Minutes of Writers House meeting, 09/30/97

by Whitney Namm

First Hub Meeting of the Semester, September 30th, 1997
at The Kelly Writers House Attending:

Harris Steinberg
Rebecca Grossman
Mary Harris
Christine Sullivan
Nijmie Dzurinko
Heather Starr
Jessica Chiu
Mike Magee
Vance Bell
Nate Chinen
Louis Cabri
Kerry Sherin
Henrietta Jones
Whitney Namm

Agenda:

-- All hub members are asked to purchase a wooden chair, of their own
personal taste, that is under $50.  The House will reimburse you for the
money you spend (but get a receipt).  Chair requirements: 18" seat height,
if it has arms, then 23"-26" arm height.  Decorating, personalizing the
chairs are encouraged!

Harris Steinberg talked about the renovation and answered questions
about what's left to do--installing cabinets, painting, woodwork, etc.
-- Renovations will be completed Oct 27. After that date the house will be
open to the public!

-- Grand re-opening celebration will be tentatively Dec 5.

 -- Proposed security precautions when the house is opened to the public:
Town watch format during a large, open events (e.g. Speakeasy).  1 or 2
House Staff members or volunteers will watch the house and making sure
that
unfamiliar visitors are not wandering through the house and lifting
anything.

Staff WILL be trained on the House security system. Hub members who are
interested can learn from the staff.

Publishing room will be closed at night or when unused.

-- Update on WH furniture. We have:

2 bookshelves. Some chairs. Tool chest/coffee table. Ordered tables for
downstairs (square oak and sewing machine base tables) Jane, Kerry and
Harris plan to reupholster a couch for the alcove room.
-- Heather Starr will be leading an Experimental Poetry discussion on 10/8
at 6pm in Bennet Hall Room 413. This Thursday a reading packet will be
available. Refreshments for the meeting will be needed

-- Nijmie proposed her idea for a  reading group for children:
2-3 groups of 5-10 children in the 1st and 2nd grades of Lee Elementary
School on 47th and Locust will come to the House Saturdays 1pm-3pm
Nijmie will contact the Lee principal about which kids need help and will
then speak to the children and their parents.  Structure of program: read
aloud to the kids and activities based on reading.

Goals of program: developing child interest in reading, writing and
communicating skills.  The House will acquire children's books.
Child-proofing the house will be necessary. Cecily Kellogg of Barnes and
Noble will donate 5 books a month.

The hub discussed how many children to bring in each week.  Hub
recommended one group of ten.  Nijmie hopes to bring more children in.
Nijmie to see how many volunteers she can get (preferably 2 per group of
kids) and get back to the hub.

Everyone at whcircle will be emailed and asked to bring home children
books
when they go home for Thanksgiving.

-- Review of October Calendar -- see web page.

-- Nate Chinen reported that Pres. Rodin wants to do a campus wide
Halloween Celebration. Nate is on the planning committee.  Penn will be
giving $100 to each house on Locust Walk to decorate the exterior of the
house. The house with the best decorations will win $300.

--Thea Diamond has been working with "Measure for Measure" and 3 actors
from the "London Stage" would like to deliver monologues (to an audience)
at the Writers House.  Kerry suggested that they might instead lead a
workshop on reading poetry aloud. (Perhaps they can work with people who
read on Live at the WH)

-- Kerry asked if hub wanted to keep supporting film programs.  Hub
encouraged the Film Workshop to keep going ...

--Chapbook program: Hub very interested.  Plan first is to do a
broadside or two.  Louis Cabri passed out chapbooks. Plan to have a
chapbook workshop, date not decided yet.

-- Music:
Julian Pressley will be playing with the Virgin House Band and will have 3
rehearsals with them over the next couple of months.  He will be paid $200
per performance (including rehearsals).




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