Fall 2009 Volume 3 • Issue 2

contents Whittington Letters Depict Life

• Territorial Letters in Territorial Acquired ...... 1 • Leadership Report...... 2 By Diane F. Worrell Whittington, who eventually relo- • Arkansas History cated from Massachusetts to Mount Discussion Group...... 3 One of the great manuscript col- Ida, Arkansas. Granville, a book • Treasures from the Vault: lections from early Arkansas has found binder, bound the letters sometime Darwin...... 4 a home at the before the Civil War, making a piv- Libraries. Hiram Whittington was a otal move toward their preservation. • Sen. J.W. Fulbright mere lad when he arrived in territo- During the demolition of Granville’s Speeches ...... 5 th rial Little Rock in 1824. Despite his Mount Ida home in the early 20 cen- • Arkansauce: Foodways youth, he wrote richly descriptive let- tury, the bound letters were found in and Cookbooks...... 6 ters back home to his • Index Arkansas Grows...... 7 brother Granville in Mas- • Arkansas Images sachusetts. The Special Chilren at Play...... 8 Collections Department acquired this important • Researcher Profile ...... 10 collection of letters writ- • Gift Enables Purchase ten by Hiram Whittington of Civil War Letters ...... 10 to his brother during the • Staff Profiles...... 11 period of 1824 to 1834. “Nothing else in the sur- • Pryor Center News...... 12 viving literature of early • Thanks to Supporters...... 13 Arkansas is comparable to • Manuscripts Unit News..... 14 the Whittington letters,” said John L. Ferguson in • Research Services News..... 14 1997 during his term as A Whittington letter addressed on the back side; envelopes were not yet in • Furbush Photos...... 15 Arkansas’s State Historian. common use. Photograph by Tim Nutt. • Man Receives Purple Special Collections Heart, Again...... 15 Department Head Tom W. Dillard the attic and retained by his descen- is head-over-heels excited, as he had dants. When Dillard, who grew up • Are You Arkansas- been trying to acquire the Hiram and near Mount Ida, first became aware Literate?...... back page Granville Whittington correspon- of the letters, they were in the pos- dence since he was head of the Uni- session of Mount Ida resident Rich- versity of Central Arkansas archives ard “Dick” Whittington, a pharma- in the 1980s. Whittington descendant cist and local history enthusiast. Ellen Elders graciously donated the let- Dick Whittington had an interest- ters to Special Collections last spring. ing history himself. As a medic in Hiram Whittington, a printer by World War II, he helped save the life of trade, wrote the letters to Granville continued on page 14 Leadership Report From the Desk of Tom W. Dillard

The year 2009 has been a I have also been helping a local momentous one for the Special educator who is working on a play Collections Department. We are dealing with the prominent Arkan- happy to share news on some of our sas artists, Elsie and Louis Freund of activities through the Arkansian. Eureka Springs. It is always energiz- First, the fall semester is always ing to work with researchers such as a busy time for Special Collections. these students and teachers. They often We have new and returning stu- bring new perspectives and ways of dents on campus, and a surprising interpreting historical information. number of them have an interest in This is an exciting time because Arkansas and its history. Recently, we are making progress in process- I have been advising a student who ing some large manuscript collections. Tom W. Dillard is doing an in-depth analysis of Work is winding down on processing the iconic painting of antebellum the largest collection in our holdings, Arkansas, the “Arkansas Traveler.” the papers of former U.S. Congressman The young woman doing this work John Paul Hammerschmidt of Harri- Fulbright’s annotated speeches. is opening up a whole new way of son. We have begun work on process- I hope you enjoy the histori- interpreting the painting, and it is ing the papers of former U.S. Senator cal photographs that appear in each such a pleasure to work with her. . Mary Dunn, a library issue of The Arkansian. Photos are science student at University, important historical resources, served as an intern in Special Collec- and we are always searching for tions this past summer—doing prelimi- good pictures to add to our hold- nary processing of the Bumpers Papers. ings. Please get in touch with me Acquiring the correspondence if you know of photographic col- of early Arkansas pioneers Hiram and lections that need a home. The Special Collections Department of the Granville Whittington has been a Included in this issue is a list- University of Arkansas Libraries collects, source of celebration in Special Col- ing of individuals, organizations, preserves, organizes and provides access to lections. Everyone active in Arkansas and businesses who have contrib- research materials documenting the state of history circles knows about the Whit- uted to the Special Collections Arkansas and its role in the regional, national, Department over the past several and international communities. Arkansian is tington letters, which were exchanged between Hiram, living in 1820s Little months. Special Collections would an old name by which our early ancestors not exist without the interest and called themselves, as well as the name of an Rock and Hot Springs, and his brother antebellum newspaper in Fayetteville. The Ar- back in Massachusetts—who would support of people across the Natu- kansian is published twice a year. soon relocate to Arkansas, too. I hope ral State. We need and seek your encouragement and support. Inquiries should be directed to: you read the front page article on this Diane F. Worrell, editor major gift to the University Librar- University of Arkansas Libraries ies. These letters provide extraordinary Tom W. Dillard 365 N. McIlroy Avenue local color on territorial Arkansas. Head of Special Collections Fayetteville, AR. 72701-4002 Sharing our collections is as telephone 479/575-5577 University ofArkansas Libraries fax 479/575-3472 important to Special Collections as 365 N. McIlroy Avenue e-mail [email protected] acquiring them. We want our materi- Fayetteville, AR 72701 als to be used! This is the motivation The Arkansian is available online at: Phone: (479) 575-5577 or http://libinfo.uark.edu/specialcollections/ behind our new digital collection “A E-mail: [email protected] news/arkansian/ Calm Voice in a Strident World: Sena- Information about the Special Collections Depart- tor J.W. Fulbright Speaks.” Consist- ment is available online at: http://libinfo.uark.edu/specialcollections/ ing of 50 speeches and other materials spanning Fulbright’s long congressio- Diane F. Worrell, editor nal career, this collection will enable Joy Caffrey, designer students and other researchers to read

2 Chivarees, Poundings, and Mules Topics of Conversation for the Arkansas History Discussion Group By Diane F. Worrell

Mary Dillard, wife of Special Col- mules–even importing jacks from lections Department Head Tom W. Spain. Mules played such an impor- Dillard, jokes that many of Tom’s pas- tant part in the Civil War that it times are “nerd fun,” a description that would be easy to assume they had greatly delights Tom. A good source of been around forever, but such was nerd fun for Arkansas history enthusi- not the case. Horses, and especially asts is the online Arkansas History neighbors brought “pounds” of goods– oxen, did the heavy lifting before Discussion Group, sponsored by the such as flour and sugar–to stock their mules became commonly available Special Collections Department. household. Pounding parties were also about the mid-nineteenth century.” Participants in the discussion held for housewarmings and to help Shay Hopper, educator and group range from professional his- people new to a community. One dis- author of the 2008 textbook An torians to school teachers, librarians, cussant recalled going to a pounding Arkansas History for Young People, said, undergraduate and graduate students, party for a new minister and his family “I benefit every day just from reading university professors, genealogists, five years ago. and learning information from the journalists and local history buffs. Last summer, while researching discussion group. I teach eighth grade Many of the postings to the online his “Remembering Arkansas” column list are from people seeking information for the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, Tom for professional purposes. However, an Dillard posted a request for informa- Occasionally chivarees equal number of participants monitor tion about the use of mules in Arkansas included trickery and the discussions out of simple curiosity history. He received referrals and con- pranks, especially if the and a love of Arkansas history. A teacher tact information for Arkansas mule newlyweds failed to serve may post a query concerning materials farmers, the Plantation Agriculture refreshments to the visitors. for teaching Arkansas history and get State Museum, the Historic Washing- replies ranging from suggested readings ton State Park (whose mules Mattie and Arkansas history and the more I to contact information for subject Jane have their own MySpace page), plus know, the better off my students will experts, scholars, archival agencies, a number of interesting anecdotes. be. It is reassuring to know there are libraries, or museums. Mules are known for their person- so many out there who love Arkansas Two recent topics of discussion alities and tempers, according to one of as I do and think that this state’s his- were “chivarees” and “poundings.” the discussants; like elephants, they tory is as valuable as that of the U.S., According to the discussants, a chivaree never forget slights. An interesting world, and so on.” was a visitation by neighbors to the story contributed by another member Arkansas Democrat Gazette jour- home of newlyweds on the night of of the group was that in 1864, a dead nalist Evin Demirel occasionally asks their marriage. Around bedtime, the mule belonging to a Memphis resident the group about various topics for visitors would sneak up to the house was discovered in Fort Smith. A bayo- newspaper stories. Demirel recently and begin shouting, beating on pots net thrust revealed that the carcass con- thanked the group for their help, say- and pans, ringing cowbells, and gener- tained 60,000 percussion caps, ammu- ing, “This is a tremendously helpful ally making noise until the newlyweds nition, and other contraband which a resource for journalists.” came outside. The visitors were often rebel sympathizer was attempting to To subscribe to the discussion served refreshments as they wished the smuggle. Another discussant noted the group, send a plain text e-mail mes- newlyweds a happy life together. Occa- irony that today human “mules” are sage to [email protected] sionally chivarees included trickery and used to smuggle drugs. with no subject and with the follow- pranks, especially if the newlyweds When his research was finished ing message text contained on one failed to serve refreshments to the visi- Dillard informed the group, “One of line: SUBSCRIBE ARHIST-L [Your tors. Several discussants remembered the remarkable realizations I’ve made is First Name] [Your Last Name] chivarees taking place as recently as the that mules did not play a major role in Example: SUBSCRIBE ARHIST-L 1960s and the 1970s. American life until the 19th century. BILL SMITH. Further information “Pounding” parties were some- George Washington was one of the may be obtained by contacting Timo- times given for newlyweds. Friends and original American breeders of thy G. Nutt, [email protected]. 3 Treasures From the Vault Rare Darwin First Edition

By Ethel C. Simpson

the zoology department. Samuel Del- But you will see that it would be a stigma on linger, zoology department head, was a my work for you to advertise it, & then not vigorous defender of evolution, teach- publish it. My volume cannot be mere light ing it in his classes in defiance of a 1928 reading, & some parts must be dry & some Arkansas law against it. H.G. Fiedler rather abstruse; yet – as far I can judge – (1862–1945), who sold the book to the perhaps very falsely – , it will be interesting library, was a professor of German at to all (& they are many) who care for the Oxford University and a tutor to the curious problem of the origin of all animate Prince of Wales from 1912–1914. In forms. — addition to works on German literature, he wrote several textbooks of scientific A few weeks before the book’s German. It is exciting to think that this appearance, Darwin wrote again: might have been his personal copy. As a publishing venture, the book I have received your kind note & the Charles Darwin, ca. 1868. Image courtesy of the History was immensely successful. The first edi- copy: I am infinitely pleased & proud at the of Science Collections, University of Oklahoma Libraries. tion of 1859, consisting of 1250 cop- appearance of my child. — I quite agree ies, sold out immediately. The Libraries’ to all you propose about price. But you are November 24, 2009, is a notable copy has the original green cloth bind- really too generous about the, to me, scandal- anniversary in the history of science, ing with gilt lettering on the spine. The ously heavy corrections. Are you not acting marking the 150th anniversary of the book was second-hand when purchased unfairly towards yourself? ... I had no busi- publication of Charles Darwin’s book by the library in 1952, and it probably ness to send, though quite unintentionally On the Origin of Species by Means of Natu- started out in the circulating collection. & unexpectedly, such badly composed M.S. ral Selection. It was a groundbreaking Despite its less than pristine condition, to the printers. work arguing a scientific position that it has its original foldout diagram; the ... I am so glad that you were so came to be identified as “evolution.” cover is reasonably intact; and the pages good as to undertake the publication of my In the book, Darwin (1809–1882) pre- are all still tightly bound. In June 2009 Book.— sented evidence that all species of life a copy of this book, possibly in no bet- P.S. Please do not forget to let me have evolved over time from com- ter condition though more attractively hear about 2 days before the copies are mon ancestors, and that the survival preserved in a velvet box, was offered distributed. or extinction of an organism is deter- for sale for $175,000. Especially in this mined by its ability to adapt to its anniversary year, Darwin’s Origin is hot And when they were distributed, environment. The University Librar- in both science and book collecting. what an event! According to Heirs of ies own a copy of the first edition Cambridge University holds Hippocrates, a bibliographic reference (1859) of this book. It is held in the the Charles Darwin papers, includ- book for medicine, “What the drop- Rare Books collection, maintained in ing more than 14,000 letters. In April ping of the first atomic bomb was to the Special Collections Department. of 1859 Darwin wrote his publisher the twentieth century, the publica- The Libraries’ copy of The Ori- John Murray accepting Murray’s tion of Darwin’s On the Origin of Spe- gin of Species was accessioned—the for- offer to publish the book, adding: cies was to the nineteenth century.” mal process of adding material to the The ensuing controversy wrecked libraries’ holdings—on Dec. 27, 1952. But I feel bound for your sake (& my Darwin’s health and destroyed his The accession record, inscribed in own) to say in clearest terms, that if after religious faith. Yet he was buried in the book by the cataloger, indicates it looking over part of M.S. you do not think Westminster Abbey after his 1882 was purchased from H.G. Fiedler for it likely to have a remunerative sale, I com- death, and his ideas still remain cen- $60 with funds from the account of pletely & explicitly free you from your offer. tral to accepted evolutionary theory. 4 Now On-Line Selected Speeches of Senator J.W. Fulbright

By Diane F. Worrell

Researchers now have instant people appreciate other nations and access to the text of 50 speeches by cultures. The Fulbright program cur- Senator J.W. Fulbright, available on the rently operates in more than 155 coun- University of Arkansas Libraries’ Web tries and has provided over 285,000 site. The speeches range from com- participants the opportunity to study, ments he made regarding his dismissal teach, conduct research, and exchange as president of the University of Arkan- ideas with people in other countries. sas in 1941, to remarks censuring Sena- Through a program of grants to stu- tor Joseph McCarthy’s Communist dents, scholars, educators, and profes- witch-hunt investigations, and criti- sionals, it is designed to increase inter- cisms of U.S. involvement in the war national mutual understanding, in in Vietnam. order to avoid war and human rights The Special Collections Depart- violations. ment digitized the speeches, which Special Collections Department comprise a small portion of the J. Wil- Head Tom W. Dillard noted that, “J.W. liam Fulbright Papers held by the Fulbright was not hesitant to confront department. The digital library collec- those who disagreed with him.” One tion is titled “A Calm Voice in a Strident of the speeches available on the Web World: Senator J.W. Fulbright Speaks.” site features Fulbright giving his first The Fulbright speeches, as well as speech as a freshman in the House of other digital collections, are available Representatives in 1943. His remarks Sen. J.W. Fulbright (left) with architect Edward Durell at http://scipio.uark.edu/. Additional Stone at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing refuted the flamboyant and conser- information, including photographs, Arts in Washington, D.C. Fulbright helped Stone, a native vative Rep. Clare Boothe Luce, who a biography and detailed time line of Arkansan, win the commission to design the Kennedy gave a speech regarding U.S. air pol- Fulbright’s life, and a bibliography of Center. icy or “sovereignty of the skies.” He materials both by and about Fulbright, said, “…I am not unconscious of the provide historical context. While these counseling international cooperation, sparkling beauty and suavity of man- speeches represent only a fraction of the exchange of information, and ner of the Honorable Lady from Con- the J.W. Fulbright materials held by the support for the United Nations. necticut, yet I find that I am not as University of Arkansas Libraries Special Although Fulbright attracted susceptible to her logic and her per- Collections Department, the Web site national attention by challenging and suasion … as some of my colleagues offers a link to the finding aid for the putting an end to Senator Joseph appear to have been.” The speech entire collection of Fulbright Papers. McCarthy’s investigative subcommit- ends with a plea for world peace and A strong advocate for interna- tee, he was best known for his leader- avoidance of another world war. tional cooperation, James William ship in challenging the wisdom of U.S. After losing his senate seat to Fulbright (1905–1995) is one of the policy toward Southeast Asia and his Dale Bumpers in 1974, Fulbright best-known Arkansans in the world. work in dismantling support for the assumed the role of elder statesman. He represented Arkansas in the Con- Vietnam war. In 1981 the University of Arkansas gress of the United States for three Today Fulbright’s name is associ- named its College of Arts and Sci- decades following World War II. ated with the educational exchange ences for Fulbright. He received During his one term in the House program he created in the aftermath the Medal of Freedom from Presi- of Representatives and four terms in of World War II. In 1946 he spon- dent in 1993. Fulbright the Senate, Fulbright was a voice of sored legislation creating the Fulbright died in 1995 at his Washington, D.C. calmness in the halls of Congress, Exchange Program, intended to help home; he is buried in Fayetteville. 5 Arkansauce Arkansas Foodways and Cookbooks Home Demonstration Clubs in Arkansas History

By Andrea Cantrell

Among the treasures in the Special Collections Department are a large number of records documenting home demonstration clubs in Arkansas. Early women’s home demonstration club activities offered opportunities for Arkansas women to learn new skills in food preservation, cooking, sewing, mattress making, and other homemak- ing areas, and provided them opportu- nities for social interaction, friendship, and development of leadership skills. The clubs grew out of the efforts of the U.S. Agricultural Extension Service to teach rural women skills in food pro- duction, preparation, and preservation. In addition to participating in numerous local community improve- ment efforts, home demonstration clubs also took part in national initia- tives like the Better Baby Program, the National Better Home Program in 1932, Victory Gardens, the National Clothing Drive in 1945, and in the promotion of rural electrification. Special Collections holds 33 manuscript collections pertaining to home demonstration and extension home- makers’ clubs, including records for the Mabelvale Home Demonstration Club in Pulaski County. This club is the oldest home demonstration club in the nation, with a record of continuous meetings since its organization. It became affiliated with the Agricultural Extension Service in March 1914, but it was first organized as a tomato can- ning club in the summer of 1912. Preparation of club cookbooks provided a means for club members to share recipes and to gain experience in collaboration while collecting and compiling the recipes as well as publishing and selling the cookbooks.

6 Index Arkansas Grows By Joan Watkins

The Index Arkansas project welcomed two additional assistants with the support of a two-year $58,500 grant from the Happy Hollow Foundation of Fayetteville. The Index now includes Arkansas-related biographical and historical books, Arkansas periodicals, county historical journals, as well as state- wide and regional newspapers from the 1930s through 1986. The team is processing and indexing back issues of publications through 2008, adding 22 years of coverage. Index Arkansas is available at no cost at http://arkindex.uark.edu/. New staff members include Krista Casada, indexing assistant, brings important experi- ence as a translator in the University Libraries’ Serials Depart- ment since 2005, where her foreign language skills in Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Italian, and French are central to her work. That assignment also includes experience with the software that supports Index Arkansas. In 2008, Casada earned a doctorate at the University of Arkansas in comparative literature and cultural studies, gaining a valuable understanding about how researchers The Arkansas Cookbook Col- approach their work. lection in Special Collections includes Casada holds a master’s degree of fine arts in literary transla- 1,096 cookbooks, of which 36 were tion, a master’s in Spanish, and a bachelor’s in Spanish, with high published by home demonstration honors and membership in Phi Beta Kappa. Her community vol- clubs. The two oldest of these were unteer activities include providing translating and interpreting published in 1944 by the Carroll services at the Baldwin Church of Christ Tract Ministry and Jail County Home Demonstration Club Ministry. and by the Hempstead County Coun- Jim Wilhelm, indexing assistant, also brings special skills cil of Home Demonstration Clubs. to the Index because of his experience with researchers studying Arkansas history. In addition to his work on the Index, since 2006 Wilhelm has been a reading room assistant in the Special Collec- Above: Improved food preservation methods resulted in tions Department, where he assists researchers by helping them many well-stocked pantries. Photograph from “A History narrow and refine research questions and by retrieving materials of the Agricultural Extension Service in Arkansas” by Mena Hogan (Thesis, M.S., University of Wisconsin, from the collections. He also assists with the maintenance and Madison, 1942), page 44. creation of vertical files related to subjects of historical signifi- cance to Arkansas. Top Left: A well equipped kitchen for home canning in Wilhelm is a native of Oklahoma and received his bachelor’s northeast Arkansas. Photograph from the Dorris Vick degree in history from Oklahoma State University in 2006. His Collection, MC 961, Box 2, folder 6. master’s degree in history, awarded in July 2009, is from the University of Arkansas. He is a contributor to the on-line Encyclo- Middle Left: Arkansas Canning Club Agents and pedia of Arkansas History and Culture and the author of an article, Equipment, 1915, photograph by Burch Grabill, Special “The Forgotten Razorbacks,” in the spring 2007 issue of Flash- Collections Image Collection. back, the journal of the Washington County Historical Society. The article title refers to the 1944 basketball team’s path to the Bottom Left: County Agricultural Committee meeting in national championship that was thwarted by a car accident, Jefferson County, ca. 1937, photograph from “A History of resulting in the death of one starting player and serious injuries the Agricultural Extension Service in Arkansas” by Mena Hogan, (Thesis, M.S., University of Wisconsin, Madison, to two other players. 1942), page 159.

7 Arkansas Images Children at Play Selected and Annotated by Todd E. Lewis

Above Left: East Side School pet show, 1954, Hot Springs, Above Right: Michael (“Davy Crockett”) Grice and friend, Arkansas, from MC 534, the Mary D. Hudgins Collection. 1957, photograph by Geleve Grice, from the Geleve Grice Photograph Collection. Below Left: Blanche Maud Campbell Hight boxing with her brother, ca. 1914, Fayetteville, Arkansas, from MC 1427, the Below Right: Scott Patterson canoeing on the Mulberry River William Simeon Campbell Photograph Albums and Papers, in Franklin County, Arkansas, April 1971, from MC 1091, the 1896–1960. Neil Compton Papers.

8 Top left: St. Gabriels Junior Band, at the Convent of the Sisters of the Holy Heart of Mary, an African American Catholic school in Hot Springs, Arkansas, 1955, from MC 534, the Mary D. Hudgins Collection.

Top right: Jefferson Thomas of the Little Rock Nine, reading with friends, ca. 1958, from MC 582, the Daisy Bates Papers.

Middle left: School girls playing croquet at Southland College, a Quaker school for African Americans, near Helena in Phillips County, ca. 1920, from MC 577, the Southland College Papers.

Middle right: Children at Happy Hollow, Hot Springs, Arkansas, ca. 1900, from MC 534, the Mary D. Hudgins Collection.

Bottom left: Madalene (with frog) and Dorothy Jones, ca. 1923–1924, Stuttgart, Arkansas, from MC 1380, the Core Family Papers. 9 Researcher Profile Interview with Rebecca Brueckmann

Virgil T. Blossom Papers, the Orval Eugene Faubus Papers, the Citizens Councils of America Collection, the Elizabeth Huckaby Papers, as well as the Southern School News. Upon completion of my work in Fayetteville, I went to the Arkan- sas History Commission/State Archives in Little Rock to look at the Justice Jim Johnson Collection and more newspaper articles from the Arkansas Gazette and the Arkansas Democrat. What were your impressions of Fayetteville and the University? My visit to the Special Collections was a won- derful experience. The staff was kind, helpful, profes- sional and skilled. Employees helped me a lot with my research and made me feel at home. This made every- thing so much easier. I finished earlier than expected, which gave me an opportunity to explore Fayetteville. My research visit to the University and Fayetteville was Rebecca Brueckmann doing research in Special Collections. Photograph by Valerie not only a very educational and enriching experience for Robertson, 2009 my studies, it was also a great vacation in lovely, natural sur- Berlin, Germany resident Rebecca Brueckmann roundings. I love Berlin. It is an amazing city, but it can be spent four weeks in the Special Collections Department a bit “too much” at times. I enjoyed the summer weather in last summer, doing research for her master’s thesis. Fayetteville; it was the best I have experienced in many years. Please tell our readers a bit about yourself. I am 25 years old and a master’s student of contempo- rary history at Humboldt University in Berlin, Germany. Gift Enables Purchase Can you describe your research? I am researching historical sources for my the- of Civil War Era Letters sis on the 1957 desegregation crisis of Little Rock Cen- Dr. William H. Cobb, retired history profes- tral High School. I concentrate on “massive resis- sor at East Carolina University in Greenville, N. C., tance,” i.e., segregationists’ resistance to the civil recently made a generous gift to Special Collections in rights movement, with a particular interest in gender- honor of Dr. Walter L. Brown, University of Arkan- specific aspects and historical discourse analysis. sas emeritus professor of history. Cobb studied with Brown while he was a graduate student in the 1960s. My main focus is the segregationist group, the Moth- Cobb wanted his gift to be used for the purchase of ers’ League of Central High School. After reading the materials documenting the . The gift research of Phoebe Godfrey and Graeme Cope, I wanted was used to purchase Civil War era letters written from to learn more about the Mothers’ League and their signifi- Helena by an officer in the occupying Federal army. cance in the escalation of the 1957 desegregation crisis. Brown, who started teaching in 1954, retired I am trying to analyze the role of women in the segrega- from the University in 1990. He was editor of the tionist movement and the ties of the Mothers’ League to Arkansas Historical Quarterly from 1958 until his retire- the Capital Citizens’ Council of Little Rock. Of particu- ment. In May of this year, the University dedi- lar interest is the women’s rhetoric, politics, and forms of cated the foyer in Old Main in honor of Brown. protest, in light of the traditional roles of most women in Tom W. Dillard noted, “Individual gifts such as this are absolutely critical to the functioning of Special Collections.” the 1950s. The role of the Mothers’ League is sometimes Anyone wishing to honor a living person or memori- overlooked in the history of the 1957 desegregation crisis. alize the deceased may do so by contributing to the depart- I have been looking at a number of collections. The ment’s Arkansas materials acquisition account. Interested most important were the Sara A. Murphy Papers, the Little persons should contact Tom W. Dillard, Head of Spe- Rock Central High Integration Crisis Records of the FBI, cial Collections at [email protected] or at 479-575-5576. the Arkansas Council on Human Relations Papers, the 10 Staff Profiles Fulbright Papers Research Janet Parsch, assistant Assistant Vera Ekechukwu is to the head of the Special Collec- the go-to person in Special Col- tions Department, develops grant lections for language questions. and other funding applications, She speaks Russian, Czech, Eng- deals with budgetary and per- lish, and Spanish plus a bit of sonnel matters, and provides German, Polish, and Ukrainian. operational support for the Pryor Ekechukwu was born in Karlovy Center for Arkansas Oral and Vary, Czechoslovakia but later Visual History, a unit of the moved with her family to Prague. Special Collections Department. Although Ekechukwu hoped Parsch has worked in a to become a physician, her educa- number of positions in the Vera Ekechukwu tional and occupational opportu- Janet Parsch University of Arkansas nities were limited by the Libraries—in the Reference fact that her family did not belong to the Communist Party. Department, in the Serials Department, as Director for Tech- Instead she studied medical lab technology at Charles Univer- nical Services and Systems, and as Director for Organizational sity in Prague, where she met future husband Theo, a Nige- Development. She helped develop the InfoLinks integrated rian student studying sociology. They married in Prague, online catalog in 1992 and was a founding co-chair of the where their daughter was born. Then they moved to Nigeria, ARKLink Consortium of Arkansas’s Academic Libraries. where they had a son and lived for 12 years. Due to economic Parsch believes librarians are “intellectual nurturers.” and safety concerns, the family moved to Fayetteville in 1987, In addition to earning a B.A. degree in German and feeling that it was a better place to raise their children. art history and a Master of Library Science degree from the After several years working as the departmental secre- University of Wisconsin, Parsch earned a Master of Public tary for Special Collections, Ekechukwu was promoted to Administration degree from the University of Arkansas. Manuscripts Processor in 1993 and to Fulbright Papers She and husband Luke, a professor in the Bumpers College Research Assistant in 2004. In her current position she pro- of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences, spent more than two vides research assistance and processes collections related to years in the U.S. Peace Corps in Benin, West Africa. Parsch Senator J. William Fulbright. worked with local women on nutrition, gardening, child care, Ekechukwu earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish maternal health, hygiene, and handwork projects. and is currently working toward a master’s degree in Spanish. Parsch has served as a board member for the Single In addition to the study of languages, she enjoys gardening, Parent Scholarship Fund of Washington County; she is interior decorating, reading, traveling, visiting museums and currently on the board of the Ozark Society Foundation. art galleries, and spending time with her children and two Parsch sings alto and is the treasurer of the University of grandchildren. Her husband Theo is a professor at North- Arkansas Master Chorale. When she is not spending a west Arkansas Community College. Her daughter Martina is weekend day hiking and bushwhacking with the Ozark an internal medicine physician in Ohio, while her son Chilaka Society in north Arkansas, she is gardening or traveling. is a marketing manager in Texas. Recent trips include China, Indochina, and a 60-mile hiking trip through national parks in Chile and Argentina. One of Parsch’s philosophies of life is expressed by a poster in her In Appreciation office, “Global Reach. Local touch. Connect @ The Library.”

Did You Know? In 2008-2009, 60 manuscript collections, totaling 433 linear feet, were added to the Special Collections Department’s holdings, bringing the number of collections to 1,824. The Department’s This newsletter and other operational funding research services unit served 3,099 researchers, for the Special Collections Department are who used 8,233 items from our collections. provided through the generosity of the late Elizabeth Morris Walker and Robert Morris. 11 News from the Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History Innovative Web Site Launched By Kris Katrosh

The Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History PDF file, while the audio recording is posted in the MP3 file made a on Wednesday June 24, with the format, both of which can be downloaded from the site at no launching of its new Web site. charge. The previous Web site contained written transcripts Video interviews are selected from the “Featured Inter- for about 150 oral history projects. The new site added a views” menu on the Center’s Web site. Each video interview number of features rarely seen in an oral history Web site: has a home page containing a slide show of photographs streaming and downloadable audio, still images, and stream- from the interviewee’s family life and career, a short biogra- ing video clips of high definition video interviews. Addi- phy, and a map of Arkansas marked with the interviewee’s tionally, the site now contains over 275 oral interviews, birthplace or home town. including the recently completed Arkansas Democrat project. The home page for the interviewee contains links While many researchers use written transcripts, to streaming video “highlight” clips, the complete audio younger researchers are especially drawn to images and recording (available as streaming or downloadable files), video. In-depth video interviews, typically around 6 hours and the complete written transcript, which can be viewed in length, are high-definition video, with audio recordings, onscreen or downloaded. that cover the entire life and career of the interviewee. In addition to the research content, the Web site offers Once drawn into a particular interview or topic by the visitors the chance to learn more about the Center’s programs, video or the photographs, researchers may read the tran- including a form to nominate interviewees, a list of partnerships, script or listen to the complete audio recording, or do both and a link to make a donation. The Web site is available at at the same time. The transcript is available as an Adobe http://libinfo.uark.edu/SpecialCollections/pryorcenter/.

12 The Pryor Center Welcomes Special Collections Two Staff Members To Its Ranks Thanks Its Supporters Gifts to the Special Collections Department, received January 1, 2009 - June 30, 2009

Anonymous Betty Brooks Hays Bell, Sterling, VA William S. Boggess, Fort Myers, FL Lynn Bondurant, Avon, OH Martha E. Bradley, Farmington, NM Evan Bukey, Fayetteville Rita Caver, Fayetteville Pat Cigainero, Texarkana, TX David A. Clark, Marietta, GA William H. Cobb and Cecilia Moore-Cobb, Greenville, NC Beth Peck Cooper, Little Rock Jeff Davis, Little Rock Odell Davis, Huntsville Joe Dearing, Harrison Joy Endicott Susan Kendrick-Perry Tom W. Dillard, Farmington Ellen Frances Wingfield Elder, Hettinger, ND Estate of Mary Burton, Fayetteville Production Coordinator Joy Susan Kendrick-Perry, oral his- Edward Estes, Harrison Endicott grew up near the / tory coordinator for the Pryor Cen- First Christian Church, Fayetteville Kansas state line, attending school in ter, grew up in North Little Rock but James Foti, Fayetteville Marie Scott Foti, Fayetteville Frontenac, Kansas. She attended Pitts- now calls northwest Arkansas home. G. David and Jane Gearhart, Fayetteville burg State University for two years She worked several years for account- Goldsby Farms, West Memphis before transferring to the University ing firms in Little Rock and Fayette- Lynn Gray, Harrison of Arkansas, where she graduated with ville before starting classes at the Uni- Orville Hall, Jr., Fayetteville Happy Hollow Foundation, Fayetteville a bachelor’s degree in computer science. versity of Arkansas. Kendrick-Perry Rebecca Newth Harrison, Fayetteville During college Endicott held a earned her bachelor’s degree with a The Hon. Steele Hays, Conway work-study position in Media Services major in classical studies and a minor Mary V. Bradley Heath, Carmine, TX Jerry Hogan, Fayetteville at the University of Arkansas School in ancient history. While a student at I.W. Hudson, Harrison of Continuing Education, where she the University, she also attended a sum- Lynn F. Jacobs, Fayetteville learned the basics of multi-media pro- mer session at the American School of Sharon Jarrett, Meridian, ID Pauline Keegan, Fayetteville duction. She focused on audio record- Classical Studies in Athens, Greece. Judith Kilpatrick, Fayetteville ing and editing audio for post produc- Kendrick-Perry, her husband Bruce Louis Krupp, Boulder, CO tion, as well as designing and installing Perry, and their six cats moved to Ath- Richard Lawrence, Little Rock public address systems for live events. ens, Ga., where she did her graduate Caroline Lennox, Fayetteville Lorraine Lorne, Fayetteville She freelanced as an audio engineer for studies in Latin and secondary edu- Paula McCoy, Allen, TX several years, working on live sporting cation at the University of Georgia. McNeese State University, Lake Charles, LA event broadcasts of basketball, football, Kendrick-Perry taught high school David O. McNeil, San Francisco, CA Betty Miller, Cameron Park, CA track, baseball, volleyball, and dirt track special education English and reading Jean Ann Moles, Benton car races. resource classes at Dickinson, Texas J. Harris Moore, Bentonville During her employment at Vista and worked as a technical writer, editor, Freddie Nixon, Little Rock Ozark Society, Highlands Chapter, Fayetteville Productions, Endicott worked up and Web site administrator at Pearson John G. and Dora Dean Ragsdale, Jr., Little Rock from audio/video technician to produc- Education in Mesa, Arizona. She and Elizabeth Reagan, Fayetteville tion manager. She supervised and man- her husband moved back to northwest Arthur L. and Frances O. Royston, Mayflower aged crews of up to 150 persons, for Arkansas in 2006. “I feel I’ve come Marcella Sharum, Springdale Stephen A. Smith, Fayetteville the installation, operation, and tear- full circle. I’m back on the Univer- Spears Professional Environmental & down of various events across the U.S. sity campus, which I love. My involve- Archaeological Research Service, West Fork for audiences of up to 9,000. ment with the Pryor Center and Special Abel Noah Tomlinson, Fayetteville Nola R. Van Scyoc, Fayetteville In her spare time Endicott enjoys Collections allows me to be a student Walnut Ridge Army Flying School Museum canoeing, hiking, swimming, playing once again—this time of the not-so- Anthony J. Wappel, Fayetteville Ultimate Frisbee and riding roller coast- ancient history, culture, and language Lloyd O. Warren, Fayetteville ers with her long-time beau Wayne of the people of Arkansas,” she said. Lucette White, Gloucester, MA Ramsey, an elementary school teacher. In her leisure time she enjoys garden- Donors to the Pryor Center for Oral and Visual ing, camping, antiquing, and watching History January 2009-June 2009 deer and raccoons from her back patio. The Ballard Family Foundation, Little Rock

13 published by the Pulaski County Historical Society in 1956 and by the Garland County Historical Society in 1997. Tom W. Dillard says the Whittington letters “comprise one of the premier collections of information on Arkansas’s territorial period.” He also expressed gratitude to the Whit- tington descendants “for lovingly preserving the letters and for donating them to the University of Arkansas Libraries.”

Ellen Elders presents the Whittington Letters to Department Head NEWS Tom W. Dillard. Photograph by Valerie Robertson. from the Whittington Letters Manuscripts Unit continued from front page Imperial Japanese Army General and Prime Minister Felicia Thomas, former archivist for the John Paul Hideki Tojo, who attempted suicide during his capture by Hammerschmidt Papers, left the University of Arkansas the U.S. Army after Japan’s 1945 surrender. Tojo was ulti- Libraries in August to pursue a master’s degree in library mately tried by the International Military Tribunal and exe- and information studies at State University in cuted in 1948 for war crimes. Baton Rouge, La. Thomas held a number of work-study Hiram Whittington was an eager adventurer from an and full-time positions at the University of Arkansas old Massachusetts Puritan family. After stints in Nantucket Libraries, beginning in 2000. She was hired to work in Spe- and New York, he was hired to print the Arkansas Gazette by cial Collections as the Papers archivist in its founder William E. Woodruff. In his letter of April 21, July 2005. Upon completion of that project, she became the 1827 during his first days in Arkansas, Whittington described John Paul Hammerschmidt Papers archivist in August 2006. Little Rock as a sparsely settled lawless frontier territory with Case Miner made a smooth transition from processor no roads; five uninhibited frontier women who were “ugly as with the Hammerschmidt project to acting archivist of the sin and mean as the devil;” and an abundance of murder, project upon Thomas’s departure. Miner earned his master’s vice, and immorality among the men. Little Rock, he wrote degree in history from the University of Arkansas in 2008. his brother, “was inhabited by the dregs of Kentucky, Geor- Jennifer Koenig, assistant to Vera Ekechukwu in the gia, and Louisiana,” and “a more drunken, good for nothing Fulbright Papers and associated collections, also recently left set of fellows never got together.” her position to pursue a master’s degree in library and infor- In later letters, Whittington described Little Rock as a mation studies at Louisiana State University. Jennifer had city with churches and a more civilized populace. He pro- worked in Special Collections since 2005. moted Arkansas to his brother in a letter of June 25, 1831, The manuscripts unit has a number of new student saying that the state “is the best place in the world for farm- employees, including Jared Bludworth and Jordan Fran- ers. If the Yankees only knew this country; that they can kenburger. Sterlyn Gately, Lori Neumeier, John Poe, purchase the best land for a dollar and a quarter per acre; Darby Gerienger, and Alex Gough returned as student that corn grows without hoeing, all you have to do is plant it employees/interns. and plow it a little; you can build a good log cabin for 10 dol- lars; [and] firewood you never have to buy… .” The letters reveal Hiram Whittington’s sense of humor and his difficulties in finding a wife. He wrote to Granville on December 6, 1827 that his employer, the Gazette’s Wood- NEWS from ruff, “took the last girl in the place,” and she was about 15. The situation had improved by May 13, 1830 when he wrote Research Services that “I have had several excursions with the ladies since I last wrote… . We have some beauties here, [even] if they are Research Services participated in a regional digital raised in the weeds, and most of my leisure time is devoted project, “Community & Conflict: The Impact of the to the dear creatures.” Whittington also described his time Civil War in the Ozarks.” Twelve other institutions par- among the Quakers in Nantucket and his visit to New ticipated in the project and the resulting Web site is hosted Orleans en route to Little Rock. at the Springfield Greene County Library in Springfield, Since envelopes were not in use at the time, the let- Missouri (http://www.ozarkscivilwar.org/). Research ters were folded, sealed and addressed on the back page. Services staff digitized ninety-five items from three Some of the letters were sent through the post office; oth- manuscript collections: Minos Miller Letters, Rebecca ers traveled by privately owned stagecoaches, messengers Stirman Davidson Papers, and Sarah Jane Smith Col- or coastal sailing vessels. When letters were sent through lection. The materials may be viewed at http://www. the postal service, stamps were not used; postage was col- ozarkscivilwar.org/category/contributing-institution/ lected upon delivery. Some of the letters were previously university-of-arkansas-fayetteville-special-collections. 14 Man Receives Purple Heart Rare Photos by African American Medal, Again! Photographer Acquired By Felicia Thomas

As she sorted veterans’ casework correspondence, Olivia Meeks, honors intern and processor Above: Photographer's stamp on for the John Paul Hammerschmidt the reverse side of the John Jones Papers, found a Purple Heart medal portrait. in its original case tucked away in a manila envelope. Upon reading the Left: Furbush portrait of John Jones, ca. 1864. attached correspondence, the process- ing team quickly discovered that the Below: W.H. Furbush, ca. 1873. medal had been sent to Congressman Hammerschmidt after a veteran had been denied veterans’ disability ben- efits. The veteran asked Congressman Hammerschmidt to “throw the medal Special Collections acquired 10 out the back door,” as he felt the gov- photographs attributed to African ernment had done the same to him. American photographer W. H. Fur- Twenty-five years after the origi- bush, who operated photography nal correspondence was received by businesses in Ohio and Arkansas Congressman Hammerschmidt’s during the 1860s and 1870s. Fur- office, Felicia Thomas, the Ham- bush led an interesting life, which merschmidt Papers archivist, con- included service in the Forty-Sec- tacted the veteran, who still resides ond Colored Infantry during the in his Arkansas hometown. When Civil War; immigration to Liberia in asked if he would be interested in 1866 on an American Colonization having his medal returned, he said Society ship; election to the Arkan- he had thought of that medal many sas General Assembly in 1872; win- times over the years and would be ning the only known victory under thrilled to have it to share with his Arkansas’s 1873 Civil Rights Act family again. As it turned out, this in a lawsuit against a Little Rock veteran received three Purple Heart saloon; and serving a six-year stint medals during the time he served in as the first sheriff of Lee County, the military during World War II. a county he was instrumental in It is not every day that a con- establishing. The images are por- gressional archival processor runs traits of Civil War Union soldiers. across such a poignant reminder of our history. Being able to return the Purple Heart medal to the per- son who earned it more than 60 years ago was an exciting event! 15 Special Collections Department University of Arkansas Libraries 365 North McIlroy Avenue

Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701

(A) Sid McMath (B) (C) (D) Dale Bumpers Dale (D) Rockefeller Winthrop (C) Faubus Orval (B) McMath Sid (A)

10. WWII Medal of Honor recipient Maurice L. “Footsie” Britt served as lieutenant governor under Governor under governor lieutenant as served Britt “Footsie” L. Maurice recipient Honor of Medal WWII 10.

5 (A); 10 9(D); 8 (B); 7(B); 6(D); (C) 1( ANSWERS: poetry (D) film (C) history (B) biography (A)

9. John Gould Fletcher won the Pulitzer Prize in 1939 for his work in work his for 1939 in Prize Pulitzer the won Fletcher Gould John 9.

(A) lion (B) cardinal (C) cougar (D) chickadee (D) cougar (C) cardinal (B) lion (A)

8. Which animal served as the mascot of the University of Arkansas before the Razorback hog? Razorback the before Arkansas of University the of mascot the as served animal Which 8.

(A) hunting season (B) harvesting crops (C) butchering hogs (D) athletic competitions athletic (D) hogs butchering (C) crops harvesting (B) season hunting (A)

C); 2( 7. Until the 1960s, many east Arkansas school districts followed a “split calendar” to facilitate to calendar” “split a followed districts school Arkansas east many 1960s, the Until 7.

(A) Branch Normal College (B) Arkansas College (C) Shorter College (D) Southland College Southland (D) College Shorter (C) College Arkansas (B) College Normal Branch (A)

D); 3(A); 4(D);

6. Quakers founded this black college near Helena after the Civil War Civil the after Helena near college black this founded Quakers 6.

(A) David O. Dodd (B) Thomas C. Hindman (C) Buford Suffridge (D) Nathan B. Forrest B. Nathan (D) Suffridge Buford (C) Hindman C. Thomas (B) Dodd O. David (A)

5. The “Boy Hero of the Confederacy” was Confederacy” the of Hero “Boy The 5.

(A) (B) Stephen Dorsey (C) Joseph Brooks (D) Powell Clayton Powell (D) Brooks Joseph (C) Dorsey Stephen (B) Steele Frederick (A)

4. The first Republican governor of Arkansas was Arkansas of governor Republican first The 4.

(A) Mt. Ida (B) Hot Springs (C) Mena (D) DeQueen (D) Mena (C) Springs Hot (B) Ida Mt. (A)

3. Which town is known as the Quartz Crystal Capital of the World? the of Capital Crystal Quartz the as known is town Which 3.

(A) Saracin (B) Elias Boudinot (C) Stand Watie (D) Sequoyah (D) Watie Stand (C) Boudinot Elias (B) Saracin (A)

2. Cherokee Indian George Guess was better known as known better was Guess George Indian Cherokee 2.

(A) La Salle (B) Laffitte (C) De Soto (D) Father Marquette Father (D) Soto De (C) Laffitte (B) Salle La (A)

Which of the following was the first European to explore Arkansas? explore to European first the was following the of Which 1.

Are You Arkansas-Literate? You Are