Welcoming Visitors To

The 19th Century

 

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For almost ten years a Newtown couple has had the opportunity to turn back time, to return to an era that was simpler and less hectic than the world in which they live.

Charline and Ted Grafton drive 92 miles once or twice a month to Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts to volunteer as greeters and at the same time to get some relief from the fast pace of everyday life.

“It gets us away from modern machines and cars,” Mrs Grafton said.

The costumes and the historic flavor of the village help them transcend time and in some ways themselves, she said. “My husband is a quiet man, very reserved, but when we put on our costumes magic happens. He comes alive and sparkles,” she said with a fond look at Mr Grafton.

While Mr Grafton visited the village a few times as a child, Mrs Grafton was there often. “I vowed I would never go there as an adult, but he wanted to go,” Mrs Grafton said. “Love conquers all. Look where it got me.” They eventually became members of the Friends of Old Sturbridge Village.

They began volunteering ten years ago when budgetary concerns brought about cuts in hired staff, and the historic preservation appealed to its friends group for volunteers. They received their training in the spring of 1990.

Dressed in costumes reminiscent of the 19th century, Mr and Mrs Grafton are among the greeters who welcome visitors at the entrance of the 200 plus-acre period village. They answer questions, offer information on special events, and welcome tour buses with a personal greeting.

Mrs Grafton loves to tell the story of her debut talk on what she believed was an incoming tour bus.

“It was my first day,” she recalled, laughing. On the drive up from Newtown, she had carefully rehearsed what she would say. Once in Sturbridge and dressed in costume, she couldn’t contain her enthusiasm when a bus arrived. “I ran to the bus with great excitement, got on and stood next to the driver, and gave my speech.” But the driver kept tugging at her dress, she said, which she tried to ignore as she continued her carefully prepared speech.

Finally, she said, the driver broke in, saying, “Ma’am, this is a local bus. These are employees. You’re holding them up.”

“That episode has been part of every training session since,” Mr Grafton said.

“Now they list the bus tours,” Mrs Grafton said, laughing. “It’s important to know your audience.”

Mr Grafton said one of the things he has particularly enjoyed through the years was watching a pair of oxen being trained. “They started when they were very young, and eventually they became a team. All their handler had to do was talk to them,” he said.

During the winter about 30 to 50 people visit the village each day, Mr Grafton said. In the summer, there may be as many as 1,000.

The Graftons put in an eight-hour day. On holidays and extra busy days, they try to get to the village early to talk to people while they are waiting in line for tickets. They especially talk to the children, who may get fidgety and bored while waiting.

“They are enthralled by Ted’s hat. They want to try it on,” Mrs Grafton said. “You get ‘Oh, it’s Mother Goose,’ or Abraham Lincoln. We don’t mind. It’s cute.”

 Mr Grafton said they spend part of the day in costume on the village green. “We get to walk around and see people we saw when they walked in. We ask them how they are doing and if we can help them with anything.”

Mrs Grafton said if they had pointed out something of interest to a visitor, they might ask if he or she found it. “It’s the personal attention we give them that is so valuable.” 

“I think we’ve greeted people from every country and had our photos taken with them,” Mr Grafton said. “Our pictures must be all over the world.”

Mr and Mrs Grafton emphasize they are not interpreters of life in the early 19th century. Costumed interpreters are employed by Old Sturbridge Village to demonstrate American life at that time.

“We just make sure everybody feels comfortable and welcome,” Mrs Grafton said.

Mr Grafton said they try to direct children to something that will interest them. “The moms thank us, and the kids have a good time. Everyone leaves happy.”

One of their favorite volunteer activities is showing children games and toys of the period, such as a Jacob’s Ladder, thin wooden cards joined together so they tumble down upon themselves. Mrs Grafton explained that it was often used to form letters to teach children the alphabet.

“We usually have toys and games for children to try,” Mrs Grafton said. “They love it.”

The couple has also participated in some hands-on activities, such as pressing cider and showing how to write in 1830s script with real quill pens. “It’s a lot easier to get people under 14 to do it than adults,” Mr Grafton said. “Adults are used to pushing on a ballpoint pen. I tell them they have a feather in their hand and to write with a feather touch.”

“We loved doing the hands on,” Mrs Grafton said. “But it’s hard to do greeting at the same time.”

Volunteers receive 30 hours of training initially and are retrained every year, and agree to volunteer at least 50 hours a year, Mrs Grafton said.

The Graftons enjoy spending Thanksgiving Day at Old Sturbridge Village. It is not unusual for the couple to celebrate the holiday early, such as on Sunday, so they can be at Sturbridge. “The first year it was hard to make the adjustment,” Mrs Grafton said. However, family members and friends are now aware of their volunteer schedule and often celebrate early with them.

The Graftons have seen some of their suggestions be accepted by the village. They worked with the paid staff to trim the confusion on Thanksgiving when some people come exclusively for dinner at the inn.  They suggested lines for general admittance as well as for dinner participants.

“We got people through in pretty good order,” Mr Grafton said. “Now they put a paid person in to do our job.”

One year Mr Grafton also helped organize a photo contest. “Its reception overwhelmed them,” he noted. “They will probably do it again.”

Mr Grafton said the most popular questions asked of greeters are “Where’s the bathroom?” and “How long will it take to go through the village?” Others include “Was this a real town?” “Who was president in 1830?” and “May I take your picture?”

There are a lot of questions about clothing, Mrs Grafton said. “Women want to know if the clothing is authentic.”

“We say it’s a genuine imitation of the original reproduction,” Mr Grafton said, laughing.

The Graftons get up at 5:30 am on their volunteer day so they can arrive early to familiarize themselves with events scheduled for that weekend.

Mr and Mrs Grafton have enjoyed their experience at Old Sturbridge Village so much that they have looked for places to be docents or greeters when they retire in about two years to Charleston, S.C. “We have found two places,” Mrs Grafton said.

Mr and Mrs Grafton have lived in Newtown since 1985.  For 32 years, Mrs Grafton has been a special education teacher at the Pembrook School in Danbury. Mr Grafton has been employed as a new product planner at Kendro Laboratory Products for 33 years.

Mrs Grafton said volunteering at Sturbridge is something she and her husband mutually enjoy, because, she added, “There’s not a lot of things we have in common. I like to garden, and he would rather haul the mulch. I like to cook, and he likes to eat. I’m a history buff, and he takes photos.

“This is something we can do together.”