NEWSLETTER: SEPTEMBER 2009

 Previous issues of the newsletter are posted on our website at http://my.core.com/~riponhistsoc.
Website and Newsletter Editor: Jean Woolley, riponhistsoc@yahoo.com

 Call for Volunteers

From Mary Brandt

 Are you interested in knowing even more about Ripon’s history? You can learn as you help us to collect, care for, and share our history. At present the curators of the artifact (man-made object) collection have two urgent needs. The first is for someone with computer know-how. The Society uses a small museum computer program called “Past Perfect.” We are looking for someone to learn the process and then enter information as artifacts are added to the Society’s collection. The second need is for one or more people interested in clothing and having modest sewing skills. The clothing tasks include research, mending, making padded hangers and cloth storage bags, and doing ongoing maintenance of the collection. The Society is usually open weekday mornings from 9:00 to at least 11:00, but other work times can be arranged. Neither of these needs requires daily or set schedules of work. Hours can be from weekly to a few days each month. For more information please call Mary Brandt at the Society. The number is 748-5354.

 Back in Time: Rush Lake Antiquity

 

Karin Hanisch, Dennis Waters, and John Steinbring with the display accompanying the program

The Rush Lake population was probably a lot larger 3000 years ago than it is today. In fact, people lived in the area as long ago as 11,000 years, and occupations lasted almost up to the historic period. How do we know? John Steinbring showed and spoke about the evidence at our May 21 program. He and Frank Farvour collected over 7,500 artifacts, and Steinbring said the area had already been “picked over” by 19^th Century collectors before they got there. Dennis Waters, whose collection numbers 22,000 pieces, was also at the meeting. Karin Hanisch, who classified artifacts with Frank Farvour, was on hand to demonstrate the computer database she created of the Steinbring/Farvour collection, which is owned by the Ripon Historical Society and is available for viewing and study by appointment.

 Lara Grant Honored for Cemetery Program

  

The program Lara Grant gave on Cemetery Artwork in November was submitted for the Daughters of the American Revolution Program Committee Outstanding Program Contest. Her program won at the State level and was forwarded on to the Division level. Lara received news in May that it won the North Central Division as well. The division level is the highest award given in this contest. Congratulations, Lara!

Hay Days

From Bill Woolley and Joyce Rudolph

 

The Society participated in the “Hay Days” celebration held at Cedar Ridge Ranch June 19-21. Hay Days is one of the largest historic reenactment events in central Wisconsin, bringing in Civil War and western theme re-enactors as well as hundreds of visitors from a wide area. In an exhibit organized by Joyce Rudolph, we used artifacts from the little store we have in the Lawson House to create a general store from the late 19^th century. Many of the volunteers from the Society who acted as docents were dressed in period costume. Pictured are Shirley Williams and Don Amsden.

 New Labels on Historic Gardens

From Mary Brandt

 Some of the plants and bushes in the Lawson House garden continue to thrive after many decades. Three noteworthy specimens include Belle Lawson’s Christmas roses, the gooseberry bush, and the current bush. Ralph Quinney has recently constructed wood signs for them. Also, we are gradually acquiring metal signs for some of the plants in the herb garden.

 We watch for the Christmas roses each year and often find them blooming beneath an early snow. The bushes still provide abundant fruit, which some members have used to make jams and tarts.

 Summer Sundays

From Bill Woolley

 Two years ago, under the leadership of Joyce Rudolph, we initiated the Summer Sunday program in which our houses and the barn would be open for leisurely guided tours. Individuals and small groups are guided through the buildings by Society docents. This summer we added a new dimension. While all three buildings were open, each Summer Sunday offered a special feature. Pictured here are July visitor Toni Kammer and President Bill Woolley with the Wisconsin license plate collection in the barn. The barn was featured in July.

The highlight of the August Summer Sunday was our archives. Visitors learned how our Society and its archives could help people with research connected with genealogy or the history of their homes or businesses. Archivists George Miller and Nedra Martz and genealogist Lara Grant were able to spend time planning a future project with representatives of the Crossroads Academy, shown below. This promises to be an exciting new collaborative effort between the Society and the teachers on behalf of Crossroads high school students.

 Garden Walk

From Bill Woolley

Our Society’s gardens were one of the stops in this year’s United Way Twilight Garden Walk held on Sunday, July 11^th. We used this occasion to open the Lawson House to people on the walk. This turned out to be a much appreciated added attraction. Pictured above are docent Barbara Scott, who was Belle Lawson’s next-door neighbor, with visitors Sherry Huseboe and Paula Price and her Chicago family: Estelle Price, Rosalie Price, and Genevieve Fialkowski. Belle Lawson’s Christmas Rose, currant bush, and gooseberry bush attracted special interest from the nearly 200 people who visited our gardens. Garden Walk volunteers Mike and Karen Fox served frozen custard donated by Culver’s in the garden.

 

Garden walk volunteer Nick is pictured below with Society docents Bill Woolley, Joyce Rudolph, and Lara Grant.

 Society to Sponsor Cemetery Walk

 On Sunday, October 4^th, our Society will sponsor a Cemetery Walk at Hillside Cemetery. Participants in the walk will visit the graves of prominent people from Ripon’s past. At each stop they will meet an individual impersonating the ghost of the person in the grave. The impersonator will talk briefly about his or her past. Similar cemetery walks have been carried out in other towns and are often quite popular. We hope members will watch for notices of this one in the paper and plan to attend.

 September Program to feature Women’s Clubs

 Our first program this fall will be devoted to highlights from the history of Ripon women’s groups, several of which have disbanded in the last few years. Shirley Pohlman will recount the history of AAUW (American Association of University Women) and audience members will be invited to share memories of other women’s clubs that are no longer active. In the middle of the twentieth century these organizations provided a large number of women in Ripon with a meaningful social outlet and means of personal networking. The projects they undertook were highly beneficial to our community. The program will be held on Thursday evening, September 17, at 7:00 PM at the Society headquarters, 508 Watson St.

 Thanks to Barbara and Michele

From Bill Woolley

 The Board of the Society lost two more members this year as Barbara Scott and Michele Benson announced their retirements. Barbara was a long time Board member and served as Membership Chair for many years. She continues to serve as a docent and maintains a garden plot. Michele joined the Society more recently and worked in both accessioning artifacts and creating museum displays. Both Barbara and Michele will be greatly missed on the Board, but we look forward to continuing to see them at the Society.

 Are These Historical?

 Did you ever use one of these? Would your children and grandchildren recognize them?

Unused items we find in our attics and basements today could become tomorrow’s rare historical artifacts. How quickly things change! These particular items belong to the Woolley family. They are not part of the Society’s museum collection. In keeping with the vintage of our buildings, there is very little in the Society’s collection that dates past the 1930s. It’s still worth holding onto what might someday become an important piece of history.

SCHEDULED EVENTS 

September 17, 2009 7:00 PM	Shirley Pohlman will recall memories of AAUW as an example of the popular women’s clubs that were active in the mid-20th Century. Audience members will be invited to share memories of other women’s groups that no longer exist in Ripon. The records of some of these groups have been donated to the Historical Society Archives.
October 4, 2009 Watch Ripon Commonwealth Press for time and meeting place	Lara Grant will lead a cemetery walk through Hillside Cemetery.
October 15, 2009	To be announced
November 19, 2009	To be announced
December 6, 2009 Open 10:00-4:00	Christmas Open House: Part of Ripon's annual Dickens of a Christmas weekend celebration