Searching for Nathaniel Hawthorne

In 2004 children attending the SSC Preschool studied the life and times of Nathaniel Hawthorne, joining in a citywide celebration of Hawthorne's 200th birthday. The children and their parents enjoyed a trolley ride around Salem, "Searching for Nathaniel Hawthorne."

The preschoolers created and illustrated a "Birthday Chair" as they learned about Hawthorne's children's book, "Grandfather's Chair". Their completed projects were displayed at the Salem State College Library during the Hawthorne Conference, July 1-4, 2004.

Their teachers also engaged in a staff development day at the Peabody Essex Museum. The Preschool, which incorporates principles from the Reggio curriculum approach, is one of SSC's lab schools, offering many field work opportunities for student teachers.