Sad Days at the Archives
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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 Memorial Day May 27: National Memorial Day June 3: Jefferson Davis’ 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 December 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 Holiday 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 Page 5 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.