Please Note Our Holiday Hours!

On this day, we want you to be aware of the holiday hours for the library and the Heritage Room collection. We will keep our normal hours most days during the season, but will have some changes.

For the Christmas holiday, the library will be closed on 

• Monday, December 24th, 2012.
• Tuesday, December 25th, 2012.
• Wednesday, December 26th, 2012.

The library will reopen at 9am on Thursday, December 27th, 2012. 

For the New Year holiday, the library will close at 6pm on Monday, December 31st, 2012, and be closed on Tuesday, January 1st, 2012. 

The library will reopen at 9am on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2012.

While we are closed, you can still do genealogy research using our GALILEO databases from home, such as Fold3 and HeritageQuest.  

You can also access the Athens Historic Newspaper Archive and the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps in the Digital Library of Georgia from the comfort of your decorated living room.

We hope you have a great holiday season!

17 July 1922: "The courteous woman..."

On this day in 1922, the Society News section of the Athens Daily Herald ran this useful piece of information for its readers:

The Society News usually ran on page 3 of the Athens Daily Herald, and was edited by Mrs. Alice Adams, whose home phone number (832) appeared at the top of the page, so anyone with news could pass it along to her.

Other news reported by Mrs. Adams this day included:

• Miss Marjorie Bickers hosted an informal prom party for Athens girls.
• Miss Jessie McGregor returned from Greenwood, S.C. Sunday afternoon.
• The friends of Mrs. Madison Nicholson will regret to hear of her continued illness.
• Miss Helen Wineberg of Columbia, S.C. is the guest of Miss Hannah Bernstein.
• Miss Elizabeth Bondurant is spending a few days at a camp near Lakemont.
• Messrs. Ed Cohen and Leroy Michael left Sunday for a motor trip through the north and east.
• Mr. and Mrs. Randall Freeman are expected home in a few days after a delightful trip to Baltimore.

Learn More:

• Athens Daily Herald, May, 1922 - Aug. 1922 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• 1920-1921 Athens City Directory on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips by the Readers Digest Association in the general collection.
• South Carolina: Off the Beaten Path by William Price Fox in the general collection.
• Fun and Games for Family Gatherings with a Focus on Reunions by Adrienne E. Anderson in the general collection.

1 May 1901: "a grab bag, a fish pond, a tug of war, and the like"

On this afternoon in 1901, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, recently relocated to Prince Avenue, held a May Day Festival for the local children.

Admission to the festival was 10 cents, and included refreshments, a variety of games, a Maypole dance, and a baseball match "between the Milledge avenue and Prince avenue nines." 

According to the account published in the Banner the next day, "scores of children" attended the festival, and the whole endeavor was a "lovely" and "beautiful" success. with everyone enjoying "an evening of rare pleasure" that included the Milledge avenue boys winning a "very exciting" baseball game. 

Also of note was that Jennie Wilson Fears, seven-year-old daughter of livery owners Elliot and Leila Fears of Hull Street was crowned as "Queen of Love and Beauty," and Harriet White Benedict, seven-year-old great-niece of College of Agriculture president H.C. White, also won a prize for "the most beautifully decorated baby carriage."

Learn More:

• Athens Daily Banner, Feb. 1901 - Oct. 1901 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Athens Historic Newspaper Archive collection in the Digital Library of Georgia.
• A History of Emmanuel Church, 1943-1993 in the Heritage collection.
• 1900 U.S. Census in Ancestry Library Edition via GALILEO.
• Chemistry at the University of Georgia by W. H. Waggoner in the Heritage and general collections.
• History of Athens and Clarke County Georgia by H. J. Rowe in the Heritage and general collections.
• A World of Flowers by Clay Perry in the general collection.
• The Folklore of American Holidays, edited by Hennig Cohen and Tristam Potter Coffin in the Reference collection.
• A Book of Flowers by Kathleen N. Daly in the Heritage and general collections.
• The American Book of Days by Jane M. Hatch in the Reference collection.
• Celebrating with Flowers by Jane Packer in the general collection.

26 January 1872: Christmas Eve Mischief Funds City

On this day in 1872, the following story appeared in the Southern Banner: 

 

Following the night of mischief, the Banner had called the Christmas Eve events "unseemly noises and actions which might well have frightened old Santa Claus from his mission" and "it was more like the imps of pandemonium hailing the birth of a new devil." The paper concluded at the time that 

 "If civilization is not a failure, and it is proposed to maintain the forms of civilized life, measures ought to be taken to detect and punish the authors of such vandalism, and prevent its recurrence. If we are bent on becoming savages, we may as well abolish the mockery of law, and abandon the pretences [sic] of order and decency."

The type of pranks that came to Athens that Christmas Eve--fireworks, pistols, removal or switching of gates and fences--were typical of a British tradition known as Mischief Night that dates to the 1700s. Normally occurring between October 30th and November 5th, young men would set off fireworks, knock and run from doorsteps, and stole or switched gates and signs from homes and businesses.  

The night is still common in northern England, with more common pranks such as gum under car door handles and throwing eggs or flour (or both) at doorways. In fact, some grocery stores in the areas where Mischief Night is still common ban the sale of flour and eggs to those under 16 in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

Learn More:

• Southern Banner, Jan. 1869 - Mar. 1872 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Athens Historic Newspaper Archive collection in the Digital Library of Georgia.
• "Watch Out...It Is Mischief Night" from BBC News Magazine.
• Amazing Pranks and Blunders by Peter Eldin via PINES. 
• Fences, Gates, and Trellises by James Barrett in the general collection.
• Mischief Maker's Manual by Sir John Hargrave in the Young Adult collection.
• Ancient and Annual Customs by Dwayne E. Pickels in the general collection. 
• The Fence Bible by Jeff Beneke in the general collection.
• The Spookster's Handbook by Peter Eldin in the children's collection.
• Holidays Around the World by Joseph Gaer via PINES.
• I Fooled You: Ten Stories of Tricks, Jokes, and Switcheroos by Johanna Hurwitz in the Young Adult and children's collections.
• Causing a Scene: Extraordinary Pranks in Ordinary Places by Charlie Todd via PINES.
• Building Fences and Gates by Richard Freudenberger in the general collection.

Library Closed on Monday, 16 January 2012

On this day, we'd like to remind you that the library will be closed on Monday, January 16th, 2012, in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. 


This year, the holiday falls one day after what would have been the Civil Rights Leader's 83rd birthday.  Several Day of Service events will be held around Athens that day.


The library will reopen at 9am on Tuesday, January 17th, 2012.




Learn More:

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service website.
• Athens, Georgia, Event Listings for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service on AthensPatch.com website.
• Voice of Deliverance: The Language of Martin Luther King, Jr. and Its Sources by Keith D. Miller in the  Heritage biography collection.
• There Is a Balm in Gilead: The Cultural Roots of Martin Luther King, Jr. by Lewis V. Baldwin in the general collection.
• A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings of Martin Luther King, Jr., edited by James Melvin Washington in the general collection.
• Parting the Waters: America in the King Years, 1954-1963 by Taylor Branch in the general collection.
• Pillar of Fire: America in the King Years, 1963-1965 by Taylor Branch in the general collection.
• At Canaan's Edge: America in the King Years, 1965-1968 by Taylor Branch in the general collection.

Our Holiday Hours

On this day, we'd like you to be aware that the Athens-Clarke County Library will be closed Friday, December 23rd through Tuesday, December 27th for the Christmas holiday, and closed Sunday, January 1st and Monday, January 2nd for the New Year holiday.


We will be open until 9 pm on Thursday, December 22nd, and will be open our regular Saturday hours (9 am to 6 pm) on New Year's Eve. 


We hope you have a wonderful holiday season!

18 December 1896: For Children, "Dolls, Knives, Etc."

On this day in 1896, McGregor's Bookstore, which also sold athletic equipment and stationery supplies, much like college bookstores do today, ran this advertisement of their holiday offerings:

At the time, David W. McGregor's store was on the corner of Broad Street and College Avenue, across from the University, where Starbucks is located today.

Learn More:

• Weekly Banner, Aug. 1885 - Jan. 1897 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• 1897-1898 Athens City Directory on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Athens, Georgia, in the Digital Library of Georgia.
• Children at Play: An American History by Howard P. Chudacoff in the general collection.
• Children of a New Century by Jane A. Schott in the children's collection.
• Huck's Raft: A History of American Childhood by Steven Mintz in the general collection.
• The Collector's Guide to Switchblade Knives: An Illustrated, Historical, and Price Reference by Richard V. Langston in the general collection.
• The Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn Iggulden in the general collection.
• The Daring Book for Girls by Andrea J. Buchanan in the general and children's collections.
• The Double-Daring Book for Girls by Andrea J. Buchanan in the general collection.

1 December 1907: Of Interest to Women: Christmas Pudding, Of Course!

On this day in 1907, in the regular newspaper feature Of Interest to Women, included amongst the club meetings, teas, and engagement parties this recipe for a traditional Christmas pudding.

This recipe is far more detailed than most from this time period, when it was understood that women knew how to cook generally, and all they really needed to create a new dish were approximate ingredient amounts. Rather than standard "cups," this recipe calls for "wineglassfuls" and "teacupfuls."


Of Interest to Women was the society page for the Athens Banner. It often included a week's calendar of society events, along with news about travels, visitors, parties, fashions, cooking, clubs, and school pagents or presentations.  

(click image to enlarge)

Learn More:

• Athens Banner, Mar. 1906 - Dec. 1907 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Athens  Historic Newspaper Archive collection in the Digital Library of Georgia.
• Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years by Elizabeth Wayland Barber in the general collection.
• Mrs. Beeton's Christmas Book by Mary Isabella Beeton in the general collection.
• Out to Work: A History of Wage-Earning Women in the United States by Alice Kessler-Harris in the general collection.
• Women in the South: An Anthropological Perspective by Holly F. Matthews in the general collection.
• Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson in the general collection.
• Memorabilia of the Athens Women's Club by Marguerite Sheffer in the Heritage collection.
• The Christmas Cook: Three Centuries of Yuletide Sweets by William Woys Weaver in the general collection.

24 November 1910: Thanksgiving at the Athenaeum Cafe

On this day in 1910, the Athenaeum Cafe downtown offered the following reprieve from cooking at home: 

(click image to enlarge)

The price of 50 cents would be equal today to a charge of $11.80.

The Athenaeum Cafe was next door to the Athenaeum pool hall, and both were below the two floors of the Athenaeum Hotel, owned by Victor Petropol. In the 1909 Athens city directory, some travelling salesmen and the hotel's clerk, W. G. McNair, list the hotel as their residence.

Today, the space where the hotel was located has been divided. The pool hall is occupied by Frontier, and the cafe is occupied by Native America Gallery.

Learn More:

• Athens Banner, July 1910 - Dec. 1910 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps for Athens, Georgia via the Digital Library of Georgia.
• 1909 Athens City Directory on Microfilm (1889 - 1927) in the Heritage collection.
• Measuring Worth website.
• Thanksgiving: An American Holiday, An American History by Diana Karter Appelbaum in the general collection.
• Thanksgiving Dinner by Kathryn K. Blue in the general collection.
• The Southern Heritage Pies and Pastry Cookbook by Southern Living in the general collection.
• The Thanksgiving Cookbook by Holly Garrison in the general collection.
• Wild Turkeys: Hunting and Watching by John J. Mettler in the general collection.
• The Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum in the general collection. 
• Holiday Feasts: Festive Cooking for Family and Friends by Lou Seibert Pappas in the general collection.
• Turkey Monster Thanksgiving by Anne Warren Smith in the children's fiction collection.
• A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving by Charles Schulz in the children's DVD collection.

15 April 1911: "Our Hats Are Not Freakish."

On this day in 1911, Michael Brothers ran this full-page ad in the Athens Banner:

 

(click image to enlarge)

The Michael's advertisement sounds odd to our ears, but they are using a more traditional use of the word "freakish," meaning "capricious" or "whimsical." The ad is telling Athens women that Michael Brothers' selection of Easter hats will be good for more than just this one event, this one day--they are a style statement that lasts.

Proper new outfits, and the social stumble a less than appropriate outfit would be, was the common thread in the various clothing stores and millinery shops in Athens in the weeks before Easter Sunday. Both men and women were expected to show up in style at church Easter morning.

Throughout the teens and twenties, men's clothing ads merely indicated that, as you had to have a new suit anyway, you might as well shop with the advertiser. However, an arms war of decorative headwear promises seemed to wage on the pages of the local papers for women, as each business promised to make the most impressive Easter hat, emphasizing the most striking decorations, styles, and statements that could be made by shopping at the right store.

Learn More:

• Athens Banner, Jan. 1911 - Jun. 1911 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Athens Historic Newspaper Archive (1827-1922) collection in the Digital Library of Georgia.
• The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology by Robert K. Barnhart in the Reference collection.
• Loose Cannons & Red Herrings: A Book of Lost Metaphors by Robert Claiborne in the general collection.
• The History of the English Language by Seth Lerer in the CD collection.
• Hats Off to Hats! by Sara Corbett in the children's collection.
• Women's Hats of the Twentieth Century for Designers and Collectors by Maureen E. Lynn Reilly in the general collection.
• Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham in the general collection.
• Hat Tricks: 80 Instant Makeovers That Transform Ordinary Hats into Fabulous Creations by Terence Terry in the general collection.
• The Decorative Egg Book: Twenty Charming Ideas for Creating Beautiful Displays by Deborah Schneebeli-Morrell in the general collection.
• How Sweet It Is (And Was): The History of Candy by Ruth Freeman Swain in the children's collection.
• A Baker's Field Guide to Holiday Candy & Confections by Dede Wilson in the general collection.
• The Proper Care of Rabbits by J. Darlene Campbell in the general collection.
• What Do You Call a Dumb Bunny? And Other Rabbit Riddles, Games, Jokes, and Cartoons by Marc Tolon Brown in the children's collection.

2 January 1910: A New Year's Message from Michael Brothers

On this day in1910, the Michael Brothers department store ran the following message, covering two-thirds of the top half of the front page of the Sunday Athens Banner newspaper:

To the left of this text, appeared an illustration of the departing year and baby 1910:

 

Beneath this image was the following New Year wish, focusing on three of the main economic engines of Athens at the time: farming, textiles, and education.

For the upbuilding of Athens;
For the peace, happiness and prosperity of her people;
For the one who sows and the one who reaps;
For the one who spins and the one who weaves;
For the one who teaches and the one who learns;
For every man, woman and child in Athens, in Georgia and in our country we extend cordial greetings and (illegible-page torn) for all.
Happy New Year!

The Banner typically had full-page department store ads on their front page on Sundays. Though the top half of the Banner consisted of well-wishes for the citizens of Athens from a leading local business, the bottom half of the page alerted readers to the "Great Sale of Seasonable Goods," with blankets for $1.20 to $5.00, and women and children's underwear starting at 25 cents, men's union suits starting at 50 cents.

Learn More:

• Athens Banner, Jan. 1910 - Jun. 1910 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Living Philosophies: The Reflections of Some Eminent Men and Women of Our Time by Clifton Fadiman in the general collection.
• The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember by Fred Rogers in the general collection.
• The Simple Living Guide: A Soucebook for Less Stressful, More Joyful Living by Janet Luhrs in the general collection.
• Oh, the Things I Know! A Guide to Success, or, Failing That, Happiness by Al Franken in the general collection.
• The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt in the general collection.
• Made for Goodness, and Why This Makes All the Difference by Desmond Tutu in the general collection.
• Finding Grace When You Can't Even Find Clean Underwear by Lisa Earle in the general collection.
• When You Are Entitled to New Underwear and Other Major Financial Decisions by Eileen Michaels in the general collection.
• Where Underpants Come From: From Checkout to Cotton Field by Joe Bennett in the general collection.
• Lingerie in Vogue Since 1910 by Christina Probert in the general collection.
• Aliens Love Underpants! by Claire Freedman in the children's fiction collection.

Heritage Holiday Hours

On this day, we'd like you to know that the Athens-Clarke Library (and therefore the Heritage Room) will be closed on Friday, December 31st, 2010, and Saturday, January 1st, 2011, for the New Year holiday.

Both the library and the Heritage Room will reopen on Sunday, January 2nd, 2011, at 2:00 pm.

We hope to see you then, and Happy New Year!

24 December 1907: Vaudeville on Christmas Day

On this day in 1907, the Athens Banner reported that two vaudeville shows would appear at the Colonial Theatre on Christmas day:

The Colonial Theatre was on Washington Street near the intersection with Jackson Street downtown. The building was demolished in 1932.

Learn More:

• Athens Banner, Mar. 1906 - Dec. 1907 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• 1909 Athens City Directory in the Heritage collection.
• A Postcard History of Athens by Gary L. Doster in the Heritage and general collections.
• Black Vaudeville, the TOBA, and the Morton Theatre: Recovering the History 1910-1930 by Thomas L. Riis in the Heritage and general collections.
• Encyclopedia of Vaudeville by Anthony Slide in the Reference collection.
• Vaudeville: The Birth of Show Business by Judy Alter in the children's collection.
• With Amusement for All: A History of American Popular Culture Since 1830 by LeRoy Ashby in the general collection.
• Chekhov: "The Vaudevilles" and Other Short Works in the general collection.
• Christmas Stories from the South's Best Writers, edited by Charline R. McCord in the fiction collection.
• The Official Guide to Christmas in the South, or If You Can't Fry It, Spray Paint It Gold by David C. Barnette in the general collection.

18 December 1918: "Too old for a toy and too young for a gun"

On this day in 1918, and throughout the week, Athens Cycle Company ran this clever rhyming advertisement in the Athens Banner encouraging parents to buy their children bicycles for Christmas:

Athens Cycle Company was located at 279 Lumpkin Street in downtown Athens, in the building where The Arch Bar is today. Besides bicycles, Athens Cycle Company also sold motorcycles and sewing machine motors.

Learn More:

• Athens Banner, Dec. 1918 - July 1919 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Bicycling Magazine's New Bike Owners Guide in the general collection.
• Cyclist BikeList: The Book for Every Rider by Laura Robinson in the children's collection.
• The Complete Book of Bicycling by Eugene A. Sloane in the general collection.
• A Kid's Guide to Stay Safe on Bikes by Maribeth Boelts in the children's collection.
• The Bicycling Guide to Complete Bicycle Maintenance and Repair: For Road and Mountain Bikes by Todd Downs in the general collection.
• The Noblest Invention: An Illustrated History of the Bicycle by Lance Armstrong in the general collection.
• Bicycling Magazine in GALILEO. (call 706-613-3650 for current password) 
• Around the World on a Bicycle by Fred A. Birchmore in the Heritage and general collections.
• Yesterday's Motorcycles by Robert F. Karolevitz in the general collection.
• Sewing Short Cuts: Tips, Tricks, and Techniques by Pamela J. Hastings in the general collection.
• The Practical Book of American Guns by John Houston Craige in the general collection.
• Toys and Games by Helen McNiven in the children's collection.
• A Christmas Story in the DVD collection.
• Bike Athens website.

17 November 1900: Turkeys in Finery Make the Point

On this day (and for most of November) in 1900, Athens Steam Laundry ran this eye-catching advertisement in the Athens Daily Banner:

 Men's cuffs and collars were separate from their shirts, so they could be laundered more often. They were often starched to remain rigid even when being worn on hot days or in warm rooms. Taking them to a professional laundry was not too different than a trip to the dry cleaner today.

Learn More:

• Athens Daily Banner, Jul. 1900 - Dec. 1900 on Microfilm in the Heritage collection.
• Off the Cuff: The Essential Style Guide for Men and the Women Who Love Them by Carson Kressley in the general collection.
• Esquire's Encyclopedia of  20th Century Men's Fashions by O. E. Shoeffler in the general collection.
• Thanksgiving: An American Holiday, An American History by Diana Karter Appelbaum in the general collection.
• Thanksgiving Turkeys by Patrick Merrick in the children's collection.
• Thanksgiving 101: Celebrate America's Favorite Holiday with America's Thanksgiving Expert by Rick Rodgers in the general collection.
• The Thanksgiving Cookbook by Holly Garrison in the general collection.
• Menswear at the Turn of the Century page on The Costumer's Manifesto website.