INSIDE Page 2 & 3 Exhibit Schedule Summer Interns CLIR Grant Report Page 4 & 5 Educational Programs Page 6 Schwenkfelder Heritage Tour 2014 Page 7 Winterthur Downton Abbey Exhibit Bus Tour Page 8 & 9 Studying the PA Dutch Symposium Christmas Market Viehweg Update Page 10 & 11 New Book Library Update Bequest Penn Dry Goods Market Wish List Needs Page 12 Brown Bag Lectures Page 13 Exhibits/Program Schedule Page 14 Annual Fund 2013/2014 105 Seminary Street Pennsburg, PA 18073-1898 Phone: 215.679.3103 Fax: 215.679.8175
info@schwenkfelder.com www.schwenkfelder.com
Heritage Headlines
September 2013 Volume 16, Issue 3
SHHH – IT’S A SECRET! The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center is part of a covert operation – it’s so secret we can’t even give you much of a hint! We are asking all our friends and supporters to check the Heritage Center website after 11:00 am on Thursday, September 19, when we will be making a special announcement about our role in a new, innovative statewide initiative. Online voting will be involved and will not be limited to one time/one person – anyone can vote as many times as they possibly want to between Thursday, September 19 and Friday, November 1. We are urging everyone out there who’s a friend of the Heritage Center to “vote early and vote often!” And please encourage your family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, church members – anyone you can talk into it – to do likewise! While we realize this is not much information, it is all the information we are permitted to divulge at this time. On Thursday, September 19, at 11:00 am, all will be revealed and the opportunity for your help will begin. PLEASE check out our website homepage, www.schwenkfelder.com, Thursday, September 19, to see what the “buzz” is about! Thank you! WELCOME DON PRICE Join with us in welcoming Don Price, our new Director of Development. Don comes to us after serving as the President of Oxford Graduate School, a distance education school focused on training those in the helping professions, and Chester County Community Dental Center. While at the Graduate School, Don developed their online communications and social media presence, did their first annual campaign in 30 years, and structured a planned giving program. While at the Dental Center, Don grew their grant program from $250,000.00 per year to $400,000.00, and helped the Center build an individual donor base. One of Don’s lifelong passions has been the study of the intersection between faith and culture, also a focus of the Heritage Center. He earned a Masters and Doctorate of Theology in Missiology from the University of South Africa. Missiology is an interdisciplinary study that applies the insights of social anthropology to Christian faith. The Heritage Center preserves and interprets the material and social culture of one band of Christians over the centuries. Don looks forward to helping the Heritage Center 1 further its mission.
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Volume 16, Issue 3
SCULPTURES BY KLAUS IHLENFELD
TIME TO EAT!
Also from his Collection: African, American-Indian, South Pacific, and Pre-Columbian Art Works Through September 29 Fraktur Gallery
Cooking and Dining in the SLHC Collections Through April 25, 2014 Art Gallery
This fall our visitors will have a very special exhibit awaiting them — the bronze sculptures of Klaus Ihlenfeld combined with selections from his amazing collection of African, American-Indian, South Pacific and Pre-Columbian works of art. German-born Klaus has shown his work both nationally and internationally throughout his career and had the great distinction of serving as Harry Bertoia’s studio assistant. Today he makes his home with his wife Patty in the hills of Hereford Township, Berks County. The Heritage Center is pleased and proud to have the opportunity to work with an artist of Klaus’ stature!
LOCAL LANDSCAPES Through September 18 First Floor Meeting Room Artists have been capturing the beauty of our local area on canvas since the 19th century. Visit to see a group of paintings from the Heritage Center’s permanent collection spanning the decades from the mid 19th century to the late 20th, including eminent artists such as Schwenkfelder descendant Walter Baum and the work of the many talented amateur painters who recorded the changing landscape with paint and brush.
“Unto Us a Child is Born” CHRISTMAS PUTZ November 1 – March 2, 2014 Local History Gallery The Heritage Center’s annual Christmas Putz this year will feature the theme “Unto Us a Child is Born” using our extensive collection of nativity figures, animals, and angels to tell the Christmas story. The exhibit will continue through the Epiphany season. We will also be exhibiting a special recent gift to the collection from our good friend and board member Karen Wright – an antique handmade Christmas tree platform. These platforms are not common, and we are very fortunate to have been able to add this one to our Ronald S. Treichler Putz collection.
Food is at the very heart of Pennsylvania German family life, plus a part of meaningful holidays such as the Schwenkfelders’ Gedächtnistag or Day of Remembrance. Using the bountiful food-related collections at the Heritage Center, this exhibition explores the important activities of preparing food and eating together in our PA German culture, featuring selections from our extensive collection of ceramics, glass, and metalware.
UPPER PERKIOMEN VALLEY BASEBALL MEMORABILIA Library Hallway Exhibit Cases The local leagues played an important recreational role throughout the Perkiomen Valley in the early and mid 20th century. Be sure to stop by and take a stroll down memory lane!
SLHC TO HOST STUDIO B “Artist Members on the Road” EXHIBITION: ELEMENTS OF FRAKTUR October 13 – January 17, 2014 Meeting Room The Heritage Center is pleased and proud to be the host of Studio B’s annual traveling exhibit for their members this year titled “Elements of Fraktur.” Studio B is a wonderful not-for-profit gallery in Boyertown, Berks County, with an enthusiastic and eclectic mix of artists. Susan Biebuyck, gallery director at Studio B, Boyertown's Fine Art Gallery, encouraged the studio's 80+ artist members to be inspired by the colorful folk art known as Fraktur, popular with the early Pennsylvania German folk culture, and to submit work using fresh and creative approaches for an exclusive exhibit to be held at Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center entitled "Elements of Fraktur." All of the work will be available for purchase, so keep it in mind for your holiday shopping! The opening reception for the exhibit will be held on Sunday, October 13, from 2:00 to 4:00 with delicious seasonal desserts, coffee, and punch. All are welcome and admission is free. Visit www.studiobbb.org for more information about this superb opportunity for artists in our local communities.
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Volume 16, Issue 3
THE SAMUEL W. PENNYPACKER COLLECTION October 27 – March 16, 2014 Fraktur Gallery In 1920 Schwenkfelder Library officials purchased a large portion of the over 1200 lots at the final auction of the late Governor Samuel Pennypacker’s collections. Pennypacker was a well-known historian and antiquarian bibliophile and had a keen eye for a treasure and bargain. The Schwenkfelder Library was the fortunate recipient of enormously significant collections of Dutch and German Mennonite, Schwenkfelder, and colonial Pennsylvania books and manuscripts, plus Pennypacker’s accumulation of fraktur that included Vorschriften (writing models) and drawings from Montgomery, Bucks, and Lancaster Counties. In our upcoming fall exhibit we will be featuring many selections from the Governor’s collections, with an emphasis on his most extraordinary book and manuscript treasures and, of course, his fraktur. Pennypacker collected some of the earliest Vorschriften in the Heritage Center’s collection that were made by Mennonite schoolmaster Huppert Cassel; some stunning examples by Schwenkfelder schoolmaster David Kriebel; and just a gorgeous array of fraktur wonders that will delight the eye and inspire the spirit. This is the first time the Heritage Center will show this collection as it relates to the Governor as a turn of the 20th century bibliophile, and we are excited to offer our visitors the unique opportunity to have a glimpse into a world when valuable books and fraktur could be had for mere dollars at a bookstore or auction. This exhibit is being held in conjunction with our joint symposium on November 2 with the Goschenhoppen Historians, “Studying the Pennsylvania Dutch.” Dr. Iren Snavely of the Pennsylvania State Archives, an authority on Pennypacker, will be presenting at the symposium. See page 8 for details.
Interns—pictures here
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MORE “CLIR” PROGRESS Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives With only six months left of the Hidden Collections grant, the textile cataloging project has progressed immensely. Having completed the cataloging and photography of the quilts, samplers, decorated hand towels, and other examples of fine embroidery, the current endeavor has been clothing and accessories. Each site has provided a variety of unique articles of clothing and styles, and in particular, the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center has wonderful examples of early 19th century men’s and women’s attire, a plethora of wedding gowns and a vast grouping of mid-19th century children’s clothing. Also to be included; baseball uniforms from Red Hill, Green Lane, and East Greenville; costumes from the Sleepy Hollow Ranch; two Civil War coats; dolls; fans; jewelry; and hats galore. This particular phase of the cataloging process has provided the most objects cataloged thus far (over 500 items) which should indicate the important role clothing has in telling the story of our past. Once the catalog has been published online, researchers and guests will be able to see how the Schwenkfelders’ clothing choices transformed from homespun short gowns to store-bought dresses and suits.
SUPER COLLECTIONS INTERNS There is so much work to be done with the museum collection that we are always delighted to have extra sets of hands. We have been fortunate to have two energetic young women, Catherine Kile and Becca Klaumenzer, who have assisted with cataloging, data entry, and exhibits over the past few months – they are always cheerfully pitching in! Catherine is a recent graduate of Montgomery County Community College with a major in history and will be attending the College of Liberal and Professional Studies at the University of Pennsylvania in the fall. Becca is entering her senior year at Upper Perkiomen High School and is presently college-shopping. She is very interested in World War II history, both military and the homefront. Thanks to Catherine and Becca for their excellent contributions in managing collections and putting together exhibits!
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Heritage Headlines FAMILY & HOMESCHOOL WORKSHOPS
Hand-Built Clay Plates September 10, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Learn basic techniques of sgraffito (scratching into a clay surface) and decorating with slip (liquid clay) that the PA Germans used to create the dual colored pottery in the Heritage Center’s collection as seen in the exhibit "Time to Eat". Make a small hand-built clay project. Thanksgiving Traditions September 24, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Share your Thanksgiving traditions with others and participate in the oldest continually celebrated day of Thanksgiving in the United States by sharing a meal of bread and apple butter as the Schwenkfelders did! Paste Paper October 8, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Paste papers are decorative papers made with repeating patterns used to cover and line the inside of books as seen in our collection. They are hand painted with colored paste. Make your own paste paper that you can use as a book cover or note cards. This activity is perfect for all ages! Decorative Writing October 22, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Discover how writing models called Vorschriften were used for instructional purposes and for decorative purposes by the Schwenkfelders and other PA Germans. Engage in the art of calligraphy and create your own Fraktur.
PRIMARY RESOURCES AVAILABLE FOR TEACHERS Offer your students a better understanding and sense of local and regional history with primary sources from our collection. New for the 2013/2014 school year and beyond, the Heritage Center can provide you with documents and images to use in your classroom. Document analysis develops higher order thinking and critical thinking skills essential for every student.
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Volume 16, Issue 3
Inclement Weather Policy for Education Programs As a reminder to parents, in case of inclement weather, classes will only be cancelled if Upper Perkiomen School District closes for the day. School cancellations can be found on www.wfmz.com, www.cbs3.com, and your local TV stations. We will post announcements on our website, www.schwenkfelder.com as well as our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/Schwenkfelder .
Symbols, Faith, and History November 5, 1:30 – 3:00 pm View Reformation period books and manuscripts from our archive and investigate the rich symbolism behind garden imagery and texts. Create drawings and block prints inspired by images and techniques of the past! Tinware November 26, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Make a small tin punch project inspired by the objects of tin in the Heritage Center's collection and the work made by local tinsmiths. Miniature Putz December 3, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Create your own miniature village on a small platform with moss, plants, miniature animals, and painted paper. Holiday Ornaments December 17, 1:30 – 3:00 pm Inspired by traditions of the past and present, create an assortment of cardboard decorations, cookie cutter shaped ornaments, paper boxes, and popcorn and cranberry strings to add to our classroom tree and add to your holiday ornament collection. Pennsylvania, the formation of Protestant communities in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania German Life in the 19th century, and American life in Germany in 1905.
These documents include photographs from the H. Winslow Fegley collection, letters written and exchanged in the 18th century, diaries, almanacs, government documents, Our archival documents represent a range of historical and more. While most of our archival holdings are in the periods and topics from the 18th century to present day German language, we have a selection of correspondence including: Immigration to Pennsylvania, Pacifism during transcribed and translated into modern German and English. the American Revolutionary War, German-American daily Contact our Museum Educator Rebecca Lawrence to life, Colonial life, European and Native American Relations inquire about our file formats. To view a comprehensive list, during the Colonial period, the History of Education in visit www.schwenkfelder.com/Education/primaryresources.html
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Volume 16, Issue 3
WEEKEND ADULT AND FAMILY CRAFT WORKSHOPS Join us on Saturday mornings for crafts and leisure inspired by our collection. Holiday Ornaments & PA German Traditions Saturday, November 23 Drop in between 10:00 am – 1:00 pm $10 adults ($5 youth participants) Recommended for ages 5+ Inspired by traditions of the past and present, create an assortment of cardboard decorations, cookie cutter shaped ornaments, paper boxes, and popcorn and cranberry strings in preparation for the Holiday season to add to our classroom tree and add to your ornament collection.
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ADULT EDUCATION OPPORTUNITY LIFE LONG LEARNING CLASS NEW GOSCHENHOPPEN CHURCH Intro to Calligraphy Tuesdays at 9:30 am October 1, 8, 15, and 22 Join Museum Educator Rebecca Lawrence at New Goschenhoppen Church Tuesday mornings at 9:30 am, October 1, 8, 15, and 22, to learn the introductory skills in working with pen and ink one must master in order to write in the fraktur hand. We'll learn the basics including: holding the pen, creating thick and thin lines, slants, curves, modeling O's, A's and C's, creating letterforms with loops, and lastly, forming decorative capitals, words, and phrases. Calligraphic examples presented from the Heritage Center's fraktur collection will inspire you! For registration information contact Maribeth Reigner, 610-326-3099. Class size is limited, registration is first come, first served basis.
FALL INTO WINTER An Artists’ Studio & Gallery Tour 2013 November 23 and 24
BEGINNER–ADVANCED GERMAN AND LATIN FOR HOMESCHOOLERS K – 12 Join us in learning the languages of German and Latin throughout the school year! Students have the option of attending class 10:00 am – 11:30 am or 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Wednesdays and 10:00 am – 11:30 am or 1:30 pm – 3:00 pm Fridays, completing a total of three hours of instruction per week and eight classes per monthly session. $50.00 per student each monthly session. September 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27 October 2, 4, 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25 November 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 27, 29 December 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20
The community is invited to enjoy touring the studios of well-known artists in Boyertown, Oley, Barto, and the surrounding areas in this annual driving tour. Finish your holiday shopping early with everything from pottery and glass to paintings and jewelry. Included on the tour are the Heritage Center; Rohrbach Pottery, Barto; Bey’s Rock Shop, Boyertown; Studio B Art Gallery, Boyertown; Taylor Backes Glass Studio and Gallery, Boyertown; Dancing Tree Creations Artisans Gallery & Studio, Boyertown; and Clay on Main, Oley. For more information and maps, please contact Studio B Art Gallery, www.studiobbb.org/fall-into-winter, or telephone the gallery at 484-332-2757.
PA GERMAN DIALECT CONVERSATION GROUP
“Mer wolle
The group meets on a monthly basis to discuss topics in PA Dutch! There's no charge to widder Deitsch join the conversation group and no RSVP is required. Fall 2013 meetings occur on Thursdays, Schwetze” September 19, October 17, November 21, and December 19, from 2:00 to 3:30 pm in the Heritage Center's Meeting Room. Meetings occur year round. We provide coffee and tea during the meetings. Topics change each month and participants are encouraged to bring their own dialect materials or topics to discuss. Please contact Museum Educator Rebecca Lawrence with questions at 215-679-3103 or via email: rebecca@schwenkfelder.com.
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Volume 16, Issue 3
Schwenkfelder Heritage Tour 2014 September 24—October 10, 2014 For tour details and a tour itinerary call 215-679-3103—ask for Dave Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center Planned and hosted by Allen Viehmeyer and David Luz The Heritage Tour is limited to 20 people total, first-come, first-served basis—twelve seats are booked—8 seats remain. The Heritage Tour will include much walking. The guided tours in the large and small towns will be primarily walking tours. Travelers on this tour should be in good physical condition and be prepared to stay active. We will be meeting people at a number of our stops who live in the community. The traveler will have an opportunity to experience their food and culture first-hand. The Gemeindehaus in Berthelsdorf, where our Schwenkfelder ancestors gathered. We will see the building in the process of restoration and talk to people involved in its preservation.
Experience authentic German and Polish food and culture— travel as a German tourist would travel.
SCHWENKFELDER HERITAGE TOUR 2014 Information Meetings Wednesday, September 11, 2013, noon Sunday, September 15, 2013, 2:00 pm Walk where Schwenckfeld and our forefathers and foremothers walked. Come along with us “off the beaten track” in eastern Germany and western Poland—plus a short stop in the Czech Republic. In Poland, visit a nunnery and castle ruins and in Legnica (Liegnitz), the palace where Schwenckfeld served. In Osiek (Ossig) we will visit Schwenckfeld’s family church. We will tour Zlotoryja (Goldberg) in the heart of the Silesian Schwenkfelder lands. At Twardocice (Harpersdorf), we’ll walk to the Viehweg Monument and visit the chapel built on Meschter property from the fines imposed in the 1720s—and enjoy a lunch prepared by residents of Twardocice. And much more, including a feast at the Grodziec (Groeditzburg) Castle where some of our forefathers were once imprisoned. Stay in the Elbe river town of Pirna where Schwenkfelder ancestors found passage to Altona on the way to Pennsylvania. Board a river boat in Dresden and disembark at Meissen where we walk through the town and enjoy lunch on our own. Guided walking tours through the small cities of Wittenberg and Quedlinburg and stops at Torgau, Magdeburg, and Tangermünde. At some locations, friends and locals will meet and guide the tour group. This is the opportunity of a lifetime. In addition to Schwenkfelder sites, we will tour Dresden, Oybin, Zittau and, of course, Berlin. The tour is limited to 20 persons on a first-come, first-served basis! Contact David Luz at info@schwenkfelder.com or call 215-679-3103 for a detailed itinerary with cost.
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Volume 16, Issue 3
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Costumes of Downton Abbey® A special exhibition at Winterthur, Saturday, April 12, 2014 Coach departs Heritage Center at 8:30 am and returns approximately 5:00 pm Costumes of Downton Abbey® is an original exhibition of exquisite designs from the awardwinning television series. Approximately 35 historically accurate costumes from the television show will be displayed and supplemented by photographs and vignettes inspired by the fictional program and by real life at Winterthur. Visitors will have a chance to step into and experience the world of Downton Abbey® and the contrasting world of Winterthur founder Henry Francis du Pont and his contemporaries in the first half of the 20th century. In addition, Winterthur will host a wide range of lectures, workshops, and exciting events for adults and families focusing on entertaining and country house life in Britain and the United States. A co-production of Carnival Films and Masterpiece, Downton Abbey® depicts life in an aristocratic household of the fictional Earl and Countess of Grantham and is one of the most popular and critically acclaimed period dramas ever produced. It has won a Golden Globe Award for Best Miniseries and seven Emmys including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Miniseries. It was the most watched television series in both the UK and the U.S. and became the most successful British costume drama series since the 1981 television serial Brideshead Revisited. By the third series, it had become one of the most widely watched television shows in the world. The Guinness World Records recognized Downton Abbey® as the most critically acclaimed English-language television series of 2011. The costumes will be lent by Cosprop, the world’s leading costumier to film, television, and theater. Winterthur’s most popular exhibition, Fashion in Film, which attracted more than 42,000 people over its three-month run, also featured costumes by Cosprop.
Call Joanne 215-679-3103 for reservations. Seating is limited. $65.00 per person includes: ♦ ♦
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Transportation Entry to Winterthur: Garden Tram Tour, Introductory tour of home and entry to exhibition galleries Buffet lunch at McKenzie Brew House in Glen Mills All fees and gratuities
Tour will go rain or shine—please bring umbrellas and rain gear if the weather looks threatening. The bus leaves from and returns to the parking lot of the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, 105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg.
Sponsored by
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Volume 16, Issue 2
The Goschenhoppen Historians & The Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center Presents The Eighth Biannual Thomas R. Brendle Folklife Symposium
Studying the Pennsylvania Dutch Scholars of the Oral, Written & Material Culture November 2, 2013, 8:00 am – 3:30 pm At the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, 105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg Registration: $40.00 (includes lunch) Bruce D. Bomberger — The Making of Museum Makers – The Landis Brothers Mr. Bomberger has worked for the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission since 1984 and as a curator at Landis Valley Museum in Lancaster since 1997. He will give the history of the Landis brothers’, Henry and George, efforts to collect the material culture of the Pennsylvania Dutch. Mark L. Louden — Documenting the Pennsylvania Dutch Language Mr. Louden is a professor of German at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is a fluent speaker of Pennsylvania Dutch. As far back as the late 18th century, observers have offered descriptions of Pennsylvania Dutch and its speakers. Many have been critical, especially regarding the supposed influence of English on the language. He will discuss a number of these views, both popular and scholarly. Don Yoder — Marion Dexter Learned, Pioneer in Pennsylvania Dutch Studies Don Yoder needs no introduction as he is widely known as the dean of Pennsylvania Dutch folk studies. Marion D. Learned headed the German Department at the University of Pennsylvania 1895 – 1917, during which time he mentored key players in the Pennsylvania Dutch field – Edwin M. Fogel and Preston Barba. Linda Dyke — Henry Mercer – His connections with PA Dutch Culture Around the Turn of 20th Century Ms. Dyke worked as an assistant curator at the Fonthill Museum in Doylestown. She will present an overview of Mercer’s publications, including Tools of the Nation Maker, Bible in Iron, Ancient Carpenter’s Tools. Hedda Durnbaugh — Abraham Cassel Self-Taught Historian and Bibliophile Ms Durnbaugh is the archivist at Juniata College, which holds a portion of the Abraham H. Cassel collection of volumes, manuscripts and fraktur on early Pennsylvania Dutch religious life and history. Iren Snavely — Samuel W. Pennypacker Legacy of His Writings on Pennsylvania Mr. Snavely is the rare books librarian for the State Library of Pennsylvania. Governor Pennypacker’s legacy is his writings and collection of important Pennsylvania-related books, manuscripts, fraktur, and material culture. Registration Name: _________________________________
Phone: _______________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________________ Email:
_________________________________
No. of persons ____ @ $40.00 each: total ______
Make checks payable to and mail to: Goschenhoppen Historians, PO Box 476, Green Lane, PA 18054 Registration Deadline: October 25, 2013 OR: Register on-line at www.goschenhoppen.org
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Volume 16, Issue 2
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CHRISTMAS MARKET: MARKET Christmas Market Comes But Once a Year… Saturday, December 7 – 9:30 am to 4:00 pm; Sunday, December 8 – Noon to 4:00 pm You won’t want to miss it! As always we will have our wonderful shopping event here at the Heritage Center with an array of gifts and holiday décor that is fun, unusual, and, in some cases exclusive to us. Come early for the best selection – our devoted shoppers are known to scoop up their favorites right away. We have some little surprises in the works, also, to help us usher in the Christmas season. Start out with us: SHOP: Remembering the Good Old Days Christmas Shopping Fun EXHIBITS: Christmas Putz – “Unto Us A Child Is Born”; The Samuel W. Pennypacker Collection; Studio B Traveling Show: Elements of Fraktur Then on to the Goschenhoppen Historians: SHOP: Vintage Christmas Collectibles, Home Baked Goodies, Folk Festival Craftsmen's Wares EXHIBIT: Trees and Trains, 18th and 19th century holiday exhibits in the Museum LOCATION: Red Men’s Hall, Routes 29 and 63, Green Lane Finish your day at the Mennonite Heritage Center: SHOP: Folk Art & Beyond exhibit/sale (traditional/contemporary crafts); Portraying Home: Art exhibit/sale EXHIBIT: Heritage Farm Toys exhibit LOCATION: 565 Yoder Road, Harleysville For more information, directions, or decisions about inclement weather, call the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center at 215-679-3103 or the Mennonite Heritage Center at 215-256-3020.
VIEHWEG MONUMENT 15OTH ANNIVERSARY 1863 - 2013 Throughout the year 2013 we are marking the 150th anniversary of the placing of the Viehweg Monument in Harpersdorf, Germany – now Twardocice, Poland. The Viehweg Committee is hoping to raise $15,000 through 100 donations of $150. The funds will be used to meet current and future needs of care for the monument. We are pleased to announce that we have received 56 donations for a total raised of $8,185.00. A very enthusiastic “Thank you!” goes out to those who have contributed to these efforts. Gifts are still being received. If you would like to support this project, send your check, clearly marked “Viehweg Project,” and payable to: Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center. In addition, we are especially pleased to announce that the monument has been cleaned and treated. The Viehweg Committee signed a contract in June and we received word on August 1 that the work has been completed (see picture at right) . We are due to receive an official report of the restoration shortly and then we will forward payment. “Here rest in God the faithful Schwenkfelders who were buried in this Viehweg between 1720 and 1740. The descendants in North America erected this monument in memory of their ancestors in Probsthayn, Harpersdorf, Langneuendorf, and Lauterseifen.”
Newly cleaned and treated!
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Volume 16, Issue 2
NEW ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY NEW BOOK AVAILABLE: Letters From a Montana Sheep Man The True Tale of Isaac S. Schultz who survived the blizzards of 1886-87 – and why he went missing for 44 years. It’s one thing to see everything you worked for disappear in a weather event of epic proportions. It is quite another thing to completely disappear for 44 years. But that is exactly what Isaac Schultz did. Alone in the Montana Territory, Isaac saw his dream of striking it rich crushed by the “big die-up” winter of 1886-87. Devastated and not wishing to admit failure to his family back east, the 36-year-old sheep rancher chose to disappear for the rest of his life. When he was 79 years old and in failing health, Isaac’s wife devised a scheme that would eventually reunite him with his astonished relatives. From the Wild West of the 1880s to the rural farmlands of eastern Pennsylvania during the Great Depression, Letters from a Montana Sheep Man is a heartbreaking tale of one family’s race against time to find each other again before it is too late. Available from the Heritage Center for $23.99 plus $5.95 shipping and handling.
DID YOU KNOW? Did you know charitable gifts are an important part of funding the work of the Heritage Center? Every gift to our Annual Fund Campaign helps us to keep our valued collections accessible to the public, free of charge, all year long. 2013 tax year fact: For 2013, IRS rules allow you to direct your Required Minimum Distribution from an IRA as a charitable gift to the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center. You must be over 70-1/2 years of age, and the amount can’t exceed $100,000. Talk to your tax advisor or financial planner to find out whether this makes sense for you.
Summer 2013 New to the Archives: Johannes Gehman account ledger, 1817-1849. Purchase. Four photo albums of Elmer E. S. Johnson family in Germany, ca. 1904. Donated by Waldo and Lena Johnson. Hereford Township election returns, local offices, 1899. From the estate of Paul Clemmer. Miscellaneous items. Donated by the Emmaus Historical Society. New to the Library: Letters from a Montana Sheep Man: The True Tale of Isaac S. Schultz Who Survived the Blizzards of 1886-87, and Why He Went Missing for 44 Years. Edited and donated by Darlene Della Schneck. Microcosm: Portrait of a Central European City, by Norman Davies and Roger Moorhouse. Donated by David Luz. Record of Tombstone Inscriptions, Bally Mennonite Cemetery. Donated by Frances Eschbach Kinney.
Mills of the Goschenhoppen Region Sunday, November 10, 2:00 pm The mill owned by Elmer Graber Stahl was located in lower Lehigh County, in lower Milford Township on the Indian Creek in Powder Valley. Mr. Graber purchased this mill in 1935 and sold it in 1946 to the Harleysville Milling Company. Mr. Graber did a lot of research on local mills and in his nineties was still writing his book. His area of interest stretched from Huffs Church to Sumneytown and Hosensack to Bally. After twenty more years of research, his daughter Gloria Stahl Woodland finally completed the project and included additional information, pictures, and had the book published in 2011. The book Mills of the Goschenhoppen Region contains a wealth of information on the mills of the Upper Perkiomen Valley. The Friends of the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center is honored to have Gloria Stahl Woodland as our guest November 10 at 2:00 pm. The public is invited to hear how she persevered with this project, also the love she has for her father’s writings.
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Volume 16, Issue 2
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A NOTEWORTHY BEQUEST
PENN DRY GOODS MARKET – SUCCESS!
We recently received a significant endowment bequest from the estate of Ronald Treichler.
Penn Dry Goods Market 2013, our first annual antique textiles show and sale with related programming, was a great success thanks to the excellent attendance, the fantastic dealers who exhibited, the wonderful speakers who drew substantial audiences, and the fabulous Heritage Center volunteers without whom we could not have made this event what it was.
Ron was a good friend and volunteer at the Heritage Center for many years. When we first opened our doors in 2001, Ron stepped up and wanted to know how he could help. He helped tremendously by working at our front desk and welcoming visitors in those early days in our new facilities. Over the years, he helped the Heritage Center in various ways: at Goschenhoppen Folk Festival, as a board member of the Friends of the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, in our Pennsylvania German language programs, and in donating and setting up the Christmas Putz for quite a few years. Ron was a special person who cared about the Upper Perkiomen Valley and the preservation of its rich heritage. By remembering the Heritage Center in his will with a substantial gift for the endowment fund, he is continuing to help the Heritage Center for years to come. We rely on our endowment for nearly 40% of our annual operating income. Building the endowment with future bequests is a crucial foundation for assuring a healthy and thriving Heritage Center. As Ron did in his will, please consider the Heritage Center in your estate planning.
ANNUAL FUND LEADING GIFT A special thank you to First Niagara Bank for making a grant of $5,000 to the Heritage Center as a lead gift for the 2013/2014 Annual Fund Campaign. The strong support of First Niagara Bank for this campaign demonstrates their firm commitment to the community, the Heritage Center, and to the preservation and interpretation of the heritage of the Perkiomen Region of southeast Pennsylvania. Hats off to this important partner and leader in our Annual Fund Campaign 2013/2014.
Planning has already begun to make Penn Dry Goods Market 2014, May 16 and 17, even better than this year! We are anticipating having more incredible speakers, and a few new dealers, to build on our 2013 success. Watch for our advertisements, the promotional postcards, and especially check out our website for when we announce the line-up of speakers and dealers for the next show. Space may be limited in some presentations, so you will want to sign up early. We also invite you to be a part of this great program as a volunteer or a sponsor of a lecture or our printed program. Lecture sponsorships are only $250, and a program advertisement is $50. Your sponsorship may be tax deductible. Please contact Dave Luz for more information on supporting this very special event!
YOUR NAME ON A BRICK! Join the hundreds of people who have already put their name or message on bricks lining the entrance to the Heritage Center! For a donation of $100/brick, you can have your name—eighteen letters/spaces per line, up to two lines—or an honored or memorialized loved one, inscribed on a brick and placed along the entrance walks of the Heritage Center. You may either send us the inscription with your check or credit card info for $100, or call, write, or email for a Brick Form and we’ll send it right out.
WISH LIST – WE NEED YOUR HELP! Our Heritage Headline readers have been very generous in supporting our call for needs at the Heritage Center – thank you so very much! Over the years we’ve added many things to our day-to-day operations which have helped us to accomplish our mission of preserving and interpreting the heritage of the Schwenkfelders and the Upper Perkiomen Valley. This newsletter, we’re looking for help with our Collections – storing our valuable textiles and transporting collections for programs off site. 4 – 36 x 48 portfolios for transporting quilts and other textiles for programs in the community at $60 each. 4 to 6 – magnetic hanger bars for the textile exhibition made by Kathleen Staples & Associates at $80 each.
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Heritage Headlines
www.schwenkfelder.com
Volume 16, Issue 2
SUMMER/FALL LECTURE SERIES As is our custom, we are offering a variety of lectures in various formats. The popular Brown Bag (BB) lunches are held on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at noon. Bring your lunch – beverages provided – and enjoy a free lecture while you eat. Please note that after the September program we are discontinuing the Sunday repeat presentation. These programs are free and open to the public. Wednesday, September 11, noon and Sunday, September 15, 2:00 pm Schwenkfelder Heritage Tour 2014 by David Luz
Wednesday, November 13, noon A Visit to Harpersdorf as told by Elmer and Rolland Johnson. by Allen Viehmeyer
David Luz and Allen Viehmeyer have planned their third Schwenkfelder Heritage Tour for September 24 – October 10, 2014. The Heritage Tour takes travelers off the beaten tourist path and into the areas of Poland and Germany from where our Schwenkfelder forebears departed. Fascinating for Schwenkfelder descendants and interested travelers alike, this program introduces the regions we will visit, the places we will stay, the foods we will enjoy, and especially the people we will meet.
The last week of July 1905 was a momentous occasion for Elmer, Agnes, and Rolland Johnson as they visited the ancestral home village of their forefather George Schultz. Johnson spent nearly two weeks in Harpersdorf searching for information about his family in church and legal records. He talked with many local people about the Schwenkfelders, and, of course, he visited the Viehweg burial site. Johnson records his experience and information in his diary, and Agnes, as spokesperson for Rolland, does the same. Hear about their visit through the words they recorded.
Approaching Meissen on the Elbe river—Albrecht’s Castle and the Meissen Cathedral tower over the peaceful Elbe river.
Wednesday, October 9, noon Joshua Schultz: Schwenkfelder Preacher (205-year birth date) by Allen Viehmeyer Joshua Schultz (1808– 1892) was the most important Schwenkfelder preacher in the second half of the nineteenth century. He was called by the Society of Schwenkfelders to become a minister, which caused a deep rift between him and his father and brother. Schultz was instrumental in publishing the Constitution of the Society and participated in several other projects undertaken by the Society. One of the last self-taught ministers, he served the Schwenkfelders for nearly fifty years, dying during the eulogy for one of his parishioners.
Wednesday, December 11, noon Schwenkfelder Life in Pennsylvania before 1780 by Allen Viehmeyer Schwenkfelders in eighteenth century Pennsylvania lived a life that was in some ways similar, some ways different than the life they abandoned in Germany. This illustrated slide lecture looks at a variety of their life experiences and attempts to convey what life among the Pennsylvania Schwenkfelders was like during the colonial period. Some of the topics covered are contacts with Silesia, homes, occupations, religious practice, and family life.
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Heritage Headlines
Volume 16, Issue 2
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Fall 2013 Programs and Events September 10 – 1:30 pm Homeschool Workshop: Clay Plates
November 23, 24 Fall into Winter: Artist Studio and Gallery Tour
September 11 – noon, 15 – 2:00 pm BB Lecture: Schwenkfelder Heritage Tour 2014
November 26 – 1:30 pm Homeschool Workshop: Tinware
September 19 – 11:00 am A Secret Revealed!
December 7 – 9:30 am and 8 – noon Christmas Market
September 19 – 2:00 pm PA German Dialect Conversation Group
December 3 – 1:30 pm Homeschool Workshop: Miniature Putz
September 22 – 3:00 pm Schwenkfelder Day of Remembrance Service
December 11 – noon BB Lecture: Schwenkfelder Life in PA Pre-1780
September 24 – 1:30 pm Homeschool Workshop: Thanksgiving
277TH SCHWENKFELDER DAY OF REMEMBRANCE
October 8 – 1:30 pm Homeschool Workshop: Paste Paper October 9 – noon BB Lecture: Joshua Schultz October 17 – 2:00 pm PA German Dialect Conversation Group October 22 – 1:30 pm Homeschool Workshop: Decorative Writing November 2 – 8:00 am Studying the PA Dutch Symposium November 5 – 1:30 pm Homeschool Workshop: Faith Symbols
Sunday, September 22, at 3:00 pm, congregations of the Schwenkfelder churches will gather for the 277th celebration of Day of Remembrance or Gedächtnistag. Services will be held at the Schwenkfelder Missionary Church in Philadelphia. Rev. Nicholas Pence of Palm Schwenkfelder Church will offer the message. The service of worship will be followed with the traditional meal of bread and apple butter. Bus transportation will be available from Palm and Central churches – please contact these church offices directly for information about the day.
November 10 – 2:00 pm Mills of the Goschenhoppen Region November 13 – noon, 15 BB Lecture: A Visit to Harpersdorf November 21 – 2:00 pm PA German Dialect Conversation Group November 23 – 1:30 pm Adult and Family Craft Workshop
NEW BENCHES Be sure to check out our new benches at our entrance. Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous donor, visitors can now wait for rides or for opening on beautiful new wooden benches.
Fall 2013 Exhibits Through September 18 Local Landscapes First Floor Meeting Room Through September 29 Sculptures by Klaus Ihlenfeld Fraktur Gallery Through April 25, 2014 Time to Eat! Art Gallery Continuing Upper Perkiomen Valley Baseball Memorabilia Library Hallway Exhibit Cases October 27 – March 16, 2014 The Samuel W. Pennypacker Collection Fraktur Gallery November 1 – March 2, 2014 Christmas Putz Local History Gallery October 13 – January 17, 2014 Studio B Traveling Show: Fraktur First Floor Meeting Room
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Volume 16, Issue 2
GET READY FOR ANNUAL FUND 2013/2014! Coming this fall, we will be mailing requests for donations for Annual Fund 2013/2014. We are so very grateful to everyone who has made our past campaigns a success – please consider participating this year. Honor someone by designating your gift in their name, or make a gift in memory of someone whom you desire to remember in a special way. If you prefer, anonymous donations are always welcome. If you would like, get a head start on our campaign by completing and returning the form below – or you can find the form and a link to PayPal on our website, if that’s more convenient for you. The Annual Fund Campaign concludes on March 31, 2014! PLEASE CHECK:
Heritage Club
$5,000 or more
Sustainers $2,500 - $4,999 Collectors $1,000—$2,499 Educators $500—$999 Archivists $250—$499 Preservationists $100—$249 Partners $50—$99 Contributors Under $50
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