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Maya Albanese ’26 climbed the steep, creaky staircase, each step taking her closer to the old church belfry. She and two other students were touring the church to learn about Puritan history in the western Massachusetts town of Deerfield. 

The pastor had warned them that the steps to the belfry were dusty and claustrophobic, but they were up for the challenge.

“The coolest thing was that there was graffiti from the past etched into the walls, the oldest of which dated to 1856,” Albanese says. “The three of us left our own mark as well, inscribing our initials.”

Historic Deerfield

History is a lively and fascinating endeavor for the summer fellows at Historic Deerfield in Deerfield, a town of just over 5,000 people along the Connecticut River, a two-hour drive west from Boston. Albanese is spending her summer there as a fellow at the museum, which includes 12 authentically preserved houses, all appointed with period New England furniture, silver, textiles, and other examples of the decorative arts. 

“It’s been awesome. Every day is a new experience, and it’s always busy,” Albanese says. “Historic Deerfield is essentially a mile-long street made up of historic homes that have been restored to different time periods. They have guides who lead tours and ‘interpret’ the various material culture objects on display.” 

The Historic Deerfield fellows experience an apprenticeship and summer school rolled into one. “It’s not a job, and there is no tuition,” Albanese explains. “Everything is completely covered by the program.”

Primary Sources

The fellows’ demanding schedule keeps them busy all week, and most weekends and evenings, with daily meetings, lectures, and hands-on material culture workshops. Fellows also conduct several research projects of their own using the museum’s collections and resources.

The students’ summer of work culminates in a 25-page research paper, which they will present to the Deerfield staff. “I am very interested in women’s history and natural history,” Albanese says. “Deerfield has had some notable women naturalists and natural illustrators.” She plans to focus on two women, Orra White Hitchcock and Harriet Goodhue Williams, both wives of naturalists but also talented artists and citizen scientists in their own right.

Albanese is eager to explore the many primary sources at Historic Deerfield. “I’m focusing on the botanical charts, two herbariums (books on botany featuring different specimens painted by the women I’m researching), and Harriet’s copybook from her student days at Deerfield Academy,” Albanese says. 

She explains that copybooks were 19th-century workbooks or exercise books. “Essentially, schoolgirls would copy poems, practice penmanship, and do math problems and such in them. I’m emphasizing the educational aspect more, how these women were educated and natural science education at this time in general.” 

Looking Ahead

After she graduates from ������Ƶ, Albanese hopes to get a master’s degree in library science in preparation for work at a library or museum archives. This fellowship is giving her hands-on experience with collections and preservation practices, the interpretation of objects, and the intricacies of museum work. 

She’s grateful for the help she got from ������Ƶ’s (CLS) when she applied for the opportunity. Donor gifts to CLS help students find and apply for internships, externships, and job shadowing opportunities.