In honor of National Poetry Month and the beginning of statewide MA 250 commemorations, the Woods Hole Public Library will screen a new documentary film on the life of Falmouth native Katharine Lee Bates on Monday, April 28, at 6:00 PM. From Sea to Shining Sea explores the remarkable life of Katharine Lee Bates, poet, professor, and social reformer, beginning with her childhood in Falmouth. An unsung hero best known for authoring America the Beautiful, Bates was deeply committed to the beauty and principles of our country.
America The Beautiful may be America’s most beloved song. The words are found in nearly every hymn book in the country. It celebrates our natural beauty and makes a powerful appeal for justice, brotherhood and inclusion. It has been sung at inaugurations, demonstrations, and sporting events, in operatic, folk, country and other styles. Yet few know about the fascinating life of Katharine Lee Bates, the Falmouth-born Wellesley college professor who wrote the lyrics to the song. Her story should not be forgotten, nor its context.
The first words of the song came to Bates as she surveyed the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains from the broad summit of Colorado’s Pike’s Peak on July 22, 1893. Her verses acknowledge that the United States has often not lived up to its promises and ideals, yet it honors the unbroken chain of Americans who strived to make it all it can be – from sea to shining sea.
The 37 minute film includes hundreds of still photos, archival film clips, beautiful watercolors and stunning contemporary footage from Falmouth and other locations, bringing to life the historical events that shaped Bates’ thinking, including the Civil War, women’s suffrage, the Gilded Age, the 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, immigration to America, the Spanish American War, the Lawrence textile workers’ strike of 1912, and the First World War. The song America the Beautiful is presented in the film by Blane Howard, an independent country recording artist, and includes excerpts from many other renowned artists. Following the screening, the audience will have the opportunity to hear a reading of America the Beautiful and reflect on the poem’s lasting relevance.