THE ARCHIVES (2017-2019)
This was my final position at the school-- a true version of “it was the best of times” and “it was the worst of times.” In a nutshell, the worst of times was the space.
In a nutshell, the worst of times was the space. As early as 2004 (??) there was talk of asking the Parent Council to take charge of the archives-- even the possibility of storing the materials in the library. This idea had bounced around for years, yet there was an obvious reason why the idea stalled in a committee. No space.
My space was in the basement of the Georgia Nelson Building-- not ideal, but I survived. When I needed to organize materials, I moved boxes to the foreign language wing-- the red cart and I became friends as I whistled a happy tune, pretended I was Paul Bunyan and wondered why I, the man who failed gym in high school, was a mover -- one guy with no truck and lots of wrinkles.
What kept me going was simple. My task was to honor the Herculean efforts of Ruth Gorham, Betty Clarke, and Renee Rockford; these women began the process of gathering and organizing boxes of materials -- from photos to tapes; from newspaper clippings to school publications from the 1930’s. Without their prescience, my job would not have existed without Mrs. Gorham who delighted in regaling me with Graland stories, I might have been less obsessive about the importance of the school’s history. Those days, I lived in their shadows and heard not only their whispers, but the voices of the founding mothers and fathers who realized the importance of dreams and supported Grace Laird, Virginia Braswell, and Georgia Nelson.
Needless to say, the best of times was much more rewarding. Deciding what we should digitize engaged me; I learned even more about the history of the school. Also, finding examples of students’ projects or older brochures or the wooden yearbooks (created by Miss Nelson) or programs from Mr. Riley’s Gilbert and Sullivan operettas thrilled me. Also, there were times when the sentimental in me grabbed me, and I whiled away an afternoon reliving, for example, many graduations as I compiled graduation programs for the digitizing project.
Even though I delighted in the ongoing process of deciding what should be digitized, sharing the school history with colleagues, alumni, and Graland friends on Facebook and the Graland website seized my attention more than the solitary, quiet part of my day. Needless to say, writing anecdotes about my life that pertained to the entries delighted me. Of course, the archival displays energized me, for they provided a visual of the past many enjoyed.
Saint Edward Murane’78 and Saint Jim Arneill ‘66 have volunteered to continue the archival project. A remarkable duo to the rescue. Go, Edward and Jim!
This is my last memory piece-- it is time for me to think less about my past and more about my future. Also, I have yearbooks to download on www.gralandconnect.com and my Graland history site to edit.
Until. . .
Philip William Hickey H'81
1976-2018
Until. . .
Philip William Hickey H'81
1976-2018
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
