Men Working in Slate Quarry
This "Works Progress (later Projects) Administration's Federal Art Project" mural was painted by Martha Levy in 1939 for the Granville (NY) High School. The mural hung in the study hall of the school and exemplified one of the ideals of the WPA/FAP by depicting local history. It served to educate students about their heritage, clearly showing men engaged in the entire process of slate production. As an integral part of the school's architecture and seen by students every day, the mural was also intended to teach the significance of art in our society.
When the High School was under construction at the time of centralization (1959), the mural was taken down. During the Bicentennial (1976) it was restored by Dean Fausett of Dorset, Vermont and rehung in the GranvilleTown Hall. Now the mural has reached its new home at the Slate Valley Museum. Research about Martha Levy and the mural will be ongoing projects at the museum.
The first two panels, from left to right, are thought to have been painted from photographs taken at Hugh G. Williams' "Big Boy" quarry in Pawlet, Vermont (about 1/4 mile east of the NY/VT line off what is now Route 149). The third panel may be of a different quarry. Some names of the men in the painting are known, but the figures have not been definitely identified - Paul Kasuba, Robert "cymro mawr" (the big) Williams, Robert "cymo bach" (the small) Williams, Dave "Duck" Roberts. The boss of the yard in the suit and hat carrying a piece of slate on his shoulder, the last figure to the right in the mural, is thought to be Walt Dickinson.
Martha Levy was from Woodstock, New York. She had some art education in Italy and was primarily a landscape painter. She began working on WPA projects as early as 1934. Her sister, Josephine Levy, was a sculptor.
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