Emily Dickinson

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • Feb 13, 2017

At a young age, I was given a book of Emily Dickinson’s poems illustrated specifically for a child. It was given to me by friends of my parents – they had all been good friends in high school. Their daughter and I became friends as well. We always celebrated New Year’s together by staying at one another’s houses overnight – swapping the place each year. That ended when the couple divorced and slowly over time, we did not see them much anymore.  I still have that book however. It left an impression on me – particularly “I’m Nobody! Who are you?”


Emily Dickinson is of course infamous for being a so-called recluse . . . which is not true. Her poetry continues to be studied and her life to inspire books – fiction and non-fiction. Currently, a new exhibition has opened at the Morgan Library and Museum in New York City (http://www.themorgan.org/exhibitions/emily-dickinson)

spurring on more interest in her life and her work. Being a Mount Holyoke College graduate, I also have a further interest in her – though she only attended for about a semester. One year while I was at MHC, my Mother and I visited her home, which is a beautiful historic house museum in Amherst, Massachusetts.

You probably wonder why I mention her here. While their paths did not cross, I am most assured in my mind that Maria Mitchell would have read her poetry and Emily Dickinson would be most aware of Maria Mitchell and her accomplishments. Dickinson would have been 17 when Maria discovered her comet and as one who attended a woman’s college (called seminary then), she would have been greatly aware of the creation of Vassar Female College and Maria’s work there. Dickinson even had a copy of The Marble Fawn by Nathaniel Hawthorne – a volume that refers to a lady scientist – Maria being the inspiration.


I am happy to say that, today, we have been reunited to some extent with the people I mentioned above when first opening this post. My Mom and her friend are in regular contact with one another and this friend has been an enormous emotional support. The couple’s daughter and I talk sporadically as well. She now passes her son’s clothes down to my son and funnily enough, we realized that over the year’s we have been visiting the same spot in Maine and staying in the exact same bed and breakfast but just two months apart! Moreover, every time over the years when I look at that book of poetry, I think of them. Funny how Emily has kept me connected.


JNLF

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By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • 08 Apr, 2024
Vestal Street has seen a bevy of activity of late. In January, we began the renovation of the Maria Mitchell Vestal Street Observatory’s (MMO) Seminar Room addition – as it has been referred to since it was built in 1987. When it was created, the point was for it to serve as meeting, lecture, work space on three floors for the Astronomy Department – in particular the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduate (NSF REU) interns we have each summer, visiting astronomers, and the astronomy staff. Believe it or not, it was the first time the Observatory had a bathroom! And, it connected to what we refer to as the Astronomer’s Cottage (ca. 1830 and purchased for the MMA in 1922) so that staff could move between the house and the Observatory without going outside – convenient! With a gift from board member and Mitchell family descendant, Richard Wolfe, we have been able to renovate this space, bringing it up to date and adding HVAC, an accessible bathroom and kitchenette, three office spaces, a seminar/meeting area, and space for intern workspaces. Lighting and interiors are being improved as this is written and we hope to have the space ready by June 1, 2024. A special thank you goes to John Wise, another Board member, who has been working with the MMA to make sure this renovation happens in a short timeframe. The work here dovetails nicely with the conservation of the historic observatory to which the Seminar Room is connected. The historic MMO, built in 1908 with a 1922 addition, has seen exterior conservation work over the last several years with support from the Community Preservation Act and the M. S. Worthington Foundation. This fall, we will move inside with more grant funding which will allow us to conserve the historic interiors and install a proper HVAC system to protect the historic fabric and historic astronomical equipment and papers. We will restore the floor in the Astronomical Study from 1922 – it’s hidden under wall-to-wall carpet and 1950s tile but it’s still there – and allow us to conserved the historic plaster and all of the original varnished woodwork. Stay tuned on this project. JNLF

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