Just across from Emerson Park stands a familiar red and white structure, reminiscent of a quaint country barn, that evokes in every former fourth grader the memory of a lady who taught them to collect and weigh eggs, pump water and peel apples.
Martha Shaw is that lady at the Ward O'Hara Agricultural Museum who has decided that it is her duty to teach Cayuga County residents about the “Ole Ways” of past days.
Every year Shaw invites Auburn's 700 fourth-graders to tour the museum and learn how things were done in the “old days.”
Shaw's most recent project, in collaboration with other museum fanciers, is “Old Ways Thread Days,” which will feature historical methods of using thread that include weaving, spinning, quilting, darning, treadle machine users, knitting, basket weaving and apron-making. This is the third summer event hosted at the O'Hara this year and it promises to be full of information. One of the featured artists is a collector and self-taught historian on the subject of aprons who will demonstrate her collection of aprons and discuss how apron-makers recycled fabrics.
Shaw said that her quilters have already promised that participants will take something home from the demonstration.
“My wish was that if young people came through that had never seen this activity before that they could sit down and have the demonstrators show them the basic things they were hoping to accomplish,” Shaw said.
Ole Ways Thread Days was born when the museum decided to increase the number of events offered.
Every June the museum offers Ole Ways Days, a hit with the public, but Shaw and other coordinators did not want to duplicate the series.
“I expect it to be an overwhelming success,” Shaw said. “We need more people to know what's here. I don't think any of our museums fit the stereotypical museum of the old days where if you walk in, it#'s dark and dusty. It's vibrant and bright and informative and it competes with the computer.”
If you go
What: Ole Ways Thread Days demonstration
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ward O'Hara Agricultural Museum, across from Emerson Park
Cost: Free
For details: Call 252-1446
Every year Shaw invites Auburn's 700 fourth-graders to tour the museum and learn how things were done in the “old days.”
Shaw's most recent project, in collaboration with other museum fanciers, is “Old Ways Thread Days,” which will feature historical methods of using thread that include weaving, spinning, quilting, darning, treadle machine users, knitting, basket weaving and apron-making. This is the third summer event hosted at the O'Hara this year and it promises to be full of information. One of the featured artists is a collector and self-taught historian on the subject of aprons who will demonstrate her collection of aprons and discuss how apron-makers recycled fabrics.
Shaw said that her quilters have already promised that participants will take something home from the demonstration.
“My wish was that if young people came through that had never seen this activity before that they could sit down and have the demonstrators show them the basic things they were hoping to accomplish,” Shaw said.
Ole Ways Thread Days was born when the museum decided to increase the number of events offered.
Every June the museum offers Ole Ways Days, a hit with the public, but Shaw and other coordinators did not want to duplicate the series.
“I expect it to be an overwhelming success,” Shaw said. “We need more people to know what's here. I don't think any of our museums fit the stereotypical museum of the old days where if you walk in, it#'s dark and dusty. It's vibrant and bright and informative and it competes with the computer.”
If you go
What: Ole Ways Thread Days demonstration
When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Ward O'Hara Agricultural Museum, across from Emerson Park
Cost: Free
For details: Call 252-1446
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