The Perkins-Morrison Collection features the records of Rev. Louis Perkins and Hazel Morrison-Perkins. The photographs above show the same group of records, but in different boxes. The box on the left is what I transferred from Cove, back in November 2013. The photo on the right shows the same records stored in new acid-free boxes purchased for the archives project. I believe that as long as we preserve the records in these new acid-free boxes and store them in a cool well-ventilated area, they'll be around for many years to come. It's necessary to provide the right temperature, humidity and storage conditions that are conducive for long-term preservation of records of enduring value. Without access, this collection is lifeless, they're just a bunch of old papers slowly deteriorating in a cool, dark room.
The Perkins-Morrison Collection provides wonderful insight into EDEO during the pre and post World War years and should be available for researchers to access. The collection has certainly been accessed (albeit uncontrolled access) in the last twenty years since Louis death. At some point since 1993, at least a quarter of this collection was transferred from the Bishop's Office in Cove to the old diocesan offices in The Dalles, Oregon. The boxes of Perkins-Morrison material that I found in The Dalles were left on the floor, pushed into a corner in the basement of old St. Paul's. Better care had been taken to preserve the records in the Bishop's Office in Cove; unfortunately, no one had created even a basic inventory or content list.
This collection needs a finding aid. What has hurt the collection over the years was a combination of poor storage conditions and mishandling by individuals who sorted and removed records without putting them back. When I walked into the Bishop's Office in Cove, Oregon at Ascension School last fall, I felt like I had stepped back in time. The room looked like it had been left undisturbed since Louis and Hazel (or st least Bishop Gregg) had worked in there. I was told that other bishops and clergy over the years like Bishop Gregg and Rev. Tish Croom had used the office. In fact, Rev. Croom, stored three file cabinets worth of work material in one corner. Need less to say, upon first glance, it was difficult to decipher what part of the Bishop's Office was the Perkins-Morrison Collection, and what was not. While preparing the Perkins-Morrison records to move from Cove to The Dalles last year, my goal was to learn everything about the physical objects. For instance, the Perkins-Morrison records were organized alphabetically in file cabinets; furthermore, the file cabinets were all labeled topically. Not knowing the history of the collection and its users, I took detailed photographs and notes of the file cabinets and their contents. As I continue to create a basic inventory of the collection, my notes will be the key to organizing the records without disturbing their original order.
The Perkins-Morrison collection includes sermons, sermon notes, ideas for sermons, correspondence, journals, diaries, scrap books, as well as media like photographs and even 16 mm film. It also includes general ephemera like Louis' briefcase and Hazel's media devices. The collection is vast and takes up an entire 6' x 6' shelving unit all by itself. A finding aid will not only improve access to the Perkins Morrison Collection, but augment our understanding of Louis Perkins and Hazel Morrison-Perkins.
A finding aid is an archival term which describes a very detailed collection record and content list. With a finding aid, you will be able to see what's in a collection without actually physically looking through it. You will also get a better sense of the collection's size and scope. When working with large collections such as this, a finding aid can be extremely helpful for providing a sense of context and content.Typically, a finding aid includes a collection summary, biography, scope and contents note, a note regarding how the records are organized, copyright and access restrictions as well as a detailed list of the series and objects in the collection. The important thing to remember when creating a finding aid is to maintain consistency, accuracy, detail, and conciseness.
As I continue with this project, I will take you through my process of creating a finding aid for the Perkins-Morrison Collection. We will learn more about Louis and Hazel, as well as the collection of records and objects that are their legacy and gift to us. Stay tuned.
The Perkins-Morrison Collection provides wonderful insight into EDEO during the pre and post World War years and should be available for researchers to access. The collection has certainly been accessed (albeit uncontrolled access) in the last twenty years since Louis death. At some point since 1993, at least a quarter of this collection was transferred from the Bishop's Office in Cove to the old diocesan offices in The Dalles, Oregon. The boxes of Perkins-Morrison material that I found in The Dalles were left on the floor, pushed into a corner in the basement of old St. Paul's. Better care had been taken to preserve the records in the Bishop's Office in Cove; unfortunately, no one had created even a basic inventory or content list.
This collection needs a finding aid. What has hurt the collection over the years was a combination of poor storage conditions and mishandling by individuals who sorted and removed records without putting them back. When I walked into the Bishop's Office in Cove, Oregon at Ascension School last fall, I felt like I had stepped back in time. The room looked like it had been left undisturbed since Louis and Hazel (or st least Bishop Gregg) had worked in there. I was told that other bishops and clergy over the years like Bishop Gregg and Rev. Tish Croom had used the office. In fact, Rev. Croom, stored three file cabinets worth of work material in one corner. Need less to say, upon first glance, it was difficult to decipher what part of the Bishop's Office was the Perkins-Morrison Collection, and what was not. While preparing the Perkins-Morrison records to move from Cove to The Dalles last year, my goal was to learn everything about the physical objects. For instance, the Perkins-Morrison records were organized alphabetically in file cabinets; furthermore, the file cabinets were all labeled topically. Not knowing the history of the collection and its users, I took detailed photographs and notes of the file cabinets and their contents. As I continue to create a basic inventory of the collection, my notes will be the key to organizing the records without disturbing their original order.
The Perkins-Morrison collection includes sermons, sermon notes, ideas for sermons, correspondence, journals, diaries, scrap books, as well as media like photographs and even 16 mm film. It also includes general ephemera like Louis' briefcase and Hazel's media devices. The collection is vast and takes up an entire 6' x 6' shelving unit all by itself. A finding aid will not only improve access to the Perkins Morrison Collection, but augment our understanding of Louis Perkins and Hazel Morrison-Perkins.
A finding aid is an archival term which describes a very detailed collection record and content list. With a finding aid, you will be able to see what's in a collection without actually physically looking through it. You will also get a better sense of the collection's size and scope. When working with large collections such as this, a finding aid can be extremely helpful for providing a sense of context and content.Typically, a finding aid includes a collection summary, biography, scope and contents note, a note regarding how the records are organized, copyright and access restrictions as well as a detailed list of the series and objects in the collection. The important thing to remember when creating a finding aid is to maintain consistency, accuracy, detail, and conciseness.
As I continue with this project, I will take you through my process of creating a finding aid for the Perkins-Morrison Collection. We will learn more about Louis and Hazel, as well as the collection of records and objects that are their legacy and gift to us. Stay tuned.