BETHEL – Stanley R. Howe, executive director of the Bethel Historical Society, has announced the receipt of a $500 grant from the Maine Humanities Council to support the society’s 2008 Lecture Series titled “Maine History: Varied and Vivid.”

Each year the society offers a series of lectures on local and regional history, often with a Maine theme, as part of its educational programming.

This year’s offering includes the following: May 8, “Maine and Arnold’s March to Quebec,” Thomas Desjardin, PhD, historic site specialist, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands; June 12, “The Enigma of James G. Blaine,” Neil Rolde, Maine author and publisher.

Also,; Aug. 8, Hall Memorial Lecture, “Marsden Hartley: New England History and 1930s Regionalism,” Donna Cassidy, PhD, professor, American and New England Studies, University of Southern Maine; Sept. 11, “Historic Maine Presidential and Senatorial Election Campaigns as Recalled by the Political Memorabilia of the Time,” Earle G. Shettleworth Jr., Maine Historic Preservation Commission and state historian.

Also, Oct. 9, “Marketing Maine Apples,” Ben B. Conant, curator, Paris Cape Historical Society; Nov. 13, “Androscoggin River Water Quality: Past, Present and Future,” Barry Mower, Maine Department of Environmental Protection.

“We are pleased to have the support of the Maine Humanities Council once again,” said Howe. “It promises to be an interesting time for those interested in local and regional history.”

All lectures are free and will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the Dr. Moses Mason House Meeting Room.

More information about the society and its activities may be obtained by calling 824-2908 or 800-824-2910, e-mailing [email protected] or visiting www.bethelhistorical.org.