University,
MS – The Archives and Special Collections at the J.D. Williams Library has
opened a new exhibit entitled Treasures
in the Faulkner Room. The exhibit
contains highlights from a wide range of collections.
The
Head of the Archives and Special Collections, Jennifer Ford said, “William
Faulkner’s Nobel Prize Medal is the centerpiece for the collection.” The school features the medal in the center
of the room, which bears his name.
In addition to the medal, the collection also displays other awards that
Faulkner received throughout his career.
The collection contains the medal he received when he was named a
Chevalier (Knight) de la Legion d'honneur, (the highest civilian honor in
France), his Medal of the
American Academy of Arts and Letter, his Silver Medal of the Athens Academy, and
his Order of Andres Bello (highest civilian honor in Venezuela).
In
addition to the Faulkner materials, the collection also contains the first
published record of Double-Entry Bookkeeping, the accounting process that is
the foundation still used today. The
account was published in Luca Pacioli’s 1494 work, Summa de Artimetica, Geometria, Proportini, et Propotionalita. The work is also significant because it
was published in the colloquial Italian rather than the more formal Latin
because Pacioli wished for the text to be read by the masses. This decision was noteworthy because
Latin was viewed as the language of education. Ford noted that the Patterson School of Accounting’s strong
reputation was important to obtaining the rare work.
Ford
also pointed out that the Archives and Special Collections does not have many
artifacts from the Medieval period, but it did acquire an 11th
Century manuscript of the fifth century Latin grammarian, Priscian’s Institutes. Ford pointed out the uniqueness of the document by showing
that the original parchment contained holes, but since a writing material was
so valuable, the scribes simply wrote around the holes rather than discarding
it.
A
feature of personal pride for Ford in the collection is a series of letters
written to the former priest of St. Peter’s Episcopal church, Duncan M.
Gary. The letters display the
response both good and bad that Gary received for supporting the University’s 1962
decision to allow James Meredith to enroll, thusly integrating the school. One particular letter that stands out
is a short handwritten one from William Faulkner who commended the priest and offered
his sympathy for any negative responses he received.
Another
display from the arts is a collection of Tennessee Williams memorabilia. The original manuscript for the film The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone, a film adapted
from his novel of the same name, highlights the collection.
In
addition to the works from the arts, there are also a few pieces of memorabilia
from the sports world. The
collection contains William “Fishbait” Miller’s personal collection of signed
baseballs. The collection contains
baseballs signed by Hall of Famers Ty Cobb and Ted Williams, as well as the
1951 World Series Champion New York Yankees, and the 1959 Chicago White
Sox. Miller obtained the baseballs
while serving as the Doorkeeper for the House of Representatives from 1949-1953
and again from 1955-1974.
The
Treasures exhibit can be found in the
Faulkner Room located on the second floor of the J.D. Williams Library. The exhibit is available for viewing
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The exhibit will conclude next January.
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