While finishing up my survey of materials from the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church Records, I discovered a large register from the parish (folio) containing names and dates for baptisms, confirmations, marriages and burials. The first entries dated all the way back to 1866—one year after the church was founded. Additionally, I learned from speaking with Processing Archivist, Georgette Mayo and looking at the collection’s deed of gift that Avery’s former associate director, Leila Potts-Campbell authorized the agreement between donor, Rev. Daniel J. Messier and the repository. Potts-Campbell is the daughter of the late John Potts, who was principal of Avery and presided over its transition from private institute to public school, beginning in 1947 until its closing in 1954.
Tuesday,
December 18th:
Using folders from the St. Mark’s Episcopal Church
Records that contained information pertaining to the church’s history and
architecture, I began drafting the historical note for the collection’s finding
aid. I also reviewed notes I took during my initial survey of the collection that
enabled me to begin developing the finding aids’ scope and content note and
establish a system of arrangement, i.e. series and folders. What’s more, I came
across a manual published by the South Carolina State Historical Records
Advisory Board on managing religious archives located in my office desk. The
manual is sure to be a great help to me in describing the various types of
materials present in the collection, as well as providing the appropriate
retention periods and storage of the collection’s records.
Wednesday,
December 19th - Friday, December 21st:
With Ms. Mayo and Assistant Director, Deborah Wright’s permission,
I worked from home in order to recover from foot surgery. Before going for the
surgery on Tuesday, I made sure to make copies of documents from the St. Mark’s
Episcopal Church Records’ donor file that would allow me to continue my work on
the collection’s finding aid—namely an inventory of
the collection that had been prepared prior to my survey of it, as well as
further information on the church’s history and architecture. For the remainder
of the week I kept my feet iced, wrapped and elevated, as I worked on
evaluating the video oral history interview for veteran filmmaker, Stanley Nelson. One of the things that Nelson said during his interview
that stayed with regard to his documentary film work is that you have to
figure out how to go to the next project while still working on your current
project. I thought that was great advice; considering that each IMLS Fellow, as
Chaitra’s recent post points out, will be on the hunt for their next professional
or academic endeavor in 2013.
(Charleston, SC --> New York, NY)
A view from my Friday morning flight home for the holiday break.
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