Paper Quilling Gift

This example of paper quilling, proudly displayed in the Breakfast Room of the museum, was designed and made exclusively for the Leffingwell House Museum by Helen Brown, Kyle Burgess, Cynthia Castro, Raeshawn Depina, Rontaysha Esannason, Tiana Garcia, Jordan Neigel, Kelsey Smith and Kyle Urbinati. All are students participating in the 2008-2009 "Museum Assistants" program of the Norwich Public Schools BRIDGES Program at Uncas School.

Paper-rolling, paper-scrolling, filigree, mosaic and quilling are all names which have been given to this craft during its long history. Its popularity has fluctuated over the years. Spreading to North Amercia with the settlers. Quillers today, find they have something in common with Elizabeth, daughter of George III, Mrs Delany (pioneer of other paperwork and friend of Dean Swift), Jane Austen who mentions it in 'Sense and Sensibility' and the Bronte sisters. Newspaper advertisements for some boarding schools in the American Colonies listed "Quill-Work" among the subjects taught.

BRIDGES, is an after school program for Grades 3-5. It gives students the opportunity to learn about leadership and cooperation while working with other students from different schools within Norwich by exposing the students to theater, local historical sites, the environment and the study of other cultures.