News Briefs: September 8, 2023

Otsego 2000 To Lead Morris Walking Tour

MORRIS—Dr. Cindy Falk will lead a walking tour of the historic Village of Morris as part of Otsego 2000’s Historic Preservation Series at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 10. Morris was incorporated in 1870, but its history dates back to the late 18th century. Although many Otsego County residents associate the village with the county fairgrounds, its built environment represents nearly two centuries of historic architecture. The tour begins at Morris Central School, 65 West Main Street, built in 1932 and part of a recent Cooperstown Graduate Program project on depression-era school buildings. Dr. Falk is a professor of material culture at CGP. The tour costs $10.00 and advance registration is required; visit www.otsego2000.org to sign up.

OCCA to Repeat Mushroom Walk

OTSEGO—Otsego County Conservation Association will lead its second mushroom walk of the season at 2 p.m. on Sunday, September 10. Walk leader Margret Grebowicz is a local resident with a wide knowledge of mushrooms and aims to broaden participants’ knowledge of local species. The walk is intended to build on attendees’ learning from the August 13 event, but first-time participants are welcome as well. The group will meet at the highest point on Vibbard Road in the Town of Otsego. Participants should dress for the woods, wearing long pants and shoes that can get muddy. They should also bring a paper bag if they want to collect mushrooms. Visit https://www.occainfo.org/calendar to register.

Driftwoods to Play at Oneonta Opry

ONEONTA—Helios Care will hold a country music fundraiser, the Grand Oneonta Opry 2023, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, October 21 at Foothills Performing Arts and Civic Center. There will be many talented artists and the evening is headlined by The Driftwoods. Doors open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $25.00 at the door or $20.00 in advance and may be purchased at HeliosCare.org or by calling (607) 432-6773. The evening will also feature a cash bar, snacks and a silent auction.

SUNY Chancellor Announces Inaugural Fellow

ALBANY—State University of New York Chancellor John B. King announced on Friday, August 18 that Dr. Elizabeth Garner Masarik will be the inaugural fellow in the Dr. Virginia Radley SUNY Fellowship. The fellowship was announced as part of Women’s History Month earlier this year. Dr. Garner Masarik’s research has focused on women’s history and the history of reform movements in the United States. She examines links between the early women’s rights movements of the 19th century and unconventional spiritual practices; both movements were especially prevalent in the “burned-over district” of central and western New York. Garner Masarik plans to use the grant awarded with the fellowship to visit archives across the country as she delves into the lives of New York State spiritualist and activist women, and to uncover the role that women have played in the overall development of the state.

“I am very honored to receive the inaugural Dr. Virginia Radley Fellowship,” she said. “This award will help me uncover and share the integral but unsung work of a cadre of New York State women suffragists from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. I’m looking forward to sharing this new research with the SUNY Community. Garner Masarik is an assistant professor of history at SUNY Brockport. She is the co-founder and producer of the award-winning “Dig: A History Podcast.” She earned her BA from the University of Texas at Austin and her PhD from the University at Buffalo.

FAM to Change Exhibits in September

COOPERSTOWN—Four summer exhibitions at the Fenimore Art Museum will close in September. “M.C. Escher: Infinite Variations” ended on Monday, September 4, followed by “Day to Night: Photographs by Stephen Wilkes” on Sunday, September 10. “A Tale of Star-Crossed Lovers: Romeo and Juliet in Opera and Art” and “Crafting Freedom: The Life and Legacy of Free Black Potter Thomas W. Commeraw” will close on Sunday, September 10 and Sunday, September 24, respectively. This season’s lineup has been extremely popular with local residents and visitors, increasing FAM’s attendance more than 20 percent. It also includes “Randy Johnson: Storytelling with Photographs,” which will remain open until Sunday, December 3.

The closing exhibitions will overlap with the opening fall lineup. “James Edward Deed: Drawn from the Asylum” opened on Saturday, September 2, followed by “Navajo Textiles from the Thaw Collection” on Saturday, October 7. “Frog and Toad and Other Friends: The World of Arnold Lobel” and “Nature Composed: Paintings and Tapestries by Adrianne Lobel” will open on Saturday, September 23.

A large new exhibit, “A Cabinet of Curious Matters: Artwork by Callahan and Whitten,” will present the meticulous yet playful work of sculptor Nancy Callahan and painter Richard Whitten. It is a dialogue between the work of two artists who share an interest in dreams, antique scientific and medical instruments, mythology, and mystery, but who have traveled parallel paths while living and working hundreds of miles apart. They met only recently. Visitors to the exhibit will be surrounded by paintings and sculptures from both artists, as well as reference objects pulled from their collections. All autumn exhibits will be on display through Sunday, December 31.

PTA Announces Pancake Breakfast and Vendor Fair

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown PTA will hold a fundraiser pancake breakfast and holiday vendor fair from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, December 2. For more information or to sign up as a vendor, contact cooppta@gmail.com.