September
2005
Power
to the People
New
UGA exhibit chronicles changes electric power brought to Georgia
countryside
Whether
you grew up studying by a kerosene lamp, hearing stories of those
who did or are just realizing there was once life without electric
power, you'll enjoy a new exhibit at the University of Georgia.
“Power
to the People!” opens September 24 at UGA's Richard B. Russell
Library for Political Research and Studies. The exhibit shows
the struggle Georgia's rural people endured to get electricity
to their farms and homes.
It
also relates how electric power changed these peoples' lives and
documents the EMCs' role in the transition of Georgia into modern
life.
Why
is a political research library interested in rural electrification?
“There
are several sources of interest,” says Jill Severn, Russell Library's
archivist and exhibit project leader. “Senator Russell was
a strong supporter of the Rural Electrification Administration
and served as the floor manager for the bill that provided federal
funding for electric distribution systems to serve rural areas.”
“Rural
electrification also appears regularly as a topic in many of the
more than 100 collections open for research at the library. The
subject fits perfectly with the Russell Library's mission and
documentation interests.”
Walton
EMC's Role
In
preparing the exhibit, Severn tapped into the extensive resources
of Georgia's EMCs. But at first she wasn't sure what she'd find.
“As
the Russell team began searching all around the state for objects,
films and photos, we located several archives and private individuals
with great collections of REA-related materials. The real
treasure trove was the EMCs. So much of Georgia's history was
living quietly in their filing cabinets and storage rooms.”
Severn
set up a table at the 2004 Walton EMC annual meeting to talk with
Walton EMC members about their memories and experiences. “Almost
every person we met was passionate about the differences rural
electrification made in their lives. People didn't just remember
their first refrigerator; they were still using it!”
Interviews
with key EMC movers and shakers, like WEMC Director Emeritus Henry
Verner, provided deep insight into the growth and development
of cooperative electrification. Walton EMC has also loaned several
articles and documents to the exhibit.
“You
can see the Willie Wiredhand sign that first stood watch over
our Monroe office and then our present headquarters in the Mount
Vernon community,” said Communications Coordinator Greg Brooks.
“We've also loaned a film from the late 1930s that shows
our first substation coming on line, an early engineering manual,
a medallion from a 1960s home program and photos of WEMC people
and events.”
“We're proud to be part of this exhibit,”
said Brooks, “because Walton EMC's philosophy has always been ‘Power
to the People!'”
How
to see "Power to the People" and what you'll see at
the exhibit.
Who
is Richard B. Russell?
More
Information
Read
other articles in this month's Realite:
- Dressed
for Success
Walton EMC Line Technician Trainee Chad Wilkes knows better
than to go to work half-dressed. He has special clothing and
tools that allow him to work on live power lines and do his
job safely.
- What's
This-Service Entrance Panel
Known as the breaker panel, fuse box or switch box, the service
entrance panel is the heart of your home's or business's electrical
system.
- Who
is SEDC
Information
for WEMC customer-owners who pay online.
-
Energy
Star Appliances Get Tax Break
House Bill 559, recently signed into law by Governor Sonny
Perdue, gives Georgians a break on buying energy efficient
appliances.
-
Young
Cooperators Attend Leadership Conference
Walton EMC sponsored five local students at the annual Georgia
Cooperative Council Youth Leadership Conference.
- Vehicle
Sale
Walton EMC is offering these Ford vehicles for sale by sealed
bid during October.
- Is
This Your Money?
We have refunds of initial deposits and/or membership fees due
to customer-owners we can't find. See if you know someone
on the list.
- Current
Cooking
Tilapia with Watermellon Salsa
