"Writing About Conservation Giants" Giffin Memorial Library, Auburn, NH April 27, 2016 Writing About Conservation Giants 1. Welcome. Kathy & New Hampshire Experience. 2. Book Launch in Bar Harbor on April 7th at Jesup Memorial Library. Jesup is but one of several cultural institutions: Abbe, MDIBL, JAX that he founded on MDI. 3. Ask for show of hands for those who have been to Acadia. 4. Describe MDI and location in our day and Dorr's day. First, I'll speak about the subjects of the book and then the research and writing process. 5. Non-business travel in mid-19th century. Elitist. Eliot family and the German university model for Harvard where the maternal grandfather of G.B. Dorr had served as Treasurer. 6. In 1868 Dorr family 1st traveled to MDI, prompted by Hudson River School. After 1874 graduation, Dorr travels in Europe. Rosaline and George Howard. Dorr-Howard letters are 1st discovery! Eliot family followed in 1880, with Champlain Society as outcome. Oldfarm and Ancestral are outcomes. Read Hadley, pg. 2, para. 1. Attracted by beauty and wildness of mountains, ocean, and landscape. 7. Growth of Rusticators. Hotels and lavish mansions. Privatization of land limits access. 8. One of Eliot's sons, Charles Eliot, was an Olmsted partner. "The Coast of Maine" alerted others to privatizing dangers. Outcome: The Trustees (1891), America's first land trust. Death in 1897; father's biography. My discovery #2: Crane Estate, Ipswich. 2 . 9. Dorr's early maturity lacked direction. Explain. Harvard involvements. Mount Desert Nurseries (1896). Bachelor. Topographical know. of MDI. 10. At the time of Eliot's publication of son's biography, HCTPR founded to counteract overdevelopment. First acquisitions. Land title work. 11. Dorr sharpens leadership skills at Harvard (Emerson Hall & 2nd Yard). 12. JDR Jr. and his family vacation on MDI. Eyrie purchased. Carriage road roads in Ohio and at Pocantico. Needs to cross Trustee lands. 13. At same time, state legislative threat to HCTPR. Mr. Dorr goes to D.C. WWI. 14. TRoosevelt. Read CANP, pg. 137. 15. Birth of the NPS. Mather & Albright. 16. From 1916-26 the relationships between "The Triumvirate" intensify. During this decade, Eliot in his eighties, Dorr in his sixties, JDR Jr. his forties. Characterize focus of each: landscape conservation for public re-creation. Despite their strong personalities, their voluminous letters reveal a common commitment to public service. They submerged those character traits counterproductive to the agreed upon goal of their collaboration. Read pp. 11-12 of CANP. 17. As to the writing of this biography, my experience as a philosopher teaching environmental ethics certainly brought me in touch with the major thinkers. But what I found lacking was attention to the conservation efforts of New Englanders-with only passing references to Thoreau and George Perkins Marsh who argued that "Man is everywhere a disturbing agent. Wherever he Plants his foot, the harmonies of natured are turned to discord." 3 18. Historiography begins with examination of the primary documents usually found in national archives and the most substantial historical societies. These document particulars are examined and relevant information is synthesized into narrative that when published is subject to critical review. Digitized documents and finding aids only scratch the surface. 19. The detective work is time-consuming, seemingly endless, and solitary. " " " " expensive. Explain. Research obstacles: poorly managed historical societies (BHHS) In some instances, there is only folklore, established beliefs devoid of evidence (Dorr's alleged homosexuality). Ideally, evidence is corroborated-but often not. Jack Webb, "Just the Facts." 20. Interpretation is unavoidable especially when dealing with the human tendency to deliberately not reveal particular aspects of their inner life; or subjects who refuse to recognize or speak publically about their handicaps (Dorr's stutter). 21. The search for meaning-for significance-is foundational to historiography. Why did Dorr, Eliot, and Rockefeller attach value to conservation? Each would answer the question differently. Getting history RIGHT means that that historian represents his subjects as thoroughly and accurately as possible. And sometimes, that takes decades of work! INP_Talks_WritingaboutConservation_4.16.2016 Griffin Free Public Library. Auburn, NH. 27 April 1916. 2/24/2016 XFINITY Connect XFINITY Connect eppster2@comcast.net + Font Size Re: Griffin Library talk? From : Kathy Growney Wed, Feb 24, 2016 02:47 PM Subject : Re: Griffin Library talk? To : Ronald Epp Hi Ron, Wednesday, April 27 at 6:30 pm works for the library as well. I have put you on the internal calendar and it will go up on our external calendar later this week or next. Thank you for sending the marketing sheet and your CV. I have a staff member who has been handling our marketing of this type of event so I'll touch base with him to see if he needs anything else. After your talk, you are welcome to sell copies of your book but you would need to handle this completely on your own (staff may not sell the books and we do not have a credit card reader or cash for change). It is wonderful that some of the proceeds will be going back to the park. The topic sounds good as well. Let me know what type of set-up you would like (do you need a projector)? We can set up a table for you to display books on as well. We do not have a lectern though. Thanks again for agreeing to give a talk at my new library. I am so happy for you that the book is about to be published and am looking forward to reading it and seeing you. Let me know if you have any other questions. Best, Kathy On Wed, Feb 17, 2016 at 1:51 PM, Ronald Epp wrote: Dear Kathy, Glad to hear that the speaker proposal appeals to you and the stipend will help defray the overnight lodging. I assume from your hours that Wednesday would be best for a 6:30 talk. I am scheduled to give a talk to the library board at the University of Hartford on April 28th and so Wednesday the 27th would work for me. Does that work for you? Thematically, I could talk about a theme I've titled "Writing about Conservation Giants." It concerns the research process that resulted in biographically blending America's foremost educational innovator (Charles William Eliot, whom you well recall from your Harvard days), a horticulturist-philosopher turned park builder (George B. Dorr), and the father of 20th-century American philanthropy (John D. Rockefeller Jr.). The talks I'm giving are under the rubric of Acadia Centennial Partners, the grassroots organization in Hancock County Maine that has put together the 2016 celebrations (www.acadiacentennial2016.org) Attached is marketing information on the Dorr biography. Do you have a mechanism in place to for me to sell a few copies if there is interest; all the profits at my insistence are retained by the publisher, a 501c3, The Friends of Acadia. No PP, just a talk. What do you need that I might provide to help you promote the event? Looking forward to hearing from you. All Best, Ron https://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=355660&tz=America/New_York&xim=1 1/2 2/24/2016 XFINITY Connect From: "Kathy Growney" To: "Ronald Epp" Sent: Friday, February 12, 2016 6:06:52 PM Subject: Re: Griffin Library talk? Hi Ron, I would love to take credit for Carlson, but the truth is he is a friend of a staff member. It would be terrific to have you as a speaker and late April should work out fine. The library can provide a small stipend of $50 to help defray mileage costs. If that's agreeable, is there a specific date that you had in mind? Best, Kathy On Friday, February 12, 2016, Ronald Epp wrote: Hi Kathy, I've been receiving your library announcements and was attracted to the Brady Carlson Dead Presidents promotion. And then it occurred to me that we may be able to work out a similar presentation for my Creating Acadia National Park: The Biography of George B. Dorr. I'll be in Bar Harbor in early April for the book launch party at the Jesup Memorial Library and then returning in late April for a book signing and hour long radio interview. In between I'll be visiting friends in New England and more to the point in Merrimack. If you think that a topic like the 2016 Centennial of the National Park Service and the the 100th anniversary of Acadia would attract an audience get back to me. I will also be coming through your area in late July if that would be a better fit. See attachment. I take the Carlson programming as a very positive sign of your engagement at Griffin. Hope to hear from you. All the Best, Ron Ronald H. Epp, Ph.D. 532 Sassafras Dr. Lebanon, PA 17042 717-272-0801 eppster2@comcast.net https://web.mail.comcast.net/zimbra/h/printmessage?id=355660&tz=America/New_York&xim= 2/2