Biennial report of the North Carolina State Department of Archives and History

              THE LIBRARY OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF
NORTH CAROLINA
THE COLLECTION OF
NORTH CAROLINLANA
C9O6
N87h
23-28
19ii8-60
UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL
00033953614
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TWENTY-EIGHTH BIENNIAL REPORT
of the
NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
JULY 1, 1958
TO
JUNE 30, 1960
RALEIGH
NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
1960
NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
Executive Board^
McDaniel Lewis, Chairman, Greensboro
James W. Atkins, Gastonia
Gertrude Sprague Carraway, New Bern
Fletcher M. Green, Chapel Hill
Ralph P. Hanes, Winston-Salem
Josh L. Home, Jr., Rocky Mount
Daniel J. Whitener, Boone
Christopher Crittenden, Directo7% Raleigh
IN MEMORIAM
Herschell v. Rose
On May 7, 1959, Herschell V. Rose, member of the Executive
Board of the Department of Archives and History, died at the
age of 72 in his home town of Smithfield, Johnston County.
Born and reared on Bentonville Battleground, for many years
he worked to secure proper recognition and maintenance of
that historic site, and it was largely due to his influence that
funds were raised and a State appropriation was made to
purchase part of the area and to make that part a State Historic
Site in 1957. The same year the Governor appointed him a
member of the Department's Executive Board. He was the first
Superintendent of Public Welfare of Johnston County, 1919,
and from 1926 until his death he served as Clerk of the County
Superior Court. So popular was he that he never had opposition
in the Democratic primaries, and only twice did he have
opposition, which he easily overcame, in the general elections.
' For terms of office of members of the Executive Board, see Appendix I, p. 92.
LETTER OF TRANSMISSION
To His Excellency
Luther H. Hodges
Governor of North Carolina
Dear Governor Hodges
:
In compliance with Chapter 543, Session Laws of 1955,
I have the honor to submit herewith for your Excellency's
consideration the Biennial Report of the North Carolina
Department of Archives and History for the period, July 1,
1958-June 30, 1960.
Respectfully,
Christopher Crittenden
Director
Raleigh, July 1, 1960
CONTENTS
Preserving- the Past for the Future
Division of Archives and Manuscripts
Division of Historic Sites
Division of Museums
Division of Publications
Ti-yon Palace
The Carolina Charter Tercentenary Commission
The North Carolina Confederate Centennial Commission
7
13
37
52
68
79
83
Appendixes:
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
VII
VIII
IX
X
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
XVIII
XIX
XX
XXI
XXII
XXIII
XXIV
XXV
The Executive Board, June 30, 1960
Appropriations and Expenditures, 1930-1960
Appropriations and Expenditures, 1958-1960
Number of Employees as of June 30 at
the End of Each Biennium
Positions and Salary Ranges, June 30, 1960
List of Employees, Showing Name, Title,
and Period of Service
Publications of Staff Members
Division of Archives and Manuscripts
Pages Laminated
Photographic Copies Furnished by the
Division of Archives and Manuscripts
Division of Archives and Manuscripts
Visitors and Correspondents
Number of Visits to Search Room for Each Biennium
Colleges and Universities Represented by
Visitors and Mail Inquirers
Topics of Research of Visitors and
Mail Inquirers
Archives and Manuscripts Accessioned
Administrative Histories and Inventories
Records Turnover at Records Center
Use of Records at Records Center
State Records Microfilmed
Activities of the Local Records Section
Records Microfilmed by Counties
New Historical Markers Erected During
the Biennium
Museum Items Accessioned
Registration at the Hall of History
by State and Foreign Country
Volumes, Pamphlets, Leaflets, and
Charts Mailed Per Quarter . .
Paid-Up Subscriptions, New or Renewal,
Received for The North Carolina
Historical Review, Per Quarter
92
93
93
94
95
95
98
101
102
103
104
104
105
106
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
133
151
152
152
XXVI Copies of The No)-th Carolina Historical
Review Mailed Per Issue 152
XXVII Back Issues of The North Carolina
Historical Review Mailed Per Quarter 153
XXVIII Articles Published in The North Carolina
Historical Review 153
XXIX Documents Published in The North Carolina
Historical Reviexv 155
XXX Copies of Carolina Comments Mailed Per Issue 155
BIENNIAL REPORT OF THE
NORTH CAROLINA
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
July 1, 1958-Jime 30, 1960
Preserving the Past for the Future
During the biennium 1958-1960 the Department rendered
improved and expanded service to the four and one-half
million citizens of North Carolina, to the agencies of the
State government, the counties, the municipalities, the
colleges and universities, the public schools—an enlarge-ment
and improvement, indeed, in every phase and facet
of the over-all program.
The Executive Board continued to supervise and support
the program of the Department, and the Director and all
members of the staff wish to express their great apprecia-tion
to the Chairman and to all the members of the Board
for giving their time, energy, and most of all their valuable
advice and assistance. On May 7, 1959, we lost by death a
valuable member of the Board, Herschell V. Rose of Smith-field,
who lived to see the State acquire a historic site that
he had long been interested in developing, Bentonville
Battleground.' On August 25, 1959, Governor Hodges ap-pointed
Mr. Ralph P. Hanes of Winston-Salem to fill the
unexpired portion of Mr. Rose's term, ending on March 31,
1963. Earlier, on June 18, 1959, the Governor had re-appointed
Miss Gertrude S. Carraway of New Bern and
Mr. McDaniel Lewis of Greensboro and had appointed
Dean Daniel J. Whitener of Boone, all for terms expiring
on March 31, 1965.-
The budget increased from $540,668 in 1956-1958 to
$725,788 in 1958-1960. This was indeed a far cry from the
depression low of 1933-1935, when the total for the two
years was only $24,141. The increase from earlier biennium
to the present is some 3,000 per cent. Even allowing for
the erosion of the dollar's purchasing power, this is still a
sizeable growth."'
' For an "In Memoriam" to Herschell V. Rose, see back of title pase.
- For data on the Executive Board, see Appendix I, p. 92.
'' For detailed data on the budget, see Appendixes II and III, p. 93.
8 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
The number of employees grew from 8 in 1934 to 72 in
1960. At least as significant, however, was the raising of
the requirements of training and experience and the im-provement
of the caliber of staff members, thanks to the
fine cooperation and aid of the State Personnel Department.
The staff of the Department has come to be known as one
of the best trained and most competent of that of any
agency of the State, and this has been recognized in a
material way by the substantial upping of salary ranges
all up and down the line.^
One much-appreciated improvement in physical facilities,
which made for more efficient work and service, was the
air conditioning of the offices and public rooms of the
Department in both the Education Building and at the
Records Center (the latter just after the close of the
biennium). The archives areas had been air conditioned for
almost 20 years, but only very recently were these other
areas thus improved.
The greatest single need of the Department at the end
of the biennium was for a new building. At present the
Department is housed on the first floor and part of the
ground floor of the Education Building, an office structure
which is in many ways unsuitable for duties and functions
in the specialized fields of archives, museums, historic sites,
and others. What is needed is a specially designed structure,
planned for the Department's complex and specialized
needs. The Carolina Charter Tercentenary Commission and
the North Carolina Confederate Centennial Commission,
both established by the 1959 General Assembly, have ap-proved
the erection of such a building as their Number
One project, and we are hopeful of success.''
For the Division of Archives and Manuscripts, the period
was one of great and rapid expansion. In the Archives
proper, progress was made in the repair, arrangement,
description, and making available for use of large quanti-ties
of materials that had been in the custody of the Depart-ment
for years but which, for lack of an adequate staff, had
* For the number of employees, positions and salary ranRes, and a list of employees
during the biennium, see Appendixes IV, V, and VI, pp. 94, !)5. Salary ranges were
due to be upped, effective July 1, 1960, and still further, effective the following
October 1.
'' For reports of these two Commissions, see below, pp. 83, 88.
State Department of Archives and History 9
not been open to the public. The Division undertook a pro-gram
of microfilming North Carolina newspapers from the
establishment of the first one, The North Carolina Gazette
of New Bern, in 1751, to the approximate year 1870. It
was planned later to extend the program to cover recent
years, when paper pulp with its short longevity had come
into use, provided the necessary funds could be made avail-able.
The State Records Administration program grew
more efficient and smooth-working month by month, and
it was extended to include more and more State agencies.
The law controlling this program was clarified in 1959, so
that beyond any shadow of doubt it was made the legal
function and duty of the Department of Archives and
History. By the installation of steel shelving reaching to the
ceiling in the Records Center, the number of usable cubic
feet for records was increased by nearly one-third. The
General Assembly of 1959 appropriated funds for the con-duct
of a State-wide Local Records program, which, ably
administered and executed, may serve as a model for other
states.
Though the Department was assigned the Historic Sites
program only as late as 1955 and though funds made avail-able
for the purpose were limited, a great deal of progress
was made. Notable was the completion of the restoration
of the Charles B. Aycock Birthplace in Wayne County and
its dedication on November 1, 1959, the exact 100th
anniversary of Aycock's birth. In connection with the
approaching Civil War centennial, a great deal was accom-plished
at three Sites: Bentonville, in Johnston County,
where a large part of the work of restoring the Harper
House (used as a hospital during the battle by both armies
in succession) and of marking the battlefield was completed
;
the Bennett Place, in Durham County, where a beginning
was made in reconstructing the two chief structures, with
funds available to complete them ; and a good deal of the
work of restoring the Zebulon B. Vance birthplace, in
Buncombe County, with funds in hand to complete the work
on this particular house. As the program took shape, it
* For a detailed report of the Division of Archives and Manuscripts, see below,
p. 13.
10 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
could be comprehended more and more clearly as a planned,
State-wide system and not as a mere scattered hodgepodge
of old houses and the like that somebody happened to want
to preserve.'
By far the most expensive and largest-scale historical
restoration of the period was Tryon Palace, the colonial
capitol of North Carolina, at New Bern. Administered by
the Tryon Palace Commission, in cooperation with the
Department of Archives and History, the project by June
30, 1960, had cost a total of more than $3,000,000, of which
more than nine-tenths had been contributed by the late
Mrs. J. E. Latham of Greensboro, with the State appropri-ating
less than one-tenth of the total. Landscaping the
grounds and certain other work had not yet been completed,
and all of this was expected to add several hundred thou-sand
dollars to the total cost. The Palace was officially
opened in a series of ceremonies, April 8-10, 1959, and from
that date through June 30, 1960, paid admissions totalled
42,638 with visitors from all 50 States of the Union and
many foreign countries. The Palace and its furnishings won
high praise from many sources.^
Unless one has actually served in a museum, it is hardly
possible to visualize and understand the volume of work
that has to be done and the many and varied activities that
must be carried on, if the museum is to render even a major
portion of its potential services. The Division of Museums
during the period under review turned out a great deal of
work and served the people of our State in many ways. A
number of new exhibits, both permanent and special, were
opened, and several of the old ones were completely re-novated.
Among the many acquisitions some of the most
notable were the Cutten Collection of Early American
Silver, the silver service presented by the teachers of the
State to Governor Aycock, the Mary Lyde Hicks Williams
group of oil paintings titled "Plantation Scenes from Life,"
many costumes, and a large number of firearms and related
items. The educational program was expanded and im-proved,
particularly for school children. A tremendous
" For a more thorough report on the Historic Sites program, see below, p. 37.
" For a detailed statement regarding Tryon Palace, see below, p. 79.
State Department of Archives and History 11
amount of photography was done, with more than 14,000
items produced. Service was rendered to other museums
and museum groups throughout the State, the Division
assisted in a number of celebrations of anniversaries, the
staff played a prominent part in national and regional pro-fessional
activities and programs, a great deal was done in
the audio-visual field, and several special receptions and
events were conducted or participated in at the Museum or
elsewhere.^
The Division of Publications issued and distributed the
largest number of publications in any two-year period, sold
them for more money, and (if the comments of many
critics may be believed) maintained the highest quality. A
great many pamphlets and leaflets were published, especially
for school children, but at the same time the division con-tinued
its scholarly publishing program. The quarterly
North Carolina Historical Review was issued regularly, and
many of the articles and documents have been praised for
both their scholarly accuracy and balance and also for
their readability. Furthermore, arrangements have been
made with various authors and editors to prepare many
additional publications in the future. We were delighted to
be able to make arrangements during the biennium to pay
a fee to the editor of each documentary volume—something
that had been done many years previously but that had of
necessity been discontinued during the economic depression
of the 1930's. Enough material is in hand or in sight to
continue the Department's documentary publication pro-gram,
at the present rate, for a number of years to come.'"
The General Assembly of 1955 passed a bill authorizing
the Department of Archives and History to have a portrait
painted of each Governor in succession during his term of
office, and making an appropriation therefor." In accord-ance
therewith, the Department appointed an Advisory
Committee consisting of Dr. Robert Lee Humber, Chair-man
; Mr. George Geoghegan ; Mrs. Elizabeth House
Hughey; Representative Cloyd Philpott; and Mr. Charles
' For the report of the Division of Museums, see below, p. 52.
1" For a detailed report on the Publications program, see below, p. 68.
" Session Lairs of North Carolina, 1955, Chapter 1248.
12 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
Stanford. Having issued a general invitation to artists to
submit samples of their work, the Advisory Committee
carefully studied these samples and recommended to the
Department that the commission to paint the portrait of
Governor Luther H. Hodges be awarded to Mr. Albert K,
Murray of New York City. The Department followed this
recommendation, Mr. Murray in due course painted the
portrait, and it was unveiled at the annual meeting of the
North Carolina Literary and Historical Association on Fri-day
evening, December 4. Afterward the portrait was hung
in the Governor's Mansion.
DIVISION OF ARCHIVES AND MANUSCRIPTS
H. G. Jones, State Archivist
The most dramatic biennium in the growth of the
Division of Archives and Manuscripts has just ended. Again
North Carolina leads the States of the Union in its archival
program.
This growth may be shown statistically: The size of the
Division's staff was doubled, its budget almost tripled, and
its program greatly expanded. It is a simple fact that the
Division has the largest staff, the largest budget, and the
most comprehensive program of any State archival agency
in the country.
Thus this will be a report of progress—progress toward
an outstanding program of public records management and
preservation. While the accomplishments of the last two
years are a source of great pride to the Division, the
following report is made not in boastful but in appreciative
terms. Only through the assistance of many individuals and
organizations throughout the State were the forward steps
taken, a fact that bears out the belief that legislators and
the public will come to the aid of a program which can
demonstrate its merits in terms of culture, education,
efficient management, and economy.
By far the most significant improvements in the Division
were made possible by increased appropriations by the
General Assembly. One additional employee (a steno-grapher
in the State Archivist's office) was provided for
in the "A" Budget, and three more employees (two in the
Archives for newspaper microfilming and one in the
Records Center for State records microfilming) were made
possible by approval of certain "B" Budget requests.
Passage of S. B. 101 (Session Laws of 1959, Chapter 1162)
provided eleven additional employees for local records work.
Other funds made possible several temporary part-time
positions.
With this increase in staff and duties, a re-organization
of the Division was effected.
[ 1:3 ]
NORTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF ARCHIVES AND HISTORY
DIVISION OF ARCHIVES AND MANUSCRIPTS
Organization Chart
State Department of Archives and History 15
As is shown by the accompanying organizational chart,
the Division was re-organized along lines of function
:
(1) The Archives, headed by the Assistant State Archivist
(Archives) and having physical charge of all records trans-ferred
to it for permanent preservation, plus the News-paper
Microfilm Project; (2) the State Records Section,
headed by the Assistant State Archivist (State Records)
and having charge of inventorying, scheduling, weeding,
and microfilming State records; and (3) the Local Records
Section, headed by the Assistant State Archivist (Local
Records) and having charge of inventorying, scheduling,
arranging, and microfilming local records. The State
Archivist and his administrative staff co-ordinate the work
of the three sections. Physically, the entire Division is
housed in the Education Building except the State Records
Section which operates the State Records Center at the
corner of West Lane and North McDowell streets in
Raleigh, and three cameramen who microfilm permanent
records in the counties for the Local Records Section.
More detailed reports for the Sections appear below.
Here it is sufficient to summarize the major accomplish-ments.
The most striking advance was the inauguration of the
new local records program. In August, 1958, the position of
Public Records Examiner (now Assistant State Archivist
in Charge of Local Records) was filled by the employment
of Rear Admiral A. M. Patterson, U. S. Navy (Retired).
Thus began a concerted program of field service to county
and municipal officials. During the next several months the
State Archivist and Admiral Patterson, or the latter alone,
visited every one of the State's 100 counties. These visits
resulted in suggestions to many officials as to improvements
in their record-keeping activities, the disposal of useless
records, and the more efficient use of space.
In a letter to county officials in January, 1958, the State
Archivist suggested a State program of inventorying,
scheduling, and microfilming county records. For the next
year and a half, this idea was promoted among interested
organizations and individuals, and the effort culminated in
16 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
the passage of S.B. 101 in June, 1959, which appropriated
approximately $147,000 for the biennium to undertake such
a program. These funds made possible the establishment
of an entire new Local Records Section, comprising eleven
employees, and immediately the most comprehensive local
records program in the United States was undertaken. By
June 30, 1960, public records in seven counties had been
inventoried and scheduled, and the records of permanent
value had been microfilmed for security. In addition, the
State Archivist and Assistant State Archivist (Local
Records) edited The County Records Manual (73 pages),
the first guide of its type in the country. Copies of this
manual were made available to all county officials having
custody of public records.^
Another new program provided for by the 1959 General
Assembly was a Newspaper Microfilm Project, designed to
locate and place on microfilm a copy of all known issues of
North Carolina newspapers published prior to 1870. By
June 30, 1960, more than a dozen newspaper titles had been
completed and positive microfilm copies soon would be avail-able
for purchase by libraries throughout the country. Thus
papers that are fast disappearing are now securely recorded
on film.-
In the Archives special emphasis was placed upon arrang-ing
bodies of records already in the Archives but which
had not been properly arranged. Work was completed on
the Governor's Papers and the records of the Departments
of Conservation and Development, Local Government,
Agriculture, Attorney General, and many others. Much new
equipment was acquired, including a new Photostat
machine. A new program was instituted designed to bring
under better control the valuable personal collections in the
Archives.''
Conversion from metal filing cabinets to a system of steel
shelf-corrugated box filing increased the capacity of the
State Records Center and resulted in a vastly more efficient
way of housing semi-current records. Millions of documents
' For further discussion of this program, see below, p. 28.
" For further discussion of this program, see below, p. 22.
^ For further discussion of this program, see below, p. 18.
State Department of Archives and History 17
were recorded on microfilm, and hundreds of cubic feet of
records of no further value were destroyed.^
In the Laminating Shop, more than 78,000 pages of
historical records were restored, and those in volume form
were re-bound."' Many of these were county deed and will
books which were returned to the courthouse upon their
restoration. In addition, several thousand pages of his-torical
records belonging to institutions and individuals
were laminated outside of office hours. More than 7,000
copies—photographic and typed—of records in the Archives
were furnished, most of them to individuals in nearly every
State of the Union.'' A total of 5,656 persons registered for
research in the Division, and more than 5,600 were given
information by mail, not including letters handled by the
State Archivist and his assistants without reference to the
Search Room.'
The State Archivist during the biennium attended the
two annual meetings of the Society of American Archivists,
participating in panels at each, and in 1959-1960 he was a
member of the State Records Committee and chairman of
the Society's Civil War Centennial Committee. He edited
the Directory of State Archival Agencies 1959 which was
distributed to members of the Society by the State Records
Committee. He attended a number of other meetings relat-ing
to archival activities, and on July 1, 1960, lectured at
the Institute on Historical and Archival Management at
Cambridge, Massachusetts. He also visited and observed
facilities and procedures in a number of other archival
institutions throughout the country.
Ten Meredith College students received a one-semester
course of training and experience in the Division in 1959-
1960, and a number of persons prominent in the archival
and historical fields visited the Division and observed its
program.
A more detailed resume of the activities of the Sections
follows.
For further discussion of this program, see below, p. 21.
For statistics on laminating, see Appendix VIII, p. 101.
' For statistics on copies furnished, see Appendix IX, p. 102.
For statistics on visitors and correspondent?, see Appendix X, p. lOH.
18 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
Archives Section
For years the Archives suffered from a shortage of staff
members. From this situation arose a condition not pecuhar
among archival agencies but one which must not long be
allowed to exist. That condition is one of acceptance of
records that cannot be properly arranged and made avail-able
for public use. It is the duty of the archivist to make
records available, not just to store them.
Beginning four years ago, major emphasis was placed on
processing the large quantities of records already in the
Archives. The additional employees assigned to the Archives
Section have thus undertaken this mammoth task, and the
advances have been noticeable.
For the first time the papers of the governors through
1958 have been properly arranged, and are now available
to the public. Among the otficial records already in the
Archives which were arranged during the biennium were
those of the Economic and Geological Survey, Department
of Conservation and Development. Comptroller's Office,
Local Government Commission, Attorney General's Office,
Department of Agriculture, State Planning Board, and the
Civilian Conservation Corps. Work was begun on processing
a huge group of papers from the Department of Public
Instruction, and World War II separation papers were
alphabetized for counties beginning with letters through
"F."
Because the local records functions of the Archives were
transferred to the new Local Records Section on July 1,
1959, information concerning the arranging of county
records will be included in the report of the latter section
below.
In the early years of the Department, much attention was
given to obtaining and arranging private papers. As a
result, the Department has a valuable collection of such
papers. Unfortunately, however, as the demands for atten-tion
to public records increased, less and less time was
devoted to private papers. Consequently, no guide to these
papers has been published since 1942, and many of the
newer collections have not been properly arranged. To cor-
20 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
rect this situation, Miss Beth Crabtree, now Archivist II,
transferred from the Publications Division to the Archives
and Manuscripts Division on January 1, 1960, and began
an intensive project of re-working all private papers re-ceived
since 1938 with a view toward (1) preparing better
finding aids for their immediate use and (2) preparing a
supplement to the old guide. In the first six months of the
project, register sheets containing a description of each
collection, along with various new finding aids in card form,
were prepared for many of the collections. Copies of the
register sheets will be furnished the Library of Congress
for its use in compiling the Union List of Manuscript
Collections.
In years past, a considerable volume of printed matter
concerning North Carolina was collected, including such
items as pamphlets, broadsides, and catalogs. An archival
agency is not particularly well adapted to the handling of
material of this nature and it was decided that history
would best be served by combining the Department's
collection with similar material in the North Carolina
Collection of the University of North Carolina Library.
Accordingly, in 1959 an agreement was reached between
the Department, the University of North Carolina Library,
and the East Carolina College Library, concerning the dis-position
of the Department's collection. It was agreed that
the University Library might select items desired to aug-ment
its collection and that others would be transferred to
the East Carolina College Library. Both libraries agreed
to furnish the Department with a list of its pamphlet hold-ings
for inclusion in the card catalog of the latter. One
group of uncataloged pamphlets was transferred to the
North Carolina State Library.
Significant accessions during the biennium included the
following : the personal papers of Governor J. C. B. Ehring-haus,
Alma Sanford Hough Jackson, Calvin Graves, Charles
M. Heck, and J. M. Pugh ; and additions to the papers of
Governor Charles B. Aycock and Clarence Poe. Official
records of many State agencies and local governments were
accessioned.*^
* For a list of accessions in the Division of Archives and Manuscripts, see Appendix
XIV. p. 106.
State Department of Archives and History 21
Funds were provided by the General Assembly for new
equipment, including a new continuous Photostat machine
which was purchased for $13,600, two additional microfilm
readers for public use, and a variety of other long-needed
items. In addition, the offices of the Section were air
conditioned.
On September 30, 1959, Mrs. Julia C. Meconnahey,
Archivist II, retired after 35 years of service in the Depart-ment.
No better tribute can be paid to Mrs. Meconnahey
than to refer to the work of the Department as recorded in
previous biennial reports, work in which she played a
major role.
Mr. J. Ray Hocutt, Clerk III, received a week's training
in the laboratories of Mr. W. J. Barrow, inventor of the
Barrow Laminator, in Richmond, Virgina, and Miss Beth
Crabtree, Archivist II, observed procedures in several
manuscript depositories.
A total of 5,656 persons, representing thirty-nine States
and two foreign countries, registered for research in the
Search Room. More than 5,600 persons, representing forty-eight
states and eight foreign countries, were given infor-mation
by mail or by telephone. These figures do not include
the visitors and letters handled directly by the State
Archivist and Section heads.'' Photographic copies furnished
totalled 6,848, and 372 typed copies were made. Public
orders for microfilm totalled 2,806 feet.'"
Space has become a critical problem. It has been neces-sary
to transfer some archives into the Records Center in
order to provide for incoming records. A corner of the
Search Room (already too small) had to be cut off for an
office, and the hallway had to be closed off to make room for
the Department's large map collection. No additional space
was obtained for use by the Section and as many as four
archivists are crowded into one office.
Thus the Archives Section can report substantial prog-ress
in all areas of its work. Additional staff members
have made possible a concerted attack on the long-range
* For statistics on visitors and correspondents, see Appendixes X, XI, XII, and XIII,
pp. 103, 104. 105.
'" For statistics on copies furnished, see Appendix IX, p. 102.
22 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
problem of bringing under better control materials in its
possession. Even so, much remains to be done, and the size
of the staff is still not adequate for the job that needs to
be undertaken. It is hoped that the 1961 General Assembly
will lend further aid in this direction. And of course no
branch of the Department is more fervent in its plea for
a new building than the Archives Section which is bursting
at the seams in an effort to house the records being acquired
in increasing quantities.
Newspaper Microfilm Project
The General Assembly in 1959 appropriated $28,000 for
the biennium to the Division for a program of microfilming
all North Carolina newspapers published prior to 1870.
Mr. T. G. Britt, formerly with the State Personnel Depart-ment,
was employed as Archivist II to head up the new
program.
The microfilming of early newspapers is one of the most
complex programs ever undertaken by the Department. The
actual filming is a relatively simple operation. But it is also
only a part of the over-all operation. First, the staff must
determine, through various checklists and by direct con-tacts,
the locations of all issues of pre-1870 North Carolina
newspapers. Often copies will be located in a dozen different
libraries across the country. The staff then must determine
upon which library to rely for copying that particular issue.
When the issues in the libraries of the State are in accep-table
condition, the Department borrows the original files
and films them in Raleigh. When no acceptable copy of a
particular issue is found in the State, the copy is ordered
from another source. It is not unusual, therefore, to have
copies of a title for a single year ordered from five or six
different libraries.
Upon receipt of the film copies from out-of-State institu-tions,
this film has to be spliced into the master negative
roll. The location of every issue used is noted on a "credit
sheet" for each year.
Because of the preliminary work, splicing, and checking,
the progress of this program is slower than might be
State Department of Archives and History 23
imagined. Even so, as of June 30, 1960, the project had
completed the filming of The Raleigh Register, 1799-1886;
The North Carolina Standard (Raleigh), 1834-1870; and
the North Carolina Star (Raleigh), 1808-1856, and positive
copies were available. These titles comprise respectively
21, 16, and 8 reels of 35 mm. microfilm.
In addition, the following titles had been filmed within
the State, and were awaiting delivery of film copies from
other libraries for splicing into the master negative : North
Carolina Journal (Halifax), 1792-1814; Miners' ayid
Farmers' Journal (Charlotte), 1830-1835; Charlotte
Journal, 1835-1851; North Caroliyia Whig (Charlotte),
1852-1863; Carolina Centiuel (New Bern), 1818-1837;
North Carolina Argus (Wadesboro), 1848-1876; Southern
Citizen (Asheboro), 1836-1844; Weekly News (New Bern),
1853-1854; New Bern Spectator, 1828-1842; Carolina
Watchman (Salisbury), 1832-1870; New Beryiian (New
Bern), 1843-1853; North Carolina Sentiriel (Raleigh),
1865-1877; Western Carolinian (Salisbury), 1820-1844;
Hillsborough Recorder (Hillsboro and Durham) , 1820-1911
;
Edenton Gazette, 1805-1831.
Finally, the following titles had been checked within the
State, and master lists had been made showing the location
of copies in other libraries: Greensborough Patnot, 1826-
1946; the Times (Greensboro), 1856-1868; and the Raleigh
Journal, 1854-1859.
Probably no program undertaken by the Department will
be of more significance to historians throughout the coun-try.
Papers now deteriorating in libraries will be available
on film in any institution desiring to purchase positive
copies.
State Records Section
The State records program, under the capable leadership
of Mrs. Memory F. Blackwelder, Assistant State Archivist
(State Records), has experienced expansion and progress
during the biennium. Records of twenty State agencies were
inventoried, resulting in participation in the records man-
24 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
agement program of these agencies for the first time.'^ This
brings to 41 the total number of up-to-date, workable in-ventories,
including all of the large departments of govern-ment.
The brochure on records management was revised early
in 1960, and copies were made available to all State
agencies.
To meet the requirements of agencies coming into the
program for the first time, as well as to provide for expand-ed
needs of agencies already taking advantage of records
management, changes and additions to the physical equip-ment
were imperative. Space was one of the chief needs.
Plans for converting the stack areas from a system of filing
cabinets and transfile drawers to the use of shelving and
corrugated boxes were carried out. This resulted in approxi-mately
a 30 per cent increase in the filing capacity, from
18,000 cubic feet to 25,318 cubic feet. This accomplishment
entailed the transfer of thousands of cubic feet of records
to boxes, erection of steel shelving, placement of boxes on
the shelves, and indexing the entire new system. Surplus
filing equipment was sold for a total of $11,419, the pro-ceeds
being applied to the cost of the shelving. In making
arrangements for the conversion, the Department worked
closely with the Department of Administration.
Additional space was made available when a corner of
the Records Center, formerly used for storage by the
Department of Conservation and Development, was cleared
out and the space turned over to the Department of Archives
and History.
To use the new system of shelving, which extends to the
ceiling, several types of accessory equipment were needed.
Twelve ladders, ten book trucks, two flat trucks, two work
tables for the stacks, and additional chairs were purchased.
Records were filed by a system whereby those most fre-quently
used were placed on the most accessible shelves and
those seldom used were placed on top shelves.
In addition to accessories for the shelving system, two
new Recordak RM microfilm machines were purchased in
^1 For a list of agencies whose records were inventoried during the biennium, see
Appendix XV. p. 125.
State Department of Archives and History 25
June, 1960, and an additional MPE reader was transferred
to the Records Center from the Archives. Two older micro-film
machines were overhauled; one is in use at the State
Treasurer's office, where the Records Center staff microfilms
three times each month, and one is in use at the Records
Center. Having three machines in operation means that
there is now a machine for each two microfilmers. The
additional machine will mean increased efficiency in the
microfilm program.
Another physical improvement was made when a parti-tion
was erected to divide the Supervisor's office from the
hall. This has afforded privacy when needed and has sepa-rated
the office from the flow of traffic to and from the
records areas.
Near the end of the biennium arrangements were made
for the installation of air conditioning in the office areas at
the Records Center. A duct system was being installed ; this
improvement should mean increased efficiency and comfort
as well as protection of Records Center microfilm, both raw
and processed, from excessive heat and humidity.
Not only has additional equipment been acquired, but the
staff at the Records Center has been increased. One full-time
and one part-time Clerk II were added in 1959 to work
on the microfilm program. This brings the microfilm staff
to five full-time and one part-time workers. A temporary
Clerk II was employed for approximately four months of
1960 to prepare material from the Adjutant General's De-partment
so that it could be microfilmed.
Another of the positions at the Records Center was re-classified
by the State Personnel Department from Archivist
I to Archivist II. This means that the staff is now composed
of the Assistant State Archivist (State Records), one
Archivist II, two Archivists I, and a Janitor-Messenger, in
addition to the six Clerks II. A prisoner has been assigned
to the Records Center by the General Services Division since
July, 1959, to assist with the janitorial duties and to help
handle the records being brought in and taken out of the
Center.
26 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
The records turnover has increased rapidly as more and
more agencies are participating in the records management
program. Thirty-four agencies had records either admitted
or removed during the biennium. There were 13,174 cubic
feet of records brought in from 33 State agencies; and
8,331 cubic feet of records of 29 State agencies were re-moved.
Of those removed, the greatest number—6,074
—
were destroyed according to scheduled provisions; others
were destroyed after being microfilmed, were destroyed
after being weeded, were sent to the Archives, or were re-turned
to the agency which created them.^-
Use of records has also increased. Records were serviced
for 17 State agencies a total of 2,022 times. The largest
number of requests, 1,263, came from the Department of
Motor Vehicles. Representatives of 21 agencies visited the
Records Center to use records 1,445 times. In addition, the
Department of Revenue sent an employee to work in its
records several hours each day. In all, 24 State agencies used
records in the Center. ^^
Some of the most important microfilming to be done since
the initiation of the project in 1951 was undertaken during
the biennium. Perhaps the outstanding project is that of
filming the original case records of the North Carolina
Supreme Court, dating back to the late 1700's. This project
is one of several requiring extensive preparation of the
documents before they can be filmed ; many of the papers
are old, dirty, and torn. It is impossible to use the automatic
feeder on projects such as this, but having the documents
on film will be of importance both to the Court and to the
Archives. During the biennium, 8,194,238 images were
filmed on 1,193 reels for nineteen State agencies,^^
The Archivists continued their program of weeding
records which contain a mixture of routine matter and im-portant
documents. Various records from ten agencies were
weeded during the biennium. The Archivists have spent
more time than formerly in working with State agencies
'- For detailed information on records turnover at the Records Center, see Appendix
XVI, p. 126.
'' For further information on the use of records during the biennium, see Appendix
XVII, p. 127.
" For a list of State records microfilmed, including agencies, images, and reels, see
Appendix XVIII, p. 128.
State Department of Archives and History 27
to see that schedules previously adopted are carried out
promptly. This follow-up has resulted in niore efficiency and
a closer relationship with the agencies which have been in
the program for several years.
In an effort further to systematize the inventorying of
records, uniform schedules for records common to all
agencies were worked out.
With expanded use of the program, detailed and complete
controls were imperative. A card system was set up which
enables staff members to know at any time which records
are to be destroyed, which are to be filmed, which are to
be transferred to the Archives, which are scheduled to come
to the Records Center from the agencies, which have
already been destroyed, filmed, or transferred, and the date
on which such action is to take place or has taken place.
A card for each series of records in the Records Center indi-cates
the location of that group of records.
Chapter 68, Session Laws of 1959, Strengthened the pro-gram
by specifically requiring the Department of Archives
and History to conduct, and State agencies to co-operate
with the Department in carrying out, a records manage-ment
program. A provision of a 1957 statute, making the
General Services Division responsible for the operation of a
records center or centers, was deleted. The question as to
the place of records management in State government was
thereby answered and affirmation given to the idea that
such a program was a proper function of the Department
of Archives and History. This legislation was sponsored by
the Commission on Reorganization of State Government.
The Commission issued a report highly complimentary to
the program being carried on by the Department.
Appropriations are being requested for additional per-sonnel
and equipment for the next biennium. Unless the
staff is enlarged, it will be impossible to render adequate
service to agencies already participating in the program,
even if no additional agencies seek assistance. Steps are also
being taken toward the realization of the recommendation
of the Commission on Reorganization of State Government
that the Records Center be expanded into the entire building
28 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
and that the agency now occupying the first floor be moved
elsewhere. It is hoped that within two years this recom-mendation
will be put into effect and that further expansion
and progress will thereby be made possible.
Local Records Section
The newly created position of Public Records Examiner,
now Assistant State Archivist (Local Records), was filled
on August 1, 1958, by the appointment of Rear Admiral
Alex M. Patterson, U. S. Navy (Retired), a native North
Carolinian, whose education and training well prepared him
to undertake the establishment of a new program.
As a first step in plans to be of greater service to the
counties, visits to county seats were scheduled, and during
the period September 1, 1958, to March 31, 1959, the Assist-ant
State Archivist (Local Records) alone, or in company
with the State Archivist, visited every courthouse in the
State. Efforts were made to meet as many county officials
as possible during these visits. Records problems were dis-cussed
and the Department's available and planned facilities
and services, including the proposed microfilm plan, were
explained. Subsequently the Assistant State Archivist made
121 additional visits to the counties in connection with the
microfilm program and other county records matters.^"'
Among the New Programs . . .
County records of permanent Personal Collections are being Steel shelving has replaced
value are being microfilmed, recatalo^ed in the Archives, filing cabinets in the Records
Center.
''" For a record of visits to counties, see Appendix XIX, p. 129.
State Department of Archives and History 29
In order to maintain close relationship with county
officials, and in an effort to keep them informed of the
progress of the Department's plans for greater service to
the counties, the Assistant State Archivist (Local Records)
accepted invitations in 1959 and 1960 to attend the annual
conventions of the three separate North Carolina associa-tions
of County Commissioners, Clerks of Superior Court,
and Registers of Deeds. At each of these conventions, he
had the opportunity to speak briefly on county records
matters. Of far greater importance, however, were the
opportunities afforded him to become better acquainted
with a large number of county officials.
During the week of April 5-11, 1959, the Assistant State
Archivist (Local Records) attended a conference on archival
management, conducted at the Georgia Institute of Tech-nology,
Atlanta, by Dr. T. R. Schellenberg, Assistant
Archivist of the National Archives. During the week he also
visited the Georgia Department of Archives and History
and observed the county microfilm program in operation in
Fulton and Savannah counties.
For years the serious losses of county records which
have occurred and are continuing to occur have been
matters of grave concern to the Department. At least
thirty-three counties have experienced serious courthouse
fires with accompanying losses of many, if not all, of their
permanently valuable records. Other records have been lost
due to a wide variety of causes, including enemy action,
theft, loss, vermin, heat, wide variations in humidity, water,
steam, and general wear and tear.
As a result of experience gained in the microfilming of
records of State agencies in the State Records Program, it
was decided that microfilm provided the quickest, cheapest,
and most convenient insurance against the loss of valuable
county records. A very few counties have microfilmed some
of their records. Discussions with county officials revealed,
however, that although they were almost without exception
enthusiastically in favor of a program of microfilming for
security purposes, only a few felt that their counties could
afford to embark on such a program at their own expense.
30 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
Studies of the problem convinced the Director and his
staff that such a program could be carried out more effec-tively
by the Department than by the individual counties,
or by commercial companies. It was the consensus that by
utilizing the services of Department personnel, trained as
archivists and microfilm camera operators, the work could
be done at a lower cost per volume and that greater uni-formity
would result from close Departmental supervision.
Consequently the Department sponsored legislation in the
1959 General Assembly which would provide funds for a
State-wide program of inventorying, repairing, and micro-filming
permanently valuable county records. The North
Carolina associations of County Commissioners, Clerks of
Superior Court, and Registers of Deeds, bar associations,
and individuals throughout the State enthusiastically sup-ported
the measure, and it was enacted into law without
opposition (G. S. 121-5.1).
As enacted. Senate Bill 101 authorized and directed the
Department to formulate and execute a program of inven-torying,
repairing, and microfilming in the counties for
security purposes those official records of the several
counties which the Department determined to have perma-nent
value, and of providing safe storage for microfilm
copies of such records. To finance the program there was
appropriated to the Department from the General Fund the
sum of $75,730 for 1959-1960 and $71,680 for 1960-1961.
In order to provide an adequate staff for the program, a
Local Records Section, with the Assistant State Archivist
(Local Records) as Section head, was formed in July, 1959,
and initially ten people were assigned to the new section.
This total was increased to eleven on February 1, 1960. In
addition to the Assistant State Archivist (Local Records)
and a stenographer, the staff now consists of four archivists
to evaluate and process the county records received for
permanent preservation in the Archives, and to proofread,
splice, file, and catalog the microfilm copies of county
records ; three microfilm camera operators ; and two lamina-tors
to repair, by the laminating process, county records
in need of repair.
State Department of Archives and History 31
A serious problem facing the newly created section was
the lack of office space. No suitable space was available in
the Education Building. As a last resort two basement store-rooms
were assigned to the Section. They were the large
double room (Room 8-10) used as a book storeroom by the
Publications Division, and Room 12, a Department of
Conservation and Development storeroom. Occupancy of
Room 8-10, in turn, posed a serious storage problem for the
Publications Division, and again it was necessary to resort
to an unsatisfactory expedient ; the large stock of publica-tions
was stored in the passageway, with no protection
against theft or damage, and in the Archives where space
was already at a premium. Four archivists engaged in the
processing of county records and proofreading, splicing,
cataloging, and filing of microfilm are assigned to Room
8-10. Designed as a storeroom without adequate ventilation,
it is unsatisfactory for its present use.
A procedure has been developed in which, with the con-currence
of the Board of County Commissioners, the Assist-ant
State Archivist (Local Records) , and one or more
archivist assistants conduct an inventory of all public
records in each ofiice of a county. The results of the inven-tories
are written up, mimeographed, assembled in book
form, and distributed to all interested county officials. These
inventories are of great value, both to the Department and
to county officials concerned. The inventory serves as a
catalog of the records in the county and also lists those
records from the county which are now in the Archives. It
indicates those records to be microfilmed for security pur-poses
and includes recommended schedules of retention and
disposal of all county records. Adherence to these schedules
will result in the preservation of all essential records and
the timely disposal of non-essential records, with resulting
economy in space, personnel, and money, and in improved
efficiency in office operation.
As soon as the inventory is completed the work of micro-filming
begins. Three Recordak Model MRE 35 mm.
planetary cameras are used for microfilming bound volumes
and a Recordak portable 16 mm. rotary camera is used for
32 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
marriage licenses and other loose papers. The work is done
in space provided in, or near, the courthouse. Permanently
valuable records in need of repair are brought back to the
Department where they are laminated, rebound by a com-mercial
binder, and returned to the county. In a number of
counties a considerable number of older records were micro-filmed
in the 1940's and early 1950's by the Genealogical
Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,
Salt Lake City, Utah. Also in some instances county officials
have microfilmed some of their records. As a rule, when
such film is of acceptable archival quality, records con-cerned
are not re-filmed, but copies, if not already on hand,
are obtained for the security files of the Department.
In December, 1959, arrangements were made through the
Division of Purchase and Contract to purchase microfilm
from the Genealogical Society of the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints. The contract also provided that the
Society would process the film, return the negatives to the
Department for inspection, and prepare positive copies as
required by the Department.
Realizing that complications would inevitably arise during
the early stages of the new microfilm program, it was de-cided
to begin in Wake County so that the initial effort
might be under close supervision of staff members of the
Department. Work began in Wake County on August 17,
1959, and was completed on December 15, 1959. Thereafter,
the permanently valuable records of Chatham, Wilson,
Chowan, Currituck, and Camden counties were microfilmed
and those of Pasquotank were practically finished by the end
of the biennium. A total of 3,441 bound volumes (1,740 reels
of 35 mm. film), and 156 boxes of loose papers (30 reels of
16 mm. film), were microfilmed for the counties listed
above. ^''
During the biennium 1,658 negative reels were processed
by the Genealogical Society and returned to the Department
where each reel was carefully inspected by staff personnel.
Unsatisfactory pages and sections were noted and the
camera operators directed to refilm them. Corrections were
1" For details of county records microfilmed, see Appendixes XIX and XX, pp. 129,
ISO.
State Department of Archives and History 33
spliced into 590 reels, i' All negative reels are stored in
security files in the Archives.
Positive copies of 228 negative reels of the older and more
historically valuable Wake County records were processed
and filed in the Search Room for research purposes. The
same procedure will be followed for other counties.
A need had long existed for a manual for the guidance of
county officials and Department personnel in matters per-taining
to the preservation, repair, retention, and disposal
of county records. The need for such a manual became more
urgent and acute as plans for the microfilm program de-veloped.
Chapter 121, General Statutes of North Carolina,
pertaining to the functions of the State Department of
Archives and History, empowers the Department to estab-lish
advisory boards or committees to assist it in perform-ance
of its dutiesfG. S. 121-2(12)), and to make such
rules and regulations as may be necessary and proper to
implement the section (G. S. 121-5) pertaining to the De-partment's
authority and responsibilities with respect to
public records. Under these statutory provisions, work on
The County Records Manual began in January, 1959.
In order that the best talent available might be utilized in
the preparation of the Manual, the Director appointed the
County Records Advisory Committee, consisting of nine
county officials, representing many years of experience in
various county offices, and four members of the Institute of
Government, with the State Archivist and Assistant State
Archivist (Local Records) serving as ex officio members
and editors.
The Advisory Committee held its first meeting in Raleigh
on February 8, 1959, to begin work on the Manual. The
Committee was divided into subcommittees and each was
allocated sections to prepare. Thereafter the subcommittees
met as necessity arose until the first draft of the Manual
was prepared. It then fell to the editors to complete the job,
which was done in January, 1960. Distribution was made
in March to county officials, to interested State agencies,
to a number of libraries in the State and selected libraries
1' For details of microfilm proofread and splicL'd, see Appendix XIX, p. 129.
34 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
and archival institutions in other States. Due to its limited
application, it is not available for purchase by the public.
The Manual contains two chapters of general instructions,
eight chapters in which records of the different county
offices are listed, with schedules of retention and disposal,
and with indication of those to be microfilmed, and an
appendix which contains general statutes pertaining to
public records. It is the first such Manual to be published in
the United States and its enthusiastic reception by county
officials and others has been most encouraging.
During the biennium a large quantity of permanently
valuable records has been received from thirty counties for
permanent preservation in the Archives. In most instances
records were transferred as a result of negotiations between
the Assistant State Archivist (Local Records) and county
officials concerned. ^'^
Upon receipt in the Department, records are first
fumigated and cleaned. Bound volumes are then carefully
inspected and those in need of repair are laminated if neces-sary^
and rebound. They are labeled, cataloged, accessioned,
and made available for research purposes. Papers are eval-uated
by trained archivists who arrange, box, label, cata-log,
accession, and place them on shelves for convenient
access to researchers. Those in poor condition are laminated.
In addition to the records received during the biennium,
a large number of Lincoln, Mecklenburg, and Wake County
papers already in the Archives were arranged and made
available to the public. ^^
The importance of the work done by the Laminating Shop
personnel cannot be overemphasized. Laminating is a tedious
and expensive process, requiring skillful and well-trained
operators. During the biennium the Shop restored to use
by laminating a total of 142 volumes, or 47,292 pages of
such invaluable county records as deeds and will books,
minute dockets, and estates records.-" Most of these records
had deteriorated to the point that they could no longer be
used, but after laminating and rebinding, they have been
^^ For details of records received, see Appendix XIV, p. 106.
1" For details of records processed, see Appendix XIX, p. 129.
^' For details of records laminated, see Appendix XIX, p. 129.
State Department of Archives and History 35
restored to almost indefinite service. Many county officials,
especially in the older counties, look upon this service as the
most important contribution which the Department is
making toward the preservation of their records. The cost
of laminating, as well as rebinding by a commercial binder,
is borne by the State.
Thus a program which at the beginning of the biennium
was only an idea has grown to maturity. The support of the
program throughout the State, especially the whole-hearted
co-operation of county officials, has been most gratifying.
The interest in the program manifested in other States has
been a source of great satisfaction to the staff. It is general-ly
recognized that the successful launching of the new Local
Records Program is an important milestone m the history
of this Department.
Summary
In retrospect, it may be concluded that the past biennium
was one of growth and expansion. The Division broadened
its program to include an extensive local records program
and a newspaper microfilming project, both in addition to
strengthening its older programs.
This means that today the Division is operating what
may be described as a comprehensive archival program. Yet,
one more area of activity needs to be entered to complete
the cycle and bring North Carolina in line with the best
archival program that can be undertaken. That area is in
records creation, filing, and the like in the various agencies.
The remedy for the problem of records management appears
to lie largely in the creation end of the records, rather than
in the disposal and preservation end. Problems of space,
arrangement, and accessibility can be—and should be
—
solved primarily by reducing the quantity of records being
created, using papers and inks of good quality, and filing the
records properly. The Department expects to seek funds
from the 1961 General Assembly to provide for such a
program.
Finally, space needs are critical. Only through sufficient
and properly constructed space can these fine programs be
36 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
made to function as efficiently as they should. Of all the
needs of the Division, space is the most urgent. The dedi-cation
of an Archives and History building on the 300th
anniversary of the granting of the Carolina Charter and
the 100th anniversary of the climactic year of the Civil War
will be the most appropriate birthday present that North
Carolinians can give themselves, and no function of State
government will be benefitted more than the Division of
Archives and Manuscripts.
DIVISION OF HISTORIC SITES
William S. Tarlton, Historic Sites Superintendent
The chief and fundamental purpose of the Historic Sites
Program is to preserve and develop for public use sites and
structural properties that are significant in the history of
our State. It is a practical program of conservation and
development. The difference between this type of conser-vation
and that involving forestry and wildlife is largely
one of subject.
Since 1955, when the fragmentized and scattered responsi-bility
for developing the State's important historic places
was transferred from various State agencies and commis-sions
to the Department of Archives and History, a system
of nine State-owned projects has been established under the
Department. Seven of the nine are administered directly by
the Department through the Historic Sites Division. The
other two, though deeded to the State, are in the custody
of local organizations which administer them under contract
with the Department.
This Historic Sites Program has been developed with an
eye to four important objectives, among others: (1) State-wide
or national importance of sites or structures brought
under the program, (2) authenticity, (3) intrinsic interest
of the sites for education and visitor appeal, and (4) geo-graphical
distribution of the projects in all parts of the
State, not in just one or two of the most "historic" areas.
There are other considerations besides these, all of which
have their place in a set of standards, or criteria, adopted
by the Department in the beginning to guide the program.
These criteria are designed to control the program, to pre-vent
taking on properties of dubious value or importance,
and to maintain in general a high level of professional
integrity in selection and development.
The present system of nine projects scattered throughout
the State represents a wide range of historical interest.
Together with such projects as may be added in the future,
these constitute a balanced and comprehensive total system.
Since 1955 the outlines of a good, not an overly ambitious,
[ 37 ]
38 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
program have been established and a number of properties
have been placed under development. We can count all this
as real progress, but there is much more that must be done
before North Carolina will have a complete, or even effec-tive,
program. The Historic Sites Program has not yet won
nearly enough financial support to fill out the framework
that has been established.
During the 1959-1961 biennium the operating budget for
Historic Sites totaled $181,085. For 1961-1963 we have re-quested
a substantial increase in operating funds. These
extra funds, if provided, will allow a general strengthening
of the program by making possible better maintenance of
the properties, acceleration of restoration work at several
of the projects, acceleration of the archeological work at
the two archeological sites, the provision of many minor
improvements at all the properties, and the addition to the
system of two new projects (the Bennett Place and the
President Polk Birthplace) . This enrichment of the opera-tional
and maintenance program, together with the capital
improvements mentioned below, will (if approved) place the
Historic Sites program in a state of progress which within
two or three years will render it fully useful and effective
as an educational and tourist asset to the State.
The capital improvements budget for improvements
projected since 1958 has totaled $132,089, of which $42,770
has been raised from private and local sources. A proposed
bond issue of $250,000 for Historic Sites failed to carry by
a handful of votes in the bond referendum of October, 1959.
This loss has prevented the program from advancing as it
should have and has created something of a hiatus in the
schedule of development. We have again submitted requests
for capital improvements as follows: (1) dwelling houses at
Alamance Battleground, Bentonville Battleground, and
Vance Birthplace in order that the Historic Site Specialists
in charge may live on the projects and give them full time
surveillance and protection. (2) visitor center-museum
buildings at Town Creek Indian Mound, Bentonville Battle-ground,
Aycock Birthplace, and Fort Fisher.
Further delay in obtaining these funds for capital im-provements
will mean that the program will be that much
State Department of Archives and History 39
slower in reaching a level of efficiency and usefulness that
will justify the investment that has already been made in
getting started. We will continue to be in the position, as
now, of administering a half-finished program, which, due
to the lack of facilities for receiving the visiting public,
offers all too little appeal to the otherwise interested popu-lace.
Despite these serious handicaps in advancing and develop-ing
the program, some substantial progress is being made.
This is primarily due to the fact that all of the projects
have been or still are in the very early stages of develop-ment.
In other words, given the raw undeveloped sites we
started with, they could only advance. They could not go
backw^ard. The following reports on the various projects
show what has been and is being accomplished, and also
what is needed to further the program.
1. Brunswick Town, site of the extinct colonial town on
the Lower Cape Fear River, Brunswick County. This is an
... -». r,^^^,.mf^-^f'*^^
liniliswirk Tm\mi s
excavaliuii. Cape J'
ih. N ith M,H,i
I 111 Latk/iiouu
I'lp house foundation foUowm
40 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
archeological project and is being treated as such, much on
the order of the methods followed by the National Park
Service at Jamestown in Virginia. The project was started
at the beginning of the biennium. Since then much of the
town site has been cleared of the heavy undergrowth that
formerly concealed it, the site has been completely surveyed
and mapped, some dozen house sites have been excavated
and permanently opened to public view, large masses of
artifacts dug up in the course of archeological excavation
have been processed and preserved, and a number of trails,
interpretive exhibits, and other facilities have been provid-ed.
An access road and parking lot have been built and a
considerable area of the 119-acre site has been brought
under regular park maintenance. An informational leaflet
was published for general distribution.
Public interest has been surprisingly keen and we esti-mate
that even now approximately 20,000 visitors a year
tour the site—this despite the fact that there are none of
the usual comfort or other facilities for receiving the public.
2. Fort Fisher, site of the great Confederate fort which
kept the Cape Fear River and the port of Wilmington open
to blockade-running until almost the end of the Civil War,
providing the Confederacy with a "lifeline" for critical
foreign supplies. The site is on the beach below Carolina
Beach, New Hanover County.
This project was begun in July, 1960, on 189 acres leased
from the Federal Government. Since that time most of the
surviving large earthworks have been cleared of under-growth
and the surrounding areas opened. A detailed sur-vey
of the site is now in process. This survey will be the
basis for further planning. A Historic Site Specialist has
been assigned to the project to perform historical research,
plan the over-all development, and place the property under
regular administration and maintenance.
The most important improvement needed is a visitor
center-museum building to serve as an information and
orientation center for the visiting public and as a museum
in which to house and exhibit the impressive collections of
relics, maps, photographs, and other museum materials
State Department of Archives and History 41
available. This visitor center-museum will be the heart of
the entire project and is necessary for the proper exhibition
of the site and the fort remains. In addition, selected por-tions
of the fort works should be restored—one or two gun
emplacements and an underground ammunition magazine.
The fort's unique engineering may in this way be demon-strated.
3. Aycock Birthplace, the farm home, near Goldsboro,
Wayne County, where Charles B. Aycock, North Carolina's
great "Educational Governor" (1901-1905), was born in
1859. The dwelling house and several outbuildings were
restored in 1958-1959 by the Charles B. Aycock Memorial
Commission, working in close cooperation with the Depart-ment
of Archives and History which has administered the
project since 1957. The restoration was formally dedicated
Aycock Birthplace after restoration. Dwelling house on the left, kitchen on the right.
42 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
on November 1, 1959, the exact 100th anniversary of
Aycock's birth. Since that time the grounds have been large-ly
restored and the remainder of the 10-acre site has been
opened and improved for public use. An access road and
parking area have been constructed and stabilized. An
informational leaflet has been published for general distri-bution.
Needs for the future include the critical one of a museum-visitor
center building in which to orient the visiting public
and particularly in which to exhibit mementoes and other
items that illustrate Aycock's public career as Governor and
the founder of North Carolina's modern public education
program. In the restored dwelling house and outbuildings
we are able to reflect his family background and early life
but until the museum program dealing with his governor-ship
is provided, there is little that can be done to make
Aycock the boy meaningful in the light of his later achieve-ments.
Another need is to round out and complete the Aycock
homestead restoration by adding several outbuildings
known to have been on the site originally, such as slave
quarters, a cotton gin, chicken houses, and smaller appur-tenances.
At present the project looks and is incomplete.
It should have the full realism of a complete farm home,
including the barnyard arrangements.
A revised edition of the informational leaflet was pub-lished
in 1959.
4. Bentonville Battleground, site of the great battle of
March 19-21, 1865, between General W. T. Sherman's
Federal army and General Joseph E. Johnston's Confeder-ate
army, near Smithfield, Johnston County. This was the
largest and bloodiest battle ever fought on North Carolina
soil. It was the only serious Confederate effort made to
stop Sherman after he left Atlanta on his swing through
the South.
The problem of developing this large battlefield (over
6,000 acres, of which the State has title to 51 acres) is
difficult and complex. Battle lines and positions must be
marked out and sections of these lines restored and made
State Department of Archives and History 43
accessible to the visiting public ; the Confederate Hospital
(Harper House) must be completely restored as it was in
1865 ; above all, a visitor center-museum building is needed
to serve as a central place for information and orientation
in touring the large battlefield and in which to exhibit the
extensive collections already made of battle relics, docu-ments,
pictures, and other materials that illustrate the
battle.
During the past two years some of this work has been
accomplished but a lack of funds has hampered progress.
The Confederate Hospital has been 60% restored and is
now used to house a small temporary museum exhibit; 29
permanent markers have been erected at the major sites
in the battle area; about 10 acres of ground, including the
Confederate Cemetery, have been brought under park
maintenance ; and a county road has been relocated to allow
for better development of the main area. A revised edition
Harper House at Bentonville Battleground as photographed in October, 1960. Used
first as Federal and later as Confederate hospital during and following the Battle of
March 19-21, 1865.
44 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
of the informational leaflet on Bentonville was published
in 1960.
At present we have no way of knowing how many visitors
come into the battle area and follow the markers on auto-mobile
tours. A rough estimate is 10,000 a year. During
the Civil War Centennial years, and as the battlefield is
better developed for visitors, the number will doubtless
increase many fold.
5. Alamance Battleground, site near Burlington, Ala-mance
County, of the battle between the Regulators and
Governor William Tryon's colonial militia, May 16, 1771.
In 1959-1960 a new visitor center-museum building was
constructed and is now being fitted with a complete set of
museum exhibits illustrating the history of the Regulator
movement and of the Battle of Alamance. This facility,
made possible with State and local funds on a 50-50 match-ing
basis, will be formally opened to the public in the spring
of 1961.
Alamanc-e Batllegruund museum just after completion, June, 1960.
State Department of Archives and History 45
About 15 acres of ground have been brought under park
maintenance, an access road and a parking lot have been
built, and modest picnicking facilities provided. A revised
edition of the informational leaflet on Alamance was pub-lished
in 1960.
The chief immediate needs are : a dwelling house on the
site where the Historic Site Specialist in charge will live
in order to give the project around-the-clock protection and
security, intensive marking of the battle positions and other
features, and the restoration of a frontier-type home such
as the Regulators lived in—this to give better illustration
of the type of people these early revolutionaries were.
6. Town Creek Indian Mound, site near Mt. Gilead,
Montgomery County, of a sixteenth century Indian cere-monial
village, now being restored as one of the unique
Indian restorations in the country. This village was estab-lished
by a primitive cultural offshoot of the pyramid
builders in Mexico. At Town Creek the equivalent of the
Mexican pyramids is an earth mound, surmounted by a
thatched temple.
VifU I if the
dominate the
lemonial ceiiter. Tuwn Creek Indian Mnuii'l. Tlu' in.
ii-ea. In the foreKround are stockade and furtilied
46 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
Archeological excavation of the site has been in progress
since 1936, resulting in the recovery of an impressive col-lection
of Indian artifacts and other relics and also ex-tensive
data about the original village. This work makes
it possible to restore the Indian village (now approximately
50'^/( complete) and to establish an Indian archeological
museum second to none in the country.
The most pressing needs are : a museum building of
adequate size to house and exhibit the large collections of
archeological objects and additional funds to speed up the
archeological work and the restoration of village structures —such as burial houses, secondary temples, and priests'
dwellings.
The archeological work has steadily continued, but on a
scale that is limited by paucity of available funds, the 15-
acre open area has been maintained, and increasingly large
numbers of visitors have been given guided tours. Visitation
has increased from less than 20,000 in 1958-1959 to 30,000
in 1959-1960.
Two large illustrated markers of cast aluminum have
been erected on the two highway approaches. The infor-mational
leaflet on Town Creek was twice revised and
republished during the biennium.
7. Zehulon B. Vance Birthplace, the farm home near
Asheville, Buncombe County, where Governor Vance, North
Carolina's great and popular Civil War Governor and later
United States Senator, was born in 1830.
By means of joint financing by the State, the City of
Asheville, and Buncombe County, the large log dwelling
house is presently being reconstructed on the original
foundation and according to plans drawn from early photo-graphs
and surviving portions of the original building.
Some of the original material is being re-used in the re-construction.
The house will be completed before the end of
1960 and will be formally opened to the public in 1961.
In order to complete the project the following improve-ments
are needed : restoration of several outbuildings, such
as a spring house, corn crib, stable, smokehouse, and slave
State Department of Archives and History 47
Vance Birthplace during restoration, October, 1960.
48 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
cabins ; construction of a parking lot ; and above all con-struction
of a visitor center-museum in which to exhibit
mementoes of Governor Vance's public life. The restored
dwelling house serves to reflect Vance's family background
and early life. The museum dealing with his later life as
statesman and public figure is needed to give meaning to
Vance the boy and to the project.
In addition to the seven projects enumerated above, the
Department has custody of the House in the Horseshoe
(Alston House) in Moore County and the James Iredell
House in Edenton, Chowan County, both State-owned
properties. These two are administered respectively by the
Moore County Historical Association and the James Iredell
House Association. The rear portions of the Iredell House
have been further restored and a colonial type garden has
been added recently. The Department published an infor-mational
leaflet on the House in the Horseshoe in 1959. The
House has recently been improved as to furnishings.
House in the Hoi-seshoe ;)ftei- I'estoration, l'.>r>S.
State Department of Archives and History 49
The Department is authorized by law to assist local and
private non-profit organizations in similar work of histori-cal
restoration and site development. In accord with this
authorization, a good deal of time is given to non-State
projects. In some cases the Department takes full responsi-bility
for the technical and professional aspects of these
projects.
The most important examples of this type of assistance
during the biennium are
:
1. Richmond Temperance and Literari/ Society Hall
restoration near Wagram, Scotland County. This project
was completed and opened to the public in 1960. It is owned
and administered by the Richmond Temperance and Liter-ary
Society Hall Commission, Inc., of Laurinburg.
2. Historic Halifax, Halifax County. The Dutch colonial
Owens House, built about 1760, was successfully restored
in 1959 by the Historical Halifax Restoration Association,
Inc., assisted financially and technically by the Department.
The Association owns and administers other historic prop-erties
in Halifax.
3. Colonial Bath, Beaufort County. The Marsh House, a
large mansion built about 1745, was acquired by the Beau-fort
County Historical Society (assisted from State funds)
and is being restored by the Colonial Bath Commission. The
Department is rendering technical assistance.
4. Bennett Place, Durham County. This is the farmhouse
in which, more than a month after the battle of Bentonville,
General Joseph E. Johnston surrendered his Confederate
army to General William T. Sherman on April 26, 1865.
The Bennett Place Memorial Commission, a State agency,
is reconstructing the two units of the dwelling with funds
from private sources and the Department is directing the
restoration processes. The project is expected to be com-pleted
in time for a formal opening in the spring of 1961.
The Bennett Place is one of the most significant Civil
War sites in North Carolina and the Department feels it
can with full justification be added to the regular Historic
Sites Program for administration and maintenance. We
50 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
0^ A<
Bennett Place as i)hotO!J:)ai>he(l in the early 1!H)0
^
'l|f ^'^''¥''*?M'
*"'
Bennett Place during reconstruction, Auirust, lyOO. Dwelling house on the left, kitchen
on the right.
State Department of Archives and History 51
have accordingly requested operating funds for the project
to begin July 1, 1961.
The Historical Highway Marker Program, commenced in
1935, continues to be conducted as a part of the Historic
Sites Program, but on a more limited basis than formerly.
This curtailment is due to the fact that the Department
does not have adequate staff as in earlier years to admini-ster
the program at full capacity. Nevertheless, 64 new
markers have been authorized and erected during the
biennium, and 17 replacements for markers lost or de-stroyed
in the field were erected.^
1 a list of the new maikers appears in Appendix XXI, p. 131.
DIVISION OF MUSEUMS
Mrs. Joye E. Jordan, Museum Administrator
It has been only little more than half a century that the
State of North Carolina has been actively interested in the
preservation of her visual history. To try to measure the
progress that has been made in tangible results in this
length of time would be an impossible task. Yet many of the
objectives which have been realized by today's history
museums are the self-same ones which were the aspirations
of the founding fathers. Fundamentally, it is the responsi-bility
of the museums of history to preserve and dissemi-nate
a knowledge of the past in order that it may become
an inspirational basis for building the future.
At the close of each biennium, an evaluation of the
progress of the history museum program toward the reali-zation
of these objectives is made. The report for the latest
two years will include not only the accomplishments of the
Division of Museums toward this major objective but also
phases of the work of lesser significance. The museum staff
invites criticism and suggestions on all parts of its program.
Active interest and definite requests on the part of the
public will tend to influence future planning.
The Hall of History serves as a showcase which depicts
the principles and ideals upon which the State was founded.
Literally thousands of her citizens as well as tourists from
every other State in the Union and many foreign countries
view these exhibits annually. This serves as an incentive to
our staif to render the best possible service to all our people.
Exhibits
Museums, whether they like it or not, are having to
modernize the techniques and devices with which they pre-sent
visual information to the public. The practice of
placing an old musty item in a cluttered case, accompanied
by a hard-to-read, often inaccurate label, is no longer
acceptable to people who are now being educated to demand
something better.
[ 52 1
State Department of Archives and History 53
In recognition of this responsibility to the museum
visitor, the staff has been striving to design and execute
exhibits which will present not only the desired information
but will do it in such a way that it becomes palatable to the
individual viewing the display.
Since funds provided in the budget for this purpose are
very limited, the descriptive adjective "inadequate" is much
too weak a word to describe the situation. The task of pro-viding
exhibits which measure up to present-day museum
standards has proven somewhat difficult this past biennium.
Neverthless, some progress has been made in the way of
adding new permanent exhibits. Since the Special Exhibits
Gallery has become full to overflowing, a new elevated
display area has been installed in the first half of the gallery
formerly designated as the Ante-Bellum Room in order that
an occasional temporary exhibit can be accommodated.
Permanent Exhibits
:
The Roanoke Island Room has been completely renovated
and now includes a new Indian exhibit utilizing plywood
An exhibit nf side aims
History.
(1 iiy Nnitti Carolinians. Arms & Armor Room, Hall of
54 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
cut-out figures of Indians to illustrate their crafts and use
of artifacts, and a new display depicting life in Elizabethan
England.
A display of articles which belonged to Andrew Johnson
and to his family was loaned to the Hall of History by Mrs.
Margaret Patterson Bartlett of Greeneville, Tennessee,
Johnson's great-granddaughter.
After many months of work, a large-scale exhibit was
constructed on "Raleigh, the Capital City." This exhibit
traces Raleigh as the Capital City from its founding in
1792, through its changes and developments, down to the
present time.
A display of oil paintings, "Plantation Scenes from Life,"
by the late Mrs. Mary Lyde Hicks Williams of Duplin Coun-ty,
was installed in the Portrait Gallery. These are por-traits
of actual people who worked on Mrs. Williams' uncle's
farm many years ago.
The Arms and Armor Room has been completely reno-vated
and an exhibit of North Carolina Guns and Gunsmiths
installed. This display includes North Carolina-made guns
;
guns that were used by a number of North Carolinians
swords that belonged to prominent North Carolinians
;
special vignettes on dueling, the Lowery Gang, and a pistol
captured from a North Carolina major during the Civil
War ; and a display showing the evolution of side arms from
the Revolutionary flintlock to the modern United States
Army .45 automatic.
The Cutten Collection of Early American Silver, which
has been on display for a number of years, was purchased
by the Department during the biennium. The collection
consists of 154 pieces among which are a Nicholas Roose-velt
tankard, two Paul Revere spoons, 25 salt spoons, and a
number of table spoons showing the development of the
various styles.
Special Exhibits:
The silver service which was presented by the Teachers
of North Carolina to Charles Brantley Aycock, the "Edu-cational
Governor," has been placed in the Special Room.
State Department of Archives and History 55
The individual pieces were donated by Governor Aycock's
children and will remain in the Hall of History until the
completion of restoration of the Aycock Birthplace.
An exhibit of illustrations from Home and Highway
Magazine was hung in the Portrait Gallery. It was replaced
by an exhibit of portraits of North Carolina Confederate
leaders.
An exhibit of a ladies' fashion salon in the latter part
of the nineteenth century was installed. Temporary exhibits
of North Carolina tobacco products, old-fashioned valen-tines,
and artifacts from Old Brunswick Town were placed
in the lobby of the Education Building.
The exhibit of the nineteenth century fashion salon was
followed by a display of household and office mechanical
devices of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The display in the lobby was replaced by an exhibit of
military medals.
it woik in the Museums Division's Accession Room.
56 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
The medals exhibit was superseded by an exhibit titled
"How It Began—Organized Nursing in North Carolina."
Outstanding Junior Historian materials prepared by
some of our clubs were placed in a new elevated display area
designated for special exhibits. This exhibit was followed
by late nineteenth and twentieth century clothing.
An exhibit of the styles of military helmets from the
Mexican War to World War H was installed along with a
companion case showing other types of military headgear.
Each year an old-fashioned Christmas exhibit with a
tree, toys, Christmas stockings, and a family scene is placed
in the Special Exhibits Room.
Accessions :
During the biennium a special effort was made to com-plete
the Hall of History's costume collection. With the
addition of a large collection of women's and children's
wearing apparel which was donated by Mrs. Sidney Howell
of Upper Montclair, New Jersey, the costume collection is
now fairly complete from 1775 to the 1940's.
"Plantation Scenes from Life" (referred to above), by
Mrs. Mary Lyde Hicks Williams, placed in the museum by
Mr. Virginius Faison Williams, was one of the most signi-ficant
accessions.
Particular attention was paid to the Department's col-lection
of antique firearms and related materials, one of
the most complete in this area. A special effort was made
to obtain works by North Carolina gunsmiths and firearms
of the Civil War period.
Other accessions of interest include a silver spoon made
by C. B. Root, a North Carolina silversmith, and a one-dollar
gold piece from the United States Mint in Charlotte,
1855.1
Education
Too often the history museums' education program is
confined to either individual students or school groups who
have an opportunity to visit the museum. As important as
For a list of Museum items accessioned, see Appendix XXII, p. 133.
State Department of Archives and History 57
"Pipe Smoking Man" from the collection. Plantation Scenes, by Mary Lyde Hicks Williams.
58 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
this phase of the work may be, it should not completely
over-balance all other components which go to make up a
well-rounded program in the field of educational activity.
Lack of sufficient staff has handicapped the Division of
Museums in rendering adequate service. To provide any-thing
like the comprehensive coverage needed to supplement
the scant formal knowledge of North Carolina history for
the vast majority of our State's citizens would require half
again as many staff members as we have presently. There-fore,
once more the report for this biennium will relate
for the most part to what has been accomplished for the
benefit of groups who have North Carolina history as an
assignment.
School Visitation:
A line graph of school visits during the year always
shows an increase during the spring months. It reaches its
peak in the month of April. To document this fact, the first
An eighth-grade school group viewing a street scene exhiljil in the Hali uf Histiry.
State Department of Archives and History 59
paragraph under the topic of education in the Division of
Museums quarterly report for April, May, June, 1960
reads: "This quarter 685 school groups, totaling 31,221
individuals, visited the Hall of History and were shown the
introductory slide program."
For the school term 1958-1959, the total number of
groups who registered their visit to the museum was 858
;
the total number of students was 37,540. For 1959-1960
groups totaled 849, and the total number of students was
37,798. For the biennium this made a grand total of 75,338
individual students who received some instruction by a
staff member on the history of their State. There are still
a number of teachers who plan their visit to the Capital
City so poorly that they do not allow sufficient time to make
their tour of the museum of any benefit to their group as
an educational experience. The above statistics do not
include these groups that just "go through" the museum
with their teacher, so that they do not reflect a completely
accurate picture of school visitation.
-
The museum staff assists the teacher in making prepara-tion
for their visit to the Hall of History by providing three
mailing pieces: "Let's Visit the Hall of History," a small
folder designed for teachers of eighth grade groups who
are planning to "spend a daj^" in Raleigh ; "The Hall of
History—A Museum in Action," which is actually a guide to
the exhibits; and the "Hall of History Workbook," which
gives a very elementary historical sketch of the period of
history illustrated by the museum exhibits. The workbook
also contains questions for the students to use as part of
their follow-up work. These questions can be answered
correctly only if the student gives careful attention to the
exhibits and the introductory slide program during the
visit.
The Demonstration Exhibit still proves popular with
mxany groups. With fewer classes coming in during the first
half of the school term, it is possible for the staff to arrange
appointments for those who are interested in learning
something of the early home crafts. At present the demon-
2 For figures of registration at the Hall of History, by state and foreign country,
see Appendix XXIII, p. 151.
60 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
strations emphasize the preparation, spinning, and weaving-of
both cotton and flax. The students see early weaving and
quilt patterns. Quilting is also demonstrated upon request.
School Extension:
Even though the 35,000 or 40,000 students who visit the
Hall of History annually may represent practically every
county in the State, this is still a far cry from any sort of
comprehensive coverage even for the eighth grade groups.
It does not touch the other grade levels where history is
taught. In order to provide supplementary material for
these youngsters and to adult groups as well, the staff has
compiled a number of slide lecture programs. Upon the
teacher's request, these programs, consisting of from 40 to
100 slides and an accompanying script, are made available
for classroom use. It would be difficult to estimate the num-ber
of requests received annually for these programs. We
know of several teachers, however, who have adopted them
as a regular part of their course of study.
Staff members make it a point to comply with requests
from school authorities who are planning an assembly
program which is to have a North Carolina history
emphasis. Even an occasional classroom visit is made when
a special history project is being introduced.
School children throughout the State have come to look
on the history museum as a source of material and informa-tion
when they are making scrapbooks or writing term
papers on a related subject. During the school term it is an
exceptional day when no requests are received, and a total
of eight or ten a day is not unusual. These range from a
request for a specific item or picture to "Please send me all
the information there is on North Carolina. I need it right
away for my scrapbook."
The traveling exhibit on North Carolina Indian artifacts —a number of which came from Town Creek—was sent to
Charlotte for use in the Children's Nature Museum. Miss.
Jean Agnew, Chairman of Educational Exhibits of the
American Camping Association, borrowed the exhibit for
display during their convention at Asheville. It is presently
located at the Arts and Science Museum in Statesville.
State Department of Archives and History 61
The Tarheel Junior Historian Program:
The Tarheel Junior Historian Association has become an
important part of the work of the Museums Division. The
two years covered by this report offer a good example of
what can be accomplished when more than token attention
can be given to such a program.
Due to the fact that no additional staff had been provided
to initiate this work, very little was accomplished during
the school year of 1958-1959. Only 25 clubs became mem-bers
of the Association. A newsletter, which for the most
part was a report on the club projects, was sent to the mem-bership
at the close of the school term.
In August, 1959, the Division employed a new staff mem-ber
to assist in the education program. The Tarheel Junior
Historian Association was included in the work assigned,
and results for the school year 1959-1960 show a marked
improvement.
Some 1,000 teachers received information on the Tarheel
Junior Historian program. Approximately 30 schools were
visited in response to requests for assistance in organizing
history clubs. The school year closed with 44 clubs which
had joined the Association. The total membership of these
clubs was 1,343. A newsletter was written and reports were
received on the progress of the projects which will consti-tute
a Tarheel Junior Historian Display in the Hall of
History.
The program needs to be brought to the attention of the
State in general as well as to the schools. It is not a new
unproven idea. In several States it is an established organi-zation
with strong backing on both local and statewide
levels. Bringing the North Carolina program up to the
same strength as in other States will be a slow process, but
it can be accomplished if the program receives the proper
emphasis.
Photography
Too often the work of the technical staff is merely taken
for granted without any real comprehension of what is
62 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
contributed by their efforts. A case in point is that of the
photographer. Before giving the cold statistics on the num-ber
of photographs taken, prints made, negatives filed, and
other related work accomplished, it may be of interest to
note the where and whyfors that necessitate the taking of
so many pictures.
Although a large percentage of the photographer's work
is for the Museums Division, other Divisions of the Depart-ment
are served as well. The Publications Division requires
a great many photographs for illustrations. Photographs
and colored slides are often requested by the Historic Sites
Division for lectures and publications, and occasionally a
document from the Division of Archives and Manuscripts
must be photographed.
Extensive use of the negative collection is made by news-papers,
magazines, authors, and publishers. The Museum's
extension service requires an ever-increasing number of
kodachrome slides.
A few paragraphs from the quarterly reports during the
biennium may give a clearer insight into the subject. Even
with this, it may be difficult to realize just how much work
and skill the following paragraphs encompass
:
"During the first week of December the photographer
was present at all the Departmental related sessions of
Culture Week for the purpose of compiling a photographic
record of this event" (October-December, 1959).
Or take this paragraph from a spring report, 1960: "The
photographer made the following trips : April 13-14
:
Aycock Birthplace to make photographs; April 21-23: Dur-ham
to attend Southern Short Course in Photography
;
May 6 : Alamance Battleground to make photographs of the
new museum building ; May 18 : New Bern to make pictures
of Tryon Palace furnishings." This is part cf the photo-graphic
program for insurance and accession records.
The photographer made seven color photographs of the
loading and firing of an early North Carolina-made gun.
These photographs were enlarged and used in the new
exhibit on guns.
State Department of Archives and History 63
Negatives have been made for a photographic inventory
of all the items of furnishings at the Charles B. Aycock
Birthplace, and 366 of these negatives have been printed.
The photographic inventory of the Tryon Palace furnish-ings
has been brought up to date.
The following compilation of the statistical reports
relating to photography for the 1958-1960 biennium show^s
the volume of work that has been accomplished.
Pictures copied 666
Black and white prints 9,099
Negatives made and filed 3,096
Color slides 1,456
Co-operation With Other Organizations
Each Biennial Report shows that the work of the Division
of Museums tends to become more State-wide in scope. In
evaluating the work for the past two years, it was found
that the requests from allied history museums throughout
the State have more than doubled. These requests come not
only from the museums already established which want to
initiate new exhibits and programs but also from groups
planning new history museums. Several of the requests
have come from county historical societies, two from
municipalities, and one was a cooperative effort involving
four counties, encompassing the old Albemarle area.
Other Museums:
One of the most time-consuming projects has been the
Tryon Palace Restoration. The Museum Administrator and
members of the staff have worked on accession problems,
plans for a museum, and a photographic inventory of all
the furnishings in the Palace. The Museum Administrator
has attended the Commission meetings, made a trip to
Colonial Williamsburg and to the Smithsonian Institution
to study costumes of the period, helped design and choose
the materials for both summer and winter costumes for the
Hostesses, and conducted classes in Hostessing Techniques
for Palace personnel. Several members of the staff attended
the official opening of the Palace.
64 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
The Orange County Museum in Hillsboro requested and
received assistance on both the planning and the execution
of exhibits. Members of the Hall of History staff conferred
with members of the staff of the Rowan Museum in Salis-bury
on exhibits and an educational program for that
museum. The Museum Administrator worked with the com-mittee
which plans to establish a four-county historical
museum in the old Albemarle area.
Assistance was given to the Greensboro Historical Mu-seum
in routine problems and in planning their thirty-fifth
anniversary celebration which was held November 10, 1959.
Members of the Junior League of Durham conferred with
staff members about plans for a Durham Historical Mu-seum.
The Museum Administrator served as a consultant
to the committee planning a High Point City Museum.
The Museums Division worked with two other State
agencies and with the Historic Sites Division on museum
problems. In cooperation with the State Museum of Art, a
survey of all the oil paintings which belong to the State of
North Carolina was completed. This survey was made at
the request of the Governor with the idea of ascertaining
the amount of restoration and repair that is needed for the
paintings. The Museum Administrator worked with the
Department of Agriculture on plans for a North Carolina
Agricultural Hall of Fame. In cooperation with the Historic
Sites program, assistance was given in the following areas
:
The Charles B. Aycock Birthplace received assistance on
architectural plans for a museum building, furnishings for
the Birthplace, plans for the formal opening of the site, and
a photographic accessions inventory. Alamance Battle-ground
received aid on architectural plans for a museum
building and preliminary plans for exhibits in the museum.
A temporary exhibit was installed in the Harper House at
Bentonville Battleground. Assistance was also given to
the Bennett Place Memorial Commission and to the Historic
Bath Commission.
Other museums which received information and assist-ance
were the Old Temperance Hall Restoration in Wagram,
the proposed memorial museum to the late Governor
State Department of Archives and History 65
Angus W. McLean in Lumberton, and the House in the
Horseshoe in Moore County.
Celebrations:
On October 31, 1958, an Andrew Johnson day was held
at the Andrew Johnson Birthplace in Raleigh. The entire
staff of the Museums Division worked on plans which in-cluded
an open house at the Birthplace; a visit from Mrs.
Margaret Patterson Bartlett, great-granddaughter of
Andrew Johnson ; continuous showings of the movie, Te7i~
nessee Johnson; music by the State College Band and the
30th Infantry Division Band ; a reception sponsored by the
Caswell-Nash Chapter of the Daughters of the American
Revolution; and a banquet at which former Governor
Frank B. Heintzleman of Alaska was the principal speaker.
An invitation list was compiled and some 3,000 invitations
were mailed throughout the State. An original play, 'The
Uncommon Man," by Dr. Jack Suberman on the life of
Andrew Johnson, was sponsored by the North CaroHna
Society for the Preservation of Antiquities and was pre-sented
at their annual meeting in December.
The Museum Administrator and other members of the
staff have worked with the North Carolina Confederate
Centennial Commission and with the Carolina Charter
Tercentenary Commission.
The Museums Division gave technical assistance to the
State College Woman's Club in producing a fashion show
using costumes covering the forty-year history of the club.
Professional Organizations
:
Members of the staff attended the Southeastern Museums
Conference annual meetings held during the biennium:
1958, Winston-Salem, and 1959, Memphis. The Museum
Administrator resigned as Secretary-Treasurer of this
organization and was elected to the Conference Council. She
attended Council meetings in Memphis, Pittsburgh, and
Columbia.
The Education Curator attended the six-weeks Seminar
for Historical Administrators at Colonial Williamsburg in
66 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
1959, This Seminar was under the joint auspices of the
National Trust for Historic Preservation and Colonial
Williamsburg.
Staff members attended the American Association of
Museums meetings in Pittsburgh in June, 1958, and in
Boston in May, 1959. The Museum Administrator continues
to serve as a member of the Association's Placement Service
and Job Information Committee.
Radio, TV, and Publications:
Under the sponsorship of the All-State Insurance Com-pany,
the Education Curator toured the State for the
purpose of tape recording interviews with the oldest living
North Carolina citizens. Approximately 1,700 miles were
covered on the trip, and interviews were collected from
fifteen people. These interviews were edited and combined
with color slides to make a program. On August 21, 1959,
in special ceremonies held in the Governor's Office, copies
of these recordings were presented to the State of North
Carolina, the Library of Congress, the University of North
Carolina Library, and the Clinic for the Study of Aging at
Duke University.
The Exhibits Curator wrote an article on Library Exhibit
Techniques for the North Carolina Library publication, and
the Education Curator wrote an article on the Tarheel
Junior Historian Association for the North Carolina Edu-cation
Association Journal,
Receptions ayid Other Special Events:
On April 14, 1959, the Department and the All-State
Insurance Company entertained the Sir Walter Cabinet
with a program consisting of the slide program and tape
recordings of North Carolina's elder citizens and four
scenes enacted by children in period costume depicting
events which the elderly people remembered. This was
followed by a coffee hour.
The exhibit of "Plantation Scenes from Life" (referred
to previously) was opened in the Portrait Gallery of the Hall
State Department of Archives and History 67
of History with a special viewing on July 9, 1959. This was
followed by a coffee hour sponsored by Mrs. David I. Fort
and Mrs. Faison Hicks, both of Raleigh.
On Saturday, May 7, 1960, the Department entertained
a convention of the Daughters of the Revolution with a
reception and program.
During the biennium special programs or speeches were
provided for the following organizations: The Tuesday
Afternoon Book Club of Raleigh ; the Alice Broughton Book
Club of Garner; the Samplers Book Club of Raleigh; the
Wake County Colonial Dames; the Lanier Book Club of
Raleigh ; the Woman's Club of Lillington ; the Winston-
Salem Garden Club ; the Roundtable Book Club of Raleigh
;
the Women of the First Presbyterian Church of Raleigh;
the Bloomsbury Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolu-tion
; the Ad Libertum Book Club of Raleigh ; the Clio Book
Club of Raleigh; the Garden Department of the Woman's
Club of Wilson; and the North Carolina State College
Woman's Club.
DIVISION OF PUBLICATIONS
D. L. Corbitt, Editor
The biennium ending June 30, 1960, has been one in
which the Division has distributed the greatest number of
publications in any like period. It is also the biennium in
which the largest amount of money has been collected. More
people purchased its pamphlets and leaflets and more school
children visited its offices than ever before.
In the beginning of its history the Department did not
issue pamphlets covering such a variety of subjects as it is
now doing. Neither did it charge for such items, but in 1956
the policy was changed and now a charge is made. This
changed policy has benefited the State financially and it has
caused adults and students alike to have a better apprecia-tion
of the publications issued by the Department. When a
person purchases an item, he will ordinarily put a different
value on it and will prize it more highly than if it were
free material.
The Department has added several new items to the old
list of pamphlets and leaffets and these have been well
received. Others will appear as materials can be prepared
and published.
During part of the biennium two groups of pamphlets
and leaflets were available for distribution. The items in
Group A individually sold for $1.70, those in Group B for
$1.80; but collectively each group cost $1.00. Many teachers
and school children purchased both groups.
While expanding the pamphlet program, the Department
at the same time is continuing its interest in scholarly
publications such as The North Carolina Historical Revieiv
and documentary volumes. In publishing both types of
material, the Department continues to serve scholars and
laymen, teachers and students—all persons in the State who
are interested in our history.
The State Textbook Commission has added to its recom-mended
reading list another volume issued by the Depart-ment.
This makes a total of four volumes on its list, as
[68]
State Department of Archives and History 69
follows: The Caroliyia Charter- of 1663; Explorations,
Descriptions, and Attempted Settlements of Carolina, 1584-
1590; North Carolina Gover'uors, 1585-1958: Brief Sketch-es;
and The Formation of North Carolina Counties, 1663-
1943. This indicates the Department's co-operation with and
service to the public schools of the State.
Since its establishment in 1903 the Department has
published a total of 452 items, either original material or
A staff memlier stamping the day's mai
70 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
State Department of Archives and History 71
reprints. These include documentary volumes, finding media
of our archives and manuscripts, pamphlets, leaflets, maps,
charts, biennial reports, The North Carolina Historical
Review, and Carolina Comments.
A total of 57,706 volumes, leaflets, pamphlets, and charts
was distributed.^ The increased emphasis on the more popu-lar
publications for the general public as well as the public
schools has expanded the publication program. Public and
school libraries, college and university libraries have con-tinued
to make use of the services available.
The Division received a sum of $24,389—an increase of
37.5 per cent—of which $6,682 was for membership dues
in The North Carolina Literary and Historical Association
—an increase of 19.5 per cent. The remaining $17,707
represented an increase of 45.8 per cent for the State. This
sum was collected for subscriptions to The North Carolina
Historical Review and the Department's other publications.
For the past several years The North Carolina Literary
and Historical Association has had a Committee on Local
Historical Societies, The Editor of the Division has served
as Chairman of the Committee and during the biennium
he has assisted in organizing groups in the following coun-ties:
Burke, Lee, and Wilson. During the years he has
served as Chairman, groups have been organized in thirty-seven
counties. Some of the groups are now inactive, but
many continue to function actively.
The number of subscribers to The North Caiolifia His-torical
Review has increased,- and at the same time there
has been an increase in the distribution of other publica-tions.
The number of books, pamphlets, maps, and charts
distributed shows an increase of more than 31,950 copies.
Also the amount of mail has increased. During the two-year
period 112,842 items were placed in the post office or
otherwise distributed—an average of 4,701 items each
month. This was an increase of 29.5 per cent for the
biennium. Thus it is evident that the services of the Division
are reaching more people than formerly.
' For a list of the number of volumes, pamphlets, leaflets, and charts mailed per
quarter, see Appendix XXIV, p. 152.
-' For a list of the number of paid-up subscribers, new or renewal, received per
quarter, see Appendix XXV, p. 152.
72 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
Publications
A total of forty-five items was published—two docu-mentary
volumes, eight numbers of The North Carolina
Historical Revieir, eleven issues of Carolina Comments (the
issues of November, 1958, and January, 1959, were com-bined
into one issue), and pamphlets, leaflets, maps, and
charts.
Documentary Volumes:
The John Gray Blount Papers. Edited by Alice Barnwell
Keith. Volume II, 1790-1795. 1959. Pp. xxvi, 689. Illustrated.
The Papers of William Alexander Graham. Edited by
J. G. de Roulhac Hamilton. Volume II, 1838-1844. 1959. Pp.
xviii, 552.
Pamphlets and Leaflets:
Twenty-Seventh Bienyiial Report of the North Carolina
Department of Archives and History, 1956-1958. 1958. Pp.
125. Illustrated.
Pictures of the Civil War Period in North Carolina. By
D. L. Corbitt. 1958. Pp. 82. Illustrated.
Secretaries of the U. S. Navy, Brief Sketches of Five
North Carolinians. By D. L. Corbitt. 1958. Pp. 18. Illu-strated.
North Carolina in the American Revolution. By Hugh F.
Rankin. 1959. Pp. viii, 75. Illustrated.
Indians in North Carolina. By Stanley A. South. 1959.
Pp. vii, 69. Illustrated.
Hall of History — A Museum in Action. By Joye E.
Jordan. 1959. Pp. 42. Illustrated.
Alamance Battleground State Historic Site. 1959. Pp. 8.
Illustrated.
Land of Beginnings. 1959. Pp. 4. Illustrated.
Charles B. Aycock Birthplace State Historic Site. 1959.
Revised 1960. Pp. 8. Illustrated.
North Carolina in the Mexican War, 18If6-18A8. By
William S. Hoffmann. 1959. Pp. vii, 48. Illustrated.
Town Creek Indian Mound State Historic Site. 1959. Pp.
6. Illustrated.
State Department of Archives and History 73
The House in the Horseshoe, Moore County, North Caro-lina.
1959. Pp. 6. Illustrated.
Genealogical Research i7i the North Carolina Department
of Archives and History. 1959. Pp. 8. Illustrated.
Laws Pertaining to the Activities and Functions of the
State Department of Archives and History. 1960. Pp. 19.
Money Problems of Early Tar Heels. By Mattie Erma
Parker. 1960. Fifth Printing. Pp. 14. Illustrated.
North Carolina as a Civil War Battlegrovnd, 1861-1865.
By John G. Barrett. 1960. Pp. viii, 101. Illustrated.
Hall of History Railroad. By Ann Beal. 1960. Second
printing. Pp. 12, Illustrated.
The County Records Mammal. Edited by H. G. Jones and
A. M. Patterson. 1960. Pp. iv, 73. Illustrated.
The Pirates of Colonial North Carolina. By Hugh F.
Rankin. 1960. Pp. viii, 72. Illustrated.
Bentonville Battleground State Historic Site. 1959. Re-vised
1960. Pp. 8. Illustrated.
Records Management in North Carolina. 1960. Revised.
Pp. 12. Illustrated.
Tar Heel Legends. Pp. 4. Mimeographed. Illustrated.
The North Carolina Historical Review:
The Review was published regularly during this period.
Two thousand copies of each issue were published and
12,363 copies-'' of all issues were mailed including 1,057 back
issues.^ The total cost of printing The Review was $11,030,
an average of $1,378 per issue. Paid-up subscriptions, either
new or renewal, totaling 2,504 were received, averaging
104 per month. Subscribers are located in thirty-eight
States, the District of Columbia, and three foreign coun-tries.
It is mailed on exchange to institutions and organiza-tions
in thirty-three States, the District of Columbia, and
three foreign countries.
During the two-year period ending June 30, 1960, thirty-eight
articles,' one of which was in two parts, and seven
^ For a list of the number of copies of The Review mailed per issue, see Appendix
XXVI. p. 152.
* For a list of the number of copies of back issues of The Revieiv mailed per quarter,
see Appendix XXVII. p. 153.
'' For a list of articles published in The Review, see Appendix XXVIII, p. 15.3.
74 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
documents or collections of letters, one of which was in two
sections, and two bibliographies were published in The
Review. Thirty-four articles were on North Carolina
subjects and four were on the South or related subjects.
All documentary sections dealt with North Carolina or
North Carolinians or had some connection with the State/'
Twenty-one authors were North Carolinians or resided in
the State, and thirteen resided outside the State.
One hundred and nineteen books were reviewed, with
twenty-six on North Carolina history and one on North
Carolina biography, and the ninety-two others were gen-erally
about the South. These books were reviewed by
sixty-eight resident North Carolinians and fifty-one schol-ars
outside the State.
Carolina Comments
:
This four-page newssheet has continued to be issued
every two months except that the November, 1958, and
January, 1959, issues were combined as one issue. Each
issue is usually illustrated and 2,500 copies' have been pub-lished.
The number of copies was increased to 2,700 in May,
1959. It is mailed free to subscribers of The Review, to
members of The North Carolina Literary and Historical
Association, to college and university libraries and public
school libraries in the State, and to some of the larger
libraries and archival agencies throughout the United
States.
The No)th Carolina Literary aiid Historical Association:
When the Department in 1924 began to publish The
North Carolina Historical Review, which carries narrative
articles, documentary material, book reviews, and historical
news, it was sent to all members of the Association who were
annual subscribers. One dollar of the membership dues was
to pay for the subscription, which to non-members was
$2.00 per year. In 1956 the subscription rate was increased
to $3.00 per year and the annual dues in the Association
were increased to $5.00 per year, which still includes an
** For a list of documents or letters published in The Revieiv, see Appendix XXIX,
p. 155.
" For a list of the number of copies of Carolina Comments mailed per issue, see
Appendix XXX, p. 155.
State Department of Archives and History 75
annual subscription. The dues then as now are divided
equally. The Department receives $2.50 and the Association
$2.50.
During the biennium the average mailing of The Review
v^as 1,400 copies per issue. This was a slight increase over
the previous biennium, an average of 1,314 copies of each
issue was mailed.
Future Publications
In 1908 when the Department began to publish docu-mentary
volumes, it was able to pay a nominal stipend to
editors who prepared the material for publication and saw
it through the press. In the 1930's, when the Department
as well as other State agencies had to retrench its work and
activities, it was not possible to pay anyone for this type
of work. During the budget biennium 1959-1961, the
Department can again pay a fee for such work. This is a
very encouraging development because it was unrealistic to
expect scholars without compensation to spend so much
time and effort in collecting and preparing material for
publication. Such work involves travel expenses in order to
visit archives and other research centers where important
relevant materials are housed. When more young schol-ars
who are interested in establishing a reputation in the
field of North Carolina history learn about this, it is be-lieved
that it will not be so difficult to interest historians in
undertaking such w^ork.
The Department has in hand enough edited material for
several volumes, and as soon as funds become available this
material will be published. The funds now in hand are
enough to publish one volume annually.
Zehulon B. Vance Papers:
Volume I in this series has been in page proof for several
years except the material for the front part including a
brief sketch of Vance, list of letters in the volume, table of
contents, and the like. Dr. Frontis W. Johnston, now Dean
of Davidson College, has been unable to find time to prepare
this material. Thus no progress is being made on this series
76 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
of which there is enough material for some six or seven vol-umes.
Governor Vance was one of the most popular Gover-nors
the State has ever had. He was a Congressman ; Colonel
of the twenty-sixth North Carolina Regiment, C. S. A.
;
three-time Governor; and United States Senator, 1879-1894.
Due to the fact that North Carolina will be commemorating
in 1961-1965 the centennial of the Civil War, it is important
that this interesting and valuable series of documents and
letters be published and made available to scholars and to
the public in general.
Blount Papers:
Volume II of this series became available for distribution
during the biennium. Dr. Alice B. Keith of Meredith College
is editing the series and the Department hopes to publish
Volume III as soon as it can be compiled and edited. The
material in this series is from the family papers of John
Gray, Thomas, and William Blount and other members of
the Blount family. The period covers the late Colonial,
Revolutionary, and early National periods. These were
businessmen and land speculators as well as public officials.
William A. Graham Papers:
Volume II of this series has been published and volume
III is in page proof. There will be approximately six vol-umes
in the series. William A. Graham was Governor of
the State, United States Senator, Secretary of the Navy,
Confederate States Senator, and Vice Presidential nominee
on the Whig ticket in 1852. Dr. J, G. de Roulhac Hamilton
is editor of this series. He has edited three other series for
the Department.
Thomas Jordan Jarvis Papers:
Dr. W. B. Yearns of Wake Forest College is editing this
series. Even though he has done some work on the material,
it will be some time yet before volume I will be ready for
the printer. Jarvis was a Confederate soldier, member of
the General Assembly from Tyrrell County in 1868 and
1870, member of the Constitutional Convention of 1865
from Currituck County and of the Constitutional Conven-
State Department of Archives and History 77
tion of 1875 from Pitt County, Lieutenant Governor, Gover-nor,
United States Senator, and Minister to Brazil. He w^as
interested in internal improvements, sound financial govern-ment,
and public education.
Robert B. Glenn Papers:
Glenn w^as a member of the General Assembly from
Forsyth County in 1899 and was Governor of the State,
1905-1909, following the administration of Charles B.
Aycock. He was interested in the railroads of the State.
Dr. Joseph R. Steelman of East Carolina College has agreed
to edit these papers. Some progress has been made.
The Willie Person Mmigum Papers:
This series of five volumes was edited by Dr. Henry T.
Shanks of Birmingham Southern College, who died in
December, 1959. At one time it was expected that enough
valuable material would be available for another volume,
but the new material which has been located is not sufficient
to justify such a volume. Copies of all volumes are still
available from the Department.
The Pettigrew Papers:
Dr. C. O. Cathey of the University of North Carolina has
agreed to edit a series of volumes of these papers. The
material will include papers of Charles Pettigrew, a school-teacher,
planter, Episcopal minister, and the first Bishop-elect
of the Episcopal Church of North Carolina ; Ebenezer
Pettigrew, his son, who was a planter and a member of
Congress; James Johnston Pettigrew, a grandson, who
practiced law in South Carolina and died of wounds he
received during a skirmish while Lee's army was retreating
after the Battle of Gettysburg,
Pamphlets:
Several new pamphlets were issued during the biennium,
and several others are under consideration. Dr. Percival
Perry of Wake Forest College has agreed to prepare a
pamphlet on railroad development in the State in the
78 Twenty-Eighth Biennial Report
1850's, Dr. C. O. Cathey of the University of North Carolina
one on agriculture in ante-bellum North Carolina, and Dr.
Joseph R. Steelman of East Carolina College is preparing
one on North Carolina and the Spanish-American War. No
doubt other subjects will be undertaken during the coming
biennium.
Publications for Scfiool Children:
Since the Department enlarged its emphasis to include
more publications of a popular nature, the number of its
publications distributed has nearly tripled. More teachers,
public school students, and laymen are reading about North
Carolina history than ever before. During the biennium
1952-1954 the Division mailed or otherv^ise distributed
21,056 volumes, pamphlets, leaflets, and charts. During the
biennium 1958-1960 the Division distributed 56,706 vol-umes,
pamphlets, and leaflets, an increase of 36,550 or 174
per cent. When young people are eager to learn, the material
should be provided. This is our thought in providing a
greater variety of topics and in greater quantities.
TRYON PALACE
Miss Gertrude S. Carraway, Restoration Director
The General Assembly of North Carolina in 1945 passed
an act "to authorize the Departme