Upcoming film screenings, programs focus on WWI

>> In conjunction with the centennial anniversary of World War I, the Torrington Historical Society will present a screening of two films, both related to Torrington’s World War I history.

The event will take place on Wednesday, May 17 at 6:30 p.m. in the Torrington Historical Society Carriage House Gallery, 192 Main St. There is no charge to attend.

The program will begin with the screening of “Never Forgotten,” a World War I documentary, produced by the American Battle Monuments Commission. This 24-minute film follows the story of Sergeant Paul Maynard, a Torrington doughboy who died on the last day of the war.

Among the first to volunteer for the Army, Maynard survived some of the most brutal fighting American forces endured, including the Battle of Belleau Wood, the Saint-Mihiel Campaign, and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. In “Never Forgotten,” Maynard’s grandniece, Lisa Ann Maynard, and ABMC Superintendent, Dave Bedford, tell Maynard’s story in an effort to ensure that his legacy, and the legacies of all Americans who fought during the Great War, are never forgotten. The film highlights the role that letters have in telling a person’s story as well as reuniting family that had been separated through the years. This program will also feature a panel discussion about the film and the legacy of Sgt. Maynard. Panelists will include the filmmaker, Michael Shipman and Rick Maynard, a relative of Maynard. “Never Forgotten” has been made possible by the Connecticut State Library and a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor.

Also on May 17, the Torrington Historical Society will hold a special screening of the 1919 Torrington Homecoming Parade, a short, 5-minute film that is in the society’s collection. Main Street, decorated with bunting and flags, is the setting for this parade, the first event in Torrington’s two-day “welcome home” celebration. Thousands of men, women and children are shown waving flags as Torrington’s soldiers parade through the downtown.

In addition to the May 17 program, the society will host several lectures and events through October. Remembering World War I Digitization Day, a program of the Connecticut State Library will be held Saturday, June 3, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the historical society. Residents are invited to bring World War I documents, photos or objects to the society to be scanned or photographed. Scanned items will then be added to the Connecticut Digital Archive. For more information, visit: http://ctinworldwar1.org

The Torrington Historical Society is an active, not-for-profit organization committed to collecting, preserving and sharing the diverse and rich history of Torrington. The Society shares Torrington’s history through changing exhibitions, lectures, school programs, special events and various other educational endeavors, many relating to the Society’s collections. Located at 192 Main Street, the facilities include the John H. Thompson Research Library, the Hotchkiss-Fyler House Museum, the History Museum, and the Hendey Machine Shop exhibit. http://www.torringtonhistoricalsociety.org

The Connecticut State Library is an Executive Branch agency of the State of Connecticut. The State Library provides a variety of library, information, archival, public records, museum, and administrative services to citizens of Connecticut, as well as the employees and officials of all three branches of State government. The Connecticut State Archives and the Museum of Connecticut History are components of the State Library. Visit the State Library at http:// ctstatelibrary.org, http://www.museumofcthistory.org, http://twitter.com/ LibraryofCT and http://www.facebook.com/CTStateLibrary

Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the National Endowment for the Humanities supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy, and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peer-reviewed proposals from around the nation. Additional information about the National Endowment for the Humanities and its grant programs is available at: www.neh.gov