6th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION WILL SALUTE LOCAL “HEROES”
The Shelby Community Library will celebrate six years, since merging with the Shelby Public School Library, throughout Shelby’s Homecoming week planned for October 5th. The school has selected TV Shows as the theme for Homecoming. The library has chosen hometown “Heroes” to showcase their new Archives Collection, created to preserve local history.
The collection was greatly expanded with the recent addition of items from Arjay Miller, a 1932 graduate of Shelby High School, who became president of the Ford Motor Company in 1963 and Dean of the Stanford University School of Business in 1969. Mr. Miller currently resides in California and has provided generous financial support to the library. He recently donated several items to the library’s Archives Collection commemorating his life. These include:
a bust of Arjay, sculpted by local artist, Jane Blevins (pictured); framed pictures of the Ford Motor Company “Whiz Kids”, Arjay & Hubert Humphrey, Arjay & Lyndon Johnson and Arjay’s 90th birthday event; Schade-Miller Family Bible, published in the 1500’s, brought to Shelby from Germany in 1886 and gifted to the library by Arjay Miller in May 2015; Arjay’s report cards from grade school at Shelby Public School through college at UCLA; Ford Motor Company documents; Stanford Business School documents; several binders of speeches Arjay gave throughout his life; original magazine articles about Arjay; numerous awards recognizing his accomplishments; and many more items of interest.
The Archives Collection will be on display throughout the week of October 5th and also includes items from the following local heroes:
Curt Tomasevicz, graduate of Shelby High School in 1999, brought home the gold in the 2010 Olympics after winning numerous medals in many bobsled contests, including a bronze medal in the 2014 Olmpics. Items on display: Sports Illustrated Magazine dated March 10, 2010 with the bobsled team pictured on the cover and various newspaper articles; O.C. Tanner ring in appreciation of Shelby’s support is displayed in the school hallway outside the administrative offices in the trophy display case.
Terence Duren, graduate of Shelby High School in 1923, painted his way to fame with his works being displayed around the world. His paintings were used as covers for the Omaha World Herald Magazine of the Midlands. In 1948, he organized the Village Players, producing plays until 1954. Items on display: Scrapbook of Omaha World Herald magazine covers donated by Lee & Virginia Nicholas; scrapbooks maintained of Village Players productions donated by Village Player members Gordon and Georgia Clark; and various paintings and sketches by Terence Duren.
Bill Ray, graduate of Shelby High School in 1953, renowned photographer for Life Magazine and Newsweek. He captured major events on film for posterity worldwide. Item on display: Color brochure titled “Life Time of Photographs” created for an exhibition at the Nebraska Museum of Art – June 1 to September 9, 2012.
John Dunning, graduate of Shelby High School in 1925, was an outstanding nuclear physicist who worked with Enrico Fermi on the Manhattan Project—the atom bomb. In the 1920’s, he established the only radio station every transmitting from Shelby. The station call letters were KGBY. Item on display: A bust of John Dunning, sculpted by local artiest, Jane Blevins.
An open house will be held on Tuesday, October 6th from 4:30 to 7:00 pm with free refreshments. Stop in between volleyball games and register for door prizes. Library patrons will have an opportunity to answer daily trivia questions about local heroes; correct answers will be rewarded with a treat.
