The Lucile Hawkins Gilman Memorial Scholarship was created to honor the legacy of Lucile Hawkins Gilman (1923-1957). Lucile was a lifelong resident of Gilmanton, beloved mother to six children, an accomplished teacher, and active leader in the Lower Gilmanton Community Club. Lucile was committed to investing in young people and believed every act of volunteerism helped her community be a better place. To celebrate Lucile’s life we are pleased to announce that two scholarships of $500 will be awarded to eligible residents of any age pursuing higher education or trade school who demonstrate a commitment to service to their community. The application for the 2023 to 2024 academic year is now available on the Lakes Region Scholarship Foundation’s website. Go to lrscholarship.org/applicants to access the forms. Deadline for completed application packets is April 1. The LRSF will announce the winners will in June.
Harvard researcher Geoffrey Kirsch will speak about the Fugitive Slave Crisis and its impact in New Hampshire on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. at the Pembroke Public Library. The event is free and open to the public. Kirsch, a Ph.D. candidate at Harvard focuses on 19th- and early 20th-century American Literature and its intersections with legal and political history. His discussion, “Forced into Politics: Daniel Webster, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the Fugitive Slave Crisis” will also address the role of Franklin Pierce, the only US President from the Granite State, in enforcing the fugitive slave law. Kirsch’s writing has appeared in publications including American Literary Realism; Law, Culture and the Humanities; the Los Angeles Review of Books; The New England Quarterly; the New Rambler Review of Books; and PMLA. He previously earned a B.A. from Dartmouth College and a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and practiced law in Boston before returning to academia. He is a native of Concord. This presentation is sponsored by the Pembroke Historical Society in partnership with the Pembroke Town Library, and was generously financed in part by the New Hampshire Humanities Council and the National Endowment for the Humanities. For more information, contact Sarah O. Hyland at (603) 566-1031.
Are you ukulele curious? The Contookuleles is a mix of experienced and beginner players with a focus on learning and fun. New members are always welcome. Meetings are the first Wednesday of the month from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Hopkinton Town Library. More information and signup at meetup.com/contookuleles.