contribute their own songs and stories.

Lyrics will be provided, and no knowledge of French is required. For more information, call the Franco-American Collection’s Coordinator, James Myall, at 753-6545.

The University of Southern Maine’s Franco-American collection is one of the largest repositories of Franco-American archival material in the State of Maine. The Collection’s holdings cover local history, government, religion, language, education, industry, sports and the arts. The mission of the Collection is to develop and promote interest in and study of Franco-American culture and history on the part of the University community, academic community, and the community at large. The Collection focuses on Lewiston-Auburn and other areas of Maine, with additional regional materials providing a link to the wider contexts of French North America.

(Left to right) Aliette Couturier, Jacynthe Jacques, Jeanette Gregoire and Irene Coady lead USM LAC’s French sing-along last May.

Maine State Archivist David Cheever has announced that the Woman’s Literary Union of Androscoggin County will receive $625 to preserve and provide better access to its historical collections as part of the Historical Records Collections Grant Program. The program is administered by the Maine Historical Records Advisory Board, with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The grant program is coordinated in Maine by the State Archives.

Denise Scammon, an Arts & Humanities student at the University of Southern Maine’s Lewiston-Auburn College, and historian at W. L. U., wrote the grant as part of her Independent Study course with USM Professor Eve Raimon. “I think that it is important to document the history of the Woman’s Literary Union and preserve the stories of its members as a valuable resource for the community. The organization’s historical collections provide a window into Lewiston-Auburn’s past through the documented legacy of W. L. U.’s achievements and leadership,” said Scammon.

Recent studies underscore that cultural resources are important in decisions to locate businesses or to choose a community in which to retire. These grants help sustain the basic infrastructure of this key element of society.

“Grants such as this support community efforts to protect the stories of our birth, property rights, government, and how we lived our lives,” said Cheever. “People need to document their birth or naturalization to obtain a passport or to get medical care; others research their property boundaries; some seek long-lost relatives or to understand the history of the old mill down the road. Without these precious records, most questions like this would remain unanswered.”

A recent report to the Maine Legislature indicates that many of Maine’s historical collections (photographs, paintings, natural history collections, and letters) are in danger of being lost to fire, theft, mold, or misuse.

“Maine has an estimated 200 million such records, many in facilities with little or no security, fire protection, or environmental controls. Local governments, historical societies, and libraries are seeking help through grant programs such as this one to preserve our heritage,” Cheever said.

“Just a quick examination of W. L. U.’s historical collections shows that its members have a long history of civic engagement in the Lewiston-Auburn community. From W. L. U.’s 1898 campaign to add kindergarten to the public school systems in Lewiston and Auburn, to its campaign in 1905 to add domestic science and manual training to the public school curriculum, to its promotion of better wages for teachers in the 1950s, much of the organization’s civic activities centered on education,” said Scammon.

Small grants have stimulated local citizens and organizations to commit more of their resources to these projects.

Pictured above is the future Research Room at the Horatio G. Foss Mansion in Auburn. Following the process of working with a professional conservationist and creating a Finding Aid, which the grant has enabled WLU to do, researchers will be able to browse the historical documents in WLU’s collection by appointment.

The Maine State Archives is a Bureau within the Department of the Secretary of the State. For information about the Historical Records Collections Grant Program, call Janet Roberts at 287-5791 or email janet.roberts@maine.gov or visit www.maine.gov/sos/arc/mhrab/grants.html. For more information about Lewiston-Auburn College, visit www.usm.maine.edu/lac. Learn more about the Woman’s Literary Union at www.womansliteraryunion.org or find them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/womansliteraryunion.