SAINT THOMAS MORE LIBRARY
NEWSLETTER - Winter 2001-2002-Video, Missing Yearbooks,Veterans, Swett, Overland & Soares art
PORTSMOUTH ABBEY SCHOOL
The PAS library has been cataloging the video collection into the library databank. Nearly 500 videos are available for use by faculty and students doing assignments. Numerous productions of Shakespearean plays, the Civil War series by Ken Burns, Joseph Campbell's, The Power of Myth, Sherlock Holmes stories, The Century of Warfare, some A & E biographies, Civilization, portraits of artists, Cosmos, tours of famous museum's collections, and seminal feature films (especially those from literature) form the core of the collection.
The library director will gladly accept donations of similar commercially produced videos. We are seeking to add non-duplicate titles of documentaries (such as PBS, NOVA, National Geographic or A & E) or critically acclaimed feature films. Please contact Mrs. Stevens, library@portsmouthabbey.org if you should want to add to this collection.
The library has had some interesting displays in conjunction with the 75th anniversary of the school. During the summer, photographs by an alumnus, Father W. N. Christopher Davis '48 were mounted on the entry walls. These were quite large and showed striking scenic views. One, which elicited much interest, was a shot of a fireboat spouting water taken from high above.
In conjunction with the 75th anniversary weekend in September a large display was mounted in the library. On display were books written by alumni, faculty and parents of alumni. Father Damian brought memorabilia from the early years of the school for the glass display case, including diplomas and commencement lists form the 1930's, many pictures of the first campus and the subsequent changes, and portraits of our founders and of early students and faculty. Hundreds of artifacts were dispersed in the building's display areas for the first term, which many returning alumni enjoyed.
Later, Veterans Day was commemorated by adding photographs to the display of the school's deceased who served in wars. Also included was a portrait of our Portsmouth Priory Benedictine monk, Father Lawrence McGinn, O.S.B. who became a chaplain in World War II and continued to serve in the military after the war. A War Memorial had been placed in the side chapel of St. Basil in the Abbey church. The stone tablets were designed and carved by John Hegegauer, a sculptor. Depiction of the memorial was included in the display case.
The next display, for December, was antique stamped tin toys of the 1930's and 1940's. These colorful items were from the collection of Tom Casselman a resident of Portsmouth and husband of the Abbey summer Elderhostel art teacher, Izabella.
The current display is of the wood turned bowls and cups, created by Abbey sixth former, Michael Kroger. Michael began his hobby in August of last year. One early piece, beautifully done in beech wood was made from a felled Abbey tree. The woods he has used now come from all over the world.
Two new additions have been made to the many art works permanently housed in the library. A seascape "Surging Waters-Ogunquit, Maine", was done by the American Impressionist oil painter of the late nineteenth century, William Otis Swett Jr., who lived in New England. Secondly, an antique secular tapestry depicting an idyllic garden scene, which measure 14 feet by 18 inches was installed. Its height requires that it hang on wall of the lower level of the library. The William Heysman Overland (1851-1898) piece, "Soccer Game" has been moved to the Donald Mc Guire Art Building. Following an exhibit of his works in the Art Building, Jose Soares, father of sixth former Philipe, has donated a large canvas of a the harbor of Ponte Delgada in the Azores to the school. It has now been placed in the lobby of the Burden Classroom building, at the base of the stairs leading to the St.Thomas More Library.
Alumni are asked to check their bookshelves for four yearbook years, 1947, 1949, 1953, and 1964. The library has the yearbooks for 1932 to the present except for these. They were not published in 1934-1943. During 1932-1933 they were titled the Annual, then volumes for 1944-1948, 1952, and 1954-55 were named the Portsmouth Yearbook. The name the Cowl, was used for 1950, 1951 and 1956. In 1957-60 it was The Yearbook. Since 1961 the yearbook has been named the Gregorian. Again, please contact Mrs. Stevens, library@portsmouthabbey.org if you have a year to complete this archival reference collection.
