The Moravian Historical Society in the Morning Call Newspaper, 1984 to today

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'HISTORY CAN BE FUN,' SAYS MORAVIAN SOCIETY'S NEW DIRECTOR

Morning Call - Allentown, Pa. Author: LORNA WEIL, The Morning

Copyright Morning Call Nov 13, 1989

Susan M. Dreydoppel believes that "history can be fun, interesting and exciting . . . not dull and boring" as some contend.

Today, she becomes executive director of the Moravian Historical Society, one of the oldest historical organizations in the country. Its headquarters are in Nazareth.

Her appointment as the society's first executive director in its 132 years was confirmed by the Board of Managers. Until a few months ago, Beth Pearce, a graduate student at the University of South Carolina, was curator for 5 1/2 years.

Dreydoppel moved to Bethlehem this summer from Waconia, Minn., where she was executive director of the Carver County Historical Society for seven years.

She said although she has not studied the collection, she believes "the whole Moravian Historical Society is one of the Lehigh Valley's hidden treasures. It's there, and it has a lot of good stuff. People don't know about it and don't realize it is there."

Since its formation, the society "has amassed a unique and extensive collection of art, textiles, furnishings, tools and implements, books, manuscripts and artifacts dealing with all facets of Moravian life, history, beliefs and culture," said Nazareth attorney Charles J. Peischl of the society's Library and Museum Committee.

These artifacts were inventoried by a professional curator during the 1980s and significant progress was made in preserving and restoring the articles most affected by deterioration from age and environmental conditions.

Peischl said the society has learned more about the collections and has made progress in their preservation. It sees a need for better displays, interpretative materials and alerting the public to the society's holdings, he said.

"We envision countless possibilities for education through museum displays," he said, "both of a permanent and temporary variety, through scholarly research and publication, and through a variety of programs for everyone from young schoolchildren to senior citizens."

Dreydoppel says goals in the next year or two include "making the museum more visible to people and more accessible. We need to have not only regular open hours, but probably more extended open hours that people could come in." She hopes to initiate programs and activities to introduce the museum to more people.

Noting that smaller museums depend largely on their staffs and volunteers, she said her plans will include recruitment of new volunteers and "relying heavily" on those already serving.

The society president, the Rev. Arthur Nehring, said Dreydoppel will be responsible for management of the museum and library; for developing, recruiting and training volunteers as museum guides; obtaining and cataloging objects; aiding in research, planning and implementation of exhibits; public relations and publications; and as a liaison between the society and the community.

Dreydoppel was born in Fargo, N.D., a daughter of the Rev. Allen Lenius, a Moravian minister, and Mary Borhek, a Bethlehem native, both of Minnesota. She graduated summa cum laude in history from Moravian College in 1974.

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