As the Wheeling Symphony gears up for the orchestra's triumphant return to the Capitol Theatre, WSO officials also are preparing to honor one of its own and raise money for the organization in the process.
A retirement party to honor Susan Hogan " for her dedication and service to the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra" is planned at Oglebay Institute's Stifel Fine Arts Center in Wheeling from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2. Hogan retired in mid-June after her second stint as the symphony's executive director.
The invitation to the party states: "It is Susan's express wish that any retirement remembrances be in the form of donations to the WSO. To that end, a fund has been created in her honor and in her name to support the Wheeling Symphony Orchestra."
Speaking of celebrations, the Marshall County Historical Society, the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex and the Marx Toy Museum are holding a special film presentation of "Right Beside the River," Rick Sebak's latest Pittsburgh History Series documentary. Invitations have been issued for the special showing to take place at Grand Vue Park's banquet hall in Moundsville at 5 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27.
The documentary, which debuted on WQED-TV Thursday, Aug. 20, includes footage of three Marshall County attractions: the Cockayne House in Glen Dale, the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville and the Marx Toy Museum, also in Moundsville.
How popular are the Lunch With Books programs at the Ohio County Public Library in Wheeling? Well, consider the numbers for the past two weeks alone: 115 people were in attendance for Jack Syphers' presentation on "Street Car Days in Wheeling" Tuesday, Aug. 11, and 95 people attended Ryan Stanton's presentation on Henry Schmulbach Tuesday, Aug. 18.
"That's 210 patrons in the last two weeks - a new two-week attendance record," said Sean Duffy, the library's coordinator of adult programming. He added, "I think this helps to illustrate the important role that libraries can fill, especially during times of economic duress."
Meanwhile, Duffy clarified that the free screening of "Romance of the Underworld," the first film shown at the Capitol Theatre, will be held in the library's auditorium, not at the Capitol, at 7 p. m. Tuesday, Sept 22.
The Wheeling area lost a leading historical authority with the passing of Beverly Fluty on Saturday, Aug. 8. A New Englander by birth, Fluty became an expert on Wheeling history and a champion of its historic structures.
It is because of the wealth of information that Beverly acquired, coupled with her tireless work and her unrelenting advocacy, that two Wheeling treasures - West Virginia Independence Hall and the Wheeling Suspension Bridge - were restored to their rightful state. Thanks to the efforts of Beverly Fluty and other historians, both of these gems are now National Historic Landmarks, the highest designation that a structure can receive.
Linda Comins can be reached via e-mail at: Comins@news-register.net
