Women in Clockmaking … Who Knew?
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American Clock and Watch Museum Executive Director Patti Philippon will address the next meeting of the West Hartford Women in Networking. Submitted photo
The West Hartford Women in Networking will enjoy a presentation on the history of women in the clockmaking industry, and will also be collecting items for the Bridge Family Center at its meeting on Dec. 17.
American Clock and Watch Museum Executive Director Patti Philippon will address the next meeting of the West Hartford Women in Networking. Submitted photo
Submitted by Dianne Rechel, West Hartford Women in Networking
The West Hartford Women in Networking (WWIN) will hold its monthly meeting on Thursday, Dec. 17, and included will be a presentation on the history of women in the clockmaking industry!
The “Women in the Clock & Watch Industries: From Small Scale Painting to Large Scale Production” presentation examines the contributions that women have made to the American system of clock and watchmaking, from the colonial period up until the present day. The names of the women have largely been forgotten and information about their role in America’s horological trades is scarce. However, these women made vital contributions to the artistry and continuation of these important industries, so vital to Connecticut’s economic development. Their contributions, and those of the women working in the industry today, deserve their moment in the spotlight, to celebrate their achievements and accomplishments.
Philippon has been the executive director of the American Clock & Watch Museum since September 2014. Prior to that, she was employed at Hartford’s Mark Twain House & Museum. During her tenure there, she held the roles of collections manager, interim executive director, and Beatrice Fox Auerbach chief curator. She has a Master’s degree in art history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a Bachelor of Arts degree in the humanities, magna cum laude, from Providence College. She has held positions with the Florence Griswold Museum of Old Lyme, Conn., as well as the Craftsman Farms Foundation of Parsippany, N.J. She lives with her husband and children in the Forestville section of Bristol.
The meeting will be held at Chatfield, One Chatfield Dr., West Hartford, from 7:30 – 9:45 a.m., and will also include introductions and small group discussions. The meeting cost is $2.
The Bridge serves many families and children through counseling, support groups, and family programs. They operate several residential programs for youth whose lives are in crisis. Most of these young people have suffered tragedy, abuse, or abandonment. They are looking for donations of:
- Gift cards: Marshalls, WalMart, Kohls, BJs, Best Buy, Babies R Us, Target, Old Navy, The Gap, TJ Maxx, Eblens, Hollister, Westfarms Mall, Buckland Hills Mall, Michaels, Jerry’s Artarama, Bow-Tie Cinema, Rave Cinema, CVS, Walgreens, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, restaurants (Subway, Panera Bread, Arby’s, Chilis, Ruby Tuesdays, Olive Garden, A.C.Petersons ), super markets, Visa and American Express gift cards.
- New basketballs, yoga mats, tennis racquets, badminton racquets and birdies, soccer balls, and bikes and helmets.
- Nintendo Wii, games, and accessories; Xbox 360 gaming console; karaoke machine; phones.
- New board games for youth 10 and up, Legos, books birth to teens, arts and crafts supplies, DVDs (G, PG, and PG13), journals, 2016 planners.
- New winter coats, hats, gloves, scarves, snow pants for infants through size 16, snow boots for children size 5 and up, mittens for children, raincoats for toddlers through third graders, socks, PJs, wallets, umbrellas.
- New household items: fire extinguishers, alarm clocks, kitchen ware (Tupperware, pots, utensils, etc.), lamps, vacuums, carpet steam cleaner, steam mop, lamps, twin sheets and comforters, towels, bath rugs.
- Baked goods, Christmas candy.
BIG WISH: Sponsor rent for a year for a homeless young person.
For further information: consult www.
American Clock and Watch Museum. Submitted photo
