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Georgetown Historical Society unveils speakers for upcoming season

August 14, 2013

Jim Bowden, president of the Georgetown Historical Society, has released the speakers list for the historical society meetings for the upcoming season.  He commended Karl Haller of the programming committee for assembling the interesting and informative list of speakers.

The talks will begin on the dates indicated at 7:30 p.m., at the Marvel Carriage Museum approximately a mile south of the Georgetown Circle, 510 South Bedford St. Ext.  Society members, as well as the general public, are all welcome to attend without charge.

The schedule is as follows:

September 9 - “Preserving Our Soldiers’ War Letters”

Preserving correspondence from U.S. soldiers at war as social history for future generations is vitally important.  Learn how and how not to safeguard letters from Delaware troops in this informative and interactive program presented by author /journalist Nancy E. Lynch of Bethel. Her acclaimed column, “Nancy’s Vietnam Mailbag,” published in the Wilmington News Journal from 1968-72, received nearly 1,000 letters from troops in Vietnam.  Each attendee will receive a three-page handout of resources for proper disposition of war letters and actual Vietnam War letters will be displayed. This program is presented with a grant from the Delaware Humanities Forum.

October 7 - No speaker; the society has election of officers.
November 4 - Private Screening & Lecture - "Southern Delaware: Beaches are Just the Beginning”

Southern Delaware Tourism in conjunction with the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce produced a video presentation promoting Sussex County tourism titled “Beaches are Just the Beginning”.  This video was filmed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Earl Webber and is approximately five minutes in length and can be seen at visitsoutherndelaware.com. Executive director of Southern Delaware Tourism Scott Thomas will show the promotional video as well as videos for various Sussex County towns, including Georgetown.  The videos present a visual mosaic of the beauty of Sussex County.

December 2 - No speaker; The society will be having its Christmas party.
January 6 - “Growin’ Up Country: Rural Life in the 1950s and 60s”

J. Everett Moore Jr., a local attorney, will give a power point presentation about his book “Growin’ Up Country: Rural Life in the 1950s and '60s.”  The presentation will include pictures from the book and his experiences in rural Sussex County.  Moore grew up on a farm east of Georgetown and recounts the many changes of life he has seen over the years.

February 3 - “Georgetown’s Depression Era Art - The WPA Murals”

Dr. Joan Short of Wilmington will speak on the Works Progress Administration’s artwork in the State of Delaware, including the murals formerly on display at the old Sussex Central High School, and now available for view at the Marvel Museum.  The speaker has compiled an inventory of the WPA’s artworks in the state of Delaware and has been active in the restoration of such art in New Castle and Kent counties. The talk will touch on the importance of the murals to Delaware citizens and how they might go about viewing and enjoying the same.

March 3 - “Georgetown Native Returns to Restore Georgetown Treasure.”

The Dr. Steven Green house at 8 South Front St. dates back to 1810 with additions being placed on the home in 1868.  Green was a physician and served as a magistrate from 1836-51 in Georgetown.  Georgetown native Brian Matthias, presently of Pennsylvania, has purchased the home and plans to restore the same.  Matthias will outline his plans for the historic dwelling, and its anticipated use in the future.

April 7 - “Touring the Back Roads of Sussex County - A Historic Planners Perspective.”

Dan Parsons is currently the historic preservation planner for Sussex County, in charge of determining the relative cultural and historic resources of the county. He will discuss, among other things, two historical and scenic byways he is working with and publications promoting the history and culture of the region. The talk will touch upon the Old Sussex County Court House and the Brick Hotel in Georgetown, The Clayton Theatre in Dagsboro, and several other Sussex locations deemed to be of historical importance.

May 5 - “Playing Baseball by 1864 Rules - The Lewes Vintage Baseball Club.”

Mike DiPaolo is the executive director of the Lewes Historical Society and the founder of the vintage baseball club.  The Lewes vintage baseball team has been formed and plays other teams in the Mid-Atlantic region by old baseball rules: no gloves, balls caught on one bounce are out, and the like.  DiPaolo’s talk will take everyone back to the 1800s and detail the way baseball was originally played.

For more information, contact the Georgetown Historical Society at 302-855-9660.

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