Women’s Lecture Series
Tuesday and Thursday evenings in July and August we will host a remarkable presenter who will speak on an interesting topic that is historic, interesting and relevant. Come early and enjoy a delicious healthy meal. Dinner is served at 6pm followed by our lecture at 7:00 pm. Price to attend the dinner and lecture is $35.00 and must be paid upon reservation. Lectures can be attended for $20.00.
Men may attend if accompanied by a woman in July and August. Please call 518-668-9690 to make a reservation or make an online reservation by clicking the links below. *If you are unable to attend the lecture your payment will be a donation to our historic 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization.
“Voice of the Mountains: Jeanne Robert Foster, an Adirondack Legacy”-developed by Eileen Egan Mack
June 27th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
From the wilds of Warren, Essex and Hamilton counties and the wilderness of the Great North Woods to Europe and New York City’s cosmopolitan life in the early 20th century, Jeanne Robert Foster was at home and fully immersed in her surroundings. Jeanne is a woman whose life and writings are honored by this show. Singer/actress/storyteller Eileen Egan Mack will portray Jeanne as she shares readings, stories and songs revealing Jeanne's life in 19th century Adirondacks and her 'neighbors of yesterday.' Much of women's history has been hidden or unacknowledged.
This program is an opportunity to share Jeanne’s light and life in her beloved mountains and her life as she “set her feet to far off roads.” Be prepared to take a journey back in time.
How the Bicycle Changed the World
July 10th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: John Strough
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Queensbury Town Supervisor John Strough has been in his current elected position for 6 2- year terms, which started January 1, 2014. Previously, he was elected to five Town Councilman terms for Queensbury Ward 3 from 2004-2013. He also served as Deputy Town Supervisor in 2013, the year preceding his current position. John has spearheaded many legislative initiatives as well as serving on or directing several local boards and committees in the community, including the SUNY Adirondack Board, the Warren County EDC Board, and many lake preservation committees and boards. He developed, designed, and built the Rush Pond Way and Half Way Brook hike/bike trail systems and oversees the direction and implementation of many major infrastructure projects for Queensbury. He continues to spearhead and develop many initiatives including solar, fiber optics, lake and land preservation, and various economic development projects. Additionally, he has recently written several published articles and essays on various land and water preservation projects and historical summations on Blind Rock, Queensbury, Warren County and others.
Supervisor John Strough has lived and worked in the Town of Queensbury his entire life. He is retired from a lifelong career as a history teacher at Queensbury schools, while he and his wife raised a son and daughter, and are now proud grandparents.
At Your Service
July 11th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Bea Roman
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
In addition to informing visitors about Ms. Shirley McFerson, former Lake George Librarian, professional storyteller and highly active community participant, now deceased, Be a will highlight her family, who provided crucial hotel and motel services to African-American travelers, musicians and workers in both Lake George and Glens Falls, at a time when segregation was the norm for hotels and motels in the region. She will also discuss some of the groups of people who have worked as service workers, currently and historically.
Bea lived in New York City for 65 years until 10 years ago, and is very grateful to have found a welcoming and vibrant community in this area. Downstate, she worked as a High School English teacher and a Literacy and Language Tutor, and had many varied life and job experiences before that.
Georgia O'Keeffe: Her Art and Her Home
July 16th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Kate Dudding
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Come listen to award winning storyteller Kate Dudding share three stories about Georgia O'Keeffe:
Did you ever wonder why Georgia O’Keeffe painted those huge flowers and the bones in the desert? Kate shows 25 photographs of Georgia’s paintings while sharing Georgia’s own words about them – a virtual tour by the artist herself.
From Clifton Park, NY, Kate Dudding specializes in true stories about people who made a difference. She has told stories at many venues in the Northeastern US. Many of her five CDS have received national storytelling awards. In 2010, she won the story slam (competition) at the National Storytelling Conference in Los Angeles. Visit her web site www.KateDudding.com to watch her tell some of her stories.
Georgia O'Keeffe Portrayed by Claire Nolan
July 18th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Claire Nolan
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Claire Nolan is an educator and a storyteller. She has combined those two passions in her portrayals of important historical figures from US and world history. What are First Person Portrayals of Historic Characters? What can you expect during a performance? During a “first person” performance, the actor takes on the role of the historical figure. She dresses in period costume and may portray herself as a person who has no idea how things have changed since her historical period.
During her presentation Claire also hopes to provide a springboard for discussion of the historical character and her time and place. Claire’s repertoire includes Mary Harris (Mother) Jones, Rachel Carson, Georgia O’Keeffe and Marie Curie. She welcomes suggestions for other important women from history to add to her repertoire. Claire’s portrayals are especially appropriate for Middle School, High School and Adult audiences.
A Musical Evening with Ray Agnew
July 23rd, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Ray Agnew
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Ray is a singer/songwriter and performer living and working in New York’s North Country. His original music has been heard from the 1980 Olympic Winter Games, to television and radio commercials, to corporate soundtracks for Sky Chefs and the United Way. Most recently Ray composed the theme and soundtrack for “My Native Air,” a documentary on the life of Charles Evans Hughes. He is a graduate of the Crane School of Music, a member of ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and a proud dad to two amazing kids. In addition to his original music, Ray has a repertoire that includes Dan Fogelberg, James Taylor, the Eagles, Bruce Springsteen, James Taylor, Billy Joel,
Richard Thompson, Simon and Garfunkle, The Moody Blues, and many others. Ray is also director of music ministry at Bay Road Church in Lake George and serves as a vice president at Glens Falls Hospital. You can listen to Ray’s music at www.rayagnewsongs.com .
Channeling Katrina Trask
July 24th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Melissa O'Brien
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Many know Katrina Trask as a woman of immense strength, vision and creativity. In her lifetime she survived the death of her four children, devastating house fires and the train accident that killed her husband, Spencer. She seemed to have a bottomless well of strength from which she drew to rebuild her life in the wake of the many tragedies that befell her. But there is a part of the story of Katrina’s life we don’t read about as frequently: she was a mystic in her own right. In describing the manner in which she conceived the plan for Yaddo, she said, “Suddenly an unseen hand seemed laid upon me … an unheard voice seemed calling to me … I felt as if Something stood in my path and that Something was too vast for me to define … and then I spoke, it was if some spirit other than my own were speaking through me.”
There were many episodes in her life when Katrina relied on the spirt realm for guidance and inspiration. We’ll talk about some of these and potentially give voice to Katrina if she’d like to speak with us that evening!
Melissa is a Congregational minister and spiritual medium. She has worked as a hospice and hospital chaplain and today she teaches small classes in mediumship and energy work. You can read more about her at melissaannobrien.com.
Bold and Courageous Women Lecture
July 25th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Daniel Laude
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Daniel Ladue is a teacher-librarian whose writings reflect the rich social history of northern New York State. He is a world traveler and recently visited his 100th country—a birthday challenge to himself for one of those BIG birthdays. His niche is how historical events play out at the societal level. His current book is Two with Buried: The History of the Michigan Hot Dog. For those unaware, a “Michigan” is a sauce unique to northeastern New York. It’s a direct descendant of the Midwest Coney, but the Michigan is a a far-finer product.
His new book will be available in the summer of 2024. He is currently wrapping up a project on the history of the Plattsburgh Municipal Beach. Lest anyone wonder how a book could be written about a beach, it must be noted that it is the longest freshwater beach east or west of Lake Michigan. At only 60 miles south of Montreal, the beach and its adjacent state park, saw upward to ½ million people visit yearly between the 1930s and 1980s. It became a Canadian beach in the United States where French was the first language.
It was not uncommon for the beach to be referred to as a “suburb of Montreal.” Plattsburgh Has its Bathing Beach: A Social and Cultural History of the Plattsburgh Municipal Beach will be available in 2026. Daniel is honored and excited to be part of the Women’s Lecture Series for the summer of 2024.
Thanks for Last Night!
July 29th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Frieda Toth
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
New to the dating scene but closer to retirement than college? This is the talk for you! Whether you are widowed, divorced, or your relationship status is, as they say, "complicated," dating in your wise years is different from your wild youth. Tips for managing the dating scene after not having to bother with it for decades, including advice on managing expectations. LGBTQA friendly.
(Frieda Toth is the widow of her high school sweetheart and re-entered the dating game at the young (for a widow) age of 45. She is still learning.)
Frieda Toth is an internationally recognized Ian Fleming Scholar, but if you are from around these parts you may know her as a librarian at Crandall Public Library. A coauthor of Warren County, New York: Its People and Their History Over Time (published by Warren County Historical Society), her work appears regularly in the online journal Artistic Licence [sic] Renewed and occasionally in VOICES: The Journal of NYS Folklore Society.
The Art of the Art Songs
“The Lady of Yaddo-Music of Katrina Trask”
July 30th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
With Eileen Mack and Michael Clement
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Join soprano Eileen Egan Mack and pianist Michael Clement for an evening of art songs by Katrina Trask. The composer and lyricist’s music reveals the inner strength and faith that carried her through her tragedies and triumphs in moving words and music. The compositions reveal a true “spirit of life.” The program also includes pieces by contemporary musicians including Victor Herbert and Amy Cheney Beach. Eileen is a versatile and popular singer who enjoys singing jazz, Broadway, popular music and classical works. She is happy to be able to work with the eminent musician Michael Clement on preparing and presenting this unique program. A special acknowledgement for Rumara Jewett whose research and generosity made this program possible. 
The Bolton Civilian Conservation Corps Camp 1933-1942
August 1st, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Ted Caldwell
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
In 1933 one in four young men were unemployed as a result of the Depression. President Roosevelt created the Civilian Conservation Corps to employ these men in conservation programs, and by 1942 2.5 million men had participated. Ted Caldwell will talk about the Bolton Camp and the many young men's lives it forever changed.
Ted Caldwell is the Town of Bolton Historian. Although not born locally he has family roots in Bolton dating back to 1795, and he has lived in Bolton since 1970. He has a B.A. in Economics from the College of Wooster and an M.S. Ed. in Administration and Supervision from the State University of New York.
Sunken Vessels Presentation by The Chapman Museum
August 6th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Maureen Folk
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Starting with the sunken fleet of 1758, this talk explores the numerous vessels that reside at the bottom of Lake George. Looking closely at the important role underwater archaeology plays in the discovery, investigation, and preservation of these unique sites including a close look at the discovery of the Radeau warship.
Riding the Rails
Marcella Sembrich's 1909 Transcontinental Tour
August 7th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Just the lecture is $20,
get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Join The Sembrich's Caleb Eick for an entertaining historical presentation recreating the 1909 transcontinental concert tour of Polish soprano Marcella Sembrich (1858 - 1935). Her first extensive solo tour of the us included more than 70 stops from Boston to Seattle and helped set the standard for recital culture in the United States for decades to come.
A Little Night Movie Music- A Musical Tribute to Fabulous Film Scores
August 8th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
With Eileen Mack and Michael Clement
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Cinematography, great screenplays, talented actors, and fabulous film scores create the magic of award winning films. Theme songs and musical numbers within the movie help move the plot forward, give depth to the characters and add to the film’s success. And sometimes there are films that just don’t seem to be memorable but within that movie, there may be the gem of an unforgettable song. Vocalist Eileen Mack and pianist Michael Clement will take a look back at some of the most significant and some overlooked songs that have come out of the world of film. Special attention will be played to women composers, lyricists and singers who have given us beautiful music that brings a tear to the eye, a smile to the lips, a laugh from the heart. It will be a rainbow of sound and emotion.
Sheryl Faye Presents “Anne Frank”
August 13th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Just the lecture is $20,
get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Anne Frank was born in Frankfurt Germany on June 12, 1929. She lived most of her life in or near Amsterdam, having moved there with her family at the age of four-and-a-half when the Nazis gained control over Germany. By May 1940, the Franks were trapped in Amsterdam by the German occupation of the Netherlands. As the hatred for Jewish people increased in July 1942, the family went into hiding in some concealed rooms behind a bookcase in the building where Anne’s father worked. From then until the family’s arrest by the Gestapo in August 1944, Anne kept a diary she had received as a birthday present, and wrote in it regularly. Our story starts on July 6, 1942 in the secret Annex and gives you a taste of what life was like for her. In this world where there is a lot of hate this a wonderful program about Perseverance, Hope, and Love leaving us all with a stronger message.
Jane Austen: Her Time, Our Time
August 15th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Catherine Golden
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen’s early nineteenth-century novels, deeply rooted in her time, resonate in our time. If you recognize the allusion to Pride and Prejudice (1813) in this first sentence, this talk is for you; if you don’t recognize this allusion, you surely will after this presentation. We will examine Austen in her cultural moment and in our twenty-first century. Beginning with Austen’s biography, we will consider what we do and do not know about Austen’s brief life (1775-1817), her Regency “sense and sensibility”, and legacy. We will examine the rise of Janeites—devoted Jane Austen fans—in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and consider how today this canonical novelist has become a consumer icon and a profitable literary brand. The presentation will be amply illustrated with paintings, photographs, illustration, and film clips. Come learn about Jane Austen from Skidmore English professor Catherine J. Golden https://academics.skidmore.edu/blogs/catherinejgolden/.
Peace Stories
August 20th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: Kate Dudding
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Award winning storyteller Kate Dudding will share stories about the kindness of strangers, some ways she’s found personal peace, and a story about one path to world peace.
Since 1995, award-winning storyteller Kate Dudding has created entertaining, heartwarming and memorable stories. She specializes in stories about real people who made a difference. Kate tells at venues in the Northeastern USA, including The Clearwater Festival, First Night Saratoga, and the Albany Institute of History & Art. Many of her five CDs received national awards. Visit her web site www.KateDudding.com to watch her tell some of her stories.
Stories from The Appalachian Trail
August 21st, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Presenter: April Weygard
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
April's life was at a crossroads. Her cousin's passing and a series of failures had left her feeling lost and unsure of herself. But then she had an idea - to hike the Appalachian Trail. Inexperienced and unprepared, April set out on a journey that would change her life forever.
April Weygand is a business owner and former teacher. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Education from The State University of New York at Geneseo. She enjoys the outdoors and likes to write and share stories.April currently lives in Wilton, New York, with her husband, Brian. They have two teenage children, Madison and Tyler. Trail Gimp is April's first book.
"Where The Styles Brook Waters Flow: The Place I Call Home" reading by Lorraine Duvall
August 27th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
Lorraine Duvall will read from her new book about her neighborhood in the northeast Adirondacks. There is something for everyone in this new addition to Adirondack Lore from memoir, to history, to environmental activism. She will encourage discussions on how a sense of place is instantiated when we study the history of our home.
Phil Terrie writes in the Foreword: There are few things more rewarding than researching and writing about a place you love. Some of us are born in the places that will always be our spiritual homes, while others move around for a while before finding the place where they belong more than anywhere else, where everything that came before was preparing them for their geographical lodestone. Lorraine Duvall found the Valley of Styles Brook, just northeast of the Adirondack High Peaks, as an adult. This book is the product of her affection for the Valley, its people, and its history….
Bernice Mennis Lecture
August 29th, 2024
7:00pm-8:30pm
Just the lecture is $20, get dinner and the lecture for just $35.
This talk will explore poetry (and all the arts) and our natural world as “revolutionary”–a force against dogma and fundamentalism, against linear, and binary thinking, against the the pull of speed and efficiency. Poetry and Nature are the language of the senses, of ambiguity, paradox, and biodiversity, of the slow and layered, of dialogue, complexity, contradiction, interconnection, a language which allows us to traverse restrictive boundaries and explore deeper levels within us and within our world. We all move between different realms. Synesthesia, which I will mention briefly, is one way of traveling. It is when one sense–sight or small or sound–triggers another sense–an almost blending of senses that happens in poetry, with the visual arts, and in nature. It is. I think, common in our childhood, before “socialization.”