MISSION

The Nashua Community College Lecture Series is designed to promote an appreciation of a diverse cultural experience through the expertise shared by a variety of guest speakers.  The program is open to both the College and Greater Nashua communities.

Joan Gatturna a.k.a. 'Rachel Revere' presents "The Other Side of the Midnight Ride" Thursday, March 22nd; 7:00pm - 9:00pm
Judd Gregg Hall Auditorium

March is Women’s History Month and there is no better time to hear a remarkable story of tea, trouble and revolution from the woman who rode through life with Paul Revere. In her role as Rachel Revere, Chautauquan artist Joan Gatturna tells of the Boston Tea Party, the Midnight Ride and the Siege of Boston.

Experience these events through the eyes of a woman who engineered the escape of her family from occupied Boston and smuggled money to the Sons of Liberty, while keeping the home fires burning as her husband fanned the flames of Revolution.

“The Other Side of the Midnight Ride” takes place on Thursday, March 22 at 7pm in the Gregg Hall auditorium at Nashua Community College as part of the NCC Lecture Series.   Snow date is Friday, March 23 at 7pm.

Since 1990, Gatturna has toured the Northeast performing one-woman dramas about the lives of remarkable American women. Most recently she was commissioned by the Paul Revere Memorial Association to create a piece portraying Pauline Revere Thayer, a great-granddaughter of Revere, who was a force in the establishment of the Revere House as a museum.

Her presentation is sponsored through a Humanities to Go mini-grant, awarded by the New Hampshire Humanities Council.

The program is free and open to the public. For further information, contact Sally Bashalany at (603) 578-8900 extension 1440 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . 

PAST OFFERINGS

Nashua Area Men and Women in World War II

Nashua native Ron Dube will discuss his book, Nashua Area Men and Women in World War II,  in conjunction with Nashua Community College’s on-going lecture series. A retired science teacher, Dube’s book chronicles the roles that Nashua area natives played in the Second World War. Dube’s career also included a stint as a freelance newspaper columnist, and the idea for the book was conceived from several articles he wrote about Nashua veterans.

A 1960 graduate of Nashua High School, Dube joined the Peace Corps after completing his studies at the University of New Hampshire. He holds the distinction of being the second person from Nashua to join the Corps.

The Founding Fathers:  What Were They Thinking? 

The American Revolution was over and the fledgling country needed direction.   In 1787 a group of men went to Philadelphia to set the wheels in motion. Find out the issues our founding fathers faced when Richard Hesse presents “The Founding Fathers: What Were They Thinking?” on Thursday, November 3rd from 7-9pm at Nashua Community College in the Gregg Hall auditorium.   During the convention, the delegates addressed a wide variety of crises facing the young United States of America and produced the charter for a new government. In modern times, competing political and legal claims are frequently based on what those delegates intended. Mythology about the founders and their work at the 1787 Convention has obscured both fact and legitimate analysis of the events leading to their agreement called the Constitution.

Hesse holds a J.D. from Georgetown University and is professor emeritus, University of New Hampshire School of Law. He has published widely on a variety of legal and ethical topics. Hesse served as a community lawyer in Philadelphia heading a police community relations project before moving to Boston to head a national project focused on the constitutional rights of consumers. He has been an active advocate for civil and human rights for more than 40 years and was twice awarded the Bill of Rights Award by the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union.

"The Joneses" Screening

 The Joneses, a new movie from independent filmmakers Chris Tyrell and Stacey Cruwys.  From Bjort Productions, who brought you the feature film "Naughty or Nice," comes "The Joneses," a dark comedy about rival neighbors whose quest for the best turns deadly.  For two couples - Ally and Mitch, and Paul and Suzanne - life has turned out well.  They are neighbors with a deep friendship who engage in friendly competition.  But anything goes in suburbia, and a healthy game of one-upmanship is soon overtaken by deliberate sabotage.  Careers are targeted, marriages attached.  Even the furniture isn't safe.  In the aftermath of neighborly rivalry, the players are left to pick up the pieces.  Is there still a game to be won?  Or can redemption be found?  One thing is for certain:  in a world where loving thy neighbor feels good, but being the best feels better, there are secrets to be uncovered...and indeed, keeping up with the Joneses can be hazardous to your health.  This film is not rated.

Bios: Chris Tyrrell is originally from Gaithersburg, MD and went to NYU where he learned how to avoid pretentious films.  He is fully indebted to his talented wife, his caring friends and family, and all of those who have supported and been a part of the Bjort family for years.Stacey Cruwys is one-half of the creative team responsible for "The Joneses."  She  and her husband Chris have taken this film, a labor of love, through every step of the process from beginning to end.  Everything you see and hear on the screen is because of their input and passion for this film, and Stacey is the visionary in their partnership.

Harmontun, "The Place of Water Macaw:"  A New Mayan Center Introduced

Jason S. R. Paling

In this free, public lecture Paling will present some of the newest archaeological discoveries among household structures at Hamontun, a recently discovered Mayan site in northeastern Guatemala, and will discuss their significance to the growth of this ancient center.  Examinations of Preclassic period (300 B.C. to 300 A.D.) residential structures indicate that marine shell exportation and shell ornament manufacturing was sponsored by the Hamontun's elite, while excavations of non-elite residential areas have shown that even lesser members of Hamontun's society engaged in recreational activities, as pieces of an ancient board game known as patolli were discovered among a Late to Terminal Classic household.  Discovered in 2003, Hamontun has provided a unique opportunity to study the organization and development of smaller cities, which supported larger centers such as Tika, Palenque or Calakmul.

Katherine Howe: The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane

Howe’s first novel debuted at #2 on the New York Times bestseller list and named one of the top 10 books of 2009 by USA Today. Howe holds a BA in art history and philosophy from Columbia University and is completing a PhD in American and New England Studies at Boston University. According to Howe, the idea for Physick Book appeared when she was studying for her PhD qualifying oral exams. Howe lives in Marblehead with her husband and dog, where she is at work on her next novel. “Written with astonishing conviction and grace, The Physick Book of Deliverance Dane travels seamlessly between the trials in the 1960’s, and a modern woman’s story of mystery, intrigue, and revelation.” - Barnes and Noble website, 3/4/10. A book signing will follow the author’s presentation. Books can be purchased at that time.

Sebastian Lockwood presents CAESAR: The Man from Venus

Meet Caesar as he grows up in a Rome that is recovering from one civil war and headed for another. Meet the powerful women in his life who help him achieve his destiny. We watch his rise to power in Rome, his great adventures, his time in Gaul, and his war with Pompey. Here is your opportunity to ask the great man the questions of his time and how they relate to ours. Sponsored by the NCC History Club and the New Hampshire Humanities Council.

Brazil – An Emergent Western Power: Guidelines and Challenges of President Lula’s Foreign Policy

With a population of 200 million and boasting a multicultural and multi-ethnic nation, Brazil is emerging on the world front as a leading western power. Brazil has also been singularized, along with Russia, India and China, as a “BRIC” country – an emergent power with universal ambitions. The greatest challenge to this South American country is to maintain its internal economic and social paths, as well as to intensify educational and health accomplishments. His Excellency Fernando Luis Lemos Igreja, Deputy Consul General of Brazil in Boston, will present Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s vision for his country, which he has termed “a new paradigm in Brazilian foreign policy.”

Survival This Way – Cheryl Savageau

The late 20th century saw a renaissance in Native American writing. Poetry was in the vanguard of this literary movement, yet it is often overlooked in Native American literary studies. Abenaki poet Cheryl Savageau will read from the works of Native American poets from diverse tribal traditions, providing cultural and historical context and discussing the many roles played by Native poets in cultural survival. Cheryl Savageau is an award-winning poet and author, as well as a painter and textile artist. Mother/Land is her most recent poetry collection. She was a finalist for the Paterson Poetry Prize for her collection, Dirt Road Home, and was also nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

Angels of Austria

In 1995, a church in Austria attempts to reverse anti-Semitism by inviting Jewish survivors to return to their former hometown for a week of friendship, hoping for forgiveness. Judy Faust accompanies her mother and all embark on an emotional roller coaster ride. How can people heal from the Holocaust and other wars? Q and A with filmmaker after screening.

Exploring Other Cultures: A Teacher’s Journey to Germany, Greece and Bulgaria

What do Americans really know and understand about these contemporary countries and the challenges that they face? Many Americans assume that once communism fell in East Germany and Bulgaria the transition to democracy and a market economy would soon follow. Many people do not realize that recovering and protecting artifacts of antiquity are complex, time-consuming, and costly. Dr. Ann T. Ackerman, a historian who is an Associate Professor of Education at Rivier College, will share photographs, select artifacts, stories and observations from her visits and studies.

Erasing Stereotypes and Making Connections

Most Americans know very little about Asia. If they consider Asia at all, it is probably in the context of globalization – as a monolithic, economic powerhouse to be viewed with fear, suspicion and envy. Many of our misconceptions can be traced to a social studies curriculum that has traditionally emphasized the American and European perspectives. During this presentation, Professor Robyn Griswold will share photographs and stories from her two-week trek to Korea. She will also describe how this experience has transformed her perceptions of East Asia and how the new connections she has established with Korean educators can be used to benefit students in our local community.

The Presidency of Franklin Pierce: One of Our Worst Presidents?

President Franklin Pierce faced unscrupulous and corrupt politicians, comically inept diplomats, violent adventurers, fanatical reformers, fraud and speculation within an increasingly divided and contentious nation. Nevertheless, his administration had a few significant achievements. Learn how an honest president confronted the challenges of the US in the 1850’s. A book signing by Dr. Wallner, author of a two-volume biography Franklin Pierce: New Hampshire’s Favorite Son and Franklin Pierce: Martyr for the Union, will follow his presentation.

Want More Info? Contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it