Thank You, Smyrna Fire Department Engine No. 1

It’s fire safety month and the amazing firefighters of Smyrna Fire Department Engine No. 1 paid us a fun filled visit this past Thursday! A warm & big thank you to our wonderful firefighters for taking the time to visit us, teach us, and for protecting us everyday!

SMYRNA READS: "Buttons for General Washington" Performance

Thank you, Cathy Kaemmerlen with TattlingTales for teaching us about Revolutionary War spies and Quaker families at this morning's play, "Buttons for General Washington." This event was sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Event Description:

This event is part of "Smyrna Reads: Revisiting the Founding Era." 
For ages 5-12 years old

Set in the Revolutionary War, covering the time frame of October, 1777 through late summer 1778, this is a spy story of one Quaker family, the Darraghs of Philadelphia, who sent secret messages in code developed by the father and oldest son Charles with the coded messages hidden in buttons sewn on a coat.  Seen through the eyes of daughter Anne, who, because of her other brother John’s illness, must deliver the buttons to brother Charles, an aide de camp for General George Washington.

The 45 minute program is designed for elementary grades who study the Revolutionary War.
About the performer:

Cathy Kaemmerlen, professional actress, dancer, and storyteller, is known for her variety of characters, one-woman shows, and for her rapport with audiences.  A performer and “creator of shows” since she can remember, she has toured in schools coast to coast, since receiving a BA in English/elementary education from UNC-Charlotte, and a MFA in dance performance/choreography/theatre at the University of Wisconsin.  She tours through Tattlingtales Productions, the Georgia and South Carolina Touring Arts Rosters, Fulton County Teaching Museums, and has received numerous grants and honors, including Outstanding New Interpreter for her region with the National Association of Interpreters. Author of three non-fiction books.

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Section Members Perform at Smyrna Public Library

Thank you, Christina Smith and Elisabeth Remy Johnson for the exquisite flute and harp recital yesterday. And thank you to Atlanta Symphony Orchestra for your community outreach program. We were entranced.

First Sunday Lecture: John Wereat, The “Forrest Gump” of Georgia’s Revolutionary Era, 1775-1799

Dr. Lamplugh kicked off the annual "Smyrna Reads" campaign this year with yesterday's lecture on John Wereat. We are reading the U.S. Constitution and exploring America's Founding Era. Thank you, Dr. Lamplugh!

John Wereat, The “Forrest Gump” of Georgia’s Revolutionary Era, 1775-1799
A "Smyrna Reads" Event

Speaker: Dr. George Lamplugh, author of In Pursuit of Dead Georgians

Like Tom Hanks' version of "Forrest Gump" in the movie, John Wereat was in the middle of things for virtually every significant event in Georgia's history between the outbreak of the Revolutionary War in 1775 and his death in 1799. Does that make him a "great" man? Probably not, but he was an "ever-present" one, with a strong sense of public duty and a willingness to sacrifice wealth, health, and comfort for the "common good."

John Wereat was active during the Revolution, in Georgia, where he took part in the bitter factional politics that split the ranks of Georgia patriots; and he also served as the state's "Continental Agent," in charge of arranging shipments between Georgia and Philadelphia. Wereat served as the de facto "governor," for a short time, of the small section of Georgia that was outside the control of the British early in the war. Later, he was taken prisoner by the British and sent to Charleston. After the Peace Treaty was signed in 1783 and Georgia was an independent state, Mr. Wereat was elected several times as State Auditor, in which capacity he had the thankless task of trying to settle the Revolutionary Era financial claims of individual Georgians and of the state government with Congress in Philadelphia. Because of his knowledge of the arcane world of Revolutionary finance, Wereat made numerous friends in Philadelphia and among Georgians who were grateful for his efforts on their behalf. Later, when the Federal Constitution of 1787 was submitted to the states for ratification, John Wereat was unanimously chosen by the state's ratifying convention as its presiding officer. Finally, in 1795, during the furor over the Yazoo Land Fraud in Georgia, Wereat tried, unsuccessfully, to prevent that corrupt Yazoo sale from being approved by the legislature and signed by the governor.

Speaker Biography: Dr. Lamplugh holds a B.A. from the University of Delaware, 1966 (History); and an M.A. and PhD. from Emory University (1971, 1973). He spent 37 years on the high school faculty at The Westminster Schools (1973-2010), where he taught all sorts of History courses (and, for a couple of years, even some Old Testament), served as Head of the History Department, and edited the department's newsletter for a few years. Since he retired from the classroom, he has continued to "do" History, publishing two books on Georgia History in 2015. Moreover, since June, 2010, he has written a blog, "Retired But Not Shy: Doing History After Leaving the Classroom."

The First Sunday Lecture series is sponsored by the Friends of Smyrna Library and Smyrna Library.

Thank You, Georgia Psychiatry & Sleep

Happy Shroff from Georgia Psychiatry & Sleep put a big smile on Youth Services Librarian Rebecca Power's face today. Happy dropped off a check for 2020's "Kid-Con" literary festival to help sponsor the event. The second annual "Kid-Con" will be Saturday, March 28.

Needlework by Embroiderers Guild of America, Dogwood Chapter Opens in Smyrna Public Library Display Gallery

The September/October 2019 Display Gallery exhibit has opened – Needlework by Embroiderers Guild of America, Dogwood Chapter.  The exhibit is on display through December 31. The Display Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the Smyrna Public Library.

Display Gallery exhibits are organized by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Artist Statement

Dogwood Chapter is the Metro Atlanta Chapter of EGA and has multiple stitch ins and interest groups located throughout the metro Atlanta area and Athens. The chapter meets on the first Sunday of most months for a stitch in and short program. All members are welcome in all groups and guests are always welcome.

Photography on Stretched Canvas by David Batley Opens in Smyrna Public Library Art Gallery

The September/October 2019 Art Gallery exhibit has opened – Photography on Stretched Canvas by David Batley.  The exhibit is on display through December 31. The Art Gallery is located on the 2nd floor of the Smyrna Public Library.

Art Gallery exhibits are organized by the Friends of Smyrna Library.

Artist Statement

David Batley has been capturing images for over forty years, starting with a simple Kodak rangefinder camera loaned from his grandmother when he traveled to Southeast Asia with the Army in the late 60's. Through the years, David has been passionate about his photography and has enjoyed the experiences of both film (35mm and medium format) and digital. He works as a versatile freelancer with the objective of providing a unique look at many types of subject matter, whether it be event oriented, documentary, or fine art.