Yesterday I attended the latest gathering of the North Country Society, a local ‘Pickwick Papers’ literary group of sorts, which meets sporadically here in Jackson. I use the ‘Pickwick’ reference with the greatest respect; not just because I am a big fan of Charles Dickens’ work, but because I also love the charming black & white version of the movie with the same name which came out in 1954, the year I was born. In reality, The North Country Society has absolutely nothing in common with the ridiculous (but charming) antics which take place in the novel; calling it that is purely artistic license, and the analogy totally whimsical. Our society is a private Jackson organization consisting of 12 members, and joining its ranks is by invitation only. Two or three years ago I was asked to fill a vacant seat when a long-time member moved away. I was thrilled to have been asked! At the time, I was the Jackson town columnist for the local paper and generally known throughout town due to my ‘Lodge Lady’ affiliations here. It was an honor to be asked, and I accepted with great pleasure. I love the whole idea of this small, loosely-knit association of community members; it’s a continuation of my strong belief in ‘lifelong learning’. I’m sure there must be plenty of other groups like it (an independent, quasi-academic/cultural salon of sorts) across the country, but I’ve never heard of any personally. Our North Country Society is made up of men and women of varying ages, interests and backgrounds, and it meets about four times a year. Each meeting is held at the home of a member who has previously volunteered to present a paper which they have researched and written on any subject of their choosing. The topics which have been presented since I came on board have been as varied as the people who present them, from the ‘History of Shaving’, the “Art of Rowing’, ‘Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language’; to historical subjects and detailed scientific works. Yesterday’s presentation was by one of my favorite people, a woman who has grown up here in Jackson, and her roots run deep. In fact, her parents and grandparents were natives of our town, and had a B&B/boarding house here. It was at that place where we met for discussion yesterday. The topic was about General Wentworth and his wife Georgia Anna Trickey, also Jackson natives of the mid-1800s-era, whose ‘Horatio Alger’ rags-to-riches-type lives form a remarkable and inspirational tale. We learned about how their two families were hard-working farm folk, whose hard work, a good measure of ambition, and a great deal of determination, created a fortune for the family, and a living legacy for Jackson which lives on today. (He donated 500 books to start the first library, as well as a sizeable donation after his death, the income of which continues to fund our library today!). General Wentworth was actually never a general at all; in fact he was honorably discharged from the Civil War as a ‘Private’. However his persona was much more of the ‘General’ sort, commanding such respect that the title stuck. He is attributed to launching the entire hospitality industry here in the White Mountains, and founded The Wentworth Hotel, still standing today. It was much bigger in its day, when an Orchestra used to play on the porch (to which well-dressed ladies and gentlemen could promenade). A handsome ballroom was located on the second floor; and Wentworth Hall, located behind the present day structure, sported an “attractive casino with a spacious smoking and billiards parlor”. One of the neatest things I learned was about the golf course, also still alive and well today. Back in the 1800’s though, the greens were kept ‘mowed’ by flocks of sheep … imagine that! I could go on and on about interesting snippets of local history I learned, but it is Friday afternoon, and guests are arriving, so I must go. But what I mostly wanted to share today is that the idea of a ‘Pickwick’ club is totally appealing to me, and I wish everyone (everyone who wants to, that is) could be a part of one. I’m not exactly sure when or where our next meeting will be, nor what my research topic will be about when it’s my time to be a presenter, but it will challenge all of us to continue to learn more and keep on growing!
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Pickwick Society
Yesterday I attended the latest gathering of the North Country Society, a local ‘Pickwick Papers’ literary group of sorts, which meets sporadically here in Jackson. I use the ‘Pickwick’ reference with the greatest respect; not just because I am a big fan of Charles Dickens’ work, but because I also love the charming black & white version of the movie with the same name which came out in 1954, the year I was born. In reality, The North Country Society has absolutely nothing in common with the ridiculous (but charming) antics which take place in the novel; calling it that is purely artistic license, and the analogy totally whimsical. Our society is a private Jackson organization consisting of 12 members, and joining its ranks is by invitation only. Two or three years ago I was asked to fill a vacant seat when a long-time member moved away. I was thrilled to have been asked! At the time, I was the Jackson town columnist for the local paper and generally known throughout town due to my ‘Lodge Lady’ affiliations here. It was an honor to be asked, and I accepted with great pleasure. I love the whole idea of this small, loosely-knit association of community members; it’s a continuation of my strong belief in ‘lifelong learning’. I’m sure there must be plenty of other groups like it (an independent, quasi-academic/cultural salon of sorts) across the country, but I’ve never heard of any personally. Our North Country Society is made up of men and women of varying ages, interests and backgrounds, and it meets about four times a year. Each meeting is held at the home of a member who has previously volunteered to present a paper which they have researched and written on any subject of their choosing. The topics which have been presented since I came on board have been as varied as the people who present them, from the ‘History of Shaving’, the “Art of Rowing’, ‘Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language’; to historical subjects and detailed scientific works. Yesterday’s presentation was by one of my favorite people, a woman who has grown up here in Jackson, and her roots run deep. In fact, her parents and grandparents were natives of our town, and had a B&B/boarding house here. It was at that place where we met for discussion yesterday. The topic was about General Wentworth and his wife Georgia Anna Trickey, also Jackson natives of the mid-1800s-era, whose ‘Horatio Alger’ rags-to-riches-type lives form a remarkable and inspirational tale. We learned about how their two families were hard-working farm folk, whose hard work, a good measure of ambition, and a great deal of determination, created a fortune for the family, and a living legacy for Jackson which lives on today. (He donated 500 books to start the first library, as well as a sizeable donation after his death, the income of which continues to fund our library today!). General Wentworth was actually never a general at all; in fact he was honorably discharged from the Civil War as a ‘Private’. However his persona was much more of the ‘General’ sort, commanding such respect that the title stuck. He is attributed to launching the entire hospitality industry here in the White Mountains, and founded The Wentworth Hotel, still standing today. It was much bigger in its day, when an Orchestra used to play on the porch (to which well-dressed ladies and gentlemen could promenade). A handsome ballroom was located on the second floor; and Wentworth Hall, located behind the present day structure, sported an “attractive casino with a spacious smoking and billiards parlor”. One of the neatest things I learned was about the golf course, also still alive and well today. Back in the 1800’s though, the greens were kept ‘mowed’ by flocks of sheep … imagine that! I could go on and on about interesting snippets of local history I learned, but it is Friday afternoon, and guests are arriving, so I must go. But what I mostly wanted to share today is that the idea of a ‘Pickwick’ club is totally appealing to me, and I wish everyone (everyone who wants to, that is) could be a part of one. I’m not exactly sure when or where our next meeting will be, nor what my research topic will be about when it’s my time to be a presenter, but it will challenge all of us to continue to learn more and keep on growing!
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