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Contact: University Communications & Marketing
Phone (678) 839-6464, FAX (678) 839-6645
ucm@westga.edu
History students create booklet for Carroll County Chamber of Commerce
January 20, 2005
CARROLLTON, GA - Continuing a dedication to donate to the community where it’s located, University of West Georgia students from the Center for Public History have researched and written a history booklet for the Carroll County Chamber of Commerce.
Students
of Dr. Rebecca Bailey, assistant professor of history and assistant director
of UWG’s Center for Public History, began the project last fall
and completed a booklet outlining the Chamber’s history from its
inception in 1954 to today — just in time for the Chamber’s
50th anniversary celebration earlier this month.
The project also gave students a chance for a hands-on learning experience in research, cataloging and interviewing subjects, Bailey said.
“The students outlined and focused on three different eras in the Chamber’s history,” Bailey pointed out. “They did a lot of good work in interviewing and documenting the story of the organization. The project gave us a deeper understanding and appreciation for the community that surrounds the University.”
Through a Center project funded by the Chamber last summer, graduate students Nikki Patterson of Copperhill, Tenn., and Amber Surmiller of Atlanta conducted interviews with former Chamber chairmen about their involvement in establishing the vibrant and effective organization. The booklet was organized into three eras, 1954-1974, 1975-1989 and 1990-present.
Many
of the leaders from the 1954-1974 era, such as Roy Richards Sr. and Hugh
Richards are deceased, however Patterson and Surmiller were able to interview
Bill Wiggins, who was chairman in 1959 and instrumental in recruiting
businesses to Carroll County, and newspaper publisher Stanley Parkman,
who believes the Chamber led the transition from a cotton-based economy
in Carroll County to a combination of agricultural and industry economy.
For the 1975-1989 era, the students interviewed John Robinson, Ray Adams and Clarence Finleyson, who all recalled the building of the Neva Lomason Library, the recruitment of new businesses to Carroll County, such as CBS Records, and the building of new Chamber offices on Northside Drive.
The booklet also contains interviews (1990-present) from more recent active members such as Bowdon businessman Mike Steed, former Villa Rica City Manager Lamar Moody and Carrollton businessman and UWG 2005 A DAY for West Georgia Chair Fred O’Neal.
About 11 hours of interviews and several memoirs of other prominent Chamber members were included, Bailey said. In addition, former Chamber President and CEO Ken O’Neill was profiled.
The booklet was designed and published by the UWG Department of Publications and Printing. Sally Roberts, director for Publications and Printing, and Debby Holcombe, design and prepress manager, designed the cover artwork.
“We hope what we produced will bring back many wonderful memories to people involved with the Chamber and help recruit new members to an exemplary organization that will serve as a foundation for a history not yet written,” Bailey said.
UWG’s Center for Public History is located in Room 207 of Pafford Hall on the University campus. The center creates and maintains an archive for all of its research and fieldwork activities in connection with the Annie Bell Weaver Special Collections at the Ingram Library. The archive is open to the public for research Monday through Thursday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information on projects, please contact Dr. Ann McCleary, Center director, or Bailey, assistant director, at 678-839-6141.
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