Volume 8, Number 5
Oct 1984

Paper Museum Group Celebrates Dard's Birthday

Last November, the Friends of the Dard Hunter Paper Museum celebrated the centennial of Dard Hunter's birth at its third annual meeting. The first day's events took place in Columbus, Ohio, and were sponsored by Ohio State University; the second day's events took place in nearby Chillicothe, Dard Hunter's home town, where his family still lives. The group's newsletter reported events and recent developments in its February issue. Excerpts follow.

President Timothy Barrett gave the keynote address, "Dard Hunter, Hand Papermaker". . . Tim introduced H. S. (Doug) Dugal, Director of Information Services at the Institute of Paper Chemistry [in Appleton, Wisconsin] and the officer responsible for the Dard Hunter Paper Museum. Dr. Dugal presented an update on the status of the Museum and plans for its future. There have been three evaluations of the Museum done during the last 15 years: in 1968 by Henk Voorn, Director of the Dutch Foundation for Paper History and past President of the International Society of Paper Historians; in 1978 by Walter J. Heacock, American Association for State and Local History; and in 1983 by Virginia R. Stewart, Consultant in Archives, History and Administration, Acting Director, Elmhurst Historical Museum. Dr. Dugal feels that the evaluations did not take into account the I.P.C.'s situation.

The I.P.C. has hired Dorothy Riedl as a part-time curator, and there are hopes to add another part-time staff member. Obviously, more help is needed: there is no access for the handicapped, and there have been some thefts from the Museum. To address the latter problem, an ornamental gate has been installed at the entrance to the collections. Dehumidifiers have improved climate control over the past year, and shields against ultra-violet light are in place over fluorescent lighting fixtures. A new building would solve many of these problems.

The collections contain about 10,000 items, including 2,000 books. In addition to some recent acquisitions, the library plans to purchase Dard Hunter II's two-volume history of his father's work, with financing assisted by a $500 grant from the Fox City Arts Alliance. I.P.C. alumni have donated $400 to the Museum, TAPPI's Lake States Section has given $1,000, and Tom Boldt has donated $1,500. In order to convene a team of conservation experts who will evaluate needs of the collection, Dr. Dugal is seeking grant money. Dr. Dugal thanked Doug Stone for the many hours he has donated to the Museum, providing care and limited treatment to 15 to 20 items.

Dr. Dugal described the following future concerns for the Museum: a list of conservation and curatorial priorities; another membership drive; an investigation into endowments; tax-exempt status; an expansion of exhibition and storage facilities; increased insurance coverage; a computerized catalogue of the collections; a purpose-built museum building. An Appleton group headed by Mowry Smith is especially concerned with these matters and met with Tim Barrett on August 23, 1983.

A book by Doug Stone and Doug Dugal, The Watermarks in the Dard Hunter Paper Museum, will be available shortly, and there are plans for future publications.

I.P.C., through Dr. Dugal's office, has provided paper, printing, collating, and mailing of the Newsletter. The Friends have paid only for postage.

Vice-president Kathryn Clark announced that membership has reached 230--113 now members this year. . . . Tim discussed a critical need for the Friends to centralize operations and establish a system to accept conations through the I.P.C. The most efficient solution is to appoint Dr. Doug Dugal as Executive Secretary to the Friends. . . . Tim led discussion concerning the next annual meeting. The majority of Friends present wanted it to be held at I.P.C. sometime between early October and mid-November each year. After much discussion, both pro and con, the following schedule [of membership dues] was approved for 1984:

Ordinary member	$15
Student/Apprentice	10
Institution	50
Overseas postage	+ 3

The Newsletter is edited by Karen Garlick and Christine Smith, 6610 Potomac Avenue, A2, Alexandria, VA 22307. All correspondence related to the Friends should be sent in care of Dr. H. S. Dugal, Institute of Paper Chemistry, P0 Box 1039, Appleton, WI 54912.

The now president is Howard Clark and the new secretary/treasurer is Susan Page. The two vice-presidents, elected by postal ballot in late 1983 (results of which have not yet reached the Abbey Newsletter office) will be one papermaker and one conservator, consistent with the balance maintained in the Executive Council between the two groups.