The Cary Lecture Series was begun in the early 1900s from bequests to the Town of Lexington by Susanna E. Cary and Eliza Cary Farnham each of whom provided the following in their wills: “To expend from the remaining net income annually a sum not exceeding Twenty-five hundred ($2500.00) Dollars in any one year which sum shall be devoted to providing lectures upon such educational or useful subjects of a non sectarian or non political character as may promise benefit to the community. Such lectures to be given in the hall provided for in the preceding clause of this Will.” The hall of course is Cary Hall here in Lexington.

Historically, four Cary Lectures are presented each year. They are given on Saturdays usually at 8 PM. The lectures are open to Lexington residents.

The speakers for the 2011/2012 year are:

September 10, 2011 – Jon Palfreman ("Documentary Magic: Can You Believe What You See, Can You Trust What you Hear?")
October 22, 2011 – Gwen Ifill and Mark Warren ("The Myth of a Post-Racial America")
November 19, 2011 – Dyan deNapoli ("The Great Penguin Rescue: The Inspiring Global Response to a Species in Distress")
January 21, 2012 - Edward Glaeser ("Rethinking Cities and Suburbs")

All events take place at 8 PM at Cary Hall.

If a lecture is postponed or cancelled due to inclement weather, information will be posted on this website and all registered members will receive an email.

The Committee: Susan Emanuel, Rita Goldberg, Bob Russman-Halperin and Van Seasholes