The Hyde in ’69 — ‘Come and bring your parents’

The Hyde Collection’s Rembrandt painting “Christ With Arms Folded” was the topic of a play that Miss Florence Slater’s sixth grade class at Broad Street School in Glens Falls researched, wrote and performed in 1969 to commemorate the tercentenary of the Dutch master’s death.

“After the sixth grade class had actually visited The Hyde Collection on Warren Street, and after much research for authentic material, they wrote the play, tailoring it to include parts for each member of the class,” the Glens Falls Times reported on Oct. 21, 1969.

The first two acts were set at the Moscow Museum of Art in Russia, with images of Rembrandt paintings shown on a screen. The third act was set at The Hyde Collection.

“The group’s conversation brought out how Mr. and Mrs. Hyde came to purchase this rare treasure from the Russian government, and the difficulties they encountered in viewing the painting in Berlin, Germany, and their troubles in negotiating the purchase.”

The play concluded with a suggestion that still is a good idea for a family activity 50 years later.

“It ended with the comment of how fortunate people of Glens Falls are to have anything so exceptionally fine as The Hyde Collection of beautiful original paintings and other magnificent art. They urged the audience, ‘Won’t you come and bring your parents?’”

Click here to read my most recent previous Hyde Collection history post.