Natick Historical Society receives Digital Capacity Grant from Mass Humanities, Massachusetts Cultural Council
The Natick Historical Society has been awarded a Digital Capacity grant of $2,500 from Mass Humanities, the state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, for its upcoming virtual education initiative: On This Land Online. Funding from Mass Humanities has been provided through the Massachusetts Cultural Council. The Natick Historical Society would also like to thank Middlesex Savings Bank for its $1,000 sponsorship and the generous private donors whose contributions will bring this program to life.
On This Land Online will give more than 500 Natick third-graders virtual access to film clips, artifacts, documents, maps, and other materials detailing Natick’s past. These digital learning modules will enable third grade teachers to meet curricular goals whether they are teaching remotely, in-person, or in a hybrid model. Three of these modules will be ready by June 1 so they can be used before the end of the school year. The fourth module will be ready by August 1, for use in the 2021-2022 academic year. All modules will be available to complement student learning for many years to come.
For some of Natick’s students, the third grade field trip marks their first visit to a museum, their first close encounter with an artifact, and/or their first opportunity to recognize that the land they walk on everyday has a history. On This Land Online will ensure that those “firsts” aren’t missed, and that, in the post-pandemic era, future “firsts” are enhanced with supplementary NHS digital learning modules.
Founded in 1870, the Natick Historical Society (NHS) is one of the oldest local historical societies in Massachusetts. Today, the NHS operates a museum and archives and serves a growing number of community members, scholars, and young people by offering (increasingly virtual) programs, exhibits, and research services, as well as by bringing local history to community projects and events. Since its incorporation, the NHS has remained an independent nonprofit that receives no public funds.
