Students Display Projects Celebrating Eastchester's Rich History
Mar. 19, 2014: After almost two years of planning, the educational program for the Town of Eastchester's 350th anniversary will commence this month. In celebration of the town's rich history, students in public and parochial schools at all levels--elementary, middle, and high school--have worked on projects that highlight local history and the rich cultural legacy of the community.
The first public event will be held on Wednesday, March 26, in the Eastchester Middle School cafeteria with a presentation of exhibits and digital media projects commemorating different aspects of the community's history. Then, on April 3, fine arts creations and films will be displayed in the Bronxville School's multipurpose room. Finally, the performing arts productions will be showcased on April 25 at 7:00 pm in the Tuckahoe High School auditorium. Residents are invited to attend all of these presentations.
As town historian, Richard Forliano, a former teacher in the Eastchester Middle School, stated: "From the very first planning meetings for the town's 350th birthday, the steering committee placed the highest priority on having an educational program that would engage our students of all ages. Each of the three public school districts embraced the idea and several of the parochial schools joined in. With a most generous contribution, The Bronxville Historical Conservancy became the exclusive sponsor of these educational endeavors. In addition, refreshments for the public event on March 26 will be provided by the Eastchester Parent Teacher Associations, the Eastchester School Foundation, and the Eastchester Eagles Sports Club. Now we will all have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of the students' labors!"
Six types of projects were developed by the school district liaisons working with Forliano and the classroom teachers--the five mentioned above (exhibits, digital media, fine arts creations, films, and performance arts), and well-researched essays that will be due and published in the fall.
In the fall of 2013, a website of source materials was launched by the steering committee at www.eastchester350.org. This tool provides students and teachers with enough background information to select particular subjects and create their own individual and group projects, all in alignment with curriculum standards. Each school determined its own students' level of involvement.
For students who participate in the project, there is the opportunity for direct engagement in history. When longtime Eastchester resident Bob Everett visited the fourth grade classes of Nelva Lagerwey and Dianne Carter at the Anne Hutchinson School, he was greeted enthusiastically by students who eagerly peppered him with questions about life in Eastchester when he was growing up. Lagerwey said, "He is an original document. The children have learned how we can use a primary source to learn about the past. This has been an invaluable lesson."
Pictured here: Town Historian Richard Forliano (middle), surrounded by educators from the various public and parochial schools and members of the parents' volunteer group at a planning meeting in the fall of 2013.
Photo by Linda Doherty, Co-Chair, Steering Committee, Eastchester 350th Anniversary, Inc.
Government & History Directory
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400
Government & History Recent Articles
Quick Links
Newsletter
MyhometownBroxnville reserves the right to monitor and remove all comments. For more information on Posting Rules, please review our Rules and Terms of Use, both of which govern the use and access of this site. Thank you.
The information presented here is for informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to present accurate information, myhometownBronxville, LLC, does not in any way accept responsibility for the accuracy of or consequences from the use of this information herein. We urge all users to independently confirm any information provided herein and consult with an appropriate professional concerning any material issue of fact or law. The views and opinions expressed by the writers, event organizers and advertisers do not necessarily represent those of myhometownBronxville, LLC, its officers, staff or contributors. The use of this website is governed by the Terms of Use . No portion of this publication may be reproduced or redistributed, either in whole or part, without the express written consent of the publisher.
Copyright © 2009 myhometownbronxville.com, All rights reserved.