Alabama Department of Archives and History Edited by Aimee Sparks Winter 2013

SAD DAYS AT THE ARCH IVES daughters, and 12 another volunteer. In grandchildren. 1989, Lewis Hale Figh, Only days after the Jr. began volunteering as shock of Dale‟s pass- a docent. For over ing, the Archives was twenty years Lewis once again touched by guided children through tragedy when ADAH the museum and he reference librarian most recently acted as a Rickie Brunner unex- receptionist. He is sur- pectedly passed away vived by his wife on January 15. Rickie Virginia, two children, Inside this issue: Dale Weaver worked at the Ar- two grandchildren, and chives for over 30 a great-grandson. In The last several weeks years. During her long 1993, a 4th grader Happy Birthday 2 have been somber at career at the Archives, wrote to Lewis after a Mark your Calendar 2 the Archives as we Rickie worked with tour, “You know a lot Volunteers on the Move 3 mourn the loss of three state publications and about Indians. The hold ADAH family members. newspapers and was a (sic) class liked you.” “Fridge Notes” 4 valued member of the Lewis was indeed much Inside the Archives 5 On January 12, volun- reference staff. Rickie liked and will be greatly teer Dale Weaver is survived by several missed. Volunteer Spotlight 5 passed away. In 2009, members of her ex- New Volunteers 6 after retiring from the tended family. On Thanks to Event Vols 6 Retirement Systems of January 28, the Mont- Alabama, she began vol- gomery Advertiser ran unteering at the Ar- an article that captured Volunteer Liaisons chives. Dale, who both Rickie‟s love of Staff Contacts: worked with the cura- history and devotion tors creating and updat- to the ADAH. In the Aimee Sparks 353-4745 ing the artifact database, article, ADAH Direc- (Volunteer Coordinator) was an extremely tor Steve Murray de- knowledgeable, kind, scribes Rickie and her Lewis H. Figh, Jr., Sara Kunau 353-4712 (left) with his brother and (Hands-on Gallery) and dedicated volun- amazing research skills ADAH volunteer, teer. Dale is survived and knowledge as “...a John Figh. Ryan Blocker 353-4717 by 4 children, 2 step- window back to a pre- (Curatorial) vious time in Alabama history.” Rickie was a Dale, Rickie, and Lewis Mary Jo Scott 353-4694 (Private Records) cherished member of were all members of Rickie the staff and her im- the ADAH family, and Alden Monroe 353-4613 Brunner pact will be felt at the they will be missed by Mike Breedlove 353-4614 Archives for years to everyone at the Ar- (Government Records) come. chives. Our deepest Nancy Dupree 353-4674 sympathies go out to (Reference) Just a few weeks later their families. on February 4 we lost Allison Gore 353-4691 (Gift Shop) Page 2

VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER HAPPY BIRTHDAY

March May Robert Stabler 6/15 Brittany Payne 3/8 Anna Scott 5/3 Beatrice Coley 6/20 Justin Rudder 3/14 Helen May 5/7 Jack Fowler 6/24 Ken Ward 3/16 Chuck Maney 5/8 Hardy Kirk 6/24 Ruth McCune 5/10 Frances Frizzell 6/27 April Joshua Thomas 5/12 James Snider 4/4 David Crowley 5/31 Did we miss your Delilah Eaton 5/31 Jerry Conrad 4/7 birthday? William Hughes 4/15 We may not have it on Vijaya Chava 4/15 June record. Please let us Kenneth Carrick 4/19 Lindsay Guest 6/6 know and we will add it Aubrey Neeley 4/26 Marinella Lentis 6/12 to our list!

STATE HOLIDAYS

ADAH will be closed to observe the following official state holidays: April 22: Confederate May 27: National Memorial Day June 3: ’ Birthday

AIMEE’S CORNER

It has been almost three months an absolutely gorgeous event at dents from Crump Elementary since I took the reins as ADAH Buena Vista Mansion in Prattville. School; the picture ran in the De- Volunteer Coordinator. I, as any I hope that everyone who at- cember 15 Montgomery Advertiser. new employee would be, was a tended enjoyed that day as much Alabama Day was a lot of fun nervous wreck my first day. as I did. Thank you Kelly! thanks to all of you! Could I do the job; would I mess up on the very first day; would Alabama Day on 14 Spring tour season is now upon you like me? All of these con- was a great success because of us. Yes, there have been some cerns flooded my thoughts, but volunteer involvement. I believe changes to tours due to gallery within moments of my arrival, that First Lady Dianne Bentley closings, but I have no doubt that these fears were squelched thanks truly enjoyed her time with the despite whatever changes or mis- to your kind encouragement and children. In case you did not see haps befall us we will have a suc- warmhearted acceptance. them, Chuck Maney, Linda Jen- cessful spring tour season. kins, Barry Spink, Bob Bradley, Slightly less than a month after my and Ryan Blocker were all Thank you for everything arrival, the 2012 Tea took dressed in period costume; they that you do! place. I take no responsibility for truly embodied history. Chuck this event; Kelly Hoomes made Maney was photographed clad in me look very good by arranging a Confederate uniform with stu- Page 3

WINTER 2013 VOLUNTEERS ON THE MOVE

Volunteers enjoying food and conversation at the 2012

Volunteer Holiday Tea

Volunteers and Staff at the 2012 Volunteer Holiday Tea held at Buena Vista Mansion in Prattville First Lady Dianne Bentley and Roland at

Alabama Day 2012

Tom, Juliette, Jennie, Ken, and Abby at Alabama Day 2012 Chuck dressed as a Confederate soldier Doc and Martha at 2012 Holiday Tea during Alabama Day 2012

Page 4 ‘FRIDGE NOTES WINTER 2013

Keep track of activities at the Archives! Put this on your refrigerator! (Volunteer events are highlighted in yellow.)

EVENT DATE

Volunteer Enrichment: 2013 Volunteer Recognition, 1:00-3:00 pm in the Milo B. February 25, 2013 Howard Auditorium

ArchiTreats: The Civil Rights World in Alabama, 1961-1963: Reflections February 28, 2013

ArchiTreats: The Rise and Fall of Alabama’s Textile Industry March 21, 2013

ArchiTreats: Streight’s Raid and The Making of a Confederate Heroine April 18, 2013

Book Talk: The Alabama Families of Virginia Durr and Lillian Hellman: Their Impact on Two April 19. 2013 Uncompromising Women

Currently Scheduled 3rd Floor Museum Closing May 1, 2013

ArchiTreats: Longleaf Pine: The Tree That Made Alabama May 16, 2013

Currently Scheduled 2nd Floor Museum Closing May 18, 2013

Volunteer Enrichment: The Montgomery Symphony’s Pops Concert on the Lawn May 24, 2013

Aimee Sparks, Volunteer Coordinator Alabama Department of Archives and History 624 Washington Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama 36130 (334) 353-4745 [email protected] www.archives.alabama.gov

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WINTER 2013 INSIDE THE ARCHIVES By Ryan Blocker, Curatorial Volunteer Liaison

The Flora – Bama Lounge, located in Perdido Key, has generously loaned the Archives a piece of Gulf Coast history. The little red wagon pictured holds the course layout for the Mullet Toss. For those of you not familiar with the Mullet Toss, it is a competition held annually on the Florida/Alabama state line. Contestants toss a mul- let over the state line from Alabama into Florida. The wagon will be in the “Forces of Change” section of the new Alabama Voices Gallery scheduled to open at the beginning of 2014.

VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT By Allison Gore, Gift Shop Capitol complex. Before her re- Volunteer Liaison tirement, Jennie was assigned to the First White House of the Jennie Price spends her Thurs- Confederacy handling tours, the days at the Archives dividing her gift shop, and various other du- time as gift shop worker extra- ties. ordinaire and as tour docent. While she has been volunteering Jennie loves needlework of all for the past few years, her rela- kinds (come by the gift shop to tionship with the Archives began check out her latest creations). in 1982 when she worked as a She is also very active in her Capitol Receptionist giving church, neighborhood, and with guided tours of our building. Landmark Tour and Travel. Most Later she worked as a museum every Thursday she can be found aide cataloging various artifacts with knitting needles clacking in alongside our curatorial staff. A the gift shop or guiding a school transfer to the Service Division group through our museum honed her skills as a tour guide spaces. as she led groups through all the state museum spaces in the Jennie Price, “gift shop worker extraordinaire” Page 6 VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER

Sherline Duncan hails from the Grace Kennedy is a recent gradu- MEET OUR NEW VOLUNTEERS beautiful island country of Jamaica. ate of the College of Charleston; Catherine Thrash volunteered at Sherline has a BA in History and there she earned her BA in Anthro- the ADAH during her winter break currently is working on a Masters in pology. She is interested in Ethno- from classes at Samford University. Public Affairs. She is the proud musicology. Besides volunteering at Catherine worked in the gift shop, mother of a six-year-old girl, so we the Archives, she is doing an intern- at the main lobby reception desk, are very fortunate that she has a ship at the State Legislature. Grace and alongside me. It was a real de- free moment to volunteer with us. will begin her docent training on light to work with Catherine, and I Sherline is volunteering in the HOG. February 8. hope that she will return for some volunteer fun in the summer. Vickie Turner lives in Prattville. Amelia Hobson is an Art History She is the proud mother of three major at AUM. She learned about Lauren Duke recently graduated wonderful children and five beautiful the ADAH volunteer program while from Auburn University with a BA grandchildren. I wrote „wonderful‟ on an ADAH Behind the Scenes in History. Lauren enjoys reading. because I am one of those three tour led by Ryan Blocker. Thank She was reading Apollo 13 , but she children- yes, she is my mother. you Ryan! Amelia hopes to one day has misplaced the book, so if anyone Vickie will be filling in at the main work in a museum. For now she happens to see it, please let me lobby desk as needed. I am encour- will be splitting her time between know. You will see Lauren at the aging her to become a docent, so if the gift shop and HOG. Research Room registration desk on you meet her, be sure to add your Thursday afternoons. own words of encouragement.

SPECIAL VOLUNTEERS AT SPECIAL EVENTS

Abby Barr Harmon McDonald Ken Carrick Roland McDonald Judy Crow Jacob McGaughey Allen Edwards Jennie Price Alabama Day 2012 was a Tom Emerson Anita Sherman great success. A big Lindsay Guest Josh Thomas Thank You to the fol- Doretta Hector Juliette Wimberly lowing people who vol- Thelma Ivery unteered their time and Linda Jenkins Special Thanks to Bob made it a success! Bradley, Ryan Blocker, and Chuck Maney Barry Spink Volunteers with First Lady Dianne Bentley at Alabama Day 2012 NEW FACE IN THE HOG By Sara Kunau, HOG Volunteer My name is Sara Kunau. I am Montgomery. Liaison your new Museum Tour assistant. My office is located in the Hands We absolutely love our new On Gallery (H.O.G.). workplaces and church fami- lies! My husband, Jason, and I relo- I am excited to be a part of the cated here from Springfield, Mis- new Voices Gallery soon to be souri after he was accepted into under construction at the Ar- Jones School of Law at Faulkner chives. I look forward to build- University. Jason now works at ing lifelong relationships with all the Retirement Systems of Ala- of you and to growing both bama (RSA). We volunteer our personally and professionally at free time to various men‟s, the Archives as we begin a new women‟s, and students‟ ministries chapter in our service to the coordinated through our home great State of Alabama. Sara at work during Alabama Day 2012 church, First Assembly of