Education
Book Discussion Group
Activity: Conduct group book discussions of pre-selected books
Responsibilities: Select books and arrange time and place (Marshman at 4 pm, Monday – Friday) for discussions
Specific Activities:
Off Island:
1. Select 3 books for discussion. Suggest pick 1 or 2 that many folks may have read, also 1 or 2 that have been made into movies, to make for good conversation. In addition, a children’s level book has worked well and attracted younger readers, in years when there is a popular children’s book out.
2. Notify those attending conference, by putting the list on the All Star 1 List Serve in February.
3. Contact Chairs to order ~4 copies each of the selected books for the Island Book Store. NOTE: The Book Store needs this information April 1 to guarantee availability. Contact through the Star Island Corporation Office in Portsmouth.
On Island:
1. Arrange times (~1 hr. before social hour) & place for discussion – (Vaughan Cottage library better than Pink Parlor. Marshman worked very well 2004-2008 on because of ease of accessibility and in order to accommodate more people.)
2. Note on chalkboard, lead discussion.
Books:
1999: Tuesdays with Morrie; Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood; A Prayer for Owen Meany; The Perfect Storm.
2000: Ciderhouse Rules; Weight of Water
2001: Correlli’s Mandolin; The Arbitrary Sword;
2002: The English Patient; A Beautiful Mind; The Stone Diaries, Angel on the Roof
2003: Mrs. Dalloway, Holes, Regarding the Pain of Others, The Poisonwood Bible, and a discussion with an unpublished author.
2004: The Piano Tuner, The DaVinci Code, Let’s Don’t Go to the Dogs Tonight, The Iliad, Interpreter of Maladies.
2005: Reading Lolita in Tehran; The Dog Who Didn’t Bark in the Night; A Perfect Spy
2006: Brokeback Mountain; Waiting for Snow in Havana; The Year of Magical Thinking
2007-8: White Teeth; Snow; Lolita; Atonement; Love in the Time of Cholera; Harry Potter and the Deadly Hallows.
2009: Water for Elephants; 3 Cups of Tea; The Last Lecture.
Past participants: 1999-2003 – Bill Tibbs. 2004-2007 Elizabeth Yermack. 2008 Elizabeth Yermack and Bill Tibbs
Updated June 2009
Geology Walk
Activity: Look at geology of the Island during a specially-scheduled walk around the Island. In 2004 it was at 4 pm on Monday and 11:15 on Wednesday. In 2006 it was at 4 on Monday.
Responsibilities: Lead a walk and show the interesting formations and geological phenomena
Specific Activities:
Off Island:
1. Bring Plate Tectonic map.
On Island:
1. Introduce yourself to Marine Biologist in Marine Lab., invite Biologist to participate in walk, locate magnifying lens and rock hammers.
2. Ask Marine Biologist if there are any new maps or samples in Lab.
3. Review book by Fowler and Bitling in the Marine Lab.
4. Place sign up sheet on desk in lobby to meet at specified time in Marine Lab.
5. Lead walk. Address the basics e.g., sedimentary/metamorphic/igneous rocks; also glaciology; garnets and keep things moving.
Follow up Responsibilities: Met with the Tern group.
People Needed: One—a trained geologist.
Materials: Lens, map, rock hammer
Total Cost: None
Comments: Good to focus on level of knowledge and areas of interest of attendees. Discuss big picture such as plate tectonics, folds/faults, rock types. Helpful to have geologic maps of the Isles – still available somewhere? Gave plate tectonics discussion on steps of Marine Lab. For 2004 –bring maps of Maine and Atlantic Ocean floor.
Past participants: 1994,1995,1999 – Ned Tillman. 1997 – George Robbins. 2004, 2005, 2006—Ned Tillman
Updated March 2007
History Walk
Historical Tour of the Island
Activity: Conduct a historical tour of Star Island with your own personal knowledge of its history, lore and legend.
Responsibilities: Organize, plan and offer a historical tour of Star Island on Sunday afternoon of the conference. Coordinate with current Vaughn Cottage curator.
Specific Activities:
Off Island:
1. Plan sites you will visit. Tour should last no longer than ninety minutes.
2. If you have information about the tour that you want to promote in advance, get information to Boat News editors by May 25.
On Island:
3. Make sure blackboard has information about where tour will begin
4. Conduct tour, peppered with personal stories and anecdotes
Follow up Responsibilities: none
People Needed: One. In 2006, Tom Coleman invited the Vaughn Cottage curator to join him.
Materials: Might be good to have visual aids, e.g., map, picture of Appledore Hotel, etc.
Total Cost:
Comments: For many years, a “Cooks Tour of Star Island” was conducted by Fred McGill. People would go on the tour, year after year, to hear Fred’s recounting of the history of the conferences and the island stories. This year (1996) we have the opportunity to have a tour conducted by one of the individuals most responsible for the post-war incarnation of Star Island as a conference center, from the construction and opening of the Stone Village to the saving of the hotel from fire. (DWS – 1996)
2005 – Strongly suggest having a script ahead of time.
Past participants: Fred McGill (for many years), various Pels (incl. David Yermack).
2002 – David Yermack. 2003 – Win Southworth 2005, 2006-Tom Coleman
Updated – March 2007
Star Gazing
Activity: Evening astronomy for novices
Responsibilities: Plan and organize at least one (and perhaps several) evening astronomy sessions on clear nights outside Newton Centre
Specific Activities:
Off Island:
1. Bring your own telescope(s), if desired, and perhaps a few ?star gazing? reference books (They are also available on Island)
On Island:
2. Check on condition of telescope available on Island, if used
3. Check on positions of planets and find suitable objects to observe
4. Designate time(s) when star gazing will occur. Offering opportunities for younger and older children is nice; on occasion a telescope has been set up outside on the same evening as the Marshmallow Roast so that those returning from one event can look at the sky.
5. Notify Chairs of times/locations for stargazing so that it can be posted on the blackboard
6. Point telescope to interesting objects in the sky and explain what people are looking at. (Note: Island telescope has no tracking, so readjustments are necessary)
Follow up Responsibilities: Make telescope is secured each night it is used
People Needed: One
Materials: Telescope is available on Star Island (stored in Newton Centre). Also, good star chart accompanies telescope.
Total Cost: None
Comments: Star Island has two telescopes. One is home built, stored in Newton Center, and the other is a commercially built one stored in the marine biology lab. The latter has an electronically driven tracking drive, so if the telescope is situated near an electrical outlet, the objects can be tracked if the telescope is set up properly. No manual for the telescope exists.
Past participants: 1997 – Ed Jenkins. 2002 – Chris Conte & Dennis O’Keefe. 2003 – Ed Jenkins. 2005-Dennis O’Keefe Upd. 7/03
Writers’ Workshop
Activity: New in 2005 but the response was great and will be continued in 2006. It is reported that it convened at 11:00a every day in the Writing Room and ended with an “open mike” performance on Friday, hosted by Roy Cook.
Responsibilities: Publicize the workshop; encourage participation. Try to schedule the workshop in the Writing Room rather than the Pink Parlor. Reserve Newton for Friday’s “W.O.R.D.” at 11:00 a.m. Bring scrap paper and pens. Most people bring their own journals. Might be good to contact participants before the conference.
Specific Activities: Prepared workshop ideas; gathered books and materials and facilitated the workshop with planned activities.
Past participants: 2005, 2006 Jennifer Miller, Lorene Bossong
Updated – March 2007
Talks on the Rocks
Activity: Conferees give informal presentations on subjects of interest to a spectrum of the conference on the rocks in front of the Chapel or in Elliott. This activity has taken place, depending on the schedule of other events, from Sunday through Friday at 1:30 and again at 3:00 or 3:30 (but not on the 4th of July)
Responsibilities: Find leaders, organize schedule, see to it that talks take place.
Specific Activities:
Off Island
1. Obtain list of conferees as soon as it is available. Obtain names of volunteers from Chairs.
2. Recruit leaders. This is primarily done before the conference by phone, letter, or Email. Generally only 1 or 2 leaders are added on the Island
3. Get information on talks into Boat News
On Island
3. Make final decisions about who will serve as leaders and develop a schedule. There could be a total of 7 to 10 sessions (5 or 6 is good).
4. Contact person responsible for greenboard and give them schedule
5. Check with speakers before their presentations to see if they need any assistance.
6. At time of presentation be present and give a brief introduction.
Follow up Responsibilities: Thank speakers
People Needed: One
Materials: None
Total Cost: None
Comments: It is important that the organizers know lots of people so that they know who to contact. Recruit only people who have important or interesting things to share. In 1995 a discussion group format was used for several sessions and this worked out quite well. 1997 - May be wise to have unscheduled time for Island add-on. Make sure time for T-on-R isn’t over-scheduled with too many other activities at the same time. Good idea to limit talk time & include group discussion or questions. 2002 – In an effort for inclusiveness there were 11 different speakers, only 2 of which were ex-Chairs. 2003 – Talks were usually at 1:30 p.m., but on 4th of July it was at 3 p.m. There was no talk on Sunday. If the presenter preferred, we had it inside the Chapel and out of the sun.
Past participants: 1994 - Mal & Enoch Durbin. 1995 – David & Carla Osgood. 1996 – Jerry Dunklee. 1997 – Wanda & David Wood. 1999, 2002 – Jim&Jan Prochaska. 2003 – Shelly Powsner & Steve Skrovan. 2004, 2005—Annie and Scott Stewart. 2006 – Jim & Jan Prochaska.
Updated – March 2007