This morning’s guest speaker was Mr. William ‘Bill’ Potter of the “Circa History Guild of Atlanta”, opening April 21st, and his ‘sidekick’, Mr. Perry Mason. (No he’s not the famed TV attorney)
A guild in Atlanta you say…! What’s this all about? What does Perry Mason say?
The Circa History Guild is a museum of sorts…parchment papers written on by historical men and women, minted coins from bygone eras, but much more than that. This is a museum which tries to instill in all Americans a sense of pride, return them to the moral foundations this country was founded upon and strengthen the family unit that was so important to this country’s founding by showing and telling the next generations of Americans the story of these United States of America.
A ‘highly interactive history teaching center’, the Guild is located in Roswell, Georgia on Holcomb Bridge Road near the Chattahoochee River. It is a brand new, “teaching Museum” which promotes ‘the ideas of our republican liberty and the civil virtues for which our founding fathers’ sacrificed, and succeeding generations fought so selflessly to preserve.
The museum’s goal is to ‘create an interest in learning about America’s past and rekindle an appreciation of our national history in those who have become too busy to remember who we are’ and the next generation of American citizens.
The Circa History Guild museum ‘offers families and visitors far and near, an interesting and engaging place to see, hear, discuss and touch American history in a unique setting.’
This is done by using the four distinct spaces in the Guild’s modern, modular, building:
The Archival Library, Lyceum Theater, Retail Emporium, and its interactive website {www.circahistory.com)
Archival Library
This library is designed to encourage and assist people conducting historical research, especially relating to family archived records. The Guild’s antiquarian book section features all major Georgia related histories, ancillary published documents, and books that include plantation records, regimental Histories, county histories of Georgia, diaries, and memoirs.
The Guild’s historical research computer services can also provide access to all available data bases for genealogical studies. For example, the Guild has access to the ‘Digital Library of Georgia’ and the University of Georgia archives in Athens, Ga.
The Guild’s expert staff is delighted to assist professional researchers, adults with genealogical curiosity, and teachers from public and private schools with their classes.
Another offering of the Guild, is its unique ‘service of multi-generational significance’. A Service that a person can use, for a fee, to chronicle their own family history. Through a professionally produced ‘oral history interview’, ‘records of children’s lives, and a fully documented family history tree, the professional librarians will research and record your family’s history. The end product of this research would be an ‘heirloom-quality leather bound history of remarkable significance and interest’ to your succeeding generations.
Lyceum Theatre
The Guild’s ‘beautiful interactive and multi-media theatre is designed to provide an enlivening area to view historically- based feature films, documentaries, and special televised programming.’ It is also used to ‘offer lectures by historians, classes on both American and World historical themes, storytelling, and political debates.
In the theatre, the Guild also films interviews with war veterans, historians, and others with a ‘good story’ to tell to pass on to future generations.
The theatre is also used for the semi-annual auction of antiques and other artifacts of historical interest.
Retail Emporium
The Guild’s retail store has an inventory of hundreds of books and other historical specialties. These include on display items and items for sale such as American colonial documents, historic coins, old books, and works of art.
The guild’s film department also has for sale, historical features and vignettes, which are available for viewing and sale.
Cira online
The Cira History Guild also has a website {www.circahistory.com}. It includes blogs by the historian of Circa, Bill Potter, the voice of Circa, Jim Huber, and the creative founder of Circa, Mr. J. T. Adams.
This interactive site enables one to view or listen to the Guild’s television and radio ads or visit the Guild’s ‘history shoppe’ to browse the several categories that contain the most important artifacts of the museum.
A special feature of the site lets visitors recount an interesting story from their family history. Prizes are awarded monthly for the best stories and at the end of the year, the grand prize winner will have their entry animated and published by Cira.
The website also lists the monthly schedule for the Guild’s program and features.
Scheduled for June 26-29 in Orlando, Florida. Contact President Sherry Neal for more information at her club e-mail address.
Saturday May 3rd, 10 AM – 3PM, Spring Fair, Volunteers needed. Principal Bill Moon was the guest speaker at our club. [K-5] Anyone interested please contact liaison person Stan Bokoski at SEB1119@aol.com.
Club will gather at 10 AM, the Wrens Nest, in South Atlanta, for a cleanup day in conjunction with Kiwanis1Day. 600 Kiwanis Clubs participated last year. We need member support. Coffee and donuts provided. Bring your work gloves, dress accordingly, bring your rakes and plastic bags. Come have fun and do a good deed.
June 14th, the Peachtree-Atlanta Kiwanis Club will be fielding two bowling teams, partially underwritten by our by our foundation, The two sponsored teams, 5 members each, will bowl to raise monies for the Big brothers/Big Sisters of Atlanta.
Bob Bodimer for President, Tim Kercheval for Treasurer, Stan Bokoski for Secretary.
Need some young, new blood for 2009-2010.
Lockheed tour canceled for April.
Committee Chair Jerry Hitt said this event is scheduled for Saturday, April 26, 2008 at 1 pm. Ushers are needed. Stone Mountain Park, Evergreen Park Hotel, 21 contestants…88 years old and older…one of the contestants worked for the OSS during WWII. Ouch…the stories she can tell. Ms. Georgia 2008 will also be there. Bring your camera!
Possible suggestions for a Club night out on the Town:
E-mail Ronni French with your preferences ‘post haste’.
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