Town #23 Canterbury

Saturday, July 12, 2008
Prudence Crandall Museum * Canterbury Cones

After lunch in Scotland, we self-toured the Prudence Crandall Museum, a place Jan has wanted to visit for a long time. In 1832 Prudence Crandall opened an academy to educate daughters of wealthy local families. When she admitted a black girl, all the other parents withdrew their children. Prudence was boycotted by her suppliers and town officials, and suffered several acts of vandalism. The state made it illegal to educate blacks (it was later repealed) and she was jailed and went through three trials. After a serious fire, she finally admitted defeat and closed down after only 18 months after she opened. She had many staunch supporters, but could not continue putting her students and herself through such abuse.

We had planned to head out to Brooklyn for an ice cream cone, but on the way we passed a new place, Canterbury Cones, and enjoyed our ice cream there ($2.60 museum, $5.20 ice cream). (Bob)