The honorable Justin Morrill of Strafford will deliver a speech in the Vermont State House next month, 114 years after his death. His wife Ruth will join him.

In real life, Morrill was a U.S. Representative from Vermont from 1855-1867 and a U.S. Senator from 1867 to his death 31 years later.

His “appearance” at the State House is scheduled for February 8 at 7:30 p.m. It is sponsored by the Vermont Historical Society and the Justin Morrill Homestead in Straf­ford and is timed to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act, Morrill’s greatest achievement.

Presenting Sen. Morrill will be ac­tor/ impersonator Kurt Albee. Ruth Morrill will be portrayed by Amy Sholk. The two will entertain the audience with the storyline from chapters in Morrill’s life: American architec­ture, horticulture, educa­tion, and the early Republican party.

Tess Taylor, Vermont Historical Society Program Director, says it will be a delightful event. The event will be highlighted with music from the time performed and arranged by Randolph native Susan Reid.

The Morrill Land-Grant Colleges Act set aside land in the newly- created states for educational pur­poses. The Act is responsible for the founding of many of the public colleges and universities through­out the United States, including the Univeersity of Vermont.

Morrill was also noted until re­cently for holding the record for the longest career in Congress—43 years. He had a close relationship with President Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War years, when Congress passed several excep­tionally important pieces of legis­lation, including the Morrill Act.

Sen. And Mrs. Morrill will make their appearance as part of the Farmers’ Night series. The series began in 1923, in pre-Interstate days, when many legislators lived in Montpelier during the session and organized mid-week enter­tainment for themselves.

More information is online at www.vermonthistory.org/ calen­dar. a piccolo, two French horns, four trombones, and more than a dozen others. She also chose from an as­sortment of instrument and music stands, mouthpieces, and sheet music.

Kohl has sent the instruments, a few at a time, to Ellis Music for evaluation of their condition, and for an estimated cost of any need­ed repairs.

“I’m going to assume they all will need something,” she said. “But some of them I could just pick up and play.” She figures the instru­ments are worth a total of at least $10,000.

“We’ve never had an oboe or bas­soon,” Kohl noted. “I have a fifth- grader who’s chomping at the bit to learn the oboe.”

Dutton’s generous gift does leave Kohl with one small problem.

“It’s been very exciting,” she said—adding with a laugh, “but I need better shelving now.”