New Group To Help Cement City's Historical Foundation

I A group has been formed to come to the aid of the Ann Arbor Historical 'Foundation, where the latter needs it most- in the pocketbook. Friends of the Foundation, with Mrs. Ruth Pickl as president and Mrs. Eunice Hendrix as vice president, is a citizens' group which will undertake fund raising. The funds are needed for the foundation's purpose of preserving historical sites, buildings and records of the area. Paul R. Kempf of 809 Oxford, president of the foundation, says Ann Arbor city government has not been able to provide any tax monies in its 1971-72 budget to aid the Historical Commission. "If any of the important work on preservation is to be accomplished, it must be done through private gifts and volunteer efforts," Kempf said. Ann Arbor Historical Foundation has been organized under state and federal laws as a charitable, non-profit corporation and, therefore, qualifies for tion provisions under federal income tax laws. Already, Friends of the Foundation have a fund-raising project to undertake. They will assist the foundation in a city-wide solicitation campaign for membership. Any contribution is welcomed, but the foundation has a suggestion for those contributing. Honorary memberships are available at $1,000 or more for life membership; $100, sustaining memberships; $25 for contributing memberships; $15 for a couple; $10 for an individual; $1 for junior membership. Other than fund raising, the "friends" group will carry out projects to aid the foundation. Kempf said they will be available for the celebration of the city's sesquicentennial, which is being planned for 1974. One project being undertaken by the foundation, for which there is a need for additional funds, is the recording of interviews with oldtimers in the community who can recall many of the historical events in Ann Arbor's past. Other interviews will spotlight the histories of businesses, industries, labor organizations, clubs, churches, schools, racial and ethnic groups, political organizations, government agencies and many other segments of society. Half of the $1,200 needed each year for the project would come from the foundation. The other half would be provided by interest on a trust fund given to the Collections in the University's Rackham Building, where typed transcripts of the recordings will be indexed and made available to readers. The interviews are thought riecessary because few people write long letters or keep diaries and journals any more. These sources once were the backbone of historical research. Robert M. Warner, director of the Michigan Historical Collections, suggested the project as an important step in perparation for the sesquicentennial celebration. The Ann Arbor Historical Foundation is a private organization set up to encourage public participation in the preservation of sites, buildings, and objects significant in Ann Arbor history and culture. The foundation is not an agency of the government though it is designed to work closely with local, state and federal government. Operating from gifts from individuals and corporations, bequests in wills and trusts and by contracts or grants from educational institutions, schools, governments or other foundations, the foundations' activities are directed to preservation, research, writing, publication, teaching, production of films and recordings and establishment of a museum. Buildings which have been preserved or are being sought for preservation are the Kempf House at 312 S. División, which is being used as the foundation's headquarters; the Wahr House, 126 N. División, which was built by a judge in the 1840's; the Ryan House, 205 N. División, a post Civil War house; Campbell House, 2700 Packard, an early farm house near Buhr Park; University President House, 815 S. University, an original structure I irom the old campus; Johnson, Johnson [ & Roy building, 303 S. Main, original I home of Dr. Alvin Wood Chase's Recipe Book and originally known as the Chase 1 Steam Printing Plant.