Page 18 THE VILLADOM TIMES II • May 9, 2012 Ridgewood Notes Project Pride seeks participants Ridgewood Recreation will host Ridgewood’s Project Pride Day on May 12 from 9 a.m. to noon, rain or shine. Residents who want to help beautify the village are encouraged to meet at the clock tower on the corner of Ridgewood Avenue and Oak Street at 9 a.m. for assignments. Call (201) 670-5560 weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Learn about Montessori education On May 9, the Village School will host a discussion about Montessori education for the kindergarten-age child. Beginning at 7 p.m., Primary Program Director Lisa Mosca will present an overview of The Village School curriculum and answer questions. The Village School, located at 100 West Prospect Street, offers Montessori education for students from 18 months to middle school. It is accredited by both The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and the American Montessori Society. For more information, call Judy Trubac at (201) 445-6160, extension 225, e-mail jtrubac@thevillageschool.net, or visit www.thevillageschool.net. Exhibit includes Lincoln’s signature The Ridgewood Historical Society’s Schoolhouse Museum is currently featuring a “Civil War in New Jersey” exhibit, which includes a document signed by Abraham Lincoln. Among the many Civil War items currently on display is an engraving of the Lincoln family completed by J.C. Buttre in 1861 and printed in 1865. The engraving shows Abraham and Mary Lincoln with their three then-surviving sons: Robert, Willie, and Tad. Willie died from typhoid fever in 1862, adding to the heartbreak his family already felt over the war and the earlier death of another son, Eddie. Inserted into the mat beneath the engraving is a scrap of paper that reads, “The conclusion of Solicitor Whiting above is approved by me.” It is signed “A. Lincoln, April 12, 18--.” Because the paper is torn, the exact date of the signature is unknown. However, “Solicitor Whiting” presumably refers to William Whiting, who served as solicitor of the War Department from 1862-65, so the original document most likely dealt with a military issue. To see the actual Lincoln signature, one of the last photos of Lincoln, the Ford’s Theater Playbill from the night of the assassination, and the rest of the items on display in the museum’s “Civil War Years” collection, visit the Ridgewood Historical Society’s Schoolhouse Museum on East Glen Avenue. The museum is open Thursdays and Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. and Sundays from 2 to 4 p.m. Visit www.ridgewoodhistoricalsociety.org for details Legion seeks volunteers American Legion Post 53 of Ridgewood is seeking volunteers to help place American flags at the graves of veterans on Saturday, May 19. The group will mark 900 graves. Participants will meet at 9 a.m. at Valleau Cemetery in Ridgewood. Call Gerry Maksymowicz at (201) 445-5742. Society to screen anti-racism film On May 18, the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood will present a 7:30 p.m. screening of “We Always Resist: Trust Black Women.” This documentary captures the activism of black women and their allies in response to anti-choice attacks by right-wing organizations through a billboard campaign targeting women of color. Activist and writer Jasmine Burnett will serve as film moderator and discussion facilitator. Maame-Mensima Horne of the SisterSong Collective will be the special guest. The suggested donation is $5. Child care is available with advance notice to Carol at closcalzo2@aol.com. The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood located at 113 Cottage Place. For more information, call (201) 444-6225 or visit www.uuridgewood.org. Program sponsors are SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood Anti-Racism and Reproductive Justice Committees, and People’s Organization for Progress/Bergen County Chapter. Graydon hosts aquatics programs Ridgewood Parks and Recreation will host instructional and recreational aquatics programs at Graydon Pool this summer. The Graydon Swim Team’s season will begin June 25 and continue through July 27. Learn to Swim classes will begin July 9 and continue through Aug. 2. Programs are offered to all seasonal members of Graydon Pool and to non-resident badge holders for an additional $10. The Graydon Swim Team is recruiting children seven through 17. The coaching staff is ready to provide the best possible training, motivation, in a safe and wholesome environment, while assisting each swimmer to realize his or her potential. Swimmers who are age 11 and older practice from 1:15 to 2:15 p.m. Nine- and 10-year-olds practice from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m., and seven- and eight-year-olds practice from 3:15 to 4 p.m. Youth level classes range from those just starting to swim, to children ready and preparing to take the deep water test, to those gearing up their competitive skills for swim team. Parents who want to introduce little ones to the water are invited to sign up for the classes are available for parents and toddlers, adults and teens, and an adaptive aquatics program for special needs children. Forms are online at www.ridgewoodnj.net/graydon and at the Stable, 259 North Maple Avenue in Ridgewood. Dancers welcome newcomers The North Jersey English Country Dancers welcome newcomers to their Sunday afternoon dance on Sunday, May 13. The group meets at the Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, 113 Cottage Place in Ridgewood. All dances are taught and prompted and the music is live. Instruction for beginner is held at 1:30 p.m. and the main dance is held from 2 to 5 p.m. Participants may come with or without a partner. Call (201) 445-4497 for information. Press releases for this column may be e-mailed to editorial@villadom.com. Deadline is Wednesday at noon the week prior to publication.