ISSUED: 9 October 2015
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — The newly formed ad hoc advisory board for Shepherd University’s George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War had its first meeting on Thursday, October 8 at the center. Dr. James Broomall, assistant professor of history and center director, said the committee consists of national park employees, university faculty and staff, professional historians, public school teachers, and former participants of the center’s annual summer seminar.
“My hope is that this will give me a lot of broad input to make some fundamental decisions about where we’re going in the next one, three, and five years,” Broomall said.
Broomall is hoping the advisory committee will offer advice on possibly revising the center’s mission statement and upgrading the database of Civil War soldiers. He’s also looking for input in planning the summer seminars, raising money, and repairing the Conrad Shindler House, where the center is located.
Members of the committee include:
- Dennis E. Frye, chief historian at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park and author of “September Suspense: Lincoln’s Union in Peril” and numerous other Civil War books and articles.
- Kevin R. Pawlak, licensed battlefield guide at Antietam National Battlefield, education specialist at the Mosby Heritage Area Association in Middleburg, Virginia, and author of “Shepherdstown in the Civil War: On Vast Confederate Hospital.”
- Ahna Wilson, park manager at the Eisenhower National Historical Site in Pennsylvania.
- Dr. Peter S. Carmichael, director of the Civil War Institute at Gettysburg College and author of “Audacity Personified: The Generalship of Robert E. Lee” and numerous other Civil War books and articles.
- Dr. Thomas Clemens, Hagerstown Community College history professor emeritus, Save Historic Antietam Foundation board member, and author of “The Maryland Campaign of September 1862.”
- Lawrence H. Caskey, retired Berkeley County schools history teacher and long-time summer seminar participant.
- Richard A. Wolfe, long-time seminar participant and author of “West Virginia in the Civil War.”
- Dr. Julia Sandy, associate professor of history at Shepherd.
- Dr. Benjamin Bankhurst, assistant professor of history at Shepherd.
- Scott Anderson, staff for the Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, summer Civil War seminars and assistant director of Shepherd’s dining hall.
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