Our town, Fairhaven
A partnership between Elizabeth Hastings Middle School and the Fairhaven Office of Tourism.
Eighth Grade students in Mrs. Galinha's media arts class partnered with the Fairhaven Office of Tourism to create a meaningful experience about our town.
The students engaged in the virtual Henry Huttleston Walking Tour guided by Chris Richard, Director of Tourism. The presentation and discussion was based on ‘community’ and what it means to be a part of a community; How will the students’ role change as they transition into high school? What are ways you can give back to your community?
Mr. Richard also gave the students a brief evolution of postcards and showed some he had on hand. Students analyzed historical postcards of Fairhaven to better understand how postcards preserve history and created their own postcards based off their own experiences and memories here in town.
"I didn't realize that all of the buildings, like the town hall, Library, or Fairhaven High were all different types of architecture because they all look so similar to each other." (survey of students)
One student brought in artifacts her family had from the Atlas Tack co. and a book titled 'A Picture Postcard History of Fairhaven'.
The Henry H. Rogers walking tour is linked on the left. You can also find the video and a pdf that coincides with the tour at fairhaventours.com.
Mr. Richard visited us via zoom to continue our lesson.
We discussed two main topics; community and how postcards preserve history.
Mr. Richard gave us a history of postcards and discussed the process in which they were once made. One student's response was, "I really liked hearing about the postcards and how they would send them to Germany to be colorized but they didn’t know what they looked like so the colors were messed up. " (survey of students). Students were also very surprised to learn about the process of old printing presses.
Along with the discussion on postcards we also dove into the topic of community. These students are eighth graders and their role in the community is about to change as they enter high school. Students were asked; What is community?, What role do we play in the community?, How can we give back to the community?. Students were surveyed on this topic. Community to one student is "Where people come together." and another students believes "that Community means things like neighborhoods, friends and family. I also think it means things like the town as a whole and people helping other people."(survey of students). Giving back to our community may mean "Fundraisers, cleaning up, improving things, having pride in your town" (survey of students).
Fairhaven Postcards.pptxStudents analyzed Mr. Richard's collection of postcards, see above. The students were then asked to think of memories they have made here in town, at school, with their friends or family. Students submitted their memories before beginning to create postcards.
"I always loved going to the outdoor concerts ever since I was really little. I still have a town paper with a picture of me in it, at the age of around 4, dancing on the lawn of the millicent library. As time goes on, it seems like this town tradition has held true and will continue to have an everlasting effect on people who take part." (survey of students)
Please note: names blacked out for privacy.
"I have a LOT of memories at Hastings Middle School. Like too many. 7th and 8th grade (so far) have been good years. All my academics in seventh grade were pretty fun classes because of all of the people in my classes. So it just feels appropriate to pick the middle school because it was and still is the point in my life where I discovered a lot of things about not only myself but just the world in general. For example, this year in my small class I discovered that all the smart kids actually aren't as bad as they may seem. Last year I would've never pictured myself being friends with some of the friends I made this year. Any and all good memories I have with people outside of school have been because of school. And I never would have met them, or anyone really if it weren't for this school and Fairhaven Public Schools." (survey of students).
Students were given the option to work digitally, as they are more comfortable with this material, or traditionally with watercolor. The student in the image above worked digitally first and then carried out her ideas traditionally.
Work in progress
"In my neighborhood, "Edgewood", I've had lots of memories since I was born. My friends across the street, down the street, all over the street, have had fun with me in this neighborhood. There are many landmarks that we have grown close to, such as a huge tree we used to climb, the two connecting cul-de-sacs, the field in the back, and many other things. We've all had fun together and I've made so many memories in Edgewood."
"During the summer I would go on walks around town. I would go to the fort and my grandmothers house. I would hang out with my family. I hung out at the beach with the family."
Final products
My postcards are of Fort Phoenix in the winter and summer. One winter when it snowed really hard my dad took me to the fort and we slid down the big rock and almost went over the side. I really love that memory even though my dad apparently doesn´t remember it at all.
I remember one time me and my family went to fort phoenix and we just hung out for the day and it was a great time. I also remember that the ice cream truck had came when we were there and for some reason my brother got this jolly rancher snow cone but he never ever finishes them. And so he was walking around with it and it just dropped like all over him and I was dying laughing. It's a silly memory but it's what I got.
I am capturing the landscape of Fort Phoenix. I am from Fairhaven and Fort Phoenix is a big part of Fairhaven. I am telling the story of Fort phenix on a nice day with calm skys.
Rogers is a very important landmark to me personally, not only is it my font yard, but it's where I went to kindergarten. I have so many of my earliest memories there some of my closest friends I met there, I have had these friends for probably like 8 years now. Rogers school is a very important part of our towns history, and all the kids who went there, hundreds of us will remember it for the rest of our lives. It was and still is a great place to live and to just be around. I will forever treasure my memories there and so will many other people.
During the summer I would go on walks around town. I would go to the fort and my grandmothers house. I would hang out with my family. I hung out at the beach with the family.
I chose my street. This is because(especially the last year) I have been spending most of my time on my street. Wether it is riding my bike, or staying in my room I spend a lot of time on my street.
My postcard is the school that changed a LOT for me. I don’t mean that to be cliche or anything like that, I’m just being honest. I feel that lots of self discovery and education, and not just science, history, math or english, happens in middle school. It’s an important period of time in everyone’s lives and when you're in it, it seems like the whole world. So I wanted to sort of dedicate this postcard to not just the school that I went to but schools everywhere. School has such an influence on everybody’s lives and as much as students argue with it, we need it.
In my amazing(not) art, I am capturing not just my experience with the outdoor concerts, but also my experience recreating that into card stock. The streaks and color combinations were inspired by my love for chaos, and the truth that is my not-so steady hand. I know that it’s not good, but hey, I tried, and I remembered my times in Fairhaven at the town hall listening to music.
My artwork illustrates my neighborhood, Edgewood. Edgewood is a great place where me and my friends have always hung out. We have many different memories there and it’s a very calm place. It’s safe and a place where I feel comfortable. I’ve lived there all my life and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. It’s a very original neighborhood and Fairhaven and a place my friends and I love to call home.