Calendar

Library Calendar of Events:

Oct
3
Tue
Steve Wiegenstein: Missouri’s Utopian Communities
Oct 3 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Nineteenth-century Missouri was home to several alternative communities, often termed “utopian communities” for their emphasis on social betterment and a different way of life. But although their neighbors sometimes considered these utopians odd or eccentric, they were often within the mainstream of progressive social thinking of the time. Steve Wiegenstein has been researching these communities for decades, both as a scholar and in his role as a leading historical novelist. In this presentation, he will invite discussion of Missouri’s well-known and lesser-known utopian communities, including religious communes, secular communities, and those in between.

Oct
5
Thu
Tot Time
Oct 5 @ 9:00 am – 9:30 am

Join us on Thursdays for Tot Time, with stories and activities for children 3 and under. There are two sessions: 9:00 am & 10:00 am.

Tot Time
Oct 5 @ 10:00 am – 10:30 am

Join us on Thursdays for Tot Time, with stories and activities for children 3 and under. There are two sessions: 9:00 am & 10:00 am.

Loftin Woodiel: William C. Quantrill, The Father of Post-Civil War Missouri Banditry
Oct 5 @ 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

During the American Civil War, Captain William C Quantrill commanded a band of Confederate irregulars who reeked death and destruction throughout the Missouri and Kansas borders. Tactical and technical perfection was a trademark of his organization. Prior to the war, Quantrill was a school teacher in the state of Ohio. A number of Quantrill’s men continued to hone their skillset, maintained these deviant behaviors and channeled them into post-war career banditry opportunities; e.g., James Robert Cummins, the James Brothers (Jessie and Frank), and the Younger Brothers (Cole, Bob and Jim). Just as a teacher motivates his students to adopt specific standards of academic and social behavior, did Quantrill’s pedagogical skillset propel his subordinates into deviant careers? This interdisciplinary research design employs historical context analysis, psychological evaluation of motivation in a running text, and the application of criminological theory.

Jeff Smith: Cemeteries and Memory: Confederate Monuments in Cemeteries
Oct 5 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Cemeteries are seen as both sacred spaces and secular tools for articulating and preserving the collective memory a community wants to preserve. The monuments, cemetery design, and gravestones hold a version of a community’s collective memory. When additional monuments are placed in these spaces, they become part of that memory as well. Presented by a nationally recognized scholar in cemeteries and death studies, this lecture will examine the ways Confederate monuments in cemeteries represent a special case for understanding the Lost Cause in the 21st century.

Oct
6
Fri
Storytime
Oct 6 @ 10:00 am – 10:30 am

Stories and songs for all ages.

Oct
9
Mon
Monday Book Club
Oct 9 @ 10:00 am – 11:00 am

This book club meets monthly, every 2nd Monday, at 10:00 a.m.

Wagging Tales
Oct 9 @ 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Wagging Tales

Readers partner with a Franklin County Humane Society Volunteer and a dog. Fifteen-minutes sessions. 2nd Mondays from 5:00 – 6:00 pm.

Oct
10
Tue
Chess Club
Oct 10 @ 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
Chess Club

Chess Club meets the 2nd Tuesday and 4th Thursdays of each month, 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm, in the library conference rooms. All ages and abilities welcome!

Oct
11
Wed
Art Club
Oct 11 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Art Club is a space for artists (16 and older) to meet and work on projects, get advice, learn new skills and have fun. Washington staff will lead the group.