LEEDS — Approximately 40 people gathered at Leeds Central School recently to hear a presentation by members of the Leeds Historical Society and Claudeen Bergeron’s sixth-grade class.

The program focused on the Maine Memory Network, an online museum featuring collections of historical interest from around the state. Last year, the Historical Society was awarded a grant by the Maine Historical Society and Maine State Library, which allowed the LHS to purchase a computer and a scanner to be used for cataloguing the collection and posting items on the Maine Memory Network.

One of the requirements of the grant was for the LHS to collaborate with another organization within the community, and this was a chance to expand upon the ongoing relationship between the Historical Society and the Leeds Central School.

Each week, starting in September, members of the LHS went to the school and worked with the sixth-grade students, scanning items to be posted on the Maine Memory Network and then researching the items and composing captions for them. The sixth-grade curriculum includes work with primary sources, so this project was a perfect fit, and according to Sue Swan, the school librarian, and Garrett Christen, the computer teacher, it was also a great opportunity for the students to apply a number of the skills they’ve acquired in their classes this year.

At the presentation in March, LHS President Laura Juraska gave a brief overview of the grant and the exhibit the LHS is creating which will focus on Leeds native John Young Merrill. The students then described the project, gave a brief demonstration on how to scan photographs and took the audience on a “tour” of Maine Memory Network’s site, highlighting various items from the LHS collection, which are now posted there. Of special interest was the line beneath each item which gave credit where credit was due and read, “This image was scanned by a student at Leeds Central School.”

After the students’ presentation, there was an opportunity for the audience to ask questions before enjoying the refreshments provided by the Historical Society. To learn more about the Maine Memory Network and to see the Leeds collection, go to www.mainememory.net.