Bennington Museum – Samplers, Girls, and the American Experiment

(Bennington, VT) On Saturday May 3, Bennington Museum will be opening an exhibit of Vermont girls’ samplers from the 18th and 19th century. Through twenty-four unique pieces, this exhibit will explore how the ideals displayed in girls’ embroidery 200 years ago shaped the America we know today, how education couched in detailed needlework could ultimately provide a path to independence, and how teenagers will still be teenagers across the centuries.

Vermont became the 14th state in 1791, a time when the success of the “American experiment” (an idea articulated by George Washington in his inaugural address in 1789) was in no way guaranteed. Education was understood to be the foundation of a flourishing democracy, but the role of women and their education was hotly debated, because at this time women lacked the right to vote. A girls’ education was often interwoven with domestic skill-craft such as sewing and embroidery. Needlework samples (or samplers) served the two-fold purpose of reinforcing the basics of literacy and math as well as demonstrating capability and refinement to future potential suitors. The motifs stitched on many samplers emphasize the importance of female virtue, the value of education, and obedience to parents and God. Samplers were often displayed around the home as a testament to a girl’s skill, demeanor, and diligence.

Beyond serving as practice pieces for learning various stitches and the basics of letters and numbers, samplers also communicated that a girl’s parents were wealthy enough to send their daughter to school. Girls’ samplers reflected what the young United States of America aspired to become: a virtuous republic full of educated and industrious people.

Callie Raspuzzi, Collections Manager at Bennington Museum talks about the impetus behind this project at the Museum: “When I originally conceived this exhibit I thought that samplers would be a good lens through which to really examine female education and the role of women in early Vermont. Educational opportunities are not available to everyone, and there is an understanding that this “American Dream” has limits. We have samplers from girls of modest families, and they’re very different from the fancy work of their wealthy neighbors, as were the expectations for their future.”

She continues, “I particularly love the unfinished samplers and the ones that are not very well executed. It’s easy to look at the really pretty needlework and forget that these pieces are made by children and teenagers. They’re not all good, conscientious scholars and they probably had other things that they would much rather be doing. They feel much more “real” to me than the perfectly executed pieces. When I look at my own teen and tween and their friends it’s easy to imagine kids 200 years ago, some of whom were gifted and studious, and others who were haphazard scholars who found other paths to success in life.”

WANT MORE SAMPLERS?

Take a driving tour from Bennington to Brownington

The VT Sampler Initiative has produced a statewide driving tour of collections of post-Revolutionary War samplers, in cooperation with the Nationwide 250th celebration of the American Revolution.

Beginning at a sampler exhibit at Bennington Museum, 20 statewide sites, including museums, art galleries, libraries and historical societies will extend this core exhibit with over 800 more pieces, inviting visitors to the state to explore additional communities in Vermont.

The story of our Revolutionary War generation having fought the war for our independence, and then having relocated to Vermont to live their lives, is one that can be illustrated by studying the lives of their descendants. The values, artistry and degrees of hardship and success of these families are often conveyed by the girls who produced these samplers. They are almost always the progeny – daughters and granddaughters – of the Revolutionary War generation – and their stories are many and unique!

For more information about the exhibit and the driving tour, visit benningtonmuseum.org.