Norman Rockwell Museum presents "Housatonic River Reflections"

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For more than two hundred years, artists have been inspired by the Housatonic River and by the scenic beauty of the mountains and valleys of Massachusetts through which it flows. A national treasure in the heart of New England, the river has endured the pressures of industrialization and begun a lively recovery thanks to the dedication of many environmentalists and concerned citizens who care deeply about its future. "Housatonic River Reflections," a new exhibition on view at the Norman Rockwell Museum from August 13 through September 19, 2004, celebrates the talent and vision of regional artists who pay homage to the splendor of this beloved natural resource, exploring and portraying the river's many faces. "Housatonic River Reflections" will showcase award-winning art from juried exhibitions sponsored by the Sheffield Art League and Simon's Rock College, as well as work by other artists with a noted affinity for the Berkshire landscape. Artists featured in the exhibition include: Patricia Blair Ryan, Emily Buchanan, Mario Caluori, Erica Child Prud'homme, Laurie Cormier, Frank D'Amato, Stephen Filmus, Ann Getsinger, James Gilbert, Martin Greene, Keith Hatcher, Pat Hogan, William Holland, Helen N. Jacobs, Joan Jardine, Ann Jon, Chet Kalm, Karen Kellogg, Wendy Klemperer, Kate Knapp, Ruth Kolbert, Elisabeth Levy, C. Lee Rogers, John Manikowski, Melody Mason, Gene Montez Flores, Dorothy Napp Schindel, Bonnie Oloff, June Parker, Ivor Parry, Daisy de Puthod, Nina Ritson, Jim Schantz, Andrea Scott, Gabrielle Senza, Mary Sipp-Green, Karin Smith, Lennart Swede Ahrstrom, Sheila Tintera, Robin Tost, Margot Trout, Nancy Virbila, Catherine Wallace Harding, Barbara Winters, Tom Zetterstrom, Paul Zura. An opening reception for the exhibition will be held on August 13, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibition is free with Museum admission. "Housatonic River Festival" Saturday, August 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Celebrate the history, art and ecology of the Housatonic River with a family festival day to be held at the Norman Rockwell Museum on August 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. "Housatonic River Festival" will present hands-on art classes, nature workshops, gallery tours, performances and more. The festival is presented in conjunction with the new exhibition "Housatonic River Reflections." Presenters and performers at "Housatonic River Festival" include a cappella singing group Quintessential, Thunder Bay performance group, the Too Old to Care acoustic trio, ecologists from the Housatonic Valley Authority and the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, and artists from IS183, Sculpture Now, and the Sheffield Art League. Visitors are invited to meet and speak with representatives from Berkshire Canoe Tours, the Berkshire Fishing Club, the Berkshire Natural Fish Hatchery, Expeditions, the Housatonic Environmental Action League, Housatonic River Initiative, Housatonic River Outfitters, Housatonic River Restoration , Norman Anderson Sculpture, River Run, the Sheffield Historical Society, and Trout Unlimited. The event is free with Museum admission. For more information, the public is invited to call 413-298-4100, ext. 220. Visit the Museum's Web site at www.nrm.org.
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North Berkshire Educational Study Updating Communities

By Breanna Steele & Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
CHESHIRE, Mass. — The steering committee for a regional study on secondary education is getting the word out to participating communities and asking for input. 
 
Members of the North Berkshire Educational Sustainability Study spoke to the Cheshire Board of Selectmen last week and to the North Adams City Council on Tuesday.  
 
The goal of the study is to focus on Grades 6 through 12 to understand current conditions across districts, hear people on their educational priorities, analyze strengths, opportunities, and challenges, and identify opportunities for future collaboration.
 
Steering Committee Chair Erin Milne, also a member of the Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee, introduced the study and why it was needed.
 
"We've been talking for decades about how the Northern Berkshire school communities can better collaborate with one another, rather than necessarily duplicating services," she told he Cheshire board. "And over time, it's become more and more of a pressing issue as our enrollment has been going down, but costs have been going up." 
 
Hoosac Valley, North Adams, Mount Greylock Regional, Clarksburg, Savoy and Florida are participating in the study. A combination of declining population and rising costs are putting pressure on the districts, but the study will also look at educational opportunities that could come from collaboration. 
 
In North Adams, Superintendent of Schools Timothy Callahan noted that "the reality is that in the North Adams Public Schools, our graduating class is now closer to what Lenox used to have as a graduating class 20 years ago ... So those are the realities, and what can we sustain, and what are the educational opportunities for our young people? Those are the questions that we're asking."
 
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