Historical Society Gazette
Volume 10, Issue 2
Fall-Winter 2000

CONTENTS

• President's Page
• Holiday Events
• Introducing Rebecca
• Everhard Update
• Museum Christmas Wish List
• Living Museum
• Research Requests
• Remembrance--Kay Griffin
• Thank Yous
• Donations
• Memorials

PRESIDENT’S PAGE

It has been an exciting year at the Carroll Mansion as we reflected on our past and planned for our future. We began the year by honoring the contributions of our Past Presidents. The membership is greatly indebted to these individuals who gave us such a firm foundation.

For the past few years a major focus of the Board of Directors has been securing the Everhard Photo Collection for our community. I am pleased to report to you that the final payment for the collection has been made to the Autry Museum in California. In support of this project we received grants from the Kansas Humanities Council and Hallmark Cards, Inc. The KHC grant enabled us to hire a professional cataloguer to supplement the fine efforts of our volunteers and to greatly increase the rate of processing this large collection. The Hallmark grant allowed us to purchase a digital camera and specialized museum software to establish a database for the collection and make it more readily accessible to the public.

Our signature events, the Herb Market and Holiday Homes tour continue to be increasingly successful each year. The Board of Directors was pleased to revive the Ice Cream Social. Under the direction of Board member Gary Bradley, this traditional summer event received a new breath of life and was enjoyed by all who attended.

As we come to the end of the year, I wish to thank our administrator and the staff, the Board of Directors, our many dedicated volunteers and all of you who support us with your time, talents, and financial gifts. Since our founding in 1954, the mission of the Historical Society to preserve our heritage and provide leadership in the historic community has increased tenfold. The future will bring many additional needs for staffing, space and volunteers. We are only "as good as the sum of our parts." The success of any local museum is directly related to its local support. We’re counting on yours! I look forward to seeing you at our annual Membership Appreciation Event on December 1.

Beverly LaRocque, President

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HOLIDAY EVENTS

Please include these museum offerings in your holiday plans.

Sunday, November 26, we will have the Children’s Holiday Party from 1-4p.m. Regular admission rates apply. Children will make historic ornaments to take home, decorate cookies, sing along to music, play Victorian games, and visit with St. Nicholas.

Friday, December 1, is our Membership Appreciation Reception. All members are invited to join us for a holiday gathering. Refreshments and finger foods are "on the Museum." The reception is from 5:30-8:00p.m.

Sunday, December 10, marks the date of the Ninth Christmas Candlelight Homes Tour from 2:00-8:00p.m. Tickets are now available either in person or by mail for $10.00 through December 9 and $12.00 on the day of the tour. If you wish to order tickets by mail, please enclose an additional 50 cents for postage. The tour for 2000 is cosponsored with the Vintage Homes Society and includes nine private homes, the Carroll Mansion, and a stop at the Carnegie Arts Center for music and refreshments. Tickets are for sale at the following locations: P.A. Kelly’s, Ginny’s Antiques, Sally’s Choices, Country Cupboard, and the Carroll Mansion.

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INTRODUCING . . .

My name is Rebecca Phipps and I am working on the Everhard Collection as a part of the Kansas Humanities grant. But as Mark says, I wear many bonnets around the museum. Currently, I am portraying the bride on living history Wednesdays. I also assist Mark and Betty in a variety of museum duties and am assisting in planning the Children’s Christmas party.

I started my museum career at the Adair County Historical Society Museum and Library while completing my undergraduate degree at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri. In 1996, I interned at the 1859 Jail, Marshal’s Home and Museum in Independence, Missouri. In June of 1998, I began work as the curator at the Wyandotte County Museum, but I resigned this past summer to complete my Masters of Historical Administration and Museum Studies at the University of Kansas. In addition to my activities here at the Carroll Mansion, I also have an internship at the Truman Presidential Library.

My particular area of expertise is American social history and culture from 1850 to about 1950. I also emphasize material culture, especially textiles. Eventually, I hope to become a textile curator. In what spare time I can find I enjoy sewing, quilting, embroidery, ballroom dancing, swing dancing, classical ballet, and antiquing.

I hope to meet you soon and look forward to working with you. By the way, I will offer a workshop on the Everhard Collection in January. If you are interested please let us know!

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EVERHARD UPDATE

Progress on the Everhard Collection continues. Thanks to the efforts of Rebecca (see above) and our volunteer cataloguers, we are at the 1500 mark among the glass plate negatives and our images of early Leavenworth are going to reach the public in the near future. We will be having our first formal exhibit of this collection at the Carnegie Arts Center in August 2000. Watch for further updates. Your financial support for the Everhard Fund is also appreciated

There will be a workshop at the Museum on Saturday, January 20^th at 1:00 for anyone wishing to learn how to preserve, catalogue, research and store the Everhard Photo Collection. We need your help to continue progress on this enormous project. If you are interested in helping, please RSVP us by January 17th.

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MUSEUM CHRISTMAS WISH LIST

The Museum is seeking the donation of upholstered office chairs for the Everhard cataloguers. Two or three-wheeled swivel chairs would be of great comfort to the cataloguers. The metal folding chairs are difficult to use after a couple of hours. If you have one that you could spare please let us know.

Debra Bates-Lamborn at First City Photo provides us much of the processing of the Everhard photos as an in-kind donation. She would like to be reimbursed for the photo paper. Ilford photo paper costs $117.00 for a box of 250 sheets (8 � x 11inch). If you would like to buy a box or half a box, you will speed the processing along by sending donations for that purpose to the Museum.

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LIVING MUSEUM by Wanda Holder

Living Museum began the fall schedule October 18. Fifteen presentations are scheduled for the fall and spring, and more will be added.

Iva Fern Parsons, who has portrayed the mother for more than ten years, has retired from that role. Her contribution to Living Museum has been inestimable.

We are pleased that Rebecca Phipps has joined the group to portray the bride. Welcome Rebecca! Others reporting for duty this year are Edna Bair, Doris Cooley, Nettie Graden, Wanda Holder, Betty Ludwig, Rosemary Sachse, May Thomas, Ralph Griffin and Col. Robert Von Schlemmer.

These people faithfully give of their time and energy year after year so that we may bring this program to the fourth grade classes of Leavenworth County. New volunteers for Living Museum are welcome. If two persons are available for a role, we have an alternate in the event of illness or an emergency, and portrayers work every other week, instead of weekly.

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RESEARCH REQUESTS by Wanda Holder

We have responded to 46 information requests since the last newsletter appeared in print. Ninety percent are generated by E-mail via the museum computer. Only a few now come in the old-fashioned way--by mail or telephone. Most requests are researching family history--searching for family names or about burials. There are frequent questions about the history of the VA Center, and there is continuing interest in the German soldiers who were executed and buried at Fort Leavenworth during World War II. The business history most often asked about is the Great Western Stove Company. People often ask about the history of individual homes.

We have begun to receive request about family members whose portraits may be in the Everhard Photo Collection.

We recently received a request from the University of Iowa--searching for information on a family that may carry the gene for macular degeneration. We were able to provide the required historical information.

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REMEMBRANCE

October 22nd saw the passing of Katherine Edna Draper Griffin, longtime Board Treasurer and volunteer. Kay and Ralph shared their love of each other, history and the Museum with anyone lucky enough to encounter them, even if only on one occasion. The following memorial comes from former Museum Administrator Brother Robert A. Holt, O. Carm.

Memory of a Good Friend: Kathryn Griffin

I started to volunteer at the Leavenworth County Historical Society in the fall of 1987. I was a Junior at Saint Mary College. That was when I first met Kathryn (Kay) Griffin. I was looking for a part time job, and Joy Kozak and Sister Mary Lenore Martin suggested that I volunteer at the Museum and maybe that might build into that part time job. So I did. I went to the Museum, and the first person I met was Kay. She was the Assistant Administrator and part time bookkeeper at the time. She was the one who welcomed me and gave me my first tour of the Museum. Within a couple of months (I’m sure at Kay’s suggestion) I was asked if I’d be willing to be the Weekend Administrator. I credit Kay as the key person in my working at the Carroll Mansion. After I graduated from Saint Mary, I was offered the Museum Administrator’s position, and Kay was the person who helped me fill the shoes of the past administrator, Debra Klenke. At this time, Kay had advanced from the position of bookkeeper to board member, and then finally as the Treasurer of the Society. She kept the books straight.   I must say, with me as administrator, I was always willing to spend more than I had, and it was Kay who kept me both in line and within budget.

There are many wonderful memories that I have of Kay, and I will cherish them all my life, from trying to explain why I needed more money than the budget allowed, to sneaking cookie dough from the kitchen when she and Ralph were in charge of the Children’s Cookie Baking Party. I must say that I always had at least two or three cookies left on my desk after each and every Living Museum, thanks to Kay. I know that the Museum, the Historical Society, Leavenworth, and most especially Ralph will miss a wonderful person who gave so much for the betterment of the Leavenworth County Historical Society. We will sorely miss Kay.

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LCHS WOULD LIKE TO THANK . . .

OUR 2000 CANDLELIGHT CHRISTMAS HOMES TOUR SPONSORS

PLATINUM LEVEL
COL.( R) James & Norrie Beil

GOLD LEVEL
Gov. George T. Anthony
LTG(R) & Mrs. Robert Arter
Jim & Linda Schroeder
Great Western Mfg. Co.

SILVER LEVEL
Dr. & Mrs William R. Allen, Sr.
Baker Christmas Tree Farm
Ken & Bobbie Bower
Frank E. Carroll III, CPA
Mike & Marti Crow
Clark H. Cummins
Dan’s Lawn & Landscape
Dick & Sue Gervasini
Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Griffin
COL( R) Jess & JoAnn Hendricks
Historic Skyview Restaurant
Brother Robert A. Holt O. Carm.
Homestead Greenhouse
Johnnie & Annie Johnston
COL(R) & Mrs. Stephen Kempf
Klotz Agency
Joy Kozak
Sam McCaffree
Norman & Sarah McLeod
Robert & Patricia Needham
George & Marianna Spain
Judge & Mrs. Arthur J. Stanley, Jr.
Mike & Mary Stephenson

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DONATIONS:

Holly Snyder Cash gift
Hallmark V.I.P. Program Cash gift (matching donation for Gary Bradley)
Johnnie Johnston 10% Cash donation on advance sales of Homes Book

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MEMORIALS:

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Mark Bureman, Museum Administrator
* Grey Ink, Designer
The Historical Society Gazette is published quarterly for members of the Leavenworth County Historical Society and Museum
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