Guild Hall Lends A Hand

Guild Hall, East Hampton's long-established cultural center, is reportedly planning to give a boost this year to one of the newest educational undertakings in town - so new, in fact, that it does not even have a home of its own as yet.

Talks have been under way between Henry Korn, Guild Hall's president, and founders of the fledgling East Hampton Children's Museum, for the new venture to run a pilot program at Guild Hall in October. It will likely focus on genealogy and family legacy.

The children's museum has been seeking suitable space to settle down in for some months now. It had hoped to take over the Cedar Street space vacated this year by the East Hampton Day Care Center.

"A Place To Start"

However, the East Hampton School District, which owns the property, has decided to reclaim that land for its own use.

There is no question of the museum's establishing itself permanently at Guild Hall, which does not have enough space.

However, "Guild Hall is a place to start," said Jorie Latham, one of the Children's Museum founders. She confirmed meetings with Mr. Korn but was reluctant to provide details.

A possible summer outdoor program, run by the museum on the grounds of Guild Hall, is also under discussion.

Other founders of the Children's Museum, which has a proposed operating budget of $160,000 a year to begin with, are Beatrice Alda, Bridget Leroy, Lucy Muhlfeld, Kari Lyn Sabin, and Jacqui Leader.

Street Meets Beach

Guild Hall has other innovations up its sleeve this season as well. Mr. Korn confirmed last week an arrangement with Manhattan's venerable 92nd Street Y, a mecca for hot-topic speakers and headline entertainers, for a new series: The 92nd Street Y Goes to the Beach.

It is early days yet, and only a few of the evenings have been set. On Aug. 11, Joy Behar, the radio personality, will interview the controversial cultural critic and essayist Camille Paglia. Later in August there is talk of an appearance by Charlie Rose, Channel 13's popular interviewer.

Music through the Y will include two Dick Hyman concerts, one on July 7 with Derek Smith, a jazz pianist like Mr. Hyman, and the other on July 14 with Ruth Laredo, a classical pianist.

Carol Woods, a vocalist, and the Barry Levitt jazz trio are also slated to perform, with the Manhattan Rhythm Kings, dancers.

The summer lineup will also feature some intriguing art exhibits and appearances by well-known writers.

Expected to be of special interest is a show by the famed Russian artist Ilya Kabakov, who will exhibit paintings, furnishings, and documents in an interactive display. At the same time - June 21 though July 27 - Alice Aycock, a sculptor, will show a large performance sculpture that can "map out" or "draw" inscriptions with a spinning top, Mr. Korn said.

Ms. Aycock's mechanical sculpture, "Waltzing Matilda," will create a series of drawings based on the World War I song, a popular Australian tune.

Writers And Poets

Guild Hall's 51st annual Clothesline art show will be held on Aug. 2 this year, and from Aug. 9 through Oct. 12, the galleries will feature a major Childe Hassam exhibit, "Long Island Summers."

The cultural center's popular writers' series will return on June 17, featuring Dava Sobel of Springs, the author of the best-selling "Longitude." Ed Klein, a biographer of Jacqueline Onassis and others, will speak on June 22, and the poets John Ashbery and Kenneth Koch on July 27.

E.L. Doctorow will appear on Sept. 14, and Fran Castan and Tamara Tiska on Oct. 12.

The H.R. Hays poets' series will include Gerald Stern on June 1, Anthony Hecht on July 13, and Naomi Shilab Nye on Sept. 28.

Guild Hall will again offer a 12-evening series of musical entertainment through Ron Delsener. As of press time contracts were still in negotiation.