The Dartmouth Historical and Arts Society will be spending 2016 going back through time.

The group’s board of directors met on Sunday, Jan. 10 to discuss the year ahead, giving members and the public a sneak peak at the programming scheduled for the first half of the year as well as a variety of seminars that are still in development.

The Society is based in the historic Russells Mills Schoolhouse located at 1205 Russells Mills Road. Originally built in 1871, the building has been used as a school and a library. Today, the space is used as a learning center and the site for immersive, history-based field trips.

The Dartmouth Historical and Arts Society is a non-profit that aims to “promote, preserve and disseminate” the town’s past.

This year, the society plans to continue its Sunday evening speaker series. Local historians will explore everything from the work of Henry Worth to slavery in Dartmouth.

The society will continue to keep its relationship with local schools strong this year, too. The group is planning to use the space to exhibit two art galleries from Dartmouth High School students, which will feature digital photography, illustrations and jewelry.

Society members will also be bringing back their field trip program, which has been ongoing for about five years. Third graders will be visiting the schoolhouse, where they will learn about life in the late 1800s from Dartmouth High students who are enrolled in an early education program. The high school students co-teach alongside society members – and they do so in period-appropriate attire.

Sue Guiducci, who helps facilitate the field trips, said the visits have been popular with kids. She said that sometimes she’ll see a young student around town, and they’ll approach her with lingering questions about the schoolhouse.

Another goal of the group is to entice more people to become members. Membership costs $15 for an individual or $25 for a family. With a membership, attending the Sunday speaker series is free. Currently, there are about 115 members.

The meeting concluded with a brainstorming session, where attendees suggested possible programs. Suggestions included a Halloween event for families at the schoolhouse, graveyard tours and incorporating more recent town history, such as the history of the Dartmouth Mall.

Events scheduled for the next two months:

• Dartmouth High School’s Advanced Placement Digital Art exhibition is on Friday, Jan. 15 (6 to 8 p.m), Saturday, Jan 16. (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) and Sunday, Jan. 17 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.).
• Bob Maker will hold a talk on the work of Henry Worth on Jan. 24 starting at 6:30 p.m.
• Historian “Cukie” Macomber returns to the schoolhouse to talk about boating vessel history on Feb. 7 at 6:30 p.m.
• Richard Gifford will be hosting a talk on the descendants of William White on Feb. 21 at 6:30 p.m.