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October Program: HistoricaI ArchaeoIogy in Ripon

f you live in one of Ripon's many Victorian homes, you are living at an archaeological site. Archaeologist and
Ripon native John Steinbring will tell us why at our October meeting. Through his talk and an extensive display,
Jack will show us what archaeologists have learned about our community's past by reading the evidence our
forebears left behindsometimes buried. He will also talk about sites that have been destroyed or lie inaccessible
beneath paved parking lots. The program will begin at 7:00 in the Society meeting room, and Jack will be
available for informal discussion during the social and refreshments time afterward.

November AnnuaI Meeting and Dinner
2011 has been one of the most exciting and productive years in recent memory at the Society and we are
celebrating with a special members-only dinner at our headquarters at 508 Watson on Thursday, November 17
th
,
starting at 5:30. At our meeting we will be electing officers for next year and voting on the new dues structure
mentioned in the last Newsletter. We will then have presentations about some of the major groundbreaking
changes that have taken place in the archives, the museum, the artifact collections, the gardens, and with our
several projects involving electronic outreach. We will also be giving recognition to the many people in the Society
and in the community who have made these changes possible. The cost of the dinner will be $12.00 per person
which will partially cover expenses. Members interested in attending the dinner should contact Bill Woolley at 748-
2260 or at woolleybill@gmail.com by Friday, November 11
th
.

Officer EIections for 2012
The following members have been nominated so far to be the principal officers of the Society for the coming year:
President:
Vice President
Secretary: Sue Loomer:
Treasurer: Roberta Walker

Museum Update
By Carol Sachen, Artifacts Curator
Since assuming curator responsibilities in July, have been getting acquainted with the
Society's artifacts collection. My goals are as follows:
O nventory the collection, beginning with Pickard House.
O Enter card catalogue files into the Past Perfect software program in the computer.
O Use the computer to search and locate artifacts.
This is a large project. have accounted for almost 200 objects in the Pickard House
dining room alone! My thanks goes out to Sarah McGowan for helping with data entry.
Another ongoing project is the assessment of the clothing collection. Donna Marquardt
and Sue Hill have spent many Wednesday afternoons over the summer dating garments
from the late 1800's through the 1940's. A good deal of the collection appears to be
accounted for, and their efforts have added another 50 pieces to the total. Thank you to
Mary Brandt, Michelle Bensen, and their volunteers for implementing the current
accessioning system. We were able to search and find paintings and background information for the recent art
exhibit very easily. Recent accessions include: Three bustles; Child's 11-piece set of food canisters; Lester
Schwartz postcards; Ripon college poster promoting Helen Biedron art exhibit; Helen Hagquist print; Speed
Queen wagon; Horner candlestick; Lovejoy family photo album of daguerreotypes; Vilvock photo. 'll report on my
progress and also list new accessions in future newsletters, so watch for updates.

tems Wanted for the Museum
For our two kitchens, we need two water pails, preferably enamel, and two old water pail dippers. For the laundry
room at Pedrick-Lawson House, we need one large wash tub. Leave a message for Joyce Rudolph at 748-5354.

Ripon Historical Society
508 Watson Street
Ripon, W 54971 USA
920-748-5354
www.riponhistory.com

Bill Woolley, President
Jean Woolley, Newsletter Editor
$%%#

OCTOBER 2011


ur future flows from our past.

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Who's Getting the Garbage Can Out.and Back?
Some of our volunteers are at the Society nearly every day,
carrying on the work of organizing our documents and artifacts,
doing research, creating exhibits, responding to the many
inquiries and visits that come almost daily, and generating trash.
But regular volunteers like Carol, Joyce, and Nedra don't live
therenot even nearby. That's why we appreciate Norm Penke,
who walks over from his Central Park apartment each Thursday
evening, week in and week out, and puts out the garbage can.
Friday afternoon, he walks back and returns it to its place behind
the building. Norm is a native of this area and raised his family in
Ripon. He and his wife Linda now have grandchildren in Ripon.
Norm is retired from Ripon Foods. t really does take a lot of
volunteers, each doing their part, to keep the Society running
smoothly. Many thanks, Norm!

Barbershop Singing at the Society
Our September program featured a presentation
by Carl Grahn on Barbershop singing in the
nation and in Ripon. Carl has been associated
with Barbershop singing for over 50 years and
has served as an officer and president in both
local and interstate Barbershop organizations.
Barbershop singing began with two men in 1938
and spread quickly throughout the country and
then abroad. Barbershopping in Ripon, which
began when ver Leatherberry organized the
Harmony Kings, quickly grew until it attracted
over 50 members. While Barbershop quartets
were usually men, Ripon had several women's
quartets as well. After his remarks, Carl was
joined by fellow Harmony Kings members Jack
Kyl, Bob Kelm, and Robert Ziebel for several
songs and a demonstration of how the
harmonies in Barbershop singing were
produced. Lee Krueger and Dick Anderson of the
Royal Tones were in the audience and joined for more singing during the social hour. t was an interesting
evening and a lot of fun.

Keeping Up with Obituaries
One of our on-going projects is maintaining a searchable
online database of obituaries and volumes of the complete
obituaries in the Society library. Pat Grahn is a new volunteer
who clips all obituaries from the #ipon Commonwealth Press
and all shkosh Northwestern obituaries in which the word
"Ripon appears anywhere in the text. Pat, who grew up in
Berlin, has lived in Ripon for two years with her husband and
two children, who are in Middle School and High School. Their
household often includes exchange students and friends of
her own children as well. Pat's major historical research at the
moment centers around the book she is writing about her Aunt
Ella, the last fat lady in the Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey
Circus Sideshow. Pictured with Pat is five-year-old Biscuit, a
registered therapy dog who volunteers at Murray Park
Elementary School as a Reading Education Assistance Dog.
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New VoIunteers in Education
For a number of years, Bill and Jean Woolley have been
providing the organization and leadership to the annual
second grade visit to the Historical Society and Little
White Schoolhouse by Ripon's second graders. They are
ready to retire and welcome new volunteers to this effort.
Pictured following the transition meeting on September 9
are three of the four people who will take over this fall.
From left are Tracy O'Brien, who grew up in Ripon and
recently retired from Murray Park School; Joanne Gregor,
who arrived as a new Ripon teacher in 1972 and retired
last year from Barlow Park; and Bill Davis, a recently-
retired Ripon High School teacher. Barb Becker, also a
recent Barlow Park retiree, and Joyce Rudolph, our
museum curator, are also part of the team. Joyce and
Barb are both on the nteriors Committee as well,
providing the liaison between curriculum and exhibits.

What does it take to mount an exhibit?
When we stroll through the museum at an Open House or
Summer Sunday, most of us have no idea how many hours it
took to mount the special exhibits and how much of a
cooperative effort it is. Chances are, you'll meet these three
people while you are there and you can ask them! Carol
Sachen, on the left, has succeeded Mary Brandt as Artifacts
Curator. Joyce Rudolph, in the middle, is the Museum Curator.
Nedra Martz, our Archivist, is on the right. These three, with
the help of other part-time volunteers, mount some amazing
exhibits and displays. Research from the archives allows them
to tell the stories behind the exhibits. Your next opportunity to
meet them will be during the Dickens of a Christmas Tour of
Homes, when Lawson House will be open at no charge.

A Historic Way to Conserve Paper
This is called "cross writing in which the writer, upon
reaching the end of the page with more to say, turned the
paper sideways and kept going. The margins offered still
more writing space. t is a reminder that paper was
expensive in the 19
th
century and that letter writing was still
considered highly important. This is one of many fascinating
original sources found in our archives. t is among a
collection of letters of the Thomas Harris family, which were
donated by Alan Hargrave. n order to get a sense of the
daily life and interests of this 19
th
Century Ripon family, Bill
Woolley read the correspondence. Fortunately for him, most
was not in cross writing. He was able to construct a family
tree--a who's who among the correspondents. By handling
their letters, with white gloves, of course, he got to know
them and is able to share what he learned as a program for
community organizations. Bill was particularly interested in
Elisabeth Harris, who came to Ripon with her new husband
in 1848. She has written a family history and this, together
with the large cache of letters in the collection provides
significant insight into family life in Ripon in the middle and
later years of the 19
th
century, particularly from the
perspective of an intelligent and energetic woman.
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Ripon Historical Society
508 Watson Street
PO Box 274
Ripon, W 54971
USA


























Major Museum Renovation Underway
The Society is undertaking a major renovation of the museum in the Pickard House. The existing parlor, dining
room, and entry are to be extensively remodeled. Presently the rooms in the Pickard House have been furnished
as if they were part of a Ripon home in the very early 20
th
century. As such, we were left with little room to mount
exhibits featuring artifacts from other periods. The rooms now will be remodeled with new paint, lighting, and floor
refinishing to house displays representing many different aspects and different periods of Ripon's history. We
expect the remodeling to be finished and the first set of new exhibits to be completed around June of 2012.

Pedrick-Lawson House to be Open during Dickens of a Christmas Tour of Homes
The Pedrick-Lawson House will be featured on the Tour of Homes during Dickens of a Christmas this year. While
there is a charge for the Tour of Homes, admission to the Pedrick-Lawson House will be free. t will be open on
Saturday, December 3
rd
, from 10:00 until 4:00. This is longer than our usual open houses, so we'll need extra
help. f you are able to volunteer, please call and leave a message for Joyce Rudolph at the Society (748-5354).
Due to the museum renovation project the Pickard House will not be open during the Dickens festival.

Mark Your CaIendar for Upcoming Events
All events will be held in the Society's Meeting Room at 508 Watson.
October 20, 7:00 Historical Archaeology in Ripon by Jack Steinbring
November 17, 5:30 Annual Meeting, Election of Officers, Members' Dinner
December 3 Dickens of a Christmas Open House at Pedrick-Lawson House (Free)
March 15 TBA
April 19 TBA
May 17 TBA