First Vice President Beth Whitehead introduced Clement as the evening’s special guest.

She urged those who had not been to the museum to visit as it is a place of beauty that volunteers are proud to work in and show to visitors.

Whitehead said as the oldest public building in Barrow County, the museum is deserving of being treated with respect and properly cared for as a treasure.

As director of Barrow County Community and County Development Department, Clement oversees Buildings & Grounds, Planning & Zoning and License & Permits and MIS. For the museum, his work has been outstanding, said Whitehead.

After talking with Clement’s wife, Bev, Whitehead said she learned he had lived in Barrow County for 35 years and is like his father, a man Bev said was the most perfect man she ever met and one who can do anything and do it right.

Whitehead presented an engraved plaque to Clement, with Bev at his side, in appreciation of his dedication to the museum.

Whitehead also announced the donation of the county’s history book, Beadland to Barrow.

It has been the tradition of the historical society to place a Beadland to Barrow in memory of a trustee, officer or volunteer with a nameplate and copies have been placed in libraries and school media centers across the county. Whitehead said she had learned the Winder Library had lost its copies, with the exception of two located by Library Manager Angel Tuggle, who said additional copies would be welcome.

Beadland to Barrow copies were presented to Shadie Thompson, a Library Board member, in memory of Bomar Cheeley and Barbara Wallace.

Kathy White presented the historical society’s 2010 fundraising calendar to Cook and thanked Sara Pope and Beth Barton for their hard work to have the calendars available "hot off the presses" for the meeting. She said she hopes the calendar, with its photos and information, will bring back some memories and help everyone to learn more about the county and its history.

White shared a piece of information contained in the calendar by asking how long it took to complete the historic jail from the authorizing vote to the time the Sheriff and his family moved in. In only eight months, the project, which has stood strong for nearly 100 years, was finished.

Perry Barton introduced the evening’s featured speaker. Dr. Karl Claybourne Ouzts, Professor of History and Environmental Sutides at Gainesville State College, lectures on Native America, U.S. American Environmental History, Human Ecology and the Civil War. His students rate his lectures as awesome and they report being passionate about history, which they hated before having Dr. Ouzts as their professor.

"Where the Wild Things Were" is the subtitle of Dr. Ouzts’ topic.

And yes, Dr. Ouzts said he is distantly related to former Mayor Buddy Ouzts, who was in attendance with his wife, Carol. With a name like Ouzts, you must have a smiliar ancestor back in the family tree.

Dr. Ouzts talked about the impact of man on the land with Native Americans using and manipulating the land. He shared a little taste of environmental history, citing examples of overuse of the land such as the Mayan civilization and the Kahokia mound builders resulting in collapse of a society.

The impact of the European handshake and other biological invasions disseminated the Native American population with smallpox, measles and tuberculosis bringing a nearly 90 percent casualty rate. Depopulation was fast and massive, resulting in more wilderness in 1750 than had existed in 1492 when Columbus arrived. A breath of fresh air was available so the forests regenerated, said Dr. Ouzts.

But the colonists changed the landscape again as livestock ate all the cane breaks, compacted the soil and brought all assortments of non-native flora and fauna – some by accident. What did not belong here radically altered the environment.

Dr. Ouzts said when he considers taking son Addison, who accompanied him to the event, fishing, he is reminded that it’s really not something native if you’re using earthworms as bait. That was part of the transformation of the land, which also included Chinese privet, kudzu, rodents, crabgrass, dandelions, honeybees, goats, sheep and even cats.

An example of the changing landscape resulting from the ecological imperialism is Brasstown Bald, Georgia’s highest point, which is nearly naked of vegetation because of cow-induced devastation, Dr. Ouzts said.

And consider that Chestnut Mountain is only a short distance up Highway 211, however, one of five Chestnut trees are gone.

Diseases including plague and flu were brought over with fleas and roaches hitching a ride. What the New World returned to the European continent arrived in Barcelona when Columbus made his return trip. Syphillis was first contracted in that Spanish country in 1493.

Another former Winder Mayor John Mobley, who lead the Pledge to the Flag and gave the invocation, also attended with wife, Shirley. County Commission Chairman Danny Yearwood and wife and District 2 Commissioner Eva Elder also attended.

Winder Mayor Chip Thompson and wife, Shadie, also attended with the Mayor issuing a special invitation to the Oct. 24 Jug Tavern Festival from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. He said the musical entertainment from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. will feature The Skillet Lickers.

It was Whitehead who also presented the nominating committee’s slate of officers for 2009-10.

The calendars are on sale for $10.

White also announced the next Night at the Museum for Thursday, Oct. 22, from 1-9 p.m. when the Winder Fire Department’s restored 1940 Peter Pirsch Fire Truck will be on hand. The museum will also be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the Jug Tavern Festival on Saturday, Oct. 24. Billy Summerour will have some of his personal collection on display.

To serve for the next year will be Perry Barton, President; Beth Whitehead, First Vice President; Kathy White, Second Vice President; Beth Barton, Secretary; Drucilla Gregg, Treasurer; Trustees, David Hawthorne, Violette Lyle, Lorene Lay, Judy Loftin, Billly Ray Banks, Beth Barton, Mary Alice Lay, David Jackson and Sara Pope. Honorary Trustees are John Mobley, Myles Godfrey and Mike Strickland. LeAnne Akin is newsletter editor.