Maria Mitchell Subject of New Choral Work, “The Ways of Stars”

Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • Mar 07, 2022

During her years at Vassar College, one of Maria’s classes created a song about her set to the music of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.” Another class, commissioned a bust of their beloved professor – it still stands in the niche at the Vassar College Observatory and the MMA has a bronze copy that was donated to us. Maria was secretly a bit pleased by both, though she was not pleased with posing for a bust that required her having to be measured. 


People continue to be inspired by her and to find ways to commemorate her life and work. Over the last year or so, the Maria Mitchell Association has been speaking with the Atlanta Master Chorale  as they put together their performance “The Ways of Stars” by composer Jake Runstead. 


The Atlanta Master Chorale is an over forty-year-old chorale group that has received numerous accolades over the years. Before the COVID-19 Pandemic took hold of the country and the world, the group performed a choral piece by Runstead concerning the fears faced by Beethoven as he approached the loss of his hearing. The Chorale was inspired by this work and commissioned Runstead for its own piece. Runstead chose to look at Maria Mitchell and her life and work. This particular piece focuses on her eclipse viewing trip to Burlington, Iowa in 1869. She travelled out West with several of her students to observe, creating quite a stir as the only all-female group and also for the simple fact they were a group of women travelling cross country. She would publish an account of the eclipse in the October 1869 edition of “Hours at Home” and this is what inspired Runstead.


The world premiere of the piece will be performed at Emory University March 11 and 12 and there is a virtual offering. The Chorale will also be presenting several discussion panels which will include women in STEM and also Runstead discussing his work and how he was inspired by Maria Mitchell.


JNLF


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I have written of my love for sea glass and pottery shards in the past and the recent replacement of the sewer and water lines on Vestal Street created a small shard collection over the last month. Since the work required the asphalt to be completely removed (all twelve inches of it!) and the road to be dug up multiple times as they worked to remove pipe, relay new pipe, hook up the water meters, and install drainage and manhole covers, this resulted in the earth in the street being tossed about quite a bit. And, with that, came the shards! Some of these likely came from the sewer line (yes, yuck) but others came from being simply in the dirt of the road – which was not paved until 1946/1948. Pieces were likely tossed out at times, made to act as filler in holes, or simply tossed. So I found all sorts of pieces I will keep here at the Mitchell House. They included: a lovely piece with a red floral, many pieces of plates, glass, the top of a late nineteenth or early twentieth century (medicine) bottle, glass shards, a flattened spoon, a brass knob (found by a neighbor) some nails, a spike, pieces of a larger container or two based on the size and curve and coloring of the shards, and possibly a Wampanoag stone tool. One person’s trash is another one’s treasures! JNLF

Is That A Wrap?

22 Apr, 2024
Yes. Well, almost. After about a month of working – and some living (staff and or neighbors) – on Vestal Street with all the sewer and water replacement work, the paving happened today (April 17, 2024). This is the first “layer” – a three-inch binder coat. In the fall, once time has passed, they will return for the final one inch of the finish layer. Some of the other things along Vestal Street will also be repaired and updated between now and the final coat – and a bit after that. But we are very happy, after all these years to have a modern system of piping – and all new drainage we never had before! While the curator in me loved the old clay pipes, they were riddled with roots from the trees, holes, and in some places, collapsed, and the twelve inches of asphalt had to go. Vestal Street was only paved in about 1946/1948 – and has not been paved in maybe twenty years so that is a lot of asphalt in about fifty years! And with climate change and the increase in how much rain we get in these heavy rain events, all that water rushed down Vestal Street with nowhere to go – except our cellars. I am sure the neighbors are happy too! A thank you to the Town of Nantucket’s Sewer Department, especially David Gray (who may regret giving me his cellphone number forever), N&M Excavating and Utilities (Dean, we appreciate you being so nice when we had too many questions), Victor-Brandon Corp for paving, and numerous others. We are looking forward to great flushing, powerful hose lines, and rainwater being whisked away via the new, never-before-had storm drains! JNLF And to all the N&M workers who wondered why I was constantly looking down as I walked along Vestal Street, you should see the trove of porcelain shards, glass, old nails, a bottle neck, 19 th century spoon, and even possibly a Wampanoag stone tool I found!
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