The public is invited to celebrate “Student History Projects”,
Monday evening, June 6th at Gilford’s Union Meetinghouse

Gilford’s historical society, the Thompson-Ames Historical Society, was formed in 1943 to preserve and celebrate the town’s cultural heritage.
Annually the society invites Gilford teachers and students to show and talk about their special history projects during the society’s June meeting, which, this year, will occur on Monday evening, June 6th at 7:00 p.m at the Union Meetinghouse, at 24 Belknap Mountain Road. Of course, the public is invited to attend, learn about these projects, and join in applauding the students’ efforts.
Many of these history projects involve stepping outside the classroom and into the community to create real-life experiences that make history come alive and excite the students’ desire to learn . This approach stretches from kindergarten up through senior high, the results of the efforts of the kindergarten team on one end of the continuum and Michael Zulauf on the other in his Advanced Placement American History Class.
Photos will be on display to show elementary school students participating in kindergarten and third-grade field-trip activities provided by Thompson-Ames Historical Society volunteers at the three historic Gilford museum sites – the Grange Museum Building/John J. Morrill Store of 1857, the 1834 Union Meetinghouse, and the c. 1838 Benjamin Rowe House.
Third graders in Wendy Oellers’ class and Diane Alting’s class, respectively, have been working to create an herb garden at the historic Rowe House and to create illustrations for Felicity’s Journal, that depicts life in 1778-9 in Gunstock Parish, which until 1812 was part of the extensive town of Gilmanton. Photos of these students in action will also be on display.
Students in Michael Zulauf’s AP American History Class will share their class project which has taken them out into the community.
David Perry, who presented as part of GHS’s AP American History Class a year ago, will share a history project that he pursued to earn his Eagle Scout Badge this spring as a member of Carl Gebhardt’s Troup #243. The project, Cemeteries of Gilford, uses up-to-date computer technology with the involvement of quite a few historical society members. During the Monday evening June 6th T-AHS meeting, David will share aspects of his comprehensive project which in turn will be available to the public for research purposes.
T-AHS Hospitality Chair Carol Anderson has coordinated light refreshments for the evening with the help of Diane Mitton.
The vitality and relevance of Thompson-Ames Historical Society reflect the efforts of many volunteers over the past 62 years. Each has contributed meaningfully and left a legacy to the preservation and celebration of Gilford’s cultural heritage.
One of these shiny lights was Janyce Smith Dean who passed away on May 16th. Jan’s many contributions to Gilford’s historical society include membership on the Gunstock Parish book publication committee, serving on T-AHS’s Board of Directors and as T-AHS Vice President, representative of the Gilford Island Association, a member of the Buildings and Grounds Committee that envisioned creating theme displays not only in the Union Meetinghouse but also in the Grange Museum Building, participant in creating wooden toys of historic design, a field-trip volunteer who especially enjoyed participating in the ABC quilt projects and Homestead activities both indoors and out, creating clothing for historic dolls….
Our condolences go out to her family, including her husband of many years Robert P. Dean who has shared Jan’s passion for and participation in Thompson-Ames Historical Society activities throughout the years. Jan’s legacy will continue to be reflected in T-AHS’s efforts to carry out its mission, to preserve and celebrate Gilford’s cultural heritage.