History Major Delves into KSC’s Latest Collection of Civil War Letters
At a Golden Circle luncheon last summer, Celia Rabinowitz, dean of Mason Library, was on hand to tell these venerable alums about the library’s resources and services, including the fact that Keene State now boasts an archive and a full-time archivist. That was good news to Gordon ’59 and Sandy ’59 Bean, who were looking for a good place to preserve some old family letters, including those from their ancestor Caleb Bean, who served with the 2nd NH Volunteer Infantry in the Civil War and fought at Gettysburg. So the Beans donated their treasure trove of family memorabilia.
The Mason Library Archives aren’t just a good place to store the letters, it’s most likely the perfect place. Those documents aren’t stuck away on a shelf somewhere to gather dust; they were immediately used to enhance the professional experience of at least one student, senior history major Nick Pouliot, a Civil War buff who plans to become an archivist. Pouliot is one of Associate Professor of History Graham Warder’s students who helped transcribe the Templeton Letters.
Pouliot is now working as an intern at the Archives, where he’s been transcribing the letters from the Bean Collection, as well as the 10 letters from Stephen French, a Keene citizen who also served in the Union Army. And this engaged student continues his work with the Templeton Letters, so he’s getting immersed in first-hand accounts of his primary interest, the Civil War. As he transcribes the documents, he’s creating digital copies of them, so other scholars and historians can have easier access to this emerging information.
“Working with the Bean letters is a great opportunity for me, as I hope to attend graduate school for a Masters in Library Sciences with an Archival concentration so that I can become an archivist,” Pouliot explained. “I am also very interested in the Civil War—I’m a Civil War re-enactor—so reading these letters helps me understand the period from an enlisted man’s perspective.”
Having these letters in the Mason Library Archives provides benefits on many levels: the donors know that their cherished family documents are safe and secure, and adding to our historical knowledge. The larger community of scholars and historians will have access to these unique primary sources, and KSC students have the opportunity to contribute in very meaningful ways to scholarship and gain real-world, professional experience. “These letters have provided a transformative experience for Nick,” said Rodney Obien, head of the library’s Special Collections and Archives. “This has helped him decide what he wants to do with his career and future. We want our donors and alums to know that these gifts are very meaningful, not just to the College, but also to our students—sometimes in ways we never imagined.”
