Gentle readers, I want you to become gentle viewers for a short while. Two recent additions to the museum’s YouTube channel compel me to share them with you.
Firstly, I want you to know about the youngest documentary filmmaker in the Augusta area. Her name is Corinne Peper, and she’s the daughter of Sarah Kluesner Peper and Tony Peper.  Corinne is an 11-year-old student at St. Vincent de Paul in Dutzow. I was recently seeking more info on the Immaculate Conception grade school, when Sarah volunteered her daughter, Corinne, to give me a tour of hidden passageways of the school and the upstairs hall and stage. I was unable to meet with her at the suggested time, so, I instead asked for a video to accompany part 3 of my Thomas Rueschhoff story.


Corinne then sent me two videos which were edited into one video by our webmaster, Miranda Murray.


But, let me first explain that IC frequently presented stage plays on the 2nd floor of that grand old brick structure you see from Highway 94. And as some of you know, actors always have a few tricks up their sleeves…ever heard of deus ex machina? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_ex_machina Sarah Peper further explained that actors would sometimes stomp off through the audience to end their scene, yet miraculously appear on stage again in a later scene. So, here’s the link to Corinne’s video, Corinne and the Trapdoor – Immaculate Conception School: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omoTUe9XaPw

I think Corinne is going places! Enjoy!


The second documentarian I want to call your attention to is the president of Friends of Historic Augusta, Angela Stephens. Besides her gig as wedding photographer/videographer, Angela emcees and records every Tell It Like It Was at Harmonie Verein. As if that wasn’t enough, she makes other short videos for the town museum’s website.


I think my favorite video from Angela is her latest, Moving a Piano into Museum. This video captures the recent moving of a player piano…but let’s allow Angela to speak: “Thanks to Alan and Kathryn, the museum now holds a player piano. Lots of manpower to move it - but now a memory that's light-hearted. I'm glad I could capture the moment. Alan kept saying it reminded him of the old Laurel and Hardy skit, I laughed, as I used to watch them with my dad when I was young. Enjoy a good chuckle.”

Here’s a link to Angela Stephens’ video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4jGThwkrio


In addition, here’s a link to Laurel and Hardy demonstrating how not to move a piano: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xmd-CVZb2jQ


And if you are curious where the soundtrack from Angela’s video came from…here’s a photo of Dave Klaas contemplating the inner workings of a Victrola owned by Angela’s parents, Dave and Judy Renner.

Always curious.

paulO


The Friends of Historic Augusta's S.A.G.E project (Stories of Augusta's Evolution) is sponsoring this program (TILIW stories) in partnership with the Missouri Humanities and with support from the Missouri Humanities Trust Fund.