SFA University
January 27, 2016 - NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University is home to the SFA Charter School, a multifaceted institution serving both the public and university.
The charter school is located on the first floor of the Janice A. Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center. This 120,000-square-foot facility brings under one roof the nationally accredited Early Childhood Laboratory, SFA Charter School and award-winning Department of Elementary Education.
“The Pattillo Early Childhood Research Center is unique in the state of Texas. This facility supports our theory to practice belief — learning to teach effectively occurs in settings of mutual respect, best practices and critical analysis,” said Dr. Judy Abbott, dean of the James I. Perkins College of Education. “Blending the work of a university with the practice of teaching early childhood and elementary children creates a rich environment for learning.”
The SFA Charter School is a free public school with the flexibility to adapt to the educational needs of individual students. Lysa Hagan, SFA Charter School principal, explained the school offers parents another educational choice for their children.
“Our curriculum is based on a constructivist learning environment, and it is different from a more traditional environment you see in other schools,” Hagan said. “We believe a child comes in to any learning opportunity with background knowledge, so our job is to find out what that child already knows related to the subject and then build on that in an individual way. It’s a very active and hands-on learning opportunity.”
It’s the school’s mission to create a learning environment through a constructivist approach utilizing learning centers and an inquiry-based method that supports the student’s development of self-responsibility, autonomy, openness, problem solving and integrity.
“We believe learning is a social activity,” Hagan said. “There is so much for the children to learn from one another, as well as from the teacher.”
Including the lighting, the charter school’s classrooms are different from traditional settings. Hagan explained the rooms do not use overhead lighting, but use indirect lighting and soft music to create a calm and homey atmosphere. Students also sit at tables always facing each other, so they can discuss what they are learning.
“We have really tried to set our classrooms up as a community or family,” Hagan said.
The school instructs children from kindergarten through fifth grade with two classes at each grade level. Students also can participate in physical education, music and art classes. The curriculum follows the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, which the Texas Education Agency mandates; however, much of the instruction is utilizing innovative research from educational professionals such as Cathy Fosnot, Lucy Calkins and Ellin Keene.
“Charter school teachers and leadership are committed to meeting state requirements while remaining committed to implementing instructional practices based on research focused on deep learning and child development,” Abbott said. “Additionally, the reciprocal professional development opportunities for SFA faculty members, educator preparation candidates, and charter teachers and students contribute to the unique learning opportunities found at the SFA Charter School.”
Currently, there are about 245 enrolled students. Each year, the school offers an application lottery. Pursuant to charter school law in Texas, the SFA Charter School offers an equal opportunity for any child to attend. Applicants are entered into a lottery where a third party, who is not connected to the school, selects the names. The application process for the 2016-17 school year is underway, and applications are available in the SFA Charter School Office. Applications must be returned by 5:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 29.
The SFA Charter School and Early Childhood Lab also serve more than 2,000 SFA students each fall and spring semester. Students from various academic departments at SFA, including kinesiology, psychology, music education, human services and human sciences, utilize the charter school and lab for research and instruction.
SFA’s Department of Elementary Education in the James I. Perkins College of Education collaborates with the charter school. In fact, Hagan said the school’s classes reflect methods the SFA Department of Elementary Education is teaching its university students. SFA students enrolled in the Field Experience II course spend three hours a day, four days a week observing and working with students at the charter school. SFA students teach various lessons and work one-on-one with the children.
“We serve as an environment to support university students and serve as a laboratory setting,” Hagan said. “We feel the SFA students know how they learned in school and have a traditional idea of how to teach. We bring them to the charter school, and the students see an alternative method for educating children.”
Also, there are one to four student teachers assigned to the charter school each semester.
According to Hagan, the SFA Charter School has a track record of success and is a state-of-the-art facility for students and educators.
“We couldn’t do what we do without the university’s support,” Hagan said. “We would not be the school or have the success we have without SFA.”
January 27, 2016 NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Members of the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents approved a new online Master of Science in nursing program within the Richard and Lucille DeWitt School of Nursing during their quarterly meeting Tuesday.
The university is seeking approval from agencies including the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Texas Board of Nursing in preparation to offer the specialized program in spring 2017 to enable students to prepare to become family nurse practitioners.
“This program will help the whole community, as well as the School of Nursing,” said Dr. Sara Bishop, SFA nursing director. “We are already one of the best-known schools of nursing in Texas—our graduation rates are great and our students perform remarkably on their board exams. This program will put us up one more level, and we are so excited about it.”
In their report to the board, SFA nursing administrators said access to healthcare is a growing concern across the nation and in 2012, 132 Texas counties had a shortage of primary-care physicians. The leaders believe this program will connect SFA and Nacogdoches communities through learning opportunities.
“Many of the students will be working with area nurse practitioners, surgeons and radiologists and will be placed in clinical sites where they will receive assistance and training from preceptors,” said Dr. Janice Hensarling, associate professor of nursing, who will be the new MSN coordinator. “We have already received so much support for the community, and our program will focus on the needs of rural East Texas.”
This degree will be offered primarily online with a few on-campus clinical courses. The School of Nursing received a $750,000 grant from the T.L.L. Temple Foundation to create the program, and regents authorized utilizing $250,000 of those funds for a five-year contract that will provide consulting services during the development and implementation of the new degree.
“We could not have gained our momentum if it were not for the support of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation. They gave us a great jump start, and we are most thankful,” Bishop said.
Regents also authorized the SFA administration to submit plans to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board for a $46.4 million STEM facility. Dr. Danny Gallant, vice president for finance and administration, updated regents on the construction timeline, scheduled to begin Nov. 1, which includes a new planetarium, multi-purpose laboratories, and facilities for computer science, physics, engineering physics and astronomy.
Regents approved a recommendation from the administration to increase tuition from $185.50 to $192 per semester credit hour, as well as lab fees for certain courses, and a $50 fee for international students who take a placement exam to prove English proficiency.
“The university recently completed a strategic planning initiative, and one of the four major goals of the new strategic plan for the university is to recruit and retain high-quality faculty and staff,” Gallant said. “The College and University Professional Association provides data regarding the median salaries of public and private institutions across the country, and we have set a goal for the next fiscal year to bring all qualified employees to 80 percent of the median salary for their respective positions. The availability of funding for future salary increases will be based on budget reallocations, our ability to create efficiencies in areas across campus, and enrollment growth.”
A fixed-rate tuition plan is available to SFA students who choose to pay a set amount for tuition for up to four years of coursework. Regents approved a fixed rate of $196 for students in the fiscal year 2014 cohort, $204 for the fiscal year 2015 cohort, $213 for the fiscal year 2016 cohort, and $215 for the fiscal year 2017 cohort. The fixed rates apply from the point of initial enrollment at a public or private institution for up to 12 semesters, with summer enrollment counting as one semester.
Room and board rates for students living on SFA’s campus will not increase during the coming fiscal year, and regents approved a 2.7 percent increase for food services.
“Our contract uses the percentage increase in the Food and Beverage element of the Consumer Price Index as a benchmark for any rate increases,” said Dr. Steve Westbrook, vice president for university affairs. “Although the benchmark for this year was 3.1 percent, we were able to negotiate with Aramark to reduce the increase to 2.7 percent.”
In other business, regents approved a partnership with a firm that specializes in corporate sponsorships for higher education athletics. The university will pursue a contract with Learfield Sports to increase the number of sponsors advertising on new video boards approved during the regents’ July 2015 meeting.
The university partnered in 2014 with ESPN3 to produce telecasts of all home football, basketball, soccer and volleyball games, and more than 80 SFA students are currently enrolled in a course to participate as members of the camera crew for the productions, which are available for viewing worldwide. Regents approved a ratification of the project budget to fund costs for fiber installation requirements that exceeded project estimates.
Regents approved offering an SFA transition course for community college transfer students. The course will be similar to SFA’s freshman transition course, SFA 101, and will introduce transfer students to life at a four-year university. It will be offered at no cost to participants.
The board approved policy revisions, including a revision of the tobacco-use policy that designates SFA as a tobacco-free campus effective Aug. 22. The use of tobacco and vape products, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes, vape pens and other products, is prohibited on all property owned, leased, occupied, or controlled by SFA. The policy applies to all employees, students, university affiliates, contractors and visitors.
Regents ratified $535,888 in additional grant awards allocable to the 2016 fiscal year; the funds are a portion of $6.6 million for the fiscal year. Regents approved the fiscal year 2014-15 annual financial report, acknowledged receipt of the audit report, and approved the SFA Charter School’s audited financial statements.
During the Tuesday meeting, the board approved:
- the ratification of SFA’s energy service performance contracts with Siemens Industry for three phases of an energy-savings project initiated in 2009;
- a contract for a content management system for the university website;
- a restoration and drainage project budget for the Austin and Rusk buildings; and
- the purchase of networking equipment.
Regents approved policy revisions and received updates regarding the university’s branding campaign and redesign of the SFA website. Regents heard reports from the Faculty Senate, the Student Government Association and from Dr. Baker Pattillo, SFA president.
Submitted by Shirley Luna
January 25, 2016 - The Wind Ensemble at Stephen F. Austin State University will present the program “Welcome Home” at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 2, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.
A concert presented at the conclusion of the Wind Ensemble’s annual winter tour, “Welcome Home” contains “something for everyone” and features music from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, according to Dr. David Campo, director of the ensemble this spring in the absence of Fred J. Allen, who is on sabbatical. Associate conductor is Dr. Tamey Anglley, and guest conductor is Dr. James Dreiling.
Opening the concert is the Joseph Kreines transcription of Leo Delibes’ “March and Cortege of Bacchus” from the ballet “Sylvia.” Written in 1876, “Sylvia” is based on the Arcadian play “Aminta” by the Italian playwright Torquato Tasso.
“The play celebrates the love story between Aminta and the beautiful nymph Sylvia, who does not return his attentions until a series of events brings the couple together,” explained Campo.
The program features composer Frank Ticheli’s “Wild Nights,” which is based on the Emily Dickenson poem of the same name. About his work, Ticheli says, “Numerous composers have set the words of ‘Wild Nights’ to music, but, to my knowledge, no one has used this wonderfully sensuous poem as the basis for a purely instrumental tone poem. This was my aim, and in so doing I focused most heavily on the lines, ‘Done with the compass/Done with the chart‘ and ‘Rowing in Eden/Ah! The sea!‘ These words suggested the sense of freedom and ecstatic joy that I tried to express in my work.”
The ensemble will perform Eric Whitacre’s “Lux Aurumque.” Translated as “golden light,” the work received its wind band premiere at the 2005 conference of the Texas Music Educator’s Association, and is dedicated to Gary Green, according to Campo.
Also on the program is Ron Nelson’s ‘Sonoran Desert Holiday,” composed in 1994 as part of a series of eight semi-programmatic overtures he refers to as his “travelogues.”
“Although Nelson intends no specific program, the work contains gestures and allusions to night, to sunrise, to Native American and Hispanic influences, to wide open southwestern expanses, and to the remarkable variety of holiday experiences available in this diverse and beautiful part of our country,” Campo said.
The concert will close with Henry Fillmore’s well-known march, “Rolling Thunder.” Fillmore composed this march in 1916 and dedicated it to Ed Hicker, presumably a trombonist, based on the nature of the march. Music historian Norman Smith said, “At the circus or rodeo, ‘Rolling Thunder’ is used to generate excitement. On the concert stage, it’s known as a ‘show-stopper.’”
“After all,” Campo said, “who wants to hear any more music – or read any more program notes – after the ‘Rolling Thunder’ march?”
Tickets are $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and $3 for students and youth. For tickets or more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.
January 20, 2015 NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State University’s NelsonS Rusche College of Business will celebrate its renovated facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Monday, January 25, on the first floor of the R.E. McGee Building on the SFA campus.
The ceremony will recognize the new Mattress Firm Commons, the Marleta Chadwick Student Financial Advisors and the Mark T. Layton Lobby.
The event is open to the public. Dr. Tim Bisping, dean of the Nelson Rusche College of Business, said the ceremony will allow the college to formally thank and recognize several key people who played a vital role in helping advance the college’s mission.
“The renovations to our building and programs we have initiated were purposefully designed to advance our Learn, Launch, Lead strategic focus,” Bisping said. “The Mattress Firm Commons, Marleta Chadwick Student Financial Advisors and the Mark T. Layton Lobby are all essential tools, which will aid us in helping our students excel in their chosen fields.”
The college began its multilevel renovations in summer 2015. Dr. Trey Turner, executive director of development at SFA, said the renovations will provide new areas within the building that facilitate team building and collaboration with other students and faculty members, as well as enhance the overall business-like climate appropriate for a college preparing future business leaders.
The first floor of the McGee Building was transformed to a more business-oriented, professional environment with the addition of updated wall coverings, ceilings, lighting and flooring. The entrance to the dean’s office, east lobby and common area also received a face-lift.
“The renovations offer new experiential learning opportunities, allowing students to gain hands-on experiences in their academic disciplines,” Bisping said. “Students in the Nelson Rusche College of Business will now have additional opportunities to hone their skills and experiences while becoming more accustomed to the professional environment within which they will soon be working.”
On the second floor, various rooms were made more visible and lobby areas were improved. Renovations are still in the works for the third and fourth floor with plans to replace several suites with open-gathering areas.
“A large portion of the renovations was made possible by the generous donations of alumni and friends of SFA. Their contributions played a pivotal role in the launch of this initiative and were key in its completion,” Turner said. “This renovation is another example of the impact generous donors’ support has in building excellence and prestige in our educational offerings, and our university as a whole.”
January 19, 2016 - The Stephen F. Austin State University College of Fine Arts and the Children’s Performing Arts Series will present two performances of “The Lightning Thief” on Friday, February 5.
Also featured during the 2014-2015 children’s series, “The Lightning Thief” was so popular that some audiences missed their chance at seeing the show last year, “so we decided to bring it back,” said Diane Peterson, manager of the SFA Fine Arts Box Office and director of the series.
Presented by Theatreworks USA and adapted from the book by Rick Riordan, “The Lightning Thief” is the story of Percy Jackson, who is about to be kicked out of boarding school ... again. And that’s the least of his troubles. Lately, mythological monsters and the gods of Mount Olympus seem to be walking straight out of the pages of Percy’s Greek mythology textbook and into his life. And worse, he’s angered a few of them. Zeus’s master lightning bolt has been stolen, and Percy is the prime suspect.
“This exciting national touring production is fast-paced and imaginative and targets students in second grade and up,” Peterson said. “‘The Lightning Thief’ is a funny, action-packed musical, and new and returning audiences are eager to see it.”
Performances are at 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in W.M. Turner Auditorium. Tickets are $7.50 for individuals and $6 per person for groups of 20 or more.
To order tickets, call 936.468.6407 or 888.240.ARTS. Visit the CPAS website at www.cpas.sfasu.edu for additional information.
January 14, 2016 - NACOGDOCHES, TEXAS – The College of Fine Arts at Stephen F. Austin State University will host L.A. Theatre Works in presenting Bram Stokers’ “Dracula” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, in W.M. Turner Auditorium on the SFA campus.
Part of the 2015-2016 University Series, this performance features the foremost radio theater company in the United States, according to John W. Goodall, associate dean for the College of Fine Arts. For more than two decades, LATW, under the leadership of Producing Director Susan Albert Loewenberg, has delighted audiences with its unique live radio theater-style performances in more than 300 small towns and major cities, including New York, Boston, San Francisco and Chicago.
“An L.A. Theatre Works performance is immediate, spontaneous, and features a first-rate cast, live sound effects, and a connection to the audience rarely felt in a traditional theater setting,” Goodall said. “This theater… is an event.”
This current tour of “Dracula” includes several actors with credits in the horror and suspense genre. The cast includes the well-known TV and film actor Nicholas Hormann who’s been seen in dozens of television hits including “The West Wing,” “Parks & Recreation”“ Modern Family” and “Desperate Housewives.” His numerous film credits include “Kramer vs. Kramer” and the early Oliver Stone horror film “The Hand.” Hormann will play Dr. Van Helsing.
Veteran horror film actor Skip Pipo will play the role of Renfield. Pipo’s long list of film and TV credits include B-movie favorites such as “The Janitor,” “Sam Hell” and “Poker Run,” as well as the television series “The Black Dawn.”
The cast also includes Michael Kirby, who appeared in the horror film “Hell’s Heart,” Paul Culos, Graham Outerbridge and Alexis Jacknow, all up and coming TV actors, Summer Spiro, a star of the web series “Dabsity,” and Patrick Wenk-Wolff, who has been seen on television in “The Last Ship,” “Rizzoli & Isles” and “Life on Mars.”
Prior to the performance, Zach Hanks, SFA assistant professor of theatre, will present a 7 p.m. informative talk in Griffith Gallery about the show style. The gallery is located across the hall from Turner Auditorium, which is located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive.
The audience is invited back to the gallery for a post-performance reception to meet the performers and to honor the event’s corporate sponsor, Lehmann Eye Center.
Single event ticket prices are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and $10 for students/youth. For tickets or more information, visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu or call the Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or (888) 240-ARTS.
SFA students may purchase Rush tickets for $3 during regular office hours starting Monday, Feb. 1. Students must present a valid SFA ID for purchase and at the door on event night.
January 13, 2015 NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The work of artist Kent Rush will be showcased in an exhibition that displays Jan. 20 through March 10 in Griffith Gallery on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.
Black and white photographs, drawings and prints are featured in “Kent Rush: Photo-Syntax,” curated by Neal Cox, faculty member in the SFA School of Art, who describes Rush as his mentor.
“Though this is largely an opportunity to pay tribute, Kent’s work alone merits exhibition,” Cox said. “A pleasant blend of graphite drawings, prints and photographs, his works show how one idea can have multifaceted executions and maintain a distinct aesthetic transcending the single-media approach.”
The exhibition will include “mainly close-up images of odd urban infrastructure, much of it discarded or vestigial, photographed through the plastic lens of a toy camera,” according to Cox.
Rush spent his formative years absorbing the artistic, intellectual and political milieu of the San Francisco Bay Area during the 1960s, studying art, drawing and printmaking. He earned a B.F.A. from the California College of Arts and Crafts, a master’s degree from the University of New Mexico where he studied art and lithography, and an M.F.A. from the University of Texas at Austin while teaching at the San Antonio Art Institute. After returning to California to show his work and teach for a brief time, he returned to San Antonio where he has spent the last 27 years making art and teaching at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
His work has been exhibited extensively in the United States in solo, two- and three-person shows and group and competitive shows. Internationally, he has also shown in London, Brazil, Peru, Mexico and France.
Coming from a background in printmaking, drawing and painting, Rush, over the past 20 years, has appropriated photography as a means of making images, Cox explained.
“Specifically, he collects (on film) mundane objects and surfaces (primarily concrete) from urban and suburban sites and presents them in a monumental format,” according to Cox.
Rush will give a talk at the School of Art at 4:45 p.m. Thursday, March 10, followed by a closing reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in Griffith Gallery, which is located in the Griffith Fine Arts Building, 2222 Alumni Drive. For more information, call (936) 468-1131.
December 21, 2015 - The T.L.L. Temple Foundation has awarded a grant to Stephen F. Austin State University that will support a proposed Master of Science in nursing degree and allow healthcare professionals to pursue careers as family nurse practitioners.
Family nurse practitioners provide comprehensive primary care to patients of all ages, managing acute and chronic conditions, often to underserved and vulnerable populations. Dr. Baker Pattillo, SFA president, said the university is committed to addressing growing concerns regarding severe shortages, statewide and nationally, in access to quality health care.
“The DeWitt School of Nursing has a reputation for excellence in the delivery of nursing education,” Pattillo said. “We are grateful for the support of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation and appreciate their partnership and their desire to ensure that East Texans have access to quality health care in the years to come.”
According to Dr. Kim Childs, dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics at SFA, only 10 percent of physicians graduating from medical schools choose to practice in rural areas, while approximately 80 percent of nurse practitioners are employed in primary care settings in rural areas, where they diagnose and manage acute and chronic health problems, prescribe medications, plan treatments, and teach patients to promote and maintain health.
“Increasing the number of nurse practitioners providing primary care will increase the availability of quality health care and improve the well-being of East Texans,” Childs said. “By adding this program, SFA’s DeWitt School of Nursing will continue its tradition of preparing nurses who can practice at all levels and meet the changing demands of health care.”
The $750,000 Temple Foundation grant will provide start-up fees for the proposed program, which must be approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and other affiliated agencies.
“The board of trustees of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation is pleased to partner with SFA in this endeavor to maximize resources to cultivate outstanding educational experiences for students who serve to improve the quality of life in our region of Texas,” said Buddy Zeagler, executive director of the foundation.
A recent Texas Tribune report showed that 10 of the 12 counties in Deep East Texas are designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas and hospitals across the state are dealing with similar issues.
“The new nurse practitioners program at SFA will address a critical shortage of primary care providers, particularly in the outlying communities in East Texas,” said Gary Stokes, CEO of Nacogdoches Medical Center. “This program will provide greater opportunities for East Texas residents to get the training and clinical rotations locally. The recruitment and retention of these students is essential in providing qualified practitioners and returning them to our under-served areas.”
The program, when approved, will be offered in an online format to allow students to continue to work while completing the degree. For more information about the DeWitt School of Nursing, call (936) 468-7705 or visit www.sfasu.edu/nursing/.
December 17, 2015 NACOGDOCHES — More than 130 students in Stephen F. Austin State University’s hospitality administration program participated in a service-learning pilot project this semester that generated 786 volunteer hours.
Faculty members for each course within the program included a six-hour service-learning component to their syllabi.
“Each semester, our program gets multiple requests to help with events from community organizations,” said Dr. Chay Runnels, hospitality administration program coordinator. “This semester, we decided to formalize the process and implement a six-hour service-learning component in all hospitality courses. We believe students enrolled in these courses should have real-world experience if they plan on working with the public in this industry.”
Students volunteered with organizations that Runnels said the program has built relationships with over the years. For example, students were bell ringers for the Salvation Army, and Molly Hoya, kettle coordinator and secretary of the board for the Salvation Army, said the students were instrumental to the organization’s fundraising.
“It’s very important to give back to our community. We need to help out our fellow neighbor because who knows what situation we will be in in the future,” Hoya said. “Volunteering allows students to see the reality that life can be hard and how important it can be to help out our community.”
Students also worked at various events and with several organizations, including the SFA Art Gallery, food pantries, Love Inc, Appleby Community Farm, the SOLID Foundation, Millard’s Crossing, SFASU Foundation, Court Appointed Special Advocates of Lufkin, The Bettie Kennedy Memorial Food Drive, Caddo Mounds State Historical Site, the Durst-Taylor House, SFA outdoor recreation, the dean of Fine Arts and the SFA Alumni Association.
“We've been discussing sustainability issues with our students for a long time, and we want to develop sustainable partnerships with every organization we work with,” Runnels said. “This project helps both the instructors and the students gain a greater understanding of how our volunteering assists these organizations in meeting their goals.”
One of the project’s goals was to give students experience working with the public in a structured environment and to help them feel connected to the larger East Texas community.
Runnels said the program will continue to embed the service-learning component in its courses with modifications as needed.
“By making the service-learning project program wide—not just isolated to one or two courses—we can begin to institutionalize the idea of service learning,” Runnels said. “The hospitality industry also is called the ‘service sector.’ If you don't have a heart for service and serving people, then you are in the wrong industry. I think this helps students to see early on in their careers if working with people is right for them.”
December 15, 2015 NACOGDOCHES – A donor recently gave an ambrotype image estimated to be about 160 years old of the stone house to the Stone Fort Museum on the Stephen F. Austin State University campus.
The image will be on display in 2016 as part of the tricentennial celebration at the museum, according to museum director Carolyn Spears.
“I'm very excited about the acquisition of this ambrotype for the Stone Fort Museum's collection,” Spears said. “The object is not only an early document depicting the stone house on the square, but also an example of early photographic processes. It's just a beautiful thing.”
Michael Rugeley Moore, who donated the photographic image to the museum, said the image has been in his family since it was created, and he estimates it was taken in the 1850s.
Ambrotypes were popular in the 1850-60s, and tintypes and other photographic processes later replaced the medium.
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