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110th Annual MeetingThe 110th Annual Meeting of the Wachovia Historical Society was held in the Gray Auditorium in the Old Salem Visitors Center, located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina on Tuesday, October 18, 2005. Prior to the meeting the audience was treated to music played by James V. Salzwedel on the 1800 Tannenberg organ. At 7:30 pm the meeting was called to order by President Sarah Hunter followed by the invocation, which was given by the Right Reverend Graham H. Rights. A moment of silent remembrance was observed for members who had died in the previous year. These included Dr. Eben Alexander, Mr. Charles H. Babcock, Jr., Mr. James O. Harrington, Jr., Mr. E. Irvin Leinbach, Miss Alice Litwinchuk, Mr. William H. Petree, Ms. Susan Smith Taylor, and Mrs. Margaret Siewers Turner. In her opening remarks, President Hunter noted that with the death of Susan Taylor the Wachovia Historical Society lost a cherished friend, who had given valuable service to the Society. She was a member of the Board of Directors and served as chair of the publications committee. She provided editorial leadership during the reprinting of Moravians in Europe and America 1415 – 1865, Hidden Seed and Harvest. She was especially interested in the restoration of the Single Sisters House and prepared a small, but comprehensive history of the building in preparation for its restoration. The President announced that the Society was making a donation of $5,000.00 towards its restoration to Salem Academy and College in Susan’s honor. Representing Salem Academy and College to accept the donation were Jane Carmichael and Gwynne Taylor. The President reported that one of the major events of the past year was the transfer of ownership of the Society’s immense collection of Native American artifacts to the Museum of Anthropology of Wake Forest University. Many of the artifacts were collected by Rev. Dr. Douglas L. Rights, who served as President of the Wachovia Historical Society and was known as the “father of North Carolina archeology”. Other items in the collection originated with the Moravian Mission Society. President Hunter recognized Dr. Steve Whittington, director of the Museum of Anthropology, who was in the audience. An exhibit based on the collection will open at the Sawtooth Center on Wednesday, December 7, and an opening reception will be hosted by the Society, the Cherokee-Moravian Historical Association, and the Friends of the Museum of Anthropology. In her closing remarks, President Hunter thanked the members of the Board who were retiring from the Board of Directors. Libby Ayers and Rod Myers had each completed three three-year terms, and Craig Atwood and Michele Gillespie had completed two three-year terms. All have provided dedicated service and strong leadership. Following the President's remarks, Libby Ayers presented the report of the Nominating Committee. ChiChi Messick, Molly Rawls, Scott Venable, and Dallas Vogler were elected to the Board of Directors. Elected officers were Frederic Spach (President), Jimmie Snyder (Vice President), Jim Kuzmanovich (Secretary), and Richard Starbuck (Treasurer). The annual address was given by Professor Katherine M. Faull of Bucknell University. Professor Faull is the author of the book Moravian Women’s Memoirs: Their Related Lives 1750 – 1820, which illustrated the significant professional responsibilities given to women in the 18th century Moravian Church. Her address “Entering the Single Sisters House: The Lives of 18th Century Moravian Women” outlined the unusual opportunities given to single Moravian women in Bethlehem and Salem during that time. The 110th annual meeting concluded with the presentation of the 7th Annual Archie K. Davis award which was awarded to Robert Arthur Spaugh. Arthur served as President of Old Salem, Inc. for thirteen years, and during that time he provided strong leadership for Old Salem’s restoration, preservation and interpretation efforts. For example, during this time Old Salem restored fifteen historic buildings, began a horticultural and landscape restoration program, and opened a museum in the 1775 Community Building. In addition to serving Old Salem Arthur gave of his time and energy to the Southern Province of the Moravian Church, the Boy Scouts, the YMCA and the Rotary Club. Arthur also served on the Board of Directors of the Wachovia Historical Society, and in that role he worked diligently on the efforts of the Society to convert the Adam Spach rock house property into a public space. Unfortunately, this has not yet occurred, but the Society continues to work on the project; building on Arthur’s leadership the Society has seen recent signs of progress. It is very grateful to Arthur for all he has done. All contents, unless otherwise indicated, This page was last updated on:
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