MEETING MINUTES
Wednesday, May 18, 2011 Atlas Coffee Mill
TOTAL ATTENDANCE: 63
PLANNING COMMITTEE IN ATTENDANCE:
Mark & Karen Moderson, Tom Sutter, James Richter, Linda Muldoon, Laura Leimer, John Marx, Dave Buss.
UPCOMING MEETINGS AND PROGRAMS:
•JUNE MEETING - June 15. Tricia Adams, Executive Director, Hearthstone Historical House Museum – Life in Appleton during the Victorian Era.
•JULY MEETING – July 20. Frank Anderson, author of “Wicked Fox Cities”
•AUGUST MEETING - August 17. Speaker to be announced.
•SEPTEMBER MEETING – September 21. Janice Krahn, Corporate Archivist and Historian for Thrivent Financial – the History of the Aid Association for Lutherans.
APPLETON HISTORICAL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION:
•Officers and Committee Chairs for the organization are as follows:
A. President - Thomas Sutter
B. Vice President - Christine Williams (and Public Relations)
C. Secretary – James Richter
D. Treasurer – Jack Voight
E. Mark and Karen Moderson, Principal Organizers
F. Brian Schneider, Technical Resources
G. David Buss, Research Specialist
PRESIDENT SUTTER ANNOUNCEMENTS:
A House Divided: Hearthstone Commemorates the Civil War Sesquicentennial
March 8, 2011 through June 26, 2011.
Hearthstone commemorates the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War with a brand new exhibit. A House Divided focuses on what it was like to live during the Civil War. The exhibit features objects on loan from the Civil War Museum in Kenosha, WI, the Wisconsin Veterans Museum in Madison and private collectors. The exhibit will also include several hands-on areas. A House Divided focuses on men, women, and children and how the war affected their daily lives. Admission to the exhibit is included with paid admission to the museum.
A. Upcoming Programs summarized.
B. Introduction of Officers and Board Members.
C. Ridgeview Highlands Retirement Community wants to do some history projects and displays at their facilities. They have asked AHS to arrange some of these.
D. Sutter has received DVD’s of the Trolley Program and will sell at $20.00 a copy.
E. July 23rd the Paper Discovery Center is hosting a Fox River Open House. They have asked AHS to participate.
CEMETARY WALK PROJECT:
After much discussion, the AHS Planning Committee has agreed to do one or more Cemetery Walks within City Cemeteries. Barb Bacon has volunteered to Chair our first event which will be held at Riverside Cemetery on September 10, 2011. A number of volunteers are needed, and those interested should call Barb at (920) 730-8739.
ZUEHLKE BUILDING EXHIBIT REPORT:
Principal Organizer Mark Moderson had been contacted by Zuehlke Building management regarding a display case on their first floor mezzanine. The AHS Planning Committee has agreed to do a rotating display showing a variety of local artifacts and antiques. Jim Richter reported that with a special display shelf constructed by member John Marx and with a new AHS Banner ordered by Brian Schneider an exhibit has been started. A few antique items and AHS information have also been put in the display. Richter said it is hoped the exhibit will be completed by June 1st. As this could be a long term display, exhibits will be rotated periodically.
REMINDER TO CHECK THE AHS WEBSITE REGULARLY:
To reach our Web Site go to www.focol.org/appletonhistory
PROGRAM SPEAKER – Erin Dix, University Archivist for Lawrence University- History of the college since it’s founding in 1847.
•Dix’s background:
A. Native of Waukesha.
B. Received a B. A. in Music from Lawrence University.
C. Received an M.A. in Library and Information Studies from UW-Madison.
•Dix’s Research:
A. Lawrence University Library
•Dix’s Presentation:
A. ARCHIVES (definition) Exist to collect, preserve, and make accessible the records of the institutions they serve.
B. ARCHIVES GOAL: Making sensible the collection they have.
C. Archives have unique research material and will not include objects which are in the domain of museums.
D. Lawrence University has:
(1) A sizable repository of faculty and student papers.
(2) Although their collection is protected and well maintained, it is not fire safe.
E. History of Lawrence University:
(1) Amos A. Lawrence, a wealthy philanthropist was the founder of the College.
(2) William Harkness Sampson, a Methodist Minister, was also a founder.
(3) The College was originally chartered as Lawrence Institute in January 1847 and started as a Methodist institution.
(4) In 1849 the school was renamed Lawrence University.
(5) Lawrence was built first, and the Village of Appleton grew up around it.
(6) The 1st building that was constructed was utilitarian in design and stood where our current YMCA stands.
(7) In the early years the curriculum of classical and philosophy were in vogue.
(8) Main Hall was built in 1853 and dedicated in 1854.
(9) LU had a very large enrollment through the 1850’s.
(10) The Civil War years and into the 1870’s were years of financial hardship for the school.
(11) By 1924 there was a growth in curriculum-music and liberal arts arrived.
(12) The Music Conservatory had it’s first dedicated building constructed in 1909 on the current YMCA site.
(13) In 1908 the LU Artists Series began and still operates to this day.
(14) Henry Wriston served as LU President from 1925 to 1937:
a. He dedicated the school to Liberal Education.
b. He had a vision to build a south campus, and one result was the Alexander Gym built in 1929.
c. Institute of Paper Chemistry was built in 1929 as well.
(15) Athletics have always been a part of the school with the first football team starting in 1893.
(16) Brokaw Hall was built in 1910 as a men’s dormitory.
(17) The LU Chapel was built in 1918.
(18) Notable parts of LU history:
a. On April 22, 1936, serious tension arose between the student body and the
community. It was part of an antiwar movement that started at Princeton. 400
of 700 LU students marched in a peace parade down College Avenue. Many
student were clubbed by members of the community. The LU faculty supported
the students.
b. The school hosted the Midwest Trivia Contest beginning in 1964 and
continues to do so.
c. For many years hosted the Community Event “Celebrate” which ended in 2003 due to high cost of production.
(19) In 1913 the school was renamed Lawrence College and stayed that way until 1964.
The change took place again when Milwaukee Downer College merged with LU.