The Museum is planning a fun-packed day of hands-on activities for kids and their parents in our fall annual celebration of families and our latest exhibit, "I Belong." Captain Knot, aka Frank Hanavan, will demonstrate nautical knot-tying techniques.
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October 21, 2012 * 4pmReflecting on a sensational, Depression-era murder trial, "Killing the Poormaster" chronicles the events that led up to--and followed--the death of Harry Barck, a poormaster who determined who would and would not receive public aid in Hoboken, New Jersey. When unemployed mason Joe Scutellaro was arrested for stabbing Barck in the heart with a paper spike after the poormaster suggested that Scutellaro's wife prostitute herself rather than ask the city for aid, the case became a symbol of larger social ills and the debate over public relief.
Grappling with issues that are still vital--massive unemployment, endemic poverty, and the inadequacy of public assistance--"Killing the Poormaster" offers insight into the ongoing debate over America's social contract, relaying a gripping narrative that reads like today's news. Click here to learn more about the book.