Are you -literate? 1.) Arkansas takes its name from which Indians: Autumn 2007 Quapaw, Caddo, Cherokee, Osage Volume 1 • Issue 1 2.) From Little Rock, which direction would one drive to reach Camden? 3.) The worst peacetime marine disaster, with 1,443 killed, involved which boat? Mound City, Sultana, Andrea Doria, Lusitania 4.) America’s first black municipal judge was: Scipio A. Jones, M. W. Gibbs, Wiley Branton, Marion Humphrey 5.) Which town is known as the Little Switzerland of America? Petit Jean, Magazine, Harrison, Eureka Springs Newsletter of the Libraries Special Collections Department 6.) Sam Walton began his retail career with a “Five and Dime” in: Newport, Marianna, Jonesboro, Paragould 7.) The automobile made in Arkansas was the: Special Collections Celebrates Rebel Roadster, Hurricane, Cosmic, Climber contents 8.) The first state park in Arkansas was: 40th Anniversary: Please Join Us for Petit Jean, Mount Nebo, Lake Fort Smith, Moro Bay • Special Collections Celebrates 40th Workshops and Open House 9.) The Bowie Knife is believed to have been made at: Anniversary...... 1 Parkin, Hot Springs, Washington, Bigelow 10.) The Orioles hall of famer from Little Rock was: • Leadership Report...... 2 Special Collections will hold sev- Workshops on preserving family John G. Ragsdale, Preacher Roe, Brooks Robinson, Lon Warneke eral public events, including work- history records will be held on • Joan Watkins to Lead Index shops on preserving family history Saturday, October 20, 2007 at the Answers: 1.) Quapaw, 2.) South, 3.) Sultana, 4.) M. W. Gibbs, 5.) Eureka Springs, Arkansas Project...... 3 6.) Newport, 7.) Climber, 8.) Petit Jean, 9.) Washington, 10.) Brooks Robinson and oral history and an open house/ Fayetteville Public Library. Ses- • Civil Rights reception, in celebration of the sions will focus on issues in and Digitization Project...... 4 repository’s 40th anniversary. These methods of preserving documents anniversary events coincide with and photographs and principles • News from the Archives Month 2007. Archives and procedures for capturing oral Manuscripts Unit...... 5 Month is celebrated annually nation- history interviews with family • News from the wide to promote public awareness members. An open house, includ- Special Collections Department Research Services Unit...... 5 of the value of historical records ing refreshments, a short program, University of Arkansas Libraries and the importance of the archival and tours of the Special Collec- 365 North McIlroy Avenue • Architecture Group Visits profession in preserving historical tions repository, will take place on Special Collections...... 6 Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701 documents. Thursday, October 25 from 3:00 • Pryor Center Expands PM to 5:00 PM. Mission, Goes “High- Registration is Def ”...... 7 not required, and all events are • Photo Gallery— from the Margaret Ross free of charge. Collection...... 8,9 Call 479-575- 5577 for more • Staff Highlights...... 10 information. • Annual Report...... 12

• A History of Special Veteran Special Collections at the Collections staff University of Arkansas.....14 members Ellen Compton (left) and Andrea Cantrell (right) attending a 1989 conference

(HISTORY continuance) from the Arkansas Endowment for library director Royal V. Pope re- the Humanities and the National En- signed, he was succeeded the fol- Leadership Report al Union Catalog of Manuscript dowment for Humanities to tackle lowing year by John A. Harrison, Collections maintained by the the department’s processing backlog. who had a strong interest in rare From the Desk of Tom W. Dillard, Library of Congress. This catalog, Significant progress was made in books and first editions. Many Head of the Special Collections Department known as NUCMC, was an im- cataloging the department’s large col- additions to the Rare Book collec- portant tool for locating research lection of historic maps. tion were subsequently acquired, I hope you like our new jour- especially strong right now, for materials in American repositories. The scope of the collections almost all by donation. nal. The Special Collections this year marks the 40th anniver- In the 1970s and 1980s, the expanded during this time to in- The University Libraries were Department is doing amazing sary of the creation of the Special manuscript holdings of Special clude Arkansas business and cultural not in the vanguard of library au- things these days, and I want Collections Department. The Collections grew steadily. Large resources, Arkansas agricultural tomation, and most of the work you to know about them. A history of the University Librar- collections were donated, including history, and the contributions of with manuscripts still required recent photo of the Special ies goes back to the founding the papers of composer William women to Arkansas history. Ex- human labor. When the librar- Collections staff reminded me of the university in 1871, but the Grant Still and politicians Joe T. amples include papers of home ies began to develop Internet how lucky we are to have such Special Collections Department Robinson and Oren Harris, along demonstration clubs and of the resources, Special Collections a fine group of employees, and began in 1967. What better way with many smaller collections. Arkansas Rice Millers and the Tucker started posting finding aids and I want you to meet these folks. to celebrate our entry into middle A federal grant paid salaries of and Wilson family farming busi- other information on the librar- Arkansans, as well as people age than launch a newsletter? temporary processing staff. By nesses. The department also began ies’ Web site. The Internet has from throughout the United We are lucky to have Dr. Di- this time, a significant greatly enlarged the pool States, donate great treasures ane Worrell serving as editor of beginning had been of users of Special Col- to the Special Collections this new journal. Diane is the made in processing the The Internet has greatly lections materials. With Department every year, and I Department’s special projects Tom Dillard department’s picture enlarged the pool of users of on-line finding aids these can’t wait to tell you about the librarian, and she has brought collection. users can often complete We are located on the first level best ones—and show pictures, great skill and gusto to this new Despite Sizer’s Special Collections materials. a simple research project of the Mullins Library. An es- too. undertaking. Although Diane’s success in obtaining by e-mail, without visiting pecially good time to pay us a Please don’t take my words doctorate is in library science, government support the reading room. Staff as boasting, for I do not mean she has professional training visit will be October 25, when for specific projects, the depart- to acquire audio-visual materials, functions were again reorganized it that way. But, my pride is in journalism—and her father, we celebrate American Archives ment was hampered by lack of Month with an open house and sheet music, and photographs. The to accommodate the greater vol- James Featherston, was a Pulitzer funds. For example, a single copy birthday party. You will hear physical layout of the department ume of long-distance research. Prize winning journalist who cov- machine served the entire library, more about this get-together grew steadily as the staff increased. In 2004 Tom Dillard was ap- ered many of the most important as did a single telephone line. Staff later. Processors no longer routinely pointed head of Special Collec- stories of the twentieth century, generally occupied the lowest I realize some of you might interacted with researchers. Gradu- tions. A lifelong proponent of the including the Little Rock integra- rungs of the University’s pay scale. “Arkansian” was the name commonly used tion crisis and the Kennedy assas- not be familiar with the Spe- ally the card catalog was replaced study of Arkansas history, Dillard throughout the 19th century to denote The first two staffers to pursue envisions the department as sup- residents of Arkansas. It was also the name sination. cial Collections Department. I by computerized records, and many training at the National Archives of a prominent Fayetteville newspaper Where did we get the name believe our work is extremely technical processes were assumed by porting the teaching of Arkansas before the Civil War. The name “Arkansan” did so at their own expense and on “Arkansian?,” you are probably important—not only to support the cataloging department. history at all levels. The Pryor evolved from this earlier form. The Arkansian their own time. is published four times a year by the Special asking. It is not a misprint, but the research and study of our Many rare and collectible print Center for Arkansas Oral and Collections Department, University of When Sizer resigned his post in rather is a name our early ances- students and faculty, but to pre- works of Arkansas history, literature, Visual History has recently been Arkansas Libraries. Inquiries should be 1982, he was succeeded by Michael directed to Diane Worrell, University of tors called themselves. In a long serve the historical documenta- and culture have been acquired for assigned to Special Collections, Arkansas Libraries, 365 N. McIlroy Avenue, tion of our state and people. Dabrishus, who had credentials with facilities and staff for creat- Fayetteville, AR. 72701-4002, telephone career that has involved reading the Arkansas Collection, but rare 479/575-5577, fax 479/575-3472, or to old Arkansas documents and Arkansas has a long and as a librarian and archivist. The books have never been a strong ing Arkansas history materials in [email protected]. newspapers, I have seen Arkan- complicated history, and I am staff became more professional, collecting focus of the University digital formats. Dillard is attempt- The Special Collections Department collects, sian used repeatedly. There was honored that the UA Libraries publishing in scholarly and profes- Libraries. The Rare Books collec- ing to raise the profile of the organizes, and provides access to research Special Collections Department sional journals and participating in department by means of publica- materials documenting the state of Arkansas even a newspaper by that name in tion, although it contained some and its role in regional, national, and interna- antebellum Fayetteville. is in the forefront to document historical and archival societies and distinguished and beautiful volumes, tions, public events, and collabo- tional communities. I also want to take this opportu- and share that heritage. library associations. He appointed had been chiefly an assortment of ration with broadcast agencies, a field archivist to solicit manu- Diane Worrell, editor nity to invite you to visit us in the books considered too rare, fragile, associations of educators at all Ashley Piediscalzi, designer Special Collections Department. script collections and other gifts. expensive, or controversial to survive levels, local historical societies and The department received grants in the open stacks. When, in 1982, other institutions. —E.S.

2 15 (REPORT continued from page 13) Joan Watkins to Lead Index Arkansas Project A History of Special Collections included a photograph and biog- at the University of Arkansas Joan Watkins is the new man- votion to this state and to the people lard said. The current index is avail- raphy of the subjects, a detailed ager and senior editor of the Index who are trying to understand Arkan- able electronically on the University lesson plan for teachers, a time line, sas and its geography, its history, and From the earliest history of the university, librarians and teaching fac- Arkansas Project, formerly entitled Libraries web site at http://arkindex. and other educational information. its literature.” ulty assembled an outstanding Arkansas Collection, including scholarly the Arkansas Periodicals Index. The uark.edu, but plans call for updating Response to the posters was over- Arkansas is one of the more and popular works, magazines, academic journals and newspapers. Even project, sponsored by the Special and improving future editions of the whelming; more than 1300 poster under-studied states in America, when money was tight, the library collected and preserved print materials Collections Department of the index. sets were distributed to schools all according to Tom W. Dillard, head related to Arkansas history and culture. University of Arkansas Libraries, The Arkansas Periodicals Index proj- over Arkansas. of the Special Collections Depart- Many outstanding items of Arkansiana were gifts. In 1924 George W. involves indexing a large number of ect, predecessor to Index Arkansas, ment. With Arkansas history educa- Donaghey, former governor, created an endowment to acquire materials Arkansas-related journals and other has been in development for many Personnel tion now mandated by state law, for the study of Arkansas history. The first manuscript collection was publications dealing with Arkansas years, initiated by long-time librar- more students are doing research in acquired in 1932, a bound typescript of thirty-one nineteenth-century topics. ian Georgia Clark and expanded by The year’s most exciting personnel various fields of Arkansas studies. letters. Manuscript collections have generally been donated by collec- Watkins, an enthusiastic supporter the work of Elizabeth McKee and news was the hiring of a full-time One of the major hurdles faced by tors or by politicians, academics or writers who were persuaded that the of Arkansas studies, started her Andrea Cantrell of the University of director, Kris Katrosh, for the Pryor researchers on Arkansas topics has records of their life achievements had permanent research value. Some career as a librarian and then went Arkansas Libraries. The project was Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual been the lack of good, easily avail- important early acquisitions include the folklore collections of Profes- on to a variety of administrative recently placed under the adminis- History, a unit of Special Collec- able guides to published literature sor Mary Celestia Parler, the papers of Pulitzer Prize-winning poet John positions in the public sector. She trative supervision of the Special tions. Katrosh joined the Pryor on the state. The need for good Gould Fletcher, the research files of journalist Otto Rayburn and of held various positions with Gover- Collections Department, the largest Center after spending a long career indexes has increased as the periodi- Henry Alexander, an authority on Arkansas government, and the papers nor ’s office, including academic archives in the state of Ar- at the Dempsey Media Group in cal literature has grown; there has of Governor Charles Hillman Brough. press secretary and policy advisor, kansas. Special Collections was cre- Little Rock, where he was an award- been a substantial increase in the When Special Collections was created in 1967, department head followed by several leadership posts ated in 1967 to encourage research winning filmmaker and general number of county history journals Samuel A. Sizer was responsible for its physical and technical organiza- at the University of Arkansas. She and writing in the history and culture manager. and regional periodicals. “Arkansans tion. In 1968 Special Collections acquired facilities in the new library also worked as a consultant in the of Arkansas. With the addition of Felicia Thomas was hired to man- need to tell our own story; no one designed specifically for its use, with secure stacks, processing areas, a areas of information systems, re- Watkins’ leadership, Dillard hopes to age the processing of the John Paul else will do that for us. A compre- reading room and offices. The department has been enlarged several cords management, policy analyses, revive this project, which will greatly Hammerschmidt papers. James De- hensive index such as Index Arkansas times since then. Towards 2000, the department acquired off-site facili- communications, and management. improve access to the growing pub- fibaugh joined the Pryor Center as offers the possibility of dramatically ties for processing and storage. Watkins graduated from the Uni- lished record of Arkansas topics. Coordinator for Oral History. Janet increasing the quantity and quality At first, all Special Collections personnel assisted researchers, main- versity of Arkansas in 1973 with a Parsch joined the staff as Assistant Bachelor of Arts in history with Phi of research done on Arkansas,” Dil- to the Head of Special Collections, tained the card catalogs, exercised security, and processed collections in the large reading room. As a result, the entire staff acquired considerable Beta Kappa honors. and Diane Worrell was reassigned She earned a Master of Library to plan and implement an expanded knowledge of the department’s manuscript and print holdings, as well as interacting with researchers. In the mid-1970s, a professional librarian and Information Science degree public relations program for the from the University of Oklahoma in department. was appointed, plus staff with advanced degrees in history and literature and experience in scholarly research and writing. In 1976 Sizer earned 1974. “I am intrigued by the fact that a master’s degree in history. His thesis, this job brings me full circle in my Guide to Selected Manuscript Collections library career, so there is a level of in the University of Arkansas Library professional comfort,” she said. (Fayetteville, University of Arkansas Computer technologies have Library, 1976), contains descriptions of significantly changed the field of 211 collections, ranging from the 222 librarianship since Watkins first cubic feet of the Fulbright papers to col- worked as a librarian for the Univer- lections comprising only one item. Sizer’s sity of Arkansas. The challenge of Guide made it possible to publicize the this project for Watkins is organizing collections to other libraries and reposi- and providing access to materials tories and to register them in the Nation- electronically. “That’s the new part for me, and what attracted me to (HISTORY continued on page 15) the project,” Watkins observed. She An early scene in Special Collections named another attraction as “her de- Joan Watkins

14 3 Special Collections Embarks on Large Civil Rights Digitization Project

Fifty years ago, nine black students faced angry, jeering mobs as they integrated Little Rock Central High School, an episode which evolved into one of America’s most im- portant civil rights events. To com- memorate the 50th anniversary of the 1957 integration crisis at Little Rock Central High School, the Uni- versity of Arkansas Libraries’ Special Collections Department launched a digitization project titled “Land of (Unequal) Opportunity: Docu- menting the Civil Rights Struggle in Arkansas.” Project staff members are busy identifying and digitizing 1,000 original documents, illustrations, The U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division enters Little Rock in 1957. Image taken by Larry Obsitnik video recordings and audio record- and located in Special Collections, MC 1280, B11 F7, Image 441. ings on the history of civil rights in Arkansas, according to Tom W. over 100,000 photographs. Most George Fisher Cartoons, photo- Left to right, front: Phillip Stephens, Tom Dillard, Gentry Collier, James Defibaugh. 2nd row: Janet Parsch, Jennifer Koenig, Anne Prichard, Geoffrey Dillard, head of the Special Collec- Stark, Callie Williams, Tim Nutt. 3rd row: Lynn Hodges, Andrea Cantrell, Olivia Meeks, Alex Gough, Danielle Hansen, Diane Worrell, Sarah Simers, of the documents and illustrations graphs from the Geleve Grice and Ellen Compton, Scot Oldham. Back row: Todd Lewis, Scott Lunsford, Kris Katrosh, Cheri Pearce, Vera Ekechukwu, Case Miner, Anita Mysore, tions Department. While empha- included in the project are from the Larry Obsitnik collections, and writ- Felicia Thomas, James Wilhelm. Not pictured: Cody Hackett, Matt Lammers, Jim Kelton. sizing the 1957 Little Rock Central holdings of Special Collections, such ings by Arkansas African American High School integration crisis, the as the Daisy Bates Papers, Orval attorney Scipio A. Jones. Special (REPORT continued from page 12) which was attended by nearly 100 ing of the Pryor Center’s advisory scope of the civil rights project also Faubus Papers, Federal Bureau of Collections is also searching other people from the library, the universi- board and the university’s Towers of board met in April, the same month includes materials from earlier and Investigation Records, Oral History archival repositories for appropriate ty, and the general public. In March, Old Main event. Tom W. Dillard the newsletter, Pryor Center Connec- later eras so that the events of 1957 Interview Transcripts, Southland items. Special Collections and the School and Tim Nutt from Special Collec- tions, began publication. are placed in their historical context. College Papers, WPA Interviews, Further information on the of Architecture co-sponsored a tions were instrumental in program Pryor Center staff filmed 40 Lesson plans, a detailed bibliogra- digitization project conference on historic preservation planning and made presentations new high-definition video history phy, and a timeline on Arkansas civil may be obtained entitled The Architecture and Landscapes for Arkansas Statehood Day, a June interviews, including two videos rights history are also under devel- by contacting the of Arkansas: A Heritage of Distinction, event sponsored by the Washington produced to support the Towers of opment. Digitized documents and Special Collec- which culminated in a banquet and County Historical Society. Old Main event in April. The Cen- images will be stored electronically tions Department, tribute to emeritus professor Cyrus One of the department’s most ter received 188 oral histories and by the UA Libraries, providing per- University of Sutherland. The Pryor Center issued successful outreach efforts was processed 114 of them. Phase 1 manent access to the materials for Arkansas Libraries, a press release in January and held the production of an educational of the Clinton History Project was researchers, students, teachers and 479-575-5577 or a “roll-out” event at the Clinton poster series. The first in the series, completed. The Pryor Center web the general public. Partly supported [email protected]. School of Public Service in Little five posters on Amazing African by a grant from the Arkansas Hu- site was redesigned by Beth Juhl and Rock to celebrate the completion American Leaders of Arkansas, was manities Council, the digital library Arthur Morgan of the Library Web of Phase 1 of the Clinton History released in February during Black project should be completed by the Services staff. Project. History month. In March five post- end of October. An editorial cartoon In April Special Collections spon- ers on Amazing Women Leaders Special Collections is the largest from the Citizen’s Programming and Outreach sored a reception to welcome Kris of Arkansas were released during Council, from the academic archives in the state, with Broadside Collection, Katrosh, the Center’s first full-time Women’s History Month. Posters In October 2006, the department director. The reception occurred holdings of books, manuscripts, au- B1-82, Special (REPORT continued on page 14) dio and video recordings, music, and Collections held an Archives Week open house, in conjunction with the first meet-

4 13 Celebrating a Busy Year . . . News from the Manuscripts Unit News from Annual Report, 2006-2007 Research Services: Anne Prichard Retires The Special Collections Depart- interns, working on various manu- ment had a busy and exciting year. script projects. Researchers in the Special The department broadened its pub- Collections Department have lic profile with a record number of Research Services Unit been greeted by Anne Prichard’s Please join us programming and outreach activities. welcoming smiles since Septem- for a birthday celebration The manuscripts unit made ber of 2001. Anne retired July Research services assisted 2,263 40th Anniversary/ considerable progress in reduc- 31 as Reading Room Supervisor, researchers and conducted instruc- ing the backlog of unprocessed and we will all miss her gracious, Archives Month tional sessions and follow-up con- manuscript collections. New staff enthusiastic research assistance. Programs sultations for 14 university classes. members were hired, and numerous Before coming to Special Forty-three percent of our research- researchers were served. The Pryor Collections, Anne was with the ers were students, faculty, staff, and Center for Arkansas Oral and Fayetteville Public Library, the alumni of the university; fifteen Saturday, Visual History acquired its first Robert A. and Vivian Young Law percent were affiliated with other October 20, 2007 full-time director; convened an Library at the University of Ar- universities and colleges; fourteen • Preserving Your Family advisory board; and embarked on Margaret Ross with J.N. Heiskell, long-time editor of the Arkansas Gazette, ca. 1960 kansas, and the Ottawa (Ontario) percent were from businesses, me- History its expanded mission of capturing Public Library. She received her dia, government agencies, libraries selected interviews in digital audio/ Margaret Smith Ross Papers. tailed information is available on master’s degree in library science • Doing Oral History or museums; and the general public video format. Processing is now complete on our web site at libinfo.uark.edu; click from the University of Califor- • Workshops Beginning comprised twenty-eight percent. the Margaret Smith Ross Papers, on Manuscript Collections, Finding nia, Berkeley, after attending the at 9:00 AM Special Collections materials Manuscripts Unit acquired in 2004. Ross was a Aids and Descriptions. • Fayetteville Public were cited in 13 books, 4 theses, 11 journalist, historian and an avid Library papers, 2 book chapters, 46 journal/ collector of Arkansiana. The collec- Jerry Russell Collection. Fifty-one manuscript collections Special periodical articles, 79 web sites, and tion includes her personal papers, were added to our collections, in- Collections is in the process of 16 film, television or radio broad- historical and genealogical materi- Thursday, cluding the papers of long-time Uni- acquiring the papers of Jerry Russell casts. There has been a continuing als, and court records dating from October 25, 2007 versity history professor Thomas C. of Little Rock. This large collec- increase in the number of research- the nineteenth and early twentieth • Special Collections Kennedy and the papers of James J. tion documents Russell’s career in ers served via e-mail and postal centuries. Her personal papers Open House & Johnston, a Searcy County historian political consulting and his interest mail, which accounted for over 36 include correspondence, published and genealogist. Johnston’s papers in the Civil War and the preservation Program percent of those served. Much of “Chronicles of Arkansas” and include important and rare informa- of Civil War battlefields. The Jerry • Celebrating 40 Years of this is due to researchers contacting “Grass Roots” articles, and drafts of tion on his home county. In addi- Russell Collection is not yet open for Preserving Arkansas us after consulting the departmental writings. Historical materials include tion to the manuscript collections, a research. History web pages. items related to Arkansas during its total of 1,900 books were added to • 3:00-5:00 PM territorial and early statehood pe- New Processing Staff. the Arkansas and Rare Book collec- The Pryor Center for Arkansas riod, Civil War and Reconstruction, • Special Collections tions. Manuscripts Unit is fortunate to Anne Prichard and the late nineteenth century. Department, Room 130, The number of manuscript col- Oral and Visual History have the services of six Honors The history of the Arkansas Graduate School of Arts and Mullins Library, lections processed totaled 35, an College interns: Cody Hackett, Matt Gazette is highlighted through nine- Sciences at Harvard Univer- University of Arkansas increase of more than 300 percent Kris Katrosh became the Center’s Lammers, John Terry, Olivia Meeks, teenth century court documents sity and receiving her bachelor’s over the previous year. Processing first full-time director on January 16, Alex Gough, and Darby Gieringer; Libraries and papers produced during Ross’s degree in European Civilization of manuscripts is vital to the de- 2007. Katrosh immediately up- plus three student assistants: Zach career as the Gazette’s librarian. Also and Fine Arts from Mills College partment’s operations. It involves graded the facilities and equipment, Mosley, Nick Cannella, and Phillip included is significant correspon- in Oakland, California. Free of Charge organizing materials and creating organized the work flow, established Stephens. dence of Walter Lemke as well as Anne will continue her partici- No Registration Required finding aids, enabling our researchers a marketing and public relations photographs made by him. This By Timothy G. Nutt, Manuscripts and Rare pation in community service or- Call 479-575-5577 to find what they need. The Manu- program, and formed an advisory large collection was processed by Books Librarian. ganizations, including the Friends for information scripts Unit was fortunate to have board. The inaugural advisory Todd E. Lewis, Krista Jones, Jim the services of four Honors College (NEWS continued on page 6) (REPORT continued on page 14) (REPORT continued on page 13) Kelton and Gentry Collier. De-

12 5 (NEWS continued from page 5) master’s degree in architecture was a the Fay Jones collection in Special (STAFF continued from page 10) faculty position at the University of Collections, and Jones buildings in of the Fayetteville Public Library; Oklahoma, where he was influenced our area. Fay Jones was a lifetime Scott began full-time work for the University at the Center for the OMNI Center for Peace, Jus- by the iconoclastic head of Okla- beloved member of the Friends of Continuing Education. After 15 years there as an Associate Producer, tice, and Ecology; the Washington homa’s architecture program, Bruce Kebyar, and the 2007 meeting was a he moved to University Relations to work for University Advance- County Historical Society; the Goff. Jones would later say that successful, happy time. ment and the Campaign for the Twenty-first Century. He produced League of Women Voters of Wash- next to Frank Lloyd Wright, Goff The group of 40 attendees spent events and campaign videos, the nationally released University of ington County; and Marion Chapter was his most important mentor. time in Special Collections, ex- Arkansas public service announcements, and many other high-profile of the Daughters of the American Goff taught and practiced architec- amining and discussing material events and videos, such as the Distinguished Lecture Series, the Don- Revolution. ture that defied stylistic labels but in the Fay Jones collection. Ellen ald W. Reynolds Razorback Stadium dedication, the Towers of Old was rooted in the movement gener- Compton presented a history of By Andrea Cantrell, Head of Research Main dinners, and the Fulbright Peace Fountain Dedication. Services. ally called “organic architecture.” the collection, and Callie Williams Scott left University Relations to help establish the David and Near the end of his life, Goff described management of the Fay Barbara Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History in the Architecture Group was planning a school of creative Jones web page. Library in 2005 as Associate Director. He and his wife Claudette arts and architecture that would The attendees praised the collec- have three children: Ted, a graduate of Lehigh University, Andy, a Visits Special be named “Kebyar,” the Balinese tion’s depth and level of preserva- graduate of Washington and Lee University and the University of word for “flowering.” The school tion. They admired the working Arkansas School of Law (both of whom work in Washington D.C. Collections never developed, but an interna- models of Thorncrown Chapel, for Contract Solutions), and a daughter, Elise, currently a junior at tional group of architects formed to Pinecote Pavilion, and the Cooper the UA majoring in French and psychology. The Friends of Kebyar, an in- advance “creative organic architec- Chapel as well as Jones’s early origi- Scott Lunsford ternational network of architects, ture.” nal project drawings, works of art in artists and others devoted to organic They named themselves the themselves. The University Librar- architecture, recently paid a visit “Friends of Kebyar.” Today with ies have a valuable cultural resource Ellen Compton, Architectural Archivist. Having worked in Special Collections for 27 years, Ellen is to Special Collections to see the some 300 members, they publish in the Fay Jones collection, and the our “go-to” person for questions dealing with the history of the department and the university. She has Fay Jones collection. The first job a newsletter and hold gatherings. Friends of Kebyar have been among worn many different hats, such as manuscripts processor, reading room supervisor, development officer, Fay Jones had after completing his From June 8-10, 2007 they visited the most appreciative and interested field archivist and currently, the archivist responsible for the papers of architect Fay Jones. the UA School of Architecture, of our visitors. A native Arkansan, Ellen grew up in Bentonville and earned her M.A. in history from the University of Arkansas in 1963. She has training in Arkansas folklore from Arkansas College and the Ozark Folk Cen- ter plus certification in archives administration from the National Archives. Ellen taught history at the UA for 13 years before coming to Special Collections. Ellen has been a member of the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission; past president of the Arkansas Historical Associa- tion; member of the Washington County Historical Association and past editor of its Flashback journal; board member of the Arkansas Women’s History Institute; and the archival chair for the Ozark Society. She is currently president of the Oversight Board of the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. She has written for the Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Arkansas Libraries, and the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture. Ellen enjoys giving presentations on Arkansas history and literature to various groups, including schools and clubs. Ellen has two sons, David Shipley and Neil Shipley. David and his wife Jamie live in Little Rock, where David works for Security Bank. Neil and his wife Sally live in Fayetteville with their two children, Sarah Anne and Harrison, who attend Root Elementary School. David is a partner in Doxa, a Fayetteville-based graphics design company. Ellen Compton

Ellen Compton talks with a member of the Friends of Kebyar.

6 11 (PRYOR continued from page 7) Pryor Center Expands Mission, Goes “High-Def ” The Pryor Center advisory board includes Carole Adornetto, Diane Alderson, Paul Austin, Paul Berry, Carmen Coustaut, Willard B. Gatewood, David Gearhart, Kaneaster Hodges, Jr., Suzanne McCray, Ark Monroe III, The David and Barbara Pryor dio equipment, as well as the train- Marilynn Porter, Charles R. Robinson, Steve Ronnel, Archie R. Schaffer III (Chair), Dennis Schick, James Baxter Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual ing necessary to use the equipment Sharp III, Todd Shields, and Parker Westbrook. In addition to Katrosh, the center’s staff includes Scott Lunsford, History strives to put a human face and conduct oral histories. This associate director, Trey Marley, associate producer, Lynn Hodges, assistant director, and James Defibaugh, oral his- and voice on Arkansas history. At will enable these groups to con- tory coordinator. Additional information is available on the center’s web site, http://libinfo.uark.edu/SpecialCollec- the center’s inaugural advisory duct their own oral histories, which tions/pryorcenter/. board meeting in April of this year will ultimately be deposited with director Kris Katrosh stated “the the Pryor Center. Such outreach mission of the Pryor Center for projects provide a fun way for the Staff Highlights Arkansas Oral and Visual History is public to engage in collecting and to document the history of Arkan- connecting with history. The center Any modern research facility is only as good as its staff, and the Special Collections Department is blessed sas through the collection of spo- will partner with AETN and others with good employees. Each issue will highlight a few staff members. This issue features Felicia Thomas, ken memories and visual records, to develop broadcast opportuni- Scott Lunsford, and Ellen Compton. preserve the collection in perpetu- ties for Pryor Center programming, ity, and connect Arkansans and the and selected programs will be made Felicia Thomas, John Paul Hammerschmidt Papers archivist. world to the collection through the available to libraries on DVD. Felicia Thomas grew up in Arkansas, splitting her time between Internet, television broadcasts, and In addition to producing oral and Springdale (Washington County) and Possum Trot (Newton Coun- educational programs.” The Pryor visual histories, the Pryor Center ty). She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Arkan- Center records interviews with will collect irreplaceable films, video Kris Katrosh, director of the Pryor Center for sas in 2003 with a B.A. in History, German and European Studies. people from all walks of life and Arkansas Oral and Visual History tapes and audio tapes from sources An Elizabeth W. Fulbright Study Abroad Grant afforded her the from all areas of the state, focusing across the state, transfer them to opportunity to attend classes and conduct undergraduate thesis on the lives of Arkansans and their electronic files, and provide perma- research in Graz, Austria. work, families, ancestors, and com- nent archival storage for them. The Felicia’s employment with the University Libraries began in munities. files will one day be available for 2003 with a position in the circulation department. In 2005 she Oral history transcripts are cur- downloading on the Pryor Center was hired to work in Special Collections as the Congressman Asa rently available on the Pryor Center web site. The center aims to be- Hutchinson Papers Archivist. After wrapping up the Hutchinson web site, including projects on the come one of the largest repositories project in August 2006, she became the archivist for the Congress- Arkansas Democrat, Arkansas Gazette, of state-focused historical footage man John Paul Hammerschmidt Papers. Arkansas Governors, Arkansas in the . Felicia manages a team of two full-time employees, Case Miner Memories, and William Jefferson The Pryor Center seeks nomina- and Danielle Hansen, and two part-time Honors College Interns, Clinton. The center will continue tions of interviewees who can pro- Alexandria Gough and Olivia Meeks, to process the largest manu- to conduct traditional oral history vide first-person accounts of Ar- Felicia Thomas script collection in Special Collections. The Hammerschmidt collec- interviews with selected subjects, kansas history. Nomination forms tion consists of 1600 cubic feet of Congressional papers from Hammerschmidt’s thirteen terms in Congress. transcribe the interviews, and post are available on the center’s web site Felicia wrote articles on both Hutchinson and Hammerschmidt for the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and the text on the center’s web site. academic community. Shifting the (libinfo.uark.edu/specialcollections/ Culture. However, greater emphasis will be center’s emphasis to digital video re- pryorcenter/). Fundraising is criti- Felicia recently arranged for the donation of the papers of her maternal grandparents, Marjorie Kiddoo and placed on conducting interviews quires a substantial outlay for equip- cal to the long-term sustainability of Vernie Lee Bartlett, to Special Collections. Vernie Bartlett was a rural minister in central and southern Arkan- in high-definition digital audio and ment, and this process is already the program. Individuals or organi- sas for forty years; Felicia plans to process these papers in her spare time. video formats, which will facilitate underway. The upgrades to date zations interested in supporting the a wide variety of distribution meth- include camera, lighting, and audio Pryor Center may fund programs, Scott Lunsford, Associate Director, Pryor Center for Arkansas Oral and Visual History. A native of ods, including video and audio web production equipment, as well as upgrade equipment, provide vehi- Fayetteville, Scott attended Washington Elementary, Woodland Jr. High and Fayetteville High. He earned a streaming for research and class- post-production editing equipment cles for mobile video production, or bachelor’s degree in art from the University of Arkansas, with emphasis in sculpture and art history. Scott room use. Producing the interviews and expansion of the server system. fund a vehicle for a “storymobile” played football all through the public schools and formed a rock band in junior high school, playing into his in a digital video format will enable The next phase of development mobile history laboratory. Donors college years. With his younger brother, he established Sequoyah Recording, a multi-track audio recording stu- the Pryor Center to partner will focus on outreach. The Pryor may also endow a single interview dio. They recorded many bands including Ronnie Hawkins’ album “The Hawk,” on location at a farm outside with public broadcasting as well as Center will establish partnerships or an entire community’s history. Bentonville. community cable access channels with school and community groups (STAFF continued on page 11) to reach an audience far beyond the by providing high-quality digital au- (PRYOR continued on page 10)

10 7 Images from the Margaret Ross Collection

Civil War scene: U.S. Mechanics Square, repair shops, Little Rock, block bounded by 2nd, 3rd, Cumberland, and Rock Street, ca. 1864. Mr. Speiser delivering ice for Little Rock Brewing and Ice Company, ca. 1900.

Arkansas State Senate, 1883

8 9