The 2006 and 11th Biennial
Waterloo Village, Stanhope, New Jersey.
September 28 – October 1, 2006
Part Six
Poetry In The Woods
Save A Treasure
New Jersey is a state of paradox. Within five days, Star-Ledger readers
learned about a group trying to restore a part of the Morris Canal in
Wharton and the impending collapse of the Waterloo Foundation for the Arts.
The latter group includes Waterloo Village, a restored 19th-century Morris
Canal hamlet.
The first story discussed archaeologists' efforts to involve schoolchildren
in the rediscovery of a lost lock of the canal. The latter story discussed
the cuts in funding to maintain the 400-acre village visited by 35,000
students each year.
As a recent return visitor to Waterloo Village for the
Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival, I can
tell you don't need to be Allen Ginsberg to see that the village has seen
better days. Despite the beautiful weather on the first day of the festival
-- which saw thousands of high school students enjoying the air of
enlightenment -- the sun beat down on two dilapidated bridges apparently
held together by baling wire and duct tape.
It's much easier to preserve a treasure we have than it will be to return
with schoolchildren ages hence to dig for what we intentionally neglected.
-- Anthony Buccino
The above letter to the editor was published in the Star-Ledger on
Sunday, Oct. 22, 2006
© 2006 The Star-Ledger. Used by NJ.com with permission.
Part One
Part Two
Part Three
Part Four
Part Five
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