Connecticut's Old State House Press Room

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Over 200 Students to Compete at Mansfield History Day Contest – Sat., March 21: Contest to Take Place at Mansfield Middle School

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For Immediate Release
March 17, 2015
Contact: Chris Zaccaro
chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov
(860) 246-1553 ext. 116

Mansfield, CT - On Saturday, March 21 over 200 students representing the communities of Bolton, Coventry, East Windsor, Farmington, Mansfield, Montville, Willington, Stonington and Woodstock will present their History Day projects to judges at the Mansfield Regional History Day in Connecticut Contest. The contest will take place at Mansfield Middle School.

Students in grades 6-12 have spent months researching a history topic of their own choice related to this year’s theme of Leadership and Legacy in History. Participants can choose to present their projects within one of the five History Day categories. These categories include exhibits, documentaries, websites, papers and performances. Students in grades 6-8 compete within the Junior Division and students in grades 9-12 compete within the Senior Division. Students who place in the top three in their respective categories and divisions are invited to compete in the State History Day Contest, which will take place on May 9, 2015 at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. From there, state winners will be invited to represent Connecticut at the National History Day Contest at the University of Maryland in June.

State Senator Mae Flexer will assist with the Awards Ceremony, which is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start time. The names of winning students and entries will be posted on the History Day in Connecticut website (ct.nhd.org) the Monday after the contest. Fairfield is one of the six History Day in Connecticut Regional Contests held in Connecticut throughout March. The Fairfield Regional Contest will take place on the same day and the Manchester and Hartford Regional Contests, which are the final two of the six, will take place next Saturday, March 28. The Torrington and New Haven contests took place earlier this month.

The following schools will be represented at the Mansfield Regional Contest:

Captain Nathan Hale Middle School, Coventry
Mansfield Middle School, Mansfield
E.O. Smith High School, Storrs
Talcott Mountain Academy, Private School
Woodstock Middle School, Woodstock
Mystic Middle School, Stonington
Bolton High School, Bolton
East Windsor Middle School, East Windsor
Tyl Middle School, Montville
Hall Memorial School, Willington
Farmington High School, Farmington
King Phillip Middle School, West Hartford

History Day in Connecticut is an affiliate program of the renowned academic program, National History Day (NHD). History Day in Connecticut is led by Connecticut’s Old State House with support from the Connecticut Historical Society, the Connecticut League of History Organizations, and ConnecticutHistory.org. Major funding is provided by Connecticut Humanities. For more information, contact History Day in Connecticut State Coordinator Rebecca Taber-Conover at 860-522-6766, ext. 11 or rebecca.taber-conover@cga.ct.gov.

Learn more about History Day in Connecticut by visiting its webpage http://ct.nhd.org, liking the program on Facebook, or following on Twitter. The National History Day website may be viewed at http://www.nhd.org.

Monday, March 16, 2015

250 Students Compete at Annual History Day Regional Contest in New Haven: Finalists Move on to Connecticut State Contest on May 9 at CCSU

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View New Haven Contest Results as PDF

For Immediate Release
March 16, 2015
Contact: Chris Zaccaro
chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov
(860) 246-1553 ext. 116

New Haven, CT – This past Saturday, March 14, 2015, over 250 students representing the communities of Bethel, Durham, East Haven, Hamden, Meriden, Middlebury, New Haven, North Haven, Southbury, Southport and Woodbury presented their History Day projects to judges at the New Haven Regional History Day in Connecticut Contest at Wilbur Cross High School.

New Haven Mayor Toni Harp, President Pro Tempore of the Connecticut State Senate Martin Looney and State Representative Juan Candelaria presented awards to students who placed within the top three of their respective categories at an Award Ceremony that took place at the end of the day. History Day participants can choose to present their projects, which must be based on this year’s theme of Leadership and Legacy in History, within one of the five History Day categories. These categories include exhibits, documentaries, websites, papers and performances. Students in grades 6-8 compete within the Junior Division and students in grades 9-12 compete within the Senior Division. Students who place in the top three in their respective categories and divisions are invited to compete in the State History Day Contest, which will take place on May 9, 2015 at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. The final results from the History Day in Connecticut Regional Contest are available here.

The following schools took part in the New Haven Regional Contest:

Bethel Middle School, Bethel
Coginchaug Regional High School, Durham
East Haven High School, East Haven
Engineering Science University Magnet School, New Haven
Greenfield Hill Girls School, Fairfield
Joseph Melillo Middle School, East Haven
Memorial Middle School, Middlebury
Nonnewaug High School, Woodbury
North Haven Middle School, North Haven
Pequot Homeschool, Southport
Pomperaug High School, Southbury
Rochambeau Middle School, Southbury
Sacred Heart Academy, Hamden
Thomas Edison Middle School, Meriden
Wilbur Cross High School, New Haven
Worthington Hooker Middle School, New Haven

The New Haven Regional Contest was co-organized by the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance and Abolition at Yale University.

The Fairfield and Mansfield Regional Contests will take place this coming Saturday, March 21 at Fairfield University and Mansfield Middle School, respectively.

History Day in Connecticut is an affiliate program of the renowned academic program, National History Day (NHD). History Day in Connecticut is led by Connecticut’s Old State House with support from the Connecticut Historical Society, the Connecticut League of History Organizations, and ConnecticutHistory.org. Major funding is provided by Connecticut Humanities. For more information, contact History Day in Connecticut State Coordinator Rebecca Taber-Conover at 860-522-6766, ext. 11 or rebecca.taber-conover@cga.ct.gov.

Learn more about History Day in Connecticut by visiting its webpage http://ct.nhd.org, liking the program on Facebook, or following on Twitter. The National History Day website may be viewed at http://www.nhd.org.

History is HERstory Too: Old State House Honors Women’s History Month with Women’s Rights Tour

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For Immediate Release

March 16, 2015

Contact: Chris Zaccaro

chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov

(860) 246-1553 ext. 116

Hartford, CT – In recognition of Women’s History Month (March), Connecticut’s Old State House in downtown Hartford will be bringing back one its most popular theme tours, Herstory. During the years that the Old State House served as the state capitol, and later when it served as Hartford City Hall, women had few political rights, but that did not stop them from contributing to society both in the home and in the public arena. Now visitors can enjoy a 45-minute lunch-time tour of the Old State House that incorporates these women’s stories and how they influenced the world around them.

The tour officially returns on Thursday, March 19 and will take place once a month, on a Thursday, through spring 2015 – summer tour dates are currently under development. Future dates include Thursday, April 16 and Thursday, May 21. All tours begin promptly at Noon and General Admission rates apply. Groups that are interested in taking the Herstory tour at a separate time can do so by calling and arranging a visit through Old State House Visitor Services at (860) 522-6766.

The Old State House also offers an art tour, appropriately named the Old State House Art Tour, which focuses on different works of art displayed throughout the building – including five original John Trumbull Revolutionary War paintings and an original Gilbert Stuart portrait of George Washington. The Trumbull paintings, which are on loan from The Wadsworth as their building undergoes renovations, will only be available for public viewing at the Old State House for a short while longer before they return to their home down the street.

Located in Hartford, a short walk from The Wadsworth, Connecticut’s Old State House served as a seat of government for the Constitution State from 1796 to 1878. The Old State House Shop, located on the Main Street side of the building, provides visitors an opportunity to purchase great, quality-made Connecticut and Hartford themed gifts, products and apparel. The interactive History is All Around Us exhibition by the Connecticut Historical Society, located in the Mortensen Gallery of the lower level of the Old State House, allows visitors to explore over 300 years of Hartford and Connecticut history. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or visit us online at http://www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

250 Students to Compete at History Day New Haven Contest – Sat., March 14: Contest to Take Place at Wilbur Cross High School, New Haven

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New Haven, CT - On Saturday, March 14, 2015 at Wilbur Cross High School, over 250 students representing the communities of Bethel, Durham, East Haven, Hamden, Meriden, Middlebury, New Haven, North Haven, Southbury, Southport and Woodbury will present their History Day projects to judges at the New Haven Regional History Day in Connecticut Contest.

The Awards Ceremony is scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start time. The names of winning students and entries will be posted on the History Day in Connecticut website (ct.nhd.org) the Monday after the contest. New Haven is one of the six History Day in Connecticut Regional Contests held in Connecticut throughout March. The next Regional Contests are the Fairfield and Mansfield Regional Contests, both will occur on Saturday, March 21 at Fairfield University and Mansfield Middle School, respectively. The Torrington Regional Contest took place this past Saturday, March 7.

The following schools will be represented at the New Haven Regional Contest:

Monday, March 9, 2015

200 Students Compete at Annual History Day Regional Contest in Torrington: Finalists Move on to Connecticut State Contest on May 9 at CCSU

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View Torrington Contest Results

Torrington, CT – This past Saturday, March 7, 2015, over 200 students representing the communities of Avon, Burlington, Kent, Salisbury, Simsbury, Torrington, Washington, Waterbury, West Hartford and West Suffield presented their History Day projects to judges at the Torrington Regional History Day in Connecticut Contest at Torrington High School.

State Senator Kevin Witkos, State Representatives Jay Case & Michelle Cook and Torrington Superintendent of Schools Cheryl F. Kloczko presented awards to students who placed within the top three of their respective categories at an Award Ceremony that took place at the end of the day. History Day participants can choose to present their projects, which must be based on this year’s theme of Leadership and Legacy in History, within one of the five History Day categories. These categories include exhibits, documentaries, websites, papers and performances. Students in grades 6-8 compete within the Junior Division and students in grades 9-12 compete within the Senior Division. Students who place in the top three in their respective categories and divisions are invited to compete in the State History Day Contest, which will take place on May 9, 2015 at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. The final results from the History Day in Connecticut Torrington Regional Contest can be found here.

The following schools took part in the Torrington Regional Contest:

Har-Bur Middle School, Burlington
Homeschool, West Suffield
Kent Central School, Kent
Lewis S. Mills High School, Burlington
North End Middle School, Waterbury
Salisbury Central School, Salisbury
Sedgwick Middle School, West Hartford
Shepaug Valley Middle School, Washington
Simsbury High School, Simsbury
Talcott Mountain Academy, Avon
Torrington High School, Torrington

Monday, March 2, 2015

200 Students Make History (Day) at Torrington Regional Contest - Saturday, March 7

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For Immediate Release

March 2, 2015

Contact: Chris Zaccaro
(860) 246-1553 ext. 116
chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov

On Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Torrington High School, over 200 students representing the communities of Avon, Burlington, Kent, Salisbury, Simsbury, Torrington, Washington, Waterbury, West Hartford and West Suffield will present their History Day projects to judges at the Torrington Regional History Day in Connecticut Contest.

State Representatives Jay Case & Michelle Cook and State Senators Kevin Witkos & Clark Chapin will serve as guests of honor and assist with presenting prizes to winners at the Awards Ceremony (scheduled for a 2:00 p.m. start time). The names of winning students and entries will be posted on the History Day in Connecticut website (ct.nhd.org) the Monday after the contest. Torrington is one of the six History Day in Connecticut Regional Contests held in Connecticut throughout March. The next Regional Contest is the New Haven Regional Contest, which will occur on Saturday, March 14 at Wilbur Cross High School.

The following schools will be represented at the Torrington Regional Contest:

Talcott Mountain Academy, Avon

Torrington High School, Torrington

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Connecticut’s Old State House Explores the Diary of Gideon Welles - February 10 at Noon

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For Immediate Release

February 4, 2015

Contact: Chris Zaccaro

chris.zaccaro@cga.ct.gov

(860) 246-1553 ext. 116

Hartford, CT – Civil War historians and enthusiasts can celebrate Presidents’ Day a little early this year as Connecticut’s Old State House will explore the diary of Gideon Welles, the Connecticut native who served as Secretary of the Navy under President Abraham Lincoln. Professor J. Ronald Spencer, author and Associate Academic Dean Emeritus from Trinity College, will headline the next installment of Conversations at Noon entitled A Connecticut Yankee in Lincoln’s Cabinet: Gideon Welles’ Civil War Diary on Tuesday, February 10 at noon.

Welles is best remembered for his wartime diary which countless historians have drawn on since it was first published in 1911. Professor Spencer will discuss this important figure from the American Civil War and answer questions still asked today:

What distinguishes Welles's diary? Is the extensive information about Lincoln reliable? Are Welles' often caustic characterizations of other cabinet members, prominent politicians, and top army and navy officers fair and accurate?

Following his talk, Professor Spencer will join a panel of experts that includes Dr. Matthew Warshauer, Professor of History at Central Connecticut State University and author of Connecticut in the American Civil War: Slavery, Sacrifice and Survival, and Paula Hopewell from the Lincoln Forum for a lively discussion on the war, Welles and his famous diary. The Connecticut Network’s (CT-N) Diane Smith will moderate the discussion and take questions and comments from the audience.

The program is free, begins at noon and is open to the public.

What’s Coming Up at Connecticut’s Old State House?

January’s installment of Conversations at Noon, To Protest or Not to Protest? Activist Lessons from the Career of William Sloane Coffin, Jr., which was postponed due to the Blizzard of 2015, will now take place on Tuesday, February 24 at noon.

Dr. Warren Goldstein, author of William Sloane Coffin, Jr.: A Holy Impatience will discuss the life and work of civil rights & anti-Vietnam War activist, Minister William Sloane Coffin, Jr. After his talk he will be joined by Debra Cohen of Activate CT and Jon Mueller from the University of Hartford for a panel discussion on protests past and present. CT-N’s Diane Smith will moderate the discussion.

This event is co-sponsored with Connecticut Explored. Like the February 10^th program, this installment of Conversations at Noon is free and open to the public.

Located in Hartford, a short walk from the Wadsworth, Connecticut’s Old State House served as a seat of government for the Constitution State from 1796 to 1878. The Old State House Shop, located on the Main Street side of the building, provides visitors an opportunity to purchase great, quality-made Connecticut and Hartford themed gifts, products and apparel. The interactive History is All Around Us exhibition by the Connecticut Historical Society, located in the Mortensen Gallery of the lower level of the Old State House, allows visitors to explore over 300 years of Hartford and Connecticut history. For more information on admission prices, upcoming events and parking discounts nearby, become a fan of Connecticut’s Old State House on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or visit us online at http://www.ctoldstatehouse.org.

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