Looking back on this summer's Vermont state library tour
By Kate Malmstrom, Program Assistant
Summer at the Vermont Historical Society has looked a little different than in years’ past; we celebrated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence with a new exhibit and book, 50 for 250. In concert with the exhibit, VHS educators have been traveling the state to deliver youth programming in partnership with the Vermont Department of Libraries and local libraries. The idea was simple: we would bring the artifacts while the libraries would bring the kids.
We developed a program utilizing Jacqueline Davis’ book Tricking the Tallyman. This book, as well as portions of the 50 for 250 exhibit, explore Vermont’s early statehood. Tricking the Tallyman tells the story of the first census taken in Tunbridge in 1790. The book is full of jokes and tricks but ultimately teaches readers about the relationship between citizens in a newly erected town and their representatives in government.
The program’s attendees can view similar concepts of land ownership and representation in the 50 for 250 exhibit, where original charters and deeds of Vermont towns are on display. As in Tricking the Tallyman, these documents represent a time when Vermonters were working through issues of land ownership and testy relations with government officials.
Back at the library, we moved on to a craft in which students could fashion a tricorn hat, modeled on the hat worn by the census taker in the story. Anointed in their new, very official-looking hats, program attendees took their own census of the group and recorded statistics about each other. Participants learned new facts about their groupmates, including how many pets they owned, and how many kids lived in their house.
Additionally, many Vermont libraries were participating in an annual, nationwide summer reading program. The theme for 2026 is “Unearth a Story." This theme centers on digging into books, exploring the past, and uncovering hidden histories. To tie in with this theme, we offered a second program called You Be the Historian. This program asks kids to participate as archaeologists, researchers, and curators to uncover the mystery of an 1800s homestead in Calais. Participants worked together to examine artifacts from an archaeological dig and to understand primary resource documents. After flexing their historian skills, children were able to deduce what exactly happened at the family farm in 1888.
For this inaugural year of the program, we visited 16 different libraries, traveling as far north as Canaan and as far south as Bennington. Though the program took place outside of the typical school year, many attendees were excited to demonstrate their learning to their families. One adult chaperone shared “My kiddos don’t always take well to academic activities, let alone anything south of history, but [this program] was a home run with them." All participants received a pass for free family admission at the Vermont History Museum, where they can use their freshly-sharpened historian skills to explore the 50 for 250 exhibit. We hope to welcome these young historians and their families to the museum soon!
