Hi Cindy and Henry,
Just a comment on the date selection. The second weekend of August is when the Mark Twain Birth Shrine State Park hosts their Salt River Folk Festival and occasionally a Bass tournament on the lake. This makes it fairly crowded at the MT Birth Shrine. The festival is always good and worth a visit, the MT Shrine is a must visit, but it may not be a good time for researchers. The people at the MT Birthplace would be good to add to the committee. Looking forward to the possibilities.
Warren Brown
815.468.0635
-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Talbot <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Tue, Oct 5, 2010 8:13 pm
Subject: Re: Thoughts on Twain Conference in Hannibal?
Count me in too. Also, invite Hal Holbrook.
Rick Talbot
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Harris, Susan
Kumin
Sent: Friday, September 24, 2010 10:42 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Thoughts on Twain Conference in Hannibal?
Count me in, too. --susan harris
=20
Susan K. Harris
Hall Professor of American Literature & Culture
Department of English
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS 66042
________________________________
From: Mark Twain Forum on behalf of Cindy Lovell
Sent: Thu 9/23/2010 20:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Thoughts on Twain Conference in Hannibal?
Dear Forum Members,
We are all rightfully addicted to the excellent Twain conference held in =
El=3D
mira every four years. Barb Snedecor and her colleauges turn out a =
flawles=3D
s, perfectly executed endeavor that bestows upon each of us unique and =
last=3D
ing memories in a setting of kinship and camaraderie. No one is a =
stranger=3D
in Elmira. Many of you have contributed in terms of papers, =
presentations=3D
, etc.; the collaboration is extensive and necessary. And appreciated.
Henry Sweets and I have talked to a few of you in general terms - =
throwing =3D
out feelers - about the museum hosting a Twain conference here in =
Hannibal =3D
during the in-between years. We've had enough positive feedback to take =
it=3D
to the next level: all of you here on the Mark Twain Forum. We would =
in n=3D
o way want to detract (or distract) from Elmira (knowing full well that =
is =3D
simply not possible nor desirable) but would only like to provide a wee =
"fi=3D
x" to sustain us in between those long four year periods. We also =
believe =3D
that Hannibal (and nearby Florida) have much to offer in our own right =
in t=3D
erms of Sam Clemens's story, and this would give Twain scholars a chance =
to=3D
romp through the boyhood haunts. We are now seeking your insights on =
the =3D
possibility of hosting a conference here starting in August 2011.
A few points:
-Hannibal-LaGrange College can host us in terms of meeting rooms, dorms, =
et=3D
c.
-Tentatively thinking of August 11-13, 2011 (dates of availability of =
campu=3D
s) - trying to stay ahead of the fall semester (back-up dates: July =
28-30)
-Could provide a menu of tours and activities (riverboat, cave lantern =
tour=3D
s, Quarry Farm visit, behind the scenes museum tours, cemetery tours, =
Jacks=3D
on's Island tour, etc.)
-If greenlighted by the likes of you all, we'd need a small committee of =
vo=3D
lunteers to oversee a call for papers, etc.
-If no one sees a problem with this (let's hope you jump up and down and =
sa=3D
y, "Yes, this just might hold me over until we all get together again in =
El=3D
mira in 2013!"), we would need to get started right away.
-We would need a theme (childhood? river? slavery? no theme needed?)
-We could think of this as a "pilot" conference. If we do it and the =
feedb=3D
ack suggests we go no further, no harm done. But we do feel compelled =
to p=3D
resent Hannibal (and Florida) in an academic forum and believe this idea =
ha=3D
s merit.
-We can't do it without you.
Some "FYI" highlights about the museum - This year we have:
-installed several new permanent exhibits (handmade rug pallet in the =
Boyho=3D
od Home with panels discussing slavery in the Clemens household; period =
fur=3D
niture in the reconstructed Blankenship home and panels discussing =
slavery;=3D
etc.),=3D20
-launched a literary journal (The Village Pariah) inspired by =
Twain/Hanniba=3D
l/"place" (Ron Powers graciously provided our introductory essay) =
Subscript=3D
ions available!
-completed restorations of the exterior of the Laura Hawkins/Becky =
Thatcher=3D
home; moving indoors this winter to continue work
-borrowed the "missing" Rockwell painting (whitewashing scene) for an =
exten=3D
ded loan, so we now have all 16 under one roof=3D20
-recently hired African American storyteller Gladys Coggswell (author of =
St=3D
ories from the Heart: Missouri's African America Heritage - U of =
Missouri P=3D
ress) to do storytelling at the museum (slave narratives, Mary Ann =
Cord's s=3D
tory, etc.)
-begun the historic preservation of the 1844 Van Swearingen house (a =
gift f=3D
rom Martin Zehr) to sell next year as a benefit for the museum (Thank =
you, =3D
Martin and Susan!)
-completed our 4th series of teacher workshops and 3rd young authors =
worksh=3D
op=3D20
(If you're interested, young author stories:=3D20
http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/08/mountain_gap_middle_student_wa.html=3D=
20
and=3D20
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2010/06/05/twai=
n-=3D
leaves-mark-on-student-bound-for-authors-homeland.html)
We also learned recently we will receive the Governor's 2010 Humanites =
Awar=3D
d in October, and recent visitors included Senator Claire McCaskill and =
Pri=3D
nce Albert of Monaco. Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley (O Brother, Where =
Art=3D
Thou?) will perform here this Sunday; Ken Burns' pianist will perform =
on t=3D
he Gabrilowitsch piano Oct. 28, and our CD tribute to Mark Twain is =
schedul=3D
ed for release on Nov. 30 (Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, =
Vin=3D
ce Gill, Doyle Lawson, Carl Jackson, etc.). =3D20
Again, my main reason for this email was to ask for your ideas, thoughts =
an=3D
d yes, blessings, to give this Hannibal conference a try, but I thought =
I'd=3D
go ahead and share some other information in case you haven't been to =
the =3D
website - or Hannibal - lately. We appreciate all of you and your =
efforts =3D
in preserving the legacy of Sam Clemens, and we are proud to play a =
small r=3D
ole as well.
It's been a great 2010 so far! Here's hoping for an even better 2011.
Thank you,
Cindy
Cindy Lovell, Ph.D.
Executive Director
Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum
120 N. Main St.
Hannibal MO 63401
Phone: 573-221-9010 ext. 402
Cell: 386-748-1256
Fax: 573-221-7975
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://marktwainmuseum.org/
Have you signed our petition to designate 2010 as "The Year of Mark =
Twain" =3D
yet? Click here, sign, and pass it on! =
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/de=3D
signate-2010-the-year-of-mark-twain
"Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker =
wi=3D
ll be sorry." ~Mark Twain
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