The Stamford Historical Society Presents the Virginia T. Davis, Stamford Historical Society Distinguished Service Award to Katie Brown
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23 September 2002
Address by Ron Marcus, Librarian
I am here this afternoon to present this year’s , Stamford Historical Society, Distinguished Service Award to one of our most outstanding volunteers.
This award is given in memory of an exceptional person whose devotion to the City of Stamford through this organization was summarized in a 23 March 1983 Advocate editorial. “She believed that a community’s sense of its own history gave it a solidity and depth that it otherwise would not have. She was right in thinking so.â€
Our honoree is significantly different from the fifteen individuals who have received this award since it began in 1988. First, though not necessarily a prerequisite, it appears that all previous recipients were at least of middle age or well beyond it. Second, long term service to this organization usually remains a factor in considering candidates. Today however, both of the aforesaid will be put aside because of the unusual achievements she has accomplished for the Society within a mere four years.
Upon volunteering she accepted assignment to the Library and shortly found herself as a member of the Library Committee. Her contributions to their monthly meetings, especially in the areas of research, manuscript collections and computer technology were both noted and appreciated. At first she performed a variety of tasks, eventually finding her niche in creating finding aids to some of our manuscript collections. Of special note are the guides to the Kobern-Micunis Collection, which includes data on the Marion Castle an architecturally important edifice listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Also, the St. John’s Roman Catholic Church Collection, which was consulted prior to the current restoration of their stained glass windows.
She wrote a summary of her great-grandfather Daniel Scalzi’s memoir and presented it with great poise twice at the Cultural Mosaic Series at UConn Stamford in the spring of 2000. For the booklet Stamford Hometown Heroes she wrote an article on the athlete John Scalzi, Jr. for whom the park is named. In August 2001 she participated in the Cultural Mosaic Series at SoundWaters headquarters on Cove Island. Recently she has supplied photographs of her great-grandfather Scalzi that will be incorporated into the current exhibit on immigration at the Society.
Despite the requirements of full time study at King–Low Heywood–Thomas School she has managed well in balancing her education with family, church, social activities, the Historical Society, playing both tennis and a hard game of women’s soccer on the KLHT team.
For those of us fortunate enough to have worked with her, there will always remain a certain sense of warm esteem and pride in our association with this remarkable young woman.
It is now my distinct honor to bestow this year’s Virginia T. Davis, Stamford Historical Society Distinguished Service Award upon Catherine M. “Katie” Brown.
Photos © Stamford Historical Society
