The Jamestown Community

Read about why the colonists came to Jamestown, what they did for money, and how they built a community.

Jamestown, Rhode Island's history has been formed--both for good and ill--by its geography. The town officially encompasses three islands in Narragansett Bay--Conanicut, Dutch and Gould--plus a number of small islets known as "dumplings." Jamestown was part of the larger world when merchants and travelers used the common roadway of the bay. As the speed of transportation on land increased, that same bay isolated the town. Reliable ferry transport fostered the growth of a low-key resort, and the bridges that followed moved the community from resort to suburb. The changes have left Jamestowners torn. Some look back nostalgically at the ferries and the solitude they allowed, while others look forward to a vibrant village and grand suburban homes. Still, whether one is reviewing Jamestown's past or anticipating its future, the constraints of its geography remain forever unchanged.

This book explores the rich history of community college math with a specific focus on gatekeeper math classes. Gatekeeper math classes include courses such as college algebra, introduction to statistics, and all developmental math classes. For community colleges, successful completion of these classes is imperative for student retention. This book presents a decade-by-decade analysis of the history of community college mathematics. The author employs a mix of conceptual, empirical, and quantitative research. The empirical research stems from interviews with 30 community college faculty members from seven community colleges. From the 1970s to the pandemic in the early 2020s, the book explores math curricula as well as trends, initiatives, teaching practices, and mandates that have impacted community college math. The positives and negatives of such trends, initiatives, and mandates are presented along with suggestions on how to apply such knowledge going forward. The author addresses the key questions: How can we build a future model for community college gatekeeper math classes that is both successful and sustainable? Additionally, how can we learn from the past and the present to build such a model? This book will be ideal for students in graduate programs focusing on community college leadership or developmental education leadership as well as all those hoping to improve success rates in community college mathematics programs.

While all but gone today, Jamestown's furniture industry was once the second-largest producer of furniture in the United States. Manufacturing boomed from 1816, when William Breed and Royal Keyes opened their shops, to the 1920s, when Jamestown was still one of the top wood furniture producers in the country. In the nineteenth century, the thriving railroad industry allowed Jamestown's quality creations to be distributed nationwide. After the Civil War, an influx of Swedish immigrants brought their craftsmanship and skills to Jamestown, forming Morgan Manufacturing, Empire Furniture Company and many others. Then, their pieces were valued for quality and durability; today, they're coveted by collectors as beautiful antiques. Local expert Clarence Carlson uncovers the fascinating story of Jamestown furniture.