CCP's Did You Know? Fact #25.

"History is all around us." I think I've heard someone say that...somewhere. But can we deny its truthfulness? In Middletown, especially, there is a rich history that can be seen even today. One walk down High Street brings a lot of history to light. Why are there so many mansions on one block? Is Russell House really "The House That Opium Built?" I have heard that one many times.

The answers are out there. There have been countless research projects by community members, the Middlesex Historical Society, as well as Wesleyan faculty, staff, and students. The research has spanned topics such as business development, urban landscapes, agricultural history, architectural preservation...the list goes on.

So with that in mind, we here at the Center for Community Partnerships want to extend the offer to come hear Professor Ron Schatz and his Middletown History Service-Learning class talk about their research. The formal invitation from Service-Learning Director and Wesleyan Professor of many hats, Krishna Winston, is below:

"The final First Friday program sponsored by the Center for Community Partnerships will feature the students in Ron Schatz's Middletown History service-learning course. Please note that this program actually takes place on the SECOND Friday of May at 4:30 PM in Room 004 of Wesleyan's Allbritton Center, 222 Church St. The students presenting and their subjects are as follows:

Ross Levin: the 1912 strike at Russell Manufacturing Company
Earl Lin: Mayor Stephen Bailey’s urban renewal plan
Adam Marcu:  the workmen in Portland’s brownstone quarries
Kyle Roosa:  late 19^th-century Middletown philanthropy
Zachary Vinci: Middletown’s patriots in the Revolutionary War
Yanru Wang: the establishment of Middletown High School in the 1840s

Please join us for this stimulating and informative program. Refreshments will be served. Parking is usually available on High Street, in Lot C on the south side of Church Street, or in Lot L on the south side of Lawn Avenue."