Port Washington, NY January 17, 2014. Long Island Traditions and the Freeport School District are continuing their partnership that explores the traditional maritime culture in the age of Sandy and the decline of commercial and recreational fishing on Long Island. The partnership includes the 4th grade classes at the New Visions and Bayview elementary schools.

Using the fishing industry as a model, students will examine the occupational and recreational traditions of fishermen on Long Island, focusing on Nassau County’s north and south shores. They will learn about the tools and traps, boats and nets, rods and bait that are used by recreational and commercial fishermen from various communities on Long Island, identified by folklorist Nancy Solomon, executive director of Long Island Traditions.

Students will learn about the designs of tools used by fishermen such as nets, decoys, traps, fishing rods, boats and other objects that incorporate traditional design elements. They will learn about the traditional design principles embodied in these tools and how they have changed over time.

In the wake of Superstorm Sandy, students will examine the challenges facing recreational and commercial fishing through inclass presentations by local traditional fishermen, including baywoman Flo Sharkey, fishermen Ed Thomas and Tony Sougstad in Freeport, along with hands on activities and interviews with other tradition bearers. The classroom based baymen led projects will take place on January 22 and 27 along with a hands on workshop on January 23 at New Visions school, located at 80 Raynor Street, Freeport. Participating 4th grade teachers include Mike DeGennaro, Gabriella Farruggio and John Woodward. At the Bayview elementary school the baymen led classroom presentations will take place at the school on February 11 and 26, with the workshop on March 4 at the Freeport Recreation Center. Participating Bayview teachers include Laura Litwak, Ellen Larkin and Christopher Farrell,

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Culminating projects will include paintings and photographs based on their interviews and discussions with various fishermen and a boat trip in the spring on board the Miss Freeport.

Long Island Traditions director Nancy Solomon comments “Our goal in this program to help Freeport students understand their historic community’s connection to the maritime heritage of Long Island, past and present. At the same time we also hope that students and teachers alike will appreciate the knowledge that fishermen have to sustain their way of life.”

Funding for this program was made possible by the New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA) and the Freeport School District. It is the only maritime program supported by NYSCA in the state, and one of the longest running programs on Long Island. For more information contact LI Traditions at (516) 767-8803.