Day 12: Cooperstown
Our destination for this morning was Cooperstown, renowned as the home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. We also visited the Fenimore Art Museum and the Farmer’s Museum this afternoon. First, just a shout out for Cooperstown: what a place. It is small town America at its best, located in a peaceful and beautiful valley. Its main street is reminiscent of a bygone era, with little shops and restaurants lining both sides, planters hanging from the street lights, and family homes in good repair with well-maintained lawns. I could happily stay in this town for a few days and explore the area, although it is isolated from the rest of civilization. I am sure, however, that this is part of what gives it its charm.
Although our trip began with a trip to the Hall of Fame, I am going to talk about it last since Mike and I traveled back there to finish our day. Instead, I will work backward. The Farmer’s Museum was an interesting stop. It was established to help save the era of rural life that has long since disappeared. The main building was once a barn, and is full of artifacts showing various pieces of equipment used on farms, such as implements used on dairy farms, various wagons, etc. There were displays about the resources of the woodlands in the area such as fish and wildlife, fishing tackle, and traps. We rode a carousel decorated with themes from New York history. We then got a tour through the village on-site to see what life would have been like in the mid-nineteenth century. Different people were in period costumes and explained the function of housekeepers, medical suppliers, blacksmiths, etc. I found the presentation given by the blacksmith to be the most impressive. Using an old forge in a shop that was built in 1827, the blacksmith showed us how tools were forged, and even made a nail for us to show us the process that blacksmiths used. I think that this will help me explain the social processes and the culture of small towns in what was a rural country in the nineteenth century to students.
Farmer's Museum
Carousel
Village
As I have previously stated, I am not a connoisseur of art, nor would I normally seek out art museums. I actually did like the Fenimore Art Museum. While it obviously is nothing on the scale of “The Met” its smaller size in some ways makes it more manageable and less overwhelming in examining the pieces. The Thaw Gallery had impressive exhibits of Native American art, including feathered headdresses and ornately decorated clothing. The Cooper Room was interesting in that it was entirely concerned with James Fenimore Cooper. Many of the artworks commemorate his books. I think that may favorite gallery was the Magnum Photographers Gallery. The project was first backed by Eastman Kodak in 1999 as a celebration of the 150th year of photography. There were scores of photographs documenting daily life and events of the twentieth century. The power of photographs in teaching cannot be overstated, and I think that this gallery was an excellent example of it. Some showed the problems on New York City in the 1970s and 1980s with drugs, violence, and the poor. Others showed poverty and the shelters that existed for men and women. Still others showed events of the Cold War, struggles and conflict in the Middle East, etc. Some of the pictures from years ago could have easily been taken in recent years, such as Afghan fighters, war scenes, and the like. I think that powerful photographs like these can show students the continuity that occurs in history even as the world itself changes. One of the most powerful pictures I saw were of an obviously saddened Jackie Kennedy and Robert Kennedy at the funeral of JFK. The picture told a story better than any text could. A final picture that sticks in my mind is a former prisoner of death camps coming through a crowd, and a woman holds up a picture, most certainly trying to see if the man knows what happened to the person in her picture. Again—the picture says it all.
Fenimore Art Gallery
Entrance to Magnum Photographers
One last thing I will comment on at the Fenimore Art Museum is the collection of Folk Art. I think these pieces can be used to demonstrate to students how art can influence our image of ourselves as Americans, and how art can mold our perceptions of history. The works portrayed the heroic nature of Washington, American victories in warfare, and the progress represented by modern advances like the railroad and Erie Canal (it was actually a Whig Party political banner).
Liberty and Washington
Whig Political Banner
Going into the trip, the Baseball Hall of Fame was definitely one of the draws for me. Having grown up a Cardinal fan and, since 1993, being a Rockies fan, I was really looking forward to seeing the legends of the game all in one setting. It did not disappoint. Our first task at the Hall was business, and rightfully so. Our host, Anna, introduced us to the history and mission of the Hall, and then guided us through the extensive education programs that the hall offers for educators. I think that this opened a lot of people’s eyes, because Anna presented the many ways that baseball is a prism through which we can understand American history. She presented elementary, middle, and high school lesson plans covering the gamut of issues from civil rights, to women’s rights, to economics, math, and beyond using baseball as a lens through which students can be hooked. She also went over the optional available video-conferencing that the Hall offers. All of these intrigue me. I always talk about the impact of the integration of baseball on American society, as I view 1947 and Jackie Robinson as being part of the fight for civil rights and working in favor of the success of the larger movement of the 1950s and 1960s. I plan on using several of the lessons that are available on the website. At East, we have a long distance learning lab, and video-conferencing is something that I am really interested in doing. I briefly spoke to Ray about ways that we could sync our efforts to provide an experience that both of our classes could experience in a more cost effective manner. It is my goal to do this in the coming school year.
The Hall itself was magnificent. The third floor housed world championship rings, the no-hitter case with the every hat Nolan Ryan wore during his seven no-hitters, an exhibit on Hank Aaron, and lists of records, which always sparks great discussions. The second floor housed lockers from every team and more recent memorabilia from each of the teams. Troy Tulowitzki was prominently featured in the Rockies locker, as it housed the gloves he wore when he hit for the cycle last year and the jersey he wore when he turned a triple play a couple years back. The Cardinals locker had the helmet Yadi Molina threw in the air when the Redbirds won the 2006 World Series and the bat from Albert Pujols’s 300th home run. Ubaldo Jimenez’s cap and the ball that he threw 98mph on his 128th pitch to get his (and the Rockies’) first no-hitter were on display. The second floor also had the great teams from the different eras of baseball. The Cardinals figured prominently. The Gashouse Gang, Stan the Man, Gibby and Brock, and Ozzie and the boys were all featured. There were exhibits on Babe Ruth, Latin American players, African-Americans, and women. The first floor housed the plaques of all hall members, and had cases for the inductees this year, including Whitey Herzog. Batter up!
Dave at the Hall of Fame
"The Sultan of Swat"
Ted Williams: Hitter's Hitter
Tribute to Hammerin' Hank Aaron
No-Hitter Wall of Honor
I heard Jack Buck Call this Game: 13 Years Old
Ubaldo Jiminez: First Rockies No-No
Wizard of Oz: The Greatest SS Gloveman EVER!
Rockies Memorabilia
Most Underappreciated Great: Stan "The Man" Musial
Barrier Breaker: Jackie Robinson
The Worst of America
Ozzie, I Was Lucky Enough to Watch You!
Babe Ruth Exhibit
From "Viva Baseball" Exhibit: The Best Today, "El Hombre"
