Glen History the topic of Portsmouth this Week

Retired Elmhurst School Librarian and Portsmouth Historical Society board member Gloria Schmidt was the special guest on this week's edition of Portsmouth this Week, discussing the fascinating history of the Glen Farm and Manor house as well as the Elmhurst school. In her 19 years as school librarian at Elmhurst, Gloria's students did a lot of historical research, searching old documents available in the Town Hall archives and conducting interviews with individuals who had been a part of the manor and farm and also the school when it was the Elmhurst Academy, operated by the Sisters of the Sacred Heart. Their completed projects were very well prepared and still make excellent reading today. A historian herself, Gloria's encyclopedic knowledge of the Glen's history makes her a valuable resource as Portsmouth citizens decide what to do about the school buildings. Past Town leaders seemed to have recognized the value of the Glen properties and taken steps to preserve them for future residents, acquiring Glen Manor and the Elmhurst school for the town in 1972 and later acquiring the rest of the Glen properties in 1989. A similar opportunity exists today, as we decide how best to preserve the Glen properties for future generations.

Portsmouth this Week airs on PEG TV (Cox channel 18) on Wednesday at 7:30 PM and can be seen here or by clicking on links on the Portsmouth or PEDC websites.