What does two plus one equal? Big happenings at the New Hampshire Telephone Museum, that’s what! The museum’s small but energetic staff of two is excited to announce the addition of an Education Coordinator, and even more excited to announce that Megan Hurley has been hired to fill the position.
Megan brings a wealth of experience to the museum. In addition to teaching grades three through eight for 20 years in the Hillsboro-Deering School District, she has mentored new teachers and delivered professional development to middle school staff. She was a cooperating teacher to Keene State and New England College students, and she also implemented service-learning projects for Hillsboro Heritage Museum and HD Outdoor Classroom.
“In our 2021 strategic planning session, our board of directors recognized that, while the museum is a valuable educational resource for our local schools and communities, we could be doing so much more,” says Laura French, Executive Director. “The problem was, we just didn’t have the person-power to do it. Megan brings a huge amount of enthusiasm, experience, and energy to the position, which is exactly what we were looking for. We couldn’t be more excited about the educational opportunities that lie ahead under Megan’s direction.”
Initially, Megan plans to reach out to her fellow teaching colleagues to get a feel for what they are looking for and the challenges they are facing. From there, she will develop programs and displays that will address those needs.
“We have known for years how much of what we talk about here at the museum would fit into school curriculum; we just haven’t had the resources to get it out there,” says French. “With Megan taking the lead in this area, we can continue the work that we do and feel satisfied knowing that we will soon be able to share the excitement and education with the younger generation, many of whom carry a telephone around with them but have no idea of its rich history.”
“There are so many ways in which to integrate the museum into everyday learning,” says Hurley. “There is the social impact, the historical significance, technology, and so much more! The tricky part will be narrowing it down to individual lesson plans. The sky’s the limit!”
After a winter hiatus, the museum is now open Tuesdays and Saturdays from 10 AM to 4 PM. Beginning in May, it will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays. The special exhibit and annual 4th Phridays at the Phone Museum series will kick off at that time, too. Be sure to visit NHTelephoneMuseum.org to keep up-to-date with all that is in store for this year.
The New Hampshire Telephone Museum is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation whose mission is to inspire curiosity by engaging a broad public audience in exhibitions and programs based on its remarkable and expanding collection. The Museum preserves the past and tells the stories of the telecommunications industry.
The museum, located at One Depot Street in Warner, opened to the public in 2005 and features the collection of Alderic O. “Dick” Violette of Warner. Visit NHTelephoneMuseum.org for more information. For more information, contact Laura French, Executive Director, at 603 456-2234 or Laura@nullNHTelephoneMuseum.org.