The St. John Historical Society has two events coming up shortly — this month's interpretive site walk on Saturday, Feb. 5, and the monthly meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 8.
The Saturday date for the second SJHS Interpretive Site Visit of the season is a rescheduled one. Bernie Kemp will lead participants on a short walk along the island's East End Road to the historic East End Schoolhouse. At the site, he will discuss his current research into the history of the school and the role it played in the historic East End community.
Those wishing to participate should meet near the tamarind tree by Vie's Snack Shack on the East End Road at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Refreshments and local snacks will be available for purchase at Vie's before and after the event. Visitors are welcome; a donation of $5 per person is requested, but students with I.D. are invited to take part at no charge.
For the February SJHS meeting, George F. Tyson, director of the St. Croix Landmarks Society, will be the guest speaker. The program is scheduled for Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. in the Multipurpose Center of St. Ursula's Episcopal Church in Cruz Bay.
A lifetime SJHS member and a longtime friend of the society, Tyson is a prolific writer and editor. His works include many St. John background studies and cultural land use reports, as well as books and articles relating to Virgin Islands history. Recently, he wrote the foreword for Hermann Lawaetz's new biography of Peter von Scholten, which is reviewed in the February issue of the St. John Historical Society newsletter.
He also is active in a various programs to promote historical education and cultural tourism in the territory — notably the St. Croix Heritage Trail, the United Nations Economic Scientific and Social Council's Slave Route Project and the V.I. government's Archive Initiative.
At the meeting, Tyson will discuss his current activities and initiatives.
Looking ahead: As the society's March activity, members will join members Virgin Islands Audubon Society members in a shoreline trek from Oyen's Point, east of Fish Bay, to the ruins of the Little Reef Bay plantation at Genti Bay. Along the way, Audubon Society members will share their knowledge of the abundant bird life which thrives along this pristine stretch of St. John wilderness coast. At the Little Reef Bay ruins, David Knight will give a brief interpretive talk on the background of this seldom-visited site, which for much of its early history was owned by members of St. John's free colored community.
For information on the St. John Historical Society, call Margie Labrenz at 693-8088.
