Maria Mitchell In Her Own Words
Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • December 14, 2015
Dec. 9, 1865 I have a class of pupils, seventeen in number, the youngest 16 the eldest 22. They come to me for 50m. every day. I am no teacher, but I give them a lesson to learn and the next day the recitation is half a conversational lecture and half questions and answers. I allow them great freedom of questions and they puzzle me daily. They show more mathematical ability than I had expected and more originality of thought. I doubt if young men of that age would take as much interest in science.
This was Maria Mitchell’s first semester of teaching. Vassar Female College had opened its doors in September 1856. As I have noted before, Maria was skeptical of her ability to teach these young women – the future of female scientists in the U.S. It was her father’s encouragement that made her realize she could do. She had also once said that as a general rule “teachers talk too much.” Thus, her classes were not lectures but as she notes here, conversations and questions and answers. I realize now that when I taught for a few years here on island, in addition to my MMA duties, I taught very much in the same way. And I always told them no question was silly – just don’t ask me why the sky is blue when we are talking about the American Revolution! Yes, there were things I had to cover for my young students, but in my social studies classes we talked a lot as a group with me providing family anecdotes in order for my students to better understand the time we were speaking about. Of course, Maria often came up too. But when speaking of the Great Depression, for example, they learned about my Nana and her “new” bike – made by her very mechanically talented brother who collected old and used bike parts from junkyards to make her a “new” bike – she was the only child in her neighborhood in New Haven, Conn. to have a “new” bike – and probably throughout much of the Elm City! And, I know Maria taught that way as well.
JNLF
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NANTUCKET, MA— The Maria Mitchell Association, in collaboration with the Nantucket Dreamland, invites the community to two unforgettable and entertaining performances featuring Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure! on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14. Doktor Kaboom’s interactive Science Comedy shows engage audiences of all ages. In Under Pressure!, Kaboom illustrates physical science concepts that are also metaphors for real-life mental and emotional pressures, validating what students may feel, while sharing tools for dealing with life’s challenges. Blending big ideas, explosive demonstrations, and humor, Kaboom keeps audiences riveted with interest and rolling with laughter. Hailed as, “part Mister Wizard, part Mr. Rogers,” Kaboom delights patrons with curiosity, creativity, and charm. Both performances are FREE to the public. This event is possible due to a grant from the Remain Nantucket Fund at the Community Foundation for Nantucket. Reflecting on both the impact of the performance and the partnerships that made it possible, MMA Executive Director, Joanna Roche, shared, “A heartfelt thank you to the Community Foundation for the generous grant that made it possible to bring Doktor Kaboom to Nantucket, and to the Nantucket Dreamland for hosting this extraordinary performance. I’ve known the good Doktor for nearly twenty years, and I have no doubt that his unique blend of humor, magic, and science will not only make you laugh, but also leave you with a renewed sense of wonder and a deeper connection to the world around you.” The Friday performance will be followed by an Ice Cream Bar, generously sponsored by Island Kitchen, and a photo opportunity with Doktor Kaboom in the Harborview Room. Event Details: • Dates and Times: Friday, March 13 at 7pm and Saturday, March 14 at 3pm • Location: Dreamland Theatre, 17 South Water Street • Special Offering: Friday, March 13 – Post-performance Ice Cream Bar in the Dreamland Theatre Harborview Room, generously sponsored by Island Kitchen, plus a photo opportunity with Doktor Kaboom • Tickets: Available at https://www.nantucketdreamland.org/events/doktor-kaboom-under-pressure • Cost: Free This community event kicks off another free collaborative event, the annual Nantucket STEAM Festival, taking place Saturday, March 14, 2026 at the Nantucket High School Gymnasium from 10am – 2pm. This event features hands-on activities celebrating science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics from over twenty community organizations. A sensory-friendly half house begins at 9:30am. Doktor Kaboom! was created, and is performed, by actor and comedian David Epley, who has discovered two passions in his life: science and mathematics. Epley first explored his love of hands-on learning, chemistry, and physics at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and later studied at the university level, exploring a degree in Chemical Engineering. Epley, a performer for over twenty years, has reached over 2,000,000 students and families, and has performed over 2,000 live shows worldwide. Epley lives in Seattle, Washington. About the Nantucket Dreamland: The Nantucket Dreamland is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural and intellectual life of Nantucket by providing year-round films, educational programs, and a venue for community activities that engage Nantucket in the evolving world of entertainment and education. The Dreamland’s mission is to build community on Nantucket year-round by bringing people together to share experiences through film, art, culture, and learning. About the Maria Mitchell Association: The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. ######
1881, Feb. 26. Miss Whitney read Frances Power Cobbe’s “Lectures to Women” aloud to me. In the main they are excellent. I agree at almost every point. What she says about the duty of women in veracity, in cultivating both physical and moral courage, etc., in demanding not “favor but justice” . . . Mary Whitney would become the first president of the Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association. She was one of Maria’s first students and ultimately her replacement at Vassar College. She also took over for Maria when she left the College for a brief illness in 1880. On her second trip to Europe in 1873, Maria would seek Frances Power Cobbe out at her home. A suffragette, Power Cobbe was a philosopher and writer among other things, including an animal rights activist when it came to experimentation on animals. Born into a wealthy family in Ireland, Power Cobbe would travel in Europe about the same time as Maria did in 1857, meeting some of the same people Maria would meet such as Mary Somerville (Maria’s hero and an astronomer, mathematician, scientist, and polymath) and Harriet Hosmer (sculptor). I should not note this but Maria wrote about Power Cobbe’s large head –further stating that being a large woman, she would have a large head. Reviewing images of Power Cobbe, I hate to say it but I cannot disagree – with my apologies to Ms. Powers Cobbe. JNLF
NANTUCKET, MA— The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces its twelfth annual Nantucket STEAM Festival (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) to be held Saturday March 14, 2026, in collaboration with over twenty Nantucket community partner organizations. This FREE, STEAM-inspired day of hands-on learning, creativity, and exploration is perfect for children, families, and life-long learners. Event Details: • Date: Saturday, March 14 • Time: 10am – 2pm. With a sensory friendly half hour 9:30 – 10am before the festival begins. • Location: Nantucket High School Gymnasium, 10 Surfside Road • Cost: Free This year’s theme, “3.14 Miles from Shore: Infinite Patterns,” falls on March 14 (3.14 also known as π or Pi) and focuses on Pi Day and a mission to engage the Nantucket community in intersectional STEAM experiences. This event exemplifies the MMA’s mission of creating opportunities for all to develop a life-long passion for science through education, research, and first-hand exploration of the sky, land, and sea of Nantucket Island. This festival has become the largest late winter event in our community and brought in over 700 participants in 2025! The festival returns this year with a renewed focus on hands-on discovery, powered by partnerships that reflect the breadth and creativity of STEAM across the Nantucket community. “Our goal is to make STEAM feel welcoming, relevant, and visible,” said Jónelle Gurley, Coordinator of the Nantucket STEAM Festival and Director of Science and Programs at the Maria Mitchell Association. “The energy and expertise our partners bring each year are what make the festival such a meaningful experience for participants.” This year’s community partner organizations include: the Artists Association of Nantucket, Egan Maritime Institute, Linda Loring Nature Foundation, Mass Audubon, Nantucket Atheneum, Nantucket Community Sailing, Nantucket Community School, Nantucket Conservation Foundation, Nantucket Dreamland, Nantucket Fire Department, Nantucket Police Department, Nantucket Land and Water Council, Nantucket Lighthouse School, Nantucket Islands Land Bank, Nantucket Island School of Design and Art, Nantucket Lights, Town of Nantucket Natural Resources Department, The Trustees of Reservations, UMASS Boston Field Station Nantucket, US Coast Guard Station Brant Point, Nantucket S.T.A.R, and Sustainable Nantucket. All will be highlighting the incredible opportunities to discover STEAM on Nantucket. This event is FREE of charge and takes place at the Nantucket High School Gymnasium. Attendees will be able to participate in a range of hands-on activities and experiences. This year’s activities include, but are not limited to, “The Light Bulb Challenge,” “Science Story Walk,” “Bubbles Control Trouble,” “Pi(e) Day: Celebrating Native Fruit,” “Can You Solve the Unsolvable, ”Compost Cake,” “ A Puddle in the Woods,” “History of Life Jackets – Will it sink or float,” “Explore Hard and Soft Coastal Engineering Designs,” and many sensory crafts, general chemistry and astronomy related activities, and engineering and space exploration fun. The Nantucket Public Safety Departments will also be present for “Touch a Cruiser” and “Touch a Truck,” and the US Coast Guard Station (USCG) Brant Point will be in attendance to display lifesaving gear and a trailered USCG vessel. The Nantucket Science Festival is made possible thanks to the generosity of its volunteers, partner organizations, and generous sponsors. To kick off the Nantucket STEAM Festival, the MMA, in collaboration with Nantucket Dreamland, invites the community to two unforgettable and enthralling performances featuring “Doktor Kaboom: Under Pressure!” an interactive Science Comedy show on Friday, March 13 at 7pm and Saturday, March 14 at 3pm at the Dreamland Theatre. These free performances are open to the public and engage audiences of all ages. About the Nantucket STEAM Festival: Founded in 2015, the Nantucket Science Festival is a mid-March collaborative community event, featuring hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics activities. It is an initiative of the Maria Mitchell Association in partnership with various Nantucket non-profit organizations, schools, and businesses. For more information, please visit https://www.mariamitchell.org/nantucket-science-festival About the Maria Mitchell Association: The Maria Mitchell Association is a private non-profit organization. Founded in 1902, the MMA works to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages. ######