An Olympian celebration of the Athenaeum's 170th birthday at 251 Benefit Street, Providence Rhode Island!
Poet Brett Rutherford, along with other votaries, will present a lyrical introduction and tribute in poetry and music to our patron goddess, Athena, as we prepare to install our new bust of her in the library. Come help us welcome the goddess of wisdom to her spiritual and intellectual home!
Nectar and ambrosia - or earthly equivalents - will be served.
The event is free and open to the public, befitting these words spoken by Francis Wayland at the dedication of the Athenaeum on July 11, 1838:
"Let us all cheerfully unite, fellow-citizens, in every reasonable effort to elevate the standard of social and intellectual character among us… Let us abandon, forever, and forget that they ever existed, all local and petty distinctions. Let us not labor for the east side or for the west side, but for the city of Providence ."
He then added the following:
"In every useful and public-spirited object , let every hand beat time, all our hearts be in unison; and if money be needed to accomplish it, let our wealth flow out like water."
Which is just to say that gifts of tribute, while not expected, will neither be refused!
Procession
Poetry by Brett Rutherford
