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The paintings of George Hoose are being highlighted this month at the Fitch-Hoose House museum.

Fitch-Hoose House Names August 'George Hoose Art Month'

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
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The exhibit is being extended into September to display more of Hoose's fall and winter scenes. 
DALTON, Mass. — The Historical Commission has designated August as George Hoose Art Month at the Fitch-Hoose House and is showcasing some of the painter's work. 
 
The 1846 house is the last remaining home of Dalton's early Black residential neighborhood. A wide range of information has been gathered surrounding the Hoose family that is also on display. 
 
The small two-story building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is believed to have been active on the Underground Railroad.
 
George Hoose died in 1977 at age 80. He was a prolific painter and was known for the "Indian Head" painting on Gulf Road that has long since been painted over and weathered away.
 
"We're celebrating his artistic abilities through his paintings," co-Chair Louisa Horth said. 
 
The paintings showcase how hard-working and successful Hoose and his family were. The self-taught artist was successful and was commissioned to paint a number of pieces, co-Chair Deborah Kovacs said.
 
The Fitch-Hoose House has a collection of about 15 paintings by Hoose, which have been donated to the museum over the years. 
 
Ordinarily they are stored on the second floor of the house which is not accessible to the public becaue of safety concerns.  
 
Commissioners have blended eight of his painting in with the museum's current collection. The museum is open every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. 
 
Due to the many paintings centered around autumn and winter, the museum will extend the exhibit into September, swapping some currently displayed works with his seasonal pieces.
 
More information on the museum here. Check out our video here

Tags: art exhibit,   historic structure,   

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With Tears, Pittsfield Officials Vote to Close Morningside

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee on Wednesday made an emotional vote to close Morningside Community School at the end of the academic year. 

Officials identified the school's lack of classroom walls as the most significant obstacle, creating a difficult, noisy learning environment that is reflected in its accountability score.

Interim Superintendent Latifah Phillips said the purpose of considering the closure is centered on the district's obligation to ensure every student has access to a learning environment that best supports academic growth and achievement, school climate, equitable access to resources, and long-term success. 

"While fiscal implications are included, the potential closure of the school is fundamentally driven by the student performance, their learning conditions, the building inadequacy, and equitable student access, rather than the district's budget," she said. 

"… The goal is not to save money. The goal is to reinvest that money to make change, specifically for our Morningside students, and then for the whole school building, as a whole." 

Over the last month or so, the district has considered whether to retire the open concept, community school at the end of the school year. 

Morningside, built in the 1970s, currently serves 374 students in grades prekindergarten through 5, including a student population with 88.2 percent high-needs, 80.5 percent low-income, and 24.3 percent English learners.  Its students will be reassigned to Allendale, Capeless, Egremont, and Williams elementary schools.

School Committee member and former Morningside student Sarah Muil, through tears, made the motion to approve the closure at the end of this school year. The committee took a five-minute recess after the vote. 

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