Field Day

Recreation, Worcester State Normal School

There are fifteen girls posing for a picture. They are standing in front of some type of floral arrangement. These girls are in eighth grade according to the back of the photo. The outfits that they are wearing are very different to what is worn by eighth graders now. There is a little child on the right side of the photo. The girls are standing in front of a large building that was probably their school.

The back of the photo has a list of names of the individuals in the photograph:

Field Day 1929

• 1. Helen Yarock
• 2. Dorothy Rochette
• 3. Claire Healy
• 4. Ellen Murphy
• 5. Ruth Hofstra D3
• 6. Evelyn Deyo
• 7. Ella Anderson
• 8. Flora Rustigian
• 9. Ruth Campbell
• 10. Dolores Magwood D
• (sitting) 11. Muriel Worthington
• 12. Evelyn Langelier E1
• 13. Gladys Church
• 14. Joan Grade VIII
• 15. Helen Snow

Unknown

Worcester State College Archives Photo Collection

1929

Magan Ballou

Retained by Worcester State College

Black and white photograph

English

Sigmund Freud Statue

Statues, Monuments

This image of the Sigmund Freud Statue was taken in 2009. It is located outside of the main building at Clark University on 950 Main Street, Worcester. The statue was made in 1999 to celebrate Sigmund Freud's visit to the University in 1909 for its 20th Anniversary. The picture shows Freud sitting on top of a wall which has his name, the year and a description of his visit. The lectures that Freud gave that day were later called the "Clark Lectures". This was a very important appearance for him because this is where he first introduced the idea of psychoanalysis to the United States.

For more information on this event and the statue, consult Waymarking.com. Retrieved October 3, 2009.

10.25.2009

Shannon Mayhew

Sigmund Freud Statue by Shannon Mayhew is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License

Bancroft Tower in 2009

Buildings

The Bancroft Tower was built in 1900 in memory of George Bancroft who had lived in Worcester. Bancroft had many accomplishments in the navy, within politics, and as a writer. Salisbury’s main reason for dedicating the tower was because Bancroft had been close friends with his father. At the time and until currently the building was meant to be a place of recreation and open to the public. Made with granite and boulders, the tower contains spiral staircases, fireplaces, and benches used for picnics and other forms of public recreation.

After having problems with vandalization, the tower is currently closed with metal gates blocking the entrances leading to the stairs where people used to be able to climb and walk around the building. Bancroft Tower was given to the Worcester Art Museum when Salisbury passed away, then given to the city’s Park Department in 1912.

http://www.worcesterMA.gov, Salisbury Park, 2009. Retrieved October 28, 2009.

Mallory Moran

Bancroft Tower by Mallory Moran is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States License

1900

Portrait of Robert Hamilton Doe and Donald Bartlett Doe

Children of State Normal School Graduates

This is a picture of the sons of Orestes T. and Mabel Piper Doe. Mabel Piper Doe was from the twelfth graduating class at what is now known as Worcester State College. The picture is of her two sons at the age of 20 months. From this picture one can see how young boys were dressed at an early age. This picture was found in the album called “Graduates Children.” The album was “Manufact By E Posen & Co. Offenbach O/M. Germany.” It is difficult to tell exactly when this picture was taken, but from 2 pages down in the album a photograph dates to 1904. So, it was taken in the early 1900’s.

Unknown

Photo album, "Graduates Children," Worcester State College Archives

circa 1904

Leora Gaval

Retained by Worcester State College Archives

Black and white photograph

English

Mechanics Hall

Mechanics Hall

Mechanics Hall was built for the Mechanics Association, construction began in July 1855. The construction cost was $101,000. It was formally dedicated to the Mechanics Association on March 19th 1857. Elbridge Boyden was the designer of Mechanics Hall. It was used for concerts because of its great acoustics. Only Symphony Hall in Boston came close in size and grandness of Mechanics Hall at the time. It was restored for 5 million dollars beginning in 1975. The Great Hall, on the third floor, measures 80x130 feet and is 41 feet high. Washburn Hall is on the second floor. It had some financial problems during the Depression but was able to pull through and still stands today.

Worcester Mechanics Association

10.8.2009

Katherine O’Brien

Mechanics Hall by Katherine O'Brien is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

English

Main Street, Worcester MA

Second Church of Christ Scientist

Religion in Worcester

The service I attended was on Sunday, September 27, 2009 at the Second Church of Christ Scientist, located at 255 Salisbury Street in Worcester. The church, which is located in the Montvale Historical area of Worcester, is an octagonal shaped building with a steeple that rises from the middle of the roof and an ell located on the right hand side , which houses the Reading Room.

On entering the building you are greeted and given a booklet that lists the readings for the service and other pertinent information. The church itself is an octagonal room with a small raised platform with two lecterns which faces the seating area. There are no religious representations, i.e. statues, crucifixes or candles. To the left of the lectern is the following quote, “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free,” “Christ Jesus” and on the right side, “Divine love always has met and will always meet every human need,” “Mary Baker Eddy.” There is a nursery/baby room that is made available to worshippers and some of the small gathering did use this service.

The service lasted about an hour and consisted of readings from both the Saint James Bible and the Christian Science text, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, read by two lay people of the church. These lay people are voted to the position of Reader by the members of the church and are the leaders of the service. Religious hymns are sung by the congregation accompanied by an organist. There is one hymn in the service that is sung by a soloist. The readings are the same at all Christian Science churches, but the hymns are selected by the individual church.

The church has a Reading Room in which writings by Mary Baker Eddy can be read or purchased along with audio CDs. The Christian Science church also publishes the Christian Science Sentinel weekly, the Christian Science Journal monthly and the Christian Science Monitor which is now only available on the web.

In Worcester prior to 1970 the First Church Of Christ Scientist was located at 880 Main Street. Another church, known as the Second Church of Christ Scientist was located on Elm Street. The Elm Street church moved to Salisbury Street in 1970 and eventually the Main Street church closed and the members merged with the Salisbury Street church.

Christian Science believes that healing is possible through prayer and within the religion there are Christian Science Practitioners and Christian Science Nurses. The Christian Science church does not forbid the use of medicine, contrary to beliefs held by some. Christian Science Nurses are available for physical assistance, however they do not administer drugs or provide any type of physical therapy.

The Trinity in Christian Science is, “God the Father-Mother, Christ the spiritual idea of son ship and divine Science or the Holy Comforter, differing from the tradition Christian view. The Christian Science church is traditionally a defender of civil liberties but has no stated position on abortion and homosexuality.

The church in Worcester welcomes both members and non-members to all of its services and welcomes all to its Reading Room.

Second Church of Christ, Scientist

October 2009

Richard Tedesco

Unitarian Universalist Church of Worcester

Emily Nelson

Saint Charles Borromeo Parish

Religion in Worcester

St. Charles Borromeo Parish is a Roman Catholic Church located at 341 June Street, Worcester, Massachusetts 01602. The Pastor is Father Chester J. Misiewicz. The mass I attended was the 11 A.M. mass on Sunday, September 20, 2009. The mass lasted around 1.5 hours. There were approximately 200 people in attendance. English is the language spoken at St. Charles Borromeo Parish. During the mass, hymns were sung, accompanied by organ music. Specifically Hymns 517, 389, 434 and 504 were sung. During the mass, readings of St. Mark were read from the Holy Bible, in which the Pastor commented on the teachings of those readings.

The people who attended mass varied greatly from race to gender. There were many ethnicities, ages and males and females in attendance. There were whole families, partial families, mother’s with their daughters, father’s with their sons, individuals, the elderly, many variations of people attended. The mass began with the entrance of the Altar Servers first, then the Lector and then the Pastor. They walked from the rear of the church towards the front. The first Altar Server entered with a staff with the image of Jesus on the Cross. The Mass consisted of spoken words by the Pastor and responses by those in attendance. The Lector reads selected passages from the Holy Bible.

The mass consisted of sitting and listening to the Pastor and Lector, standing and singing hymns, and kneeling and praying. A collection was then taken by the Parish. Following that the Eucharist was performed. The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion is when wafers are eaten and then those taking the Eucharist drink from a goblet.

St. Charles Borromeo Parish uses a prayer book called the Heritage Missal. It is broken down into each and every mass for the entire year. The Heritage Missal has the Hymns and the words to the Hymns which are to be sung, which readings from the Holy Bible are going to be read and a complete agenda to the entire mass. At the beginning of the Heritage Missal there is a page for visitors. This page explains the Eucharist, and says that, “the Eucharist is a sign of the reality of the oneness of faith, life and worship.” It explains that only Roman Catholics can accept the Eucharist, unless that person is another type of Catholic and has received permission from the Bishop of the Diocese. It goes on to say that St. Charles Borromeo Parish welcomes all Catholics, Christians, Non-Christians and non-believers. The Heritage Missal states that if you are in these categories, that you can still, “Pray for the good of man, good health of others and safety for others,” and “offer their prayers for the peace and unity of the human family.”

The interior is wide open. A majority of the building consists of cushioned wooden benches. Each bench has a section that can be pulled down in order to kneel while praying. The benches are divided into four blocks and each block consists of several rows. The blocks are divided lengthwise from front to back right down the middle and width wise from left to right. The lengthwise division is where the Servers, the Lector and the Pastor enter into the room from the back and walk to the front of the room. The front is the focal point of the room. It is where the Pastor, Lector and Servers all sit and stand. It is like a stage carved into the room, the front is smaller width wise than the rest of the room. It is there where the altar, the seats for the Pastor and the Servers, and the podium for the Lector are located. Along the walls of the Church, there are stained glass windows. Between each stained glass on the walls is the story of Jesus Christ’s crucifixion. At each of the entrances/exits there are small moldings on the walls containing holy water. At the back of the room there is a balcony which is where the organ is located. In the rear of the room at the base is a separate room where the confessional is located. There is a basement area of the church where there is a kitchen and dining hall.

The exterior of the Church is made of brick in a tall triangle arch, almost like an A-frame, except that the two sloped roofs meet the exterior walls, which stand about 15 feet tall. Three flights of stairs lead up to the main entrance, which brings you into the rear of the interior of the Church. The top of the Church’s arch is adorned with a cross. On the left side of the Church is the parking lot, which includes a basketball court and a grill area.

As of the mass I attended, St. Borromeo’s Parish has been sending donations to a Parish in Dixcove, Ghana, West Africa. In total they have sent $1000 there for a bell to be mounted in the Dixcove Church. Also, St. Borromeo’s Parish holds CCD for the children of the St. Borromeo’s Parish.

St. Charles Borromeo Roman Catholic Parish

Pastor: Father Chester J. Misiewicz
Secretary: Anne Queenan

Visited 20 September 2009, 11 a.m. Mass.

James Hotaling

Temple Emanuel

Religion in Worcester

Temple Emanuel

Erica Cordio

Worcester Zen Community

Religion in Worcester

Worcester Zen Center, or the Boundless Way Temple, has been practicing for over a decade; they started in 1991, and recently moved to a new location at 1030 Pleasant St in Worcester, MA. The temple that now holds the Buddhist services is a month old; its exterior is quite deceiving because they lack the domes or classical architecture used by Asian Buddhist but then again it is, as their resident teacher/guide David Rynick states, a different form of Buddhism than its sister religions in China and Japan. American Buddhism, especially that of the Worcester area, is practiced more by lay people than the other forms of the service which have a very strong traditional element that centers around monks and priests who are the only ones to go to the temples of the Buddha and practice daily or weekly.

The Zen Center practices daily now, except for Saturdays, it holds services every day of the week mostly during the morning but also Thursday and Sunday evenings. The services themselves vary in length from an hour to two hours but include many forms of meditation, this makes sense since the definition of Zen is meditation. They also have retreats that last either three or seven days and these are elongated services held at the center for its members to spend the day in meditation and then one on one meeting with the guides, David Rynick and Melissa Blacker, whom reside at the temple.

The services start fifteen minutes early for new comers to join the guides who instruct them in basics and techniques that the ceremony requires which, they strongly advise everyone to participate. Once the service starts it is a cycle of sitting meditation for around twenty minutes and then a walking meditation, a form of Zen which strongly pulls the believers into the moment, for around ten minutes. The meditation is a form of appreciating each moment, if a pain arises or an inch starts one is instructed to “ignore” it physically and instead to appreciate it for what it is. During the service there are also chants, another Zen technique, in order to produce different sensations of thought. Also, there is often a talk given by one of the guides during the service in order to guide members of the center. The service often ends with the passing of a stick, not a rough gross stick but a well hewn smooth rod, that is known as the teaching stick. During this practice the person with the teacher stick in hand “teaches” something that they have learned through their meditation or through their Zen understanding.

The exterior of the house looks beautiful with an acre of land that could double as a retreat from the busy streets of Worcester without any other help from Buddhist teachings. David informed me that for the next summer they would be working around the yard in order to create it as a new “center” of worship so that during the services or retreats members would also be involved in walking meditation outside. The interior is also beautiful but not overly embellished, instead the room used for their service is plain, consisting of hardwood floors and sitting cushions for meditation. At the far end of the room there is an altar, with a representation of Buddha on it. In the corner there were drums, hinting that sometimes during chants or some other service music may be used. All together the room had an open warm feeling that was symbolic of their strong belief in welcoming new comers. Although they are always open to new guests the Zen Center has no outreach programs because Buddhists tend to not reach out in order to publicize themselves but instead they allow new comers to visit them in order to learn rather than of seeking converts.

Since the 1960’s Buddhism has started to expand in the United States and the Zen Center is a part of this tradition. The teachers founded the Worcester Zen Center in 1991 which, can be found online at www.worcesterzen.org or www.boundlesswayzen.org. They, David Rynick and Melissa Blacker, recently moved to 1030 Pleasant Street in Worcester, Ma, and can be reached at 508–792–5189. They are extremely welcoming, even making private appointments if they have extra time like they did for me on October 13th 2009. At any one time there is anywhere between twenty-five and forty members attending the service but they are always welcoming more.

Boundless Way Temple (Mugendo-ji)

Jeremiah Clark