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wpbinzel · 07-28-2020, 02:27 PM

In the event that some missed this under "News and Announcements," and because it also pertains to the Surratt Society's fall John Wilkes Booth Escape Route Tours, I am going to post this under "Assassination" as well.

As vice president of the Surratt Society, I have received a couple of inquiries whether the Surratt Society "disappeared" upon the death of Laurie Verge. The short answer is no; the Surratt Society lives on. However, the Surratt Society and the Surratt House Museum in Clinton, MD, while separate entities, are linked together under the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, which owns and operates the Museum with the assistance of Surratt Society members/volunteers. As a result of the COVID shutdown, and in compliance with the directives of the state of Maryland, the Museum (and other Commission properties) have been closed since early March. In addition, the Surratt Society Conference scheduled for April 2020 and the four John Wilkes Booth Escape Route tours scheduled for April and early May, were all cancelled. At this point, it may not be healthy or prudent to put 50 people on a bus, so the Booth Escape Route tours planned for September 2020 have been cancelled as well. That is the bad news. The good news is that the Commission and the Acting Director of the Museum are exploring options to safely reopen the Museum in August or September.

As for the missing issues of The Surratt Courier, due to the March COVID shutdown, it has not been possible to get them printed and mailed. However, the Surratt Society president, Louise Oertly, has composed monthly issues since March. The intention is to get them printed and out to Surratt Society members as soon as we are able.

Also, the Commission has formed a "selection committee" to interview candidates for the position of Director of the Surratt House Museum. The first round of interviews began this week and will continue into next. It is anticipated that once they are completed, the field of candidates will be narrowed for a possible second round of interviews. The Commission hopes to have a Director in place at the Museum at some point in September.

It was most unfortunate that Laurie's passing and the COVID shutdown happened almost simultaneously, both of which have knocked the Surratt Society off its stride, but under the leadership of Louise Oertly and the other officers of the Society, it will go on in a form and fashion that would make Laurie proud.

Eva Elisabeth · 07-28-2020, 08:04 PM

Thanks, Bill, for the good news especially in your last statement, and thanks for your, Louise's and the others' caring and efforts. I am looking forward to read up... (it is a pity it's not "available" in e-format for the time being).

wpbinzel · 07-31-2020, 01:13 AM

(07-28-2020 08:04 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote: (it is a pity it's not "available" in e-format for the time being).

Eva, I think it highly probable that the Courier will move to an online format. Another aspect we are exploring is how to make the extensive archives of the Courier online and available as a benefit of membership in the Surratt Society as well.

LincolnMan · 07-31-2020, 06:12 AM

I was just thinking about Laurie and about this. Thank you for the update. Be safe!

Dennis Urban · 08-06-2020, 11:57 AM

Thanks for the update, Bill. I think that digitizing the Courier and the past Courier articles would be an immense tribute to Laurie. I'm sure she would have loved to be part of such a project. There are just so many articles I'd like to read from past issues. The job would be daunting but well worth it. Perhaps there is a way that us lowly remote members could assist with the project. I would be honored to assist. I miss Laurie's comments and still look for them every time I open this site.

Jim Garrett · 08-07-2020, 11:12 AM

Looking forward to when martial law is lifted.

wpbinzel · (This post was last modified: 08-07-2020 11:39 PM by wpbinzel.)

(07-31-2020 06:12 AM)LincolnMan Wrote: I was just thinking about Laurie and about this. Thank you for the update. Be safe!

Thanks, Bill. You, too!

(08-06-2020 11:57 AM)Dennis Urban Wrote: Thanks for the update, Bill. I think that digitizing the Courier and the past Courier articles would be an immense tribute to Laurie. I'm sure she would have loved to be part of such a project. There are just so many articles I'd like to read from past issues. The job would be daunting but well worth it. Perhaps there is a way that us lowly remote members could assist with the project. I would be honored to assist. I miss Laurie's comments and still look for them every time I open this site.

Dennis, thank you for your kind offer of assistance! I will let you know how and when this might happen, once we figure out how to make it happen. As I said to Eva, I think, going forward, the Surratt Courier is likely to be in digital form. While I am "old school" and prefer printed copies, the times and costs involved may have made that a thing of the past. And I am very excited about the prospect of making the archives available online as well. I, too, miss Laurie's comments on this site (and seeing her in person), but I am ever so grateful to Roger Norton for creating and maintaining a website where the wisdom and wit of Laurie could be captured and shared with those who were not privileged to know her, now and into the future.

Wesley Harris · 12-19-2020, 08:45 PM

I miss my Courier!

wpbinzel · 12-19-2020, 10:39 PM

(12-19-2020 08:45 PM)Wesley Harris Wrote: I miss my Courier!

Wes, I think we all do. The good news is that back issues of the Courier for 2020 (albeit bimonthly after April) have been compiled and will be posted on the Surratt Society website in the very near future. I will announce it here when that happens. The plan for 2021 is to post a new issue of the Courier on the Surratt Society website bimonthly. The loss of Laurie and the COVID shutdown by the Commission has made this a difficult process.

RobertLC · 12-20-2020, 10:55 AM

Bill,

Thanks for the update. As I said before, I always looked forward to the yellow stapled pages of the newsletter and read every word.

However, it would be great if it were available online as a pdf file. It would be more economical for the organization and also offer an electronic archive where members could visit for future reference. One of the challenges, I suppose, is to make it secure so only members can see the newsletter since it is part of the membership.

Thanks to everyone directly involved with the Surratt Society for holding things together.

Bob

Wesley Harris · 12-20-2020, 01:10 PM

(12-19-2020 10:39 PM)wpbinzel Wrote:
(12-19-2020 08:45 PM)Wesley Harris Wrote: I miss my Courier!

Wes, I think we all do. The good news is that back issues of the Courier for 2020 (albeit bimonthly after April) have been compiled and will be posted on the Surratt Society website in the very near future. I will announce it here when that happens. The plan for 2021 is to post a new issue of the Courier on the Surratt Society website bimonthly. The loss of Laurie and the COVID shutdown by the Commission has made this a difficult process.

Looking forward to catching up on my reading and submitting some articles.

Anita · 12-20-2020, 07:29 PM

I look forward to reading my copy of the Courier in any format. I miss it. I second Bob with thanks to you Bill and all those working to keep things together.

Eva Elisabeth · 12-22-2020, 05:09 PM

(12-20-2020 07:29 PM)Anita Wrote: I look forward to reading my copy of the Courier in any format. I miss it. I second Bob with thanks to you Bill and all those working to keep things together.

Same here. And while I loved and miss the traditional paper edition, I look forward to be able to read the latest issue as soon as released, even when I am in Vienna. So far, I had always have to wait for semester break to read the pile that was awaiting me at home