A first for St. Paul Museum

Peggy Woodlief 

For Randolph Hub

RANDLEMAN – St. Paul’s program for July 16 will be like no other program we have offered and is most unlikely to ever occur again. 

Background: St. Paul has functioned as a historical museum for more than 60 years, and the building itself has national historical designation. During these decades, the museum has been accumulating all sorts of old and historical stuff.

In the beginning, when the only historical part of the museum was the building itself, people began contributing all sorts of things, and much of it was of true historic interest and value. 

However, some of the donations was simply old stuff, the kind that accumulates in all our attics from the generations that have preceded us. But the museum staff was grateful for all donations and accepted everything.

(Please know that I am frequently chastised for referring to the balcony as the attic and am taking great pains not to do so in this column.) 

For the last couple of months, Louise and I have been spending a lot of time going through absolutely everything in every bag and box stored in the balcony and have come across a variety of things that have value, but not historical value in the sense that they have no particular connection with the history of Randleman or of Randolph County.

And yet these things do have some worth.

So….

We have decided to share these items with whoever would like to have them. (Please note: We are not giving away Miss Cox’s gym suit.) There is a fair amount of variety, including a few vinyl records of past popular music that our research suggests are each worth money.

All items will be displayed on the carpeted area behind the altar and will have an identifying number. Before the give-away begins, you will have browsing time to look over the inventory. 

Each person will be given a card on which to write his or her name and the numbers of no more than three items that you would like to take home with you. (NOTE: You will have to provide your own writing implement.) We will collect these requests, and if more than one person is smitten by the same article, there will be a drawing for that article.
 

If you don’t get the item you have set your heart on, you can console yourself with a variety of ice creams that will be available.

Any items still left will be displayed on the shelves of the bookcase in the vestibule, still free for the taking.

Please don’t think that we are no longer interested in receiving items to add to our collection, because there is much we would like to have. If you have an item you would like us to consider, just ask for a Donation Form to fill out, telling us about what you are offering. Both our storage and display space is limited, so we don’t have the luxury of  duplications.

We are looking forward to seeing you at 2 p.m. on the 16th at the corner of Stout and High Point Streets in Randleman.