Newsletter of the Mecklenburg Historical Association Docents Promoting Local History through Education and Research September/October, 2010 Volume 16, Number 4 Look Inside This Issue - Hart Square Tickets – Send in you money now! - New books by local authors - Announcing a trip to Mount Vernon with the MHA Docents - A report on the 235th Anniversary of Meck Dec Day, May 20 and the dedication of the Captain Jack Statue - Historic Site news, a book review, the History Calendar, and more. In Memory of Jo Anne Dickens We open this issue of The Dandelion on a sad note to report that our Chairman, Jo Anne Dickens, unexpectedly passed away on June 3, 2010. When she woke that morning she complained of feeling unwell, and almost immediately suffered a massive heart attack. Only two days before she had been with us at our June picnic filled with her usual exuberance, laughter, and camaraderie. Our heartfelt sympathies go to Reggie and the family. At her memorial service Alice Bostic gave the following tribute on behalf of the MHA Docents: “Jo Anne was our chair person for the last one and one half years. The chair in our group is informally known as the ‘queen’. As outgoing queen it was my job to install the new queen. To my surprise Jo Anne was more than ready for her new role, having arrived with a cape and scepter to add to the crown I was to place on her head. We knew in that moment that the coming year would be a lot of fun. She was also one of the happiest grandmothers I have ever seen. What joy, Jerry and Stephanie, you brought into her life with her beautiful granddaughter Danielle. “Jo Anne’s leadership over the past year and a half was splendid and through her efforts we accomplished much. She knew we could produce a very successful historic fashion event and with her encouragement we did. Recently she was with us to dedicate the new statue of Captain Jack on the Sugar Creek Greenway. And last week, two days before God called her home, we all gathered at Landsford Canal State Park to celebrate a year of achievements before our summer break. It was Jo Anne’s birthday and a beautiful day. The sun shown brightly and the famous spider lilies that bloom once a year in the river were in their full glory. We sang Happy Birthday as she blew out the candle on her piece of cake. She was, as usual, upbeat and excited about coming events, a cruise with her family and the trip to Mount Vernon she was planning for us in October. “Jo Anne was our cheerleader. She dreamed big dreams for us and convinced us that we could do them all. She will be deeply missed. Most of all, she taught us a very valuable lesson. It is not the number of years we have that is important: it is the life we put into those years. Jo Anne lived her life to the fullest and encouraged us to do the same.” According to our docent guidelines: “The Vice-Chairman shall advance to the office of Chairman if a vacancy occurs.” Our Vice-Chairman, Hazel White, has graciously stepped into position. She will lead us with her own unique style through the projects set in place by Jo Anne. Thank you, Hazel; we will all be with you every step of the way, for we know Jo Anne’s magic slippers will be hard to fill. Ann Williams and Alice Bostic 1 From the Chairman As I sit down to try to write this article I do so with a heavy heart. By now all of you are aware of the passing of my dear friend Jo Anne Dickens, the Chairman and queen of the MHA Docents. Her sudden death in June was a great shock to all of us. Jo Anne as Chairman did a terrific job and we accomplished much under her leadership. She will be greatly missed. Good job Jo Anne, and may you rest in peace. And now I am left to finish what she started. I will do the best I know how. I have a wonderful hard working board of directors, so that will make the job easy. I hope everyone had a great summer. I know you are going to say it was hot, hot, hot, but that is over we hope. Now we can get down to our upcoming meetings and wonderful programs that I have lined up for the balance of the year. So mark your calendar for the first Tuesday of each month; I hope to see everyone with smiling faces. Hazel White, Chairman of MHA Docents Newsletter Deadline The deadline for the November/December issue of the Dandelion is October 14th. Thanks to all who keep us supplied with interesting tidbits and current events. Keep up the good work. Send articles to Ann and Jim Williams at 1601 S Wendover Road, Charlotte, NC 28211 or email [email protected]. MHA Docent Programs Both meetings will be held in the Fellowship Hall of Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church. Refreshments at 9:30 am, business meeting at 10, program at 11. Visitors are always welcome. In accordance with our docent guidelines, the election of officers for the docent committee is held during the September business meeting. The nominating committee will present a slate, and nominations may be made from the floor. The elected officers will be installed in January. Tuesday, September 7, 2010 An Appalachian Story Quilt Lynn Salsi, from North Carolina’s Road Scholars Speakers Bureau, will present a program of Appalachian Mountain humor, songs, superstitions, legends, and customs, highlighting the life and stories of Ray Hicks, renowned teller of Jack Tales. These humorous, clever, moral driven stories were brought from Europe by Appalachia’s earliest settlers. Ray Hicks’ Jack Tales, and his nearly Elizabethan style of telling them, were drawn from generations of his and other mountain families including his great-great-grandfather Council Harmon. In 1983 Hicks was named a National Heritage Fellow by the National Endowment of the Arts. Lynn Salsi is an award winning author, teacher, playwright and historian. She has written a number of books including several on Jack Tales, and a biography, The Life and Times of Ray Hicks, Keeper of the Jack Tales, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. She may have books available for sale. In 2001 she was named Historian of the Year by the NC Society of Historians. This project is made possible by a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council, a statewide nonprofit and affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Tuesday, October 5, 2010 Culture of the Tuscarora People Ramona Moore Big Eagle will present a program of American Indian culture and history using storytelling, music, drumming, dance, and authentic artifacts and crafts. She erases stereotypes and myths while presenting the culture 2 of everyday life including lodging, clothing, survival techniques, artifacts, food, dance, stories, language, music and beliefs. Ramona is Oral Historian and Legend Keeper of the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina. An enrolled member of the Nation, she has served on the Tribal Council in various capacities. She is the founder and president of the Storytellers Guild of Charlotte, Inc., and a member of the National Storytelling Network. In addition to sharing her culture, she does corporate workshops on leadership and teambuilding. You do not want to miss this lady; she is great. Docent Book Club We will meet after the September Docent meeting and discuss Civil War Wives by Carol Berkin. MHA Dinner Meeting Monday, September 27, at Trinity Presbyterian Church. Dinner is at 6:30 followed by the program at 7:15. Those not having dinner are welcome to enjoy the program at no charge. To make a reservation for dinner use the order form in your MHA Newsletter or contact Kathy Herran at 704-553- 0936 or [email protected]. Our speaker for September is Dr. Tony Zeiss, president of CPCC. He will be appearing in 19th century dress and speaking in first person about his character’s experience as a 16 year old boy in 1780-81 at the battle of Kings Mountain. The background for this presentation comes from the memoirs of Thomas Young who lived in present day Union County and participated in the battle of Kings Mountain. Dr. Zeiss has written Backcountry Fury, A Sixteen-Year-Old Patriot in the Revolutionary War, a young-adult book on this subject, and will have copies available for sale. Dr. Zeiss has been the president of Central Piedmont Community College since 1992. In that time he has taken the college from one location to six campuses, 70,000 students (the largest in North Carolina) and national renown. The author of a large number of books on leadership and education, he has recently begun writing about his heritage, including a novel set in the Civil War. Trip to Mount Vernon A History Lover’s Look Into Virginia’s Past October 21-23, 2010 Join the MHA Docents for a visit to some of Virginia’s most significant historic sites in Richmond, Mt. Vernon, and Fredericksburg. We will travel on a Christian Tours Bus and spend two nights in a Washington area hotel. Per-person prices include transportation, hotel, admissions to attractions, two breakfasts, one lunch and one dinner: $375 (four/room), $359 (three/room), $389 (two/room), $485 (single). Other meals and a $10 tip for the bus driver are not included. Reserve your space with a $100 deposit; balance is due by September 21.