5/23/2007

It takes a town to write a book
By Tom Range, Sr.

Soon after a contract was signed between the Berlin History Foundation, Inc. and the publishing house Arcadia Publishing of Charleston, SC, a notice about the forthcoming book was placed in the local newspapers.  Slated to be an illustrated history of the town of Berlin, the notice requested both the assistance of local authors and historians in its writing but images were to be reproduced. 

This appeal drew a number of volunteers whose expertise has contributed to its production.  Among those willing to help by granting access to their postcard/photograph collections were Mabel Rogers, Ellis Wainwright and Kitt and Bill Matthews. Arcadia Publishing specializes in books highlighting local history.  Salisbury, Ocean City and Snow Hill have been among the subjects of past books detailing life on the Eastern Shore and the Delmarva Peninsula.
Of those replying to the request to participate in the writing of the book on Berlin was Kitt Matthews, who with her husband Bill, authored a similar pictorial history of Worcester County as a whole.  Drawing upon the donated material of Mabel Rogers and Ellis Wainwright, their personal collections of Berlin memorabilia and on the resources of the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum, the Matthews began the laborious task of selecting the images that would best illustrate the growth of the town.

Kitt, a native of Berlin, is a graduate of Stephen Decatur High School and attended Salisbury State College and Northern Virginia Community College.  Prior to her retirement she was employed by the Department of the Navy, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command.  Bill attended his hometown's Pokomoke High School and graduated from Augusta Military Academy and attended Virginia Polytechnic Institute.  His professional career included service as an electrical engineer associated with E. K. Fox & Assoc., Ltd. 
Both of the Matthews have Worcester County roots going back generations. A gift of three antique postcards depicting scenes of Ocean City prompted the Matthews to begin collecting memorabilia of the Eastern Shore, particularly Worcester County.  At the time of the publication of their book, "Worcester County - A Pictorial History" in 1985, the couple had amassed over 5,000 postcards and associated items concerning the county and its population centers.

Also drawn to the project was Tom Range, Sr., a published author with illustrated histories entitled "Pennsylvania Dutch Country" and "New York City Subways" having been published by Arcadia in 2002.  He was able to provide some insights into working with Arcadia as well as some creative, editorial and proofreading oversight.

The main source for the illustrations, and as importantly the descriptions, of Berlin of the past is the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum.  Under the guidance of one of the book's volunteer writers, Berlin attorney Ed Hammond, the Berlin Heritage Foundation was formed to assist in the acquisition of the house by the town, which was then turned over to the Foundation to be administered as a town museum. Ed Hammond is the current president of the Foundation's Board of Directors.  From this entity, the Berlin History Foundation, Inc. was formed to undertake the production of the Berlin book.  Mr. Hammond also substantially contributed to its writing. 

The museum is administered by Susan Taylor, who had started as a docent upon graduating magna cum laude from Hood College in 1984, and was asked to join the museum's Board of Directors in 1989 and since 1990 has been employed part-time as its administrator.  She made the museum's entire holdings available to the writers, as well as participating in the drafting of a major portion of the book.

Arcadia's "Images of America - Berlin" will be available June 4 at the Calvin B. Taylor House Museum at 208 North Main Street in Berlin (410-641-1019) and at major bookstores throughout Worcester County and the Eastern Shore.  Book signings are being scheduled at the museum on June 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. during Berlin's Village Fair, at the Berlin library on June 20 and at the Ocean Pines library on July 9. 

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