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The Case of the Missing Glove: A reflection on an MMA Winter Afterschool Adventure

Camden Palm • March 30, 2023

By: Camden Palm, MMA Director of Education

 

“Grab your coats, it’s time for an outdoor adventure!” I hollered to students in the newly expanded MMA afterschool program, generously funded by the Massachusetts Afterschool Partnerships. Students scurried to their cubbies, and loaded up on layers- hats, gloves shoved in their pockets, jackets pulled over their sweatshirts. We embarked outside into a calm winter day. To Dead Horse Valley we go! We wandered down New Dollar Lane in our safety sandwich- a formation with one MMA staff member leading the front, one MMA staff member managing the back, and kids filling the middle. We passed Ham Pony Lot, and waved to the workers who were building an entry way wall on the way. We crossed Prospect Street and arrived at the freshly mended Dead Horse Valley hill. At least 3 students sped down with all their might. 


Today we embarked on a nature hike, the goal? Investigating signs of spring. . . We found snowdrops, and buds on shrubs, we discovered daffodil buds, and moss soft as a carpet. Each student had a magnifying glass in hand, and we wandered for a long while. Oh, what a day. Then, all of a sudden, a camper proclaimed “OH NO! I lost my glove!!” It was the epitome of a winter adventure and the case of the missing glove. Next thing we know we were testing our orienteering skills to retrace our steps. We passed the moss soft as a carpet, turned at the fork where the daffodil buds sprouted, waved to the patch of snowdrops, with no luck on the glove hunt. . . Each member of our team was fully invested. The last place to look was the bottom of Dead Horse Valley’s hill. Searching high, low, and in between, a student yelled, “I see something blue!,” and running commenced. Could it be the glove. . . Why YES, YES IT WAS!! Glove in hand our mission felt like an utter success, and just like that our after-school adventure had to wind to an end. 


After that day, more and more signs of spring came to the spotlight, and even a week or two later, some students wore only a sweatshirt while gloves and coats stayed in their backpacks. As we enter into April, I see more moments of light jackets and the glimmer of summer shorts. This winter has been full of programming including Afterschool Series, Winter Break programs, and another exciting Nantucket Science Festival. It has also been full of planning for our April programs and Summer Discovery Camps. The seasons change and more engagement is ahead. The best part is the unknown of what adventures will come, and what we will find or lose while we explore Nantucket. 

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Women’s History Month

By Jascin N. Leonardo Finger • March 17, 2025
March is Women’s History Month (though all months should be women’s history month.) Maria Mitchell was one of the founders of the Association for the Advancement of Women (AAW), was its president (1875), and founded its Science Committee, which she chaired for the remainder of her life. When the fourth Congress of the AAW met in Philadelphia in October 1876, Julia Ward Howe (also a friend of Maria’s) was serving with Maria on the executive committee. Maria presented a paper, “The Need for Women in Science.” In it she stated, Does anyone suppose that any woman in all the ages has had a fair chance to show what she could do in science? . . . The laws of nature are not discovered by accidents; theories do not come by chance, even to the greatest minds; they are not born of the hurry and worry of daily toil; they are diligently sought, they are patiently waited for, they are received with cautious reserve, they are accepted with reverence and awe. And until able women have given their lives to investigation, it is idle to discuss the question of their capacity for original work. She is not saying that women cannot be scientists – she is saying they need to be given the opportunities. Maria was incredibly busy with the AAW – it took up a great deal of her time – and at the next meeting in November of that year some aspects of the meeting were wonderful according to her account –“excellent” papers, “newspapers treated us very well. The institutions opened their doors to us, the Centennial gave us a reception. But – we didn’t have a good time!” It appears there was discord among the women. A few opposed the subject of “Woman Suffrage,” but Lucy Stone was able to present her paper on the subject despite this. And, some women felt that the West was not well represented and was overshadowed by New England thus women representing the western states protested the nomination and election of Julia Ward Howe as president of the AAW. But she won. Whew! It was not always easy and controversies constantly abounded with many schisms over time within the women’s rights movement. I often wonder what Maria might think of the place of women today – how far things have come from her time or would she be surprised that there still can be inequality? In honor of Women’s History Month, take a look at other organizations that represent different women in our history and their legacies. A good place to start is the National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites . JNLF

Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association Welcomes Tara Riley, Emma Morgan, Dr. Rich Blundell, RJ Turcotte, and Charles Johnson and March Science Speaker Series

March 11, 2025
NANTUCKET, MA—The Nantucket Maria Mitchell Association (MMA) announces that it will host Pam Murphy and Kim Shulam of the Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket (MMAN), as featured presenters for its February Science Speaker Series. Their presentation will take place on Wednesday, February 26 at 7pm via Zoom. This event is free to all. Join Pam Murphy, the MMAN Executive Director, and Kim Schulam, the MMAN Vice President and Stranding Coordinator, in a discussion on the importance of seals and other marine mammals in maintaining a healthy marine ecosystem, and how we can all help keep these populations safe. The mission of the Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket is to monitor, rescue, and protect marine mammals on Nantucket, advocate for their well-being, and educate the public. MMAN belongs to the Greater Atlantic Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and is among thirteen organizations dedicated to protecting, rescuing, and advocating marine mammals along the Atlantic coast from Virginia to Maine. You can learn more about the animals they rescue, their partner teams, useful tips, and statistical maps here: https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/5d29b842996d44eea0c4517f71ecca4d Pam Murphy has been involved in animal rescue for many years, from creating a Be Kind to Animals Club at the age of seven, to being one of the founders of Nantucket Island Safe Harbor for Animals (NiSHA) in 2011; serving eight years as board president. Her extensive board experience with TWN, NiSHA, and NAC put her in a solid position to manage MMAN’s board and see it develop into a stronger organization, capable of attracting the donor support the mission deserves. A lifelong vegetarian, Pam has never been able to stand idly by when an animal is suffering. To be allowed to approach injured and entangled marine mammals legally and help was what drew her to MMAN. She became Level A trained, learning to restrain and disentangle seals and went on to attend a Cetacean Stranding Workshop with IFAW. “I have learned a great deal about marine mammals and how to help through the vast knowledge of my teammates.” Kim Schulam began visiting Nantucket in 2013 and fell in love with the remote, natural qualities of the island. A Biological Sciences major in college, she initially considered the fields of Marine Biology or Veterinary Medicine but ultimately pursued a career as a Physician’s Assistant. Now retired from medicine, she met former Stranding Coordinator Scott Leonard and learned of MMAN. She immediately joined the team and became Level A trained. She regularly attends IFAW’s Marine Mammal Mass Stranding training, and is 24-Hour HAZWOPER certified for oil spill wildlife rescue. Now a full-time resident of Nantucket, she serves as the team’s Stranding Coordinator and Board Vice President. She coordinated MMAN’s first team-conducted large whale necropsy last year and works closely with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to maintain the team’s Stranding Agreement as Nantucket's sole agency legally permitted to handle marine mammals. She feels strongly that humans have an obligation to marine life to help them survive given all we have done to injure them and destroy their environment. Pre-registration is required to attend Zoom. To register for Zoom, use the registration link below: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_7UnSEop1RKyxgl0LBio2Kw#/registration This series is generously sponsored by our lead sponsor, Bank of America.  The Maria Mitchell Association was founded in 1902 to preserve the legacy of Nantucket native astronomer, naturalist, librarian, and educator, Maria Mitchell. After she discovered a comet in 1847, Mitchell’s international fame led to many achievements and awards, including an appointment as the first female professor of astronomy at Vassar College. Maria Mitchell believed in “learning by doing” and today that philosophy is reflected in the MMA’s mission statement, programs, research projects, and other activities. The Maria Mitchell Association operates two observatories, a natural science museum, an aquarium, a research center, and preserves the historic birthplace of Maria Mitchell. A wide variety of science and history-related programming is offered throughout the year for people of all ages ###
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