2015 Surratt Conference

[Thomas Thorne]

This was the best conference yet IMHO-my 4th. All the speakers were good. It was wonderful to see old friends again and make new ones.

Many thanks to Laurie,Lindsay et al for working so hard to help us. Thank
you for the park ranger.
Tom

[Eva Elisabeth]

(03-22-2015 05:07 PM)Thomas Thorne Wrote:  This was the best conference yet IMHO-my 4th. All the speakers were good. It was wonderful to see old friends again and make new ones.

Many thanks to Laurie,Lindsay et al for working so hard to help us. Thank
you for the park ranger.
Tom

I cannot agree more and say thank you, thank you, thank you - especially to Laurie, Lindsay, and the other ladies of the Surratt staff, but also to all the nice participants!!! I am still in a state of intoxication and euphoria, and the Booth tour today was the cherry on the top. Herb, I pray you can make it next year!

[Eva Elisabeth]

Just to add - John Howard, who replaced Mr. Swanson on the Booth escape tour today, did a fantastic job to entertain and inform. Not one minute of the long trip was boring, and each was interesting. Mr. Swanson couldn't have done it better, and the level for "equality" is quite high.

[HerbS]

Thanks Eva,I will try to make it there next year!

[ReignetteC]

(03-22-2015 10:36 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Just to add - John Howard, who replaced Mr. Swanson on the Booth escape tour today, did a fantastic job to entertain and inform. Not one minute of the long trip was boring, and each was interesting. Mr. Swanson couldn't have done it better, and the level for "equality" is quite high.

Eva nailed it! John Howard led a wonderful, fascinating tour. Loved it and every minute of the conference. Thanks to the Surratt Conference team for your hard work and I hope you can get some well-deserved rest.

[Rsmyth]

We just arrived back home after stopping in Gettysburg to see the Lincoln hearse. I just wanted to say that with all the juggling and replacements the Surratt House went through for the conference, they hit it out of the park. My wife and I have been to a few and the speakers were by far the best and most interesting ever! Likewise, the Booth Escape Tour bus trip (We were scheduled to be on a bus with a famous author) far exceeded our expectations. I learned so much from John Howard and the crew.

[Sally]

(03-22-2015 08:35 AM)Wesley Harris Wrote:  Amazing conference! Best presentations in the four times I've been to the conference. Definitely served as impetus for me to get back to work on my book.

Met many new Boothies, including quite a number of members of this forum. I was very surprised by the number of books in the works by our members. As with previous conferences, I picked up many bits of information for my book, including more of the story behind Ford's switching the knife purportedly used by Booth.

One tidbit: During one renovation of Ford's Theater, Booth's Deringer was removed and placed in the vault at Riggs Bank around the corner, located on the site of the Herndon House where the conspirators met just before the assassination. Booth probably had the Deringer with him at the Herndon so it returned to familiar ground.

I probably shouldn't try this because I'm sure to leave someone out and I don't know the username of everyone. These are the forum members I know were present.

BettyO
Eva Elisabeth
ReignetteC
Jim Garrett
Linda Anderson
L Verge
Dave Taylor
Tom Bogar
Lincoln Wonk
Rick Smith
Houmes
Diane T. Putney
John Fazio
Lindsey
Frederick Hatch
Bill Richter
STS Lincolnite
Matthew __ sorry I don't know your username
A couple of ladies from PA but I forgot the usernames
Wesley Harris

The volume of knowledge of this group is nothing short of astounding and I'm proud to know you all!

Hey, Wes, I was there too!! I sat right next to you at lunch on Saturday. How could you not remember my scintillating conversation, sparkling personality, and dazzling good looks??????

I'M JOKING! I too met so many different (and delightful) people it's difficult to keep everyone straight.

But I want to say amen to all the positive comments about the conference. This was the first one I attended and it was fabulous. The speakers were all fascinating, articulate and entertaining. And the staff from the Surratt House worked so hard to make everyone welcome and comfortable. (It must have been exhausting.) Great job! Thank you so much. I loved it.

[L Verge]

I am so glad that we were able to pull off such a successful conference. It was all I could do to drag myself out of bed on Monday morning for work, but I've made it for three days now. I drag home about 5 and take a nap before fixing dinner. This conference has really made me aware of my age! But it was worth every minute.

As most of you know, Two of my headliners had medical issues and had to cancel at the last minute. Chief Justice Frank Williams was a wonderful gentleman in agreeing to present not only his talk, but also to work up his own interpretation of Why Lincoln Matters in ten days time. No one could have done better - he literally hit it out of the park, as one attendee said. All I know is that he brought tears to my eyes in his assessment of the Lincoln legacy.

On Friday afternoon, as the conference was beginning, I got word that James Swanson had a viral infection and bronchitis and could not narrate our ten-hour Manhunt tour. My good old boys from our regular Booth Tours, John Howard and Bob Allen, stepped in and wonderfully handled two busloads (80 people total).

As for my staff, I am blessed. Joan Chaconas and I have been in this since our first conference in 2000. Susan Proctor was a volunteer vice-president of the Society back then and had to step in near the last to fill gaps that hadn't been done. Since that time, Susan has worked in two other museums (Maryland and New York) and returned to us about 7 years ago. She, Lindsey Horn, Julie Cowdery, and Kari Wilson are literally my legs once the conference begins. They carry out projects that they have worked on beforehand, but that day they are running all over the place to register people, maintain our up-to-date technology for projectors, sound systems, even computer-run sales counters (nearly $9000 in sales - thanks everyone!), and many other chores. I even get my 14-year-old grandson to lay down his tablet and iPad long enough to lug boxes of books, bag the sales, etc.

But what makes the conference so special are the special people who attend. I swear we are a fraternity - and one of the friendliest groups I have ever been around. On Saturday morning, as we were finalizing getting everything in place AT 6:00 AM, down came Scott Schroeder, Eva Lennartz, and Betty Ownsbey to help my team. They not only pay their money, they are willing to do the work also.

Not only was this our largest group yet (168 plus ten more for the banquet on Saturday), but our largest state representation also. 28 states from Maine to Florida, most of the Midwest, Arizona, California, Texas, Kentucky, Tennessee, Louisiana, the District of Columbia, and Germany.

There were some glitches - mainly in buffet lines where the first ten or so took more than they should and caused a shortage near the end of the line as well as a kitchen that couldn't keep up every now and then with the hearty appetites. And, Mother Nature who would not cooperate and give us clear, warm weather on Friday night so that our opening reception could spread out to picnic tables to relieve crowding.

Anyhow, we have a tentative theme for next year; some new speakers lined up; and will meet tomorrow morning to discuss what changes need to be made.

[HerbS]

I wish that I could have been there!

[Thomas Kearney]

Now that the conference is over, I bet we can all look forward to The Lincoln Tribute!

[L Verge]

(03-26-2015 09:13 AM)Thomas Kearney Wrote:  Now that the conference is over, I bet we can all look forward to The Lincoln Tribute!

The one moment that I would truly like to be present in the city for is the planned tolling of church bells. That mournful rhythm (if performed by folks who know how to do it) should be very moving and meaningful.

In the back of my mind, however, I keep wondering how the citizens of D.C. (who aren't already on their way to work) will handle being awakened in such a manner. And, how many have been forewarned? How many hysterical phone calls will go out to police stations, 911, even Homeland Security?

[BettyO]

Puts me in mind of Orson Well's War of the Worlds Radio Cast in the 1930s....when folk actually thought that we were being invaded by Mars aliens!

[wpbinzel]

(03-22-2015 08:35 AM)Wesley Harris Wrote:  Amazing conference! Best presentations in the four times I've been to the conference. Definitely served as impetus for me to get back to work on my book.

Met many new Boothies, including quite a number of members of this forum. I was very surprised by the number of books in the works by our members. As with previous conferences, I picked up many bits of information for my book, including more of the story behind Ford's switching the knife purportedly used by Booth.

One tidbit: During one renovation of Ford's Theater, Booth's Deringer was removed and placed in the vault at Riggs Bank around the corner, located on the site of the Herndon House where the conspirators met just before the assassination. Booth probably had the Deringer with him at the Herndon so it returned to familiar ground.

I probably shouldn't try this because I'm sure to leave someone out and I don't know the username of everyone. These are the forum members I know were present.

BettyO
Eva Elisabeth
ReignetteC
Jim Garrett
Linda Anderson
L Verge
Dave Taylor
Tom Bogar
Lincoln Wonk
Rick Smith
Houmes
Diane T. Putney
John Fazio
Lindsey
Frederick Hatch
Bill Richter
STS Lincolnite
Matthew __ sorry I don't know your username
A couple of ladies from PA but I forgot the usernames
Wesley Harris

The volume of knowledge of this group is nothing short of astounding and I'm proud to know you all!

Wes -

Next year I will make a point to seek you out and introduce myself, as I was there as well.

Bill Binzel

(PS - In re-reading this after I posted it, it half sounds like an admonishment, which was most certainly not my intention. What I had intended was simply an expression that I hope someday our paths will cross.)

[Wesley Harris]

(03-26-2015 05:29 PM)wpbinzel Wrote:  [quote='Wesley Harris' pid='45453' dateline='1427031335']


Wes -

Next year I will make a point to seek you out and introduce myself, as I was there as well.

Bill Binzel

(PS - In re-reading this after I posted it, it half sounds like an admonishment, which was most certainly not my intention. What I had intended was simply an expression that I hope someday our paths will cross.)

Not a problem, Bill. I knew you were just adding your name to the list. I'm sure there were others from this forum who were present that I didn't list.

[mbgross]

I am applying and hoping for an NEH teacher program with Professor Alford and hoping to see Ms Verge ( I enjoy her posts so much) and visit the Surratt house. What a great educational experience I could share with my students!