Excellent point! Maybe just before or just after would be good :)
Jules
-----Original Message-----
From: Mark Twain Forum [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Warren Brown
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 8:12 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Thoughts on Twain Conference in Hannibal?
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 Festiv= al and occasionally a Bass tournament on the lake. This makes it fairly cr= owded at the MT Birth Shrine. The festival is always good and worth a visi= t, the MT Shrine is a must visit, but it may not be a good time for resear= chers. The people at the MT Birthplace would be good to add to the committ= ee. Looking forward to the possibilities.
Warren Brown
815.468.0635
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-----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, Susa= n 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
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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= =3D El=3D3D mira every four years. Barb Snedecor and her colleauges turn out a =3D flawles=3D3D s, perfectly executed endeavor that bestows upon each of us unique and =3D last=3D3D ing memories in a setting of kinship and camaraderie. No one is a =3D stranger=3D3D in Elmira. Many of you have contributed in terms of papers, =3D presentations=3D3D , etc.; the collaboration is extensive and necessary. And appreciated.
Henry Sweets and I have talked to a few of you in general terms - =3D throwing =3D3D out feelers - about the museum hosting a Twain conference here in =3D Hannibal =3D3D during the in-between years. We've had enough positive feedback to take= =3D it=3D3D to the next level: all of you here on the Mark Twain Forum. We would =3D in n=3D3D o way want to detract (or distract) from Elmira (knowing full well that = =3D is =3D3D simply not possible nor desirable) but would only like to provide a wee = =3D "fi=3D3D x" to sustain us in between those long four year periods. We also =3D believe =3D3D that Hannibal (and nearby Florida) have much to offer in our own right =3D in t=3D3D erms of Sam Clemens's story, and this would give Twain scholars a chance= =3D to=3D3D romp through the boyhood haunts. We are now seeking your insights on =3D the =3D3D 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,= =3D et=3D3D c.
-Tentatively thinking of August 11-13, 2011 (dates of availability of =3D campu=3D3D
s) - trying to stay ahead of the fall semester (back-up dates: July =3D
28-30)
-Could provide a menu of tours and activities (riverboat, cave lantern =3D tour=3D3D s, Quarry Farm visit, behind the scenes museum tours, cemetery tours, =3D Jacks=3D3D on's Island tour, etc.) -If greenlighted by the likes of you all, we'd need a small committee of= =3D vo=3D3D 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= =3D sa=3D3D y, "Yes, this just might hold me over until we all get together again in= =3D El=3D3D 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 =3D feedb=3D3D ack suggests we go no further, no harm done. But we do feel compelled =3D to p=3D3D resent Hannibal (and Florida) in an academic forum and believe this idea= =3D ha=3D3D 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 =3D Boyho=3D3D od Home with panels discussing slavery in the Clemens household; period = =3D fur=3D3D niture in the reconstructed Blankenship home and panels discussing =3D slavery;=3D3D
etc.),=3D3D20
-launched a literary journal (The Village Pariah) inspired by =3D Twain/Hanniba=3D3D l/"place" (Ron Powers graciously provided our introductory essay) =3D Subscript=3D3D ions available!
-completed restorations of the exterior of the Laura Hawkins/Becky =3D Thatcher=3D3D home; moving indoors this winter to continue work -borrowed the "missing" Rockwell painting (whitewashing scene) for an =3D exten=3D3D ded loan, so we now have all 16 under one roof=3D3D20 -recently hired African American storyteller Gladys Coggswell (author of= =3D St=3D3D ories from the Heart: Missouri's African America Heritage - U of =3D Missouri P=3D3D
ress) to do storytelling at the museum (slave narratives, Mary Ann =3D Cord's s=3D3D tory, etc.) -begun the historic preservation of the 1844 Van Swearingen house (a =3D gift f=3D3D rom Martin Zehr) to sell next year as a benefit for the museum (Thank =3D you, =3D3D Martin and Susan!) -completed our 4th series of teacher workshops and 3rd young authors =3D worksh=3D3D
op=3D3D20
(If you're interested, young author stories:=3D3D20 http://blog.al.com/breaking/2010/08/mountain_gap_middle_student_wa.html=3D=
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20
and=3D3D20
http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2010/06/05/twai=
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n-=3D3D
leaves-mark-on-student-bound-for-authors-homeland.html)
We also learned recently we will receive the Governor's 2010 Humanites =3D Awar=3D3D d in October, and recent visitors included Senator Claire McCaskill and = =3D Pri=3D3D nce Albert of Monaco. Bluegrass legend Ralph Stanley (O Brother, Where = =3D Art=3D3D
Thou?) will perform here this Sunday; Ken Burns' pianist will perform =3D on t=3D3D he Gabrilowitsch piano Oct. 28, and our CD tribute to Mark Twain is =3D schedul=3D3D ed for release on Nov. 30 (Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, = =3D Vin=3D3D ce Gill, Doyle Lawson, Carl Jackson, etc.). =3D3D20
Again, my main reason for this email was to ask for your ideas, thoughts= =3D an=3D3D d yes, blessings, to give this Hannibal conference a try, but I thought = =3D I'd=3D3D go ahead and share some other information in case you haven't been to =3D the =3D3D website - or Hannibal - lately. We appreciate all of you and your =3D efforts =3D3D in preserving the legacy of Sam Clemens, and we are proud to play a =3D small r=3D3D 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 =3D Twain" =3D3D yet? Click here, sign, and pass it on! =3D http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/de=3D3D
signate-2010-the-year-of-mark-twain
"Let us endeavor so to live that when we come to die even the undertaker= =3D wi=3D3D ll be sorry." ~Mark Twain
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