Kelleher lauded for volunteer work

DAVID J. KELLEHER, of East Providence, was recently awarded the Antoinette F. Downing Volunteer Service Award during the Preserve Rhode Island and Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission’s 2016 Rhody Awards. The award recognized Kelleher’s efforts to educate people of all ages about the history of the city, where he served as a principal in elementary schools prior to his retirement.

As an educator and principal in East Providence, how did you inspire children to take an interest in local history?

I developed a slide presentation about Riverside for my students at Oldham, and showed the slides to many other groups over the years. I arranged trips to historic sites, such as the Hunt House, the carousel, Little Neck Cemetery, the closed Union Primary School. Additionally, I had an artist and the children make murals of historic sites at Silver Spring School.

Do you have a favorite historic property?

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In Rhode Island: the Statehouse – its beautiful marble exterior, the majestic interior, including the dome, the library and the state reception room. In East Providence: the 1871 Pomham Rocks Lighthouse, the last of the upper-bay lighthouses.

What steps can an ordinary person take to help preserve the state’s rich history?

Read about the many historic sites in our state, visit the sites and help support their work. Join a historic society, and support bond issues that give tax breaks to people and companies that propose restoring a historic site.

Are you working on any projects or educational initiatives right now?

I am working alongside members of the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse. We have finished the exterior of the house and are now beginning the interior. I am continuing to present a power program about Rhode Island lighthouses to groups around the state and just finished narrating lighthouse tours with Save The Bay. •

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