{"id":1517,"date":"2012-10-11T19:10:00","date_gmt":"2012-10-11T19:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/?p=1517"},"modified":"2012-10-26T19:48:00","modified_gmt":"2012-10-26T19:48:00","slug":"1517","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/?p=1517","title":{"rendered":"WYOMING FIRST: Polished Corners of the Temple Wall by Lea Schoenewald"},"content":{"rendered":"

VISIT OUR WEBSITE & READ THE CURRENT ISSUE: \u00a0http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/<\/a> OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS: \u00a0Wyoming Weddings\u00a0http:\/\/www.wyoweddings.com\/<\/a>\u00a0 Wyovore\u00a0http:\/\/www.wyovore.com\/<\/a>\u00a0 WYO XY \u00a0http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/WYOXY\/index.html<\/a>\u00a0The Wyoming Woman\u00a0http:\/\/www.thewyomingwoman.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

We are thrilled to team with the\u00a0Wyoming Business Council<\/a>\u00a0to feature a Wyoming First business every week on our blog!\u00a0Wyoming First<\/a>\u00a0is a program that promotes Wyoming member businesses. Visit their website\u00a0(click here)<\/a>\u00a0to learn more about this service \u2014 and if you are a Wyoming business who\u2019s not a member, be sure to inquire about membership! There are many benefits!<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This week we are featuring\u00a0Polished Corners of the Temple Wall<\/span>\u00a0by Lea Schoenewald from Thermopolis, Wyoming<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Author\u00a0Lea Schoenewald, Thermopolis, Wyoming PO Box549\u00a0Thermopolis,WY 82443 www.polishedcorners.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Lea Schoenewald was born and raised in Thermopolis.\u00a0 She grew up hearing stories about Ivinson Hall, a boarding school for girls in Laramie, from her mother, Bette (DeBerry) Cavalli, who was born and raised in Laramie.\u00a0 Lea’s mother didn\u2019t attend Ivinson Hall, but she did attend the University of Wyoming\u2019s Prep School in Laramie with the Ivinson Hall girls.\u00a0 So did her mother’s sister, Gladys (DeBerry) Rees and their cousin, Marion (Keller) Meyers. The school was in existence from 1921-1957.\u00a0 Edward Ivinson donated his beautiful home (known as the \u201cIvinson Mansion\u201d) to the Episcopal Missionary District of Wyoming, to be used as a boarding school for Wyoming farm and ranch girls.\u00a0 They lived in the mansion during the school year and walked up Ivinson Avenue every school day to attend Prep. The stories Lea most remember from her Mom, Gladys, and Marion were about how strict the rules were at Ivinson Hall and how the girls had to wear uniforms.\u00a0 The principal from 1934-1952, Miss Whitehead, had a very strong influence on all of the girls; as did all of the Ivinson principals.<\/p>\n

In 1993, Lea attended her mother’s 50th<\/sup>\u00a0high school reunion with her.\u00a0 Lea thinks that may have been the\u00a0time she started thinking about writing a book about Ivinson Hall. In 1998, Lea decided to \u201cjump in\u201d and see what might happen.\u00a0 The first person she spoke to about Ivinson Hall was Beverly MacNeel, Edward and Jane Ivinson’s great-granddaughter.\u00a0 She received much of the information included in the introduction and chapter I of the book and was encouraged to pursue the project. Lea’s aunt Gladys lived in Laramie and\u00a0knew so many people with ties to Ivinson Hall.\u00a0 Gladys sent her to the Laramie Plains Museum, where Lea\u00a0had total access to the Ivinson Hall, and the entire Laramie Plains Museum archive, plus wonderful encouragement and assistance. Dorothy (Holmes) \u201cSpezie\u201d Cleveland, an Ivinson Hall girl who lived in Laramie, got Lea in contact with several other Ivinson Hall girls.\u00a0 She also had donated several pieces of Ivinson Hall memorabilia to the Laramie Plains Museum, including one of her Ivinson Hall handbooks. \u00a0It contained the words to the Ivinson Hall hymn, \u201cPolished Corners of the Temple Wall\u201d. \u00a0That’s when Lea knew she\u00a0had found the title for the book.<\/p>\n

Because Ivinson Hall was sponsored by the Episcopal Church, the St. Matthew\u2019s Cathedral archive was a source of many pictures and accounts of Ivinson Hall, as well as copies of \u201cThe Wyoming Churchman\u201d newsletters. Her mother had saved all of her Prep \u201cSaddlebag\u201d newspapers, which were a wealth of Prep and Ivinson Hall information; pictures of her mother and articles about her and her Ivinson Hall friends. The staff at the\u00a0Laramie Daily Boomerang<\/em>\u00a0gave Lea full access to their archive.\u00a0Lea compiled articles and photographs about Ivinson Hall and Prep that appeared in the\u00a0Boomerang<\/em>, the\u00a0Republican<\/em>, and the\u00a0Daily Bulletin<\/em>\u00a0during Ivinson Hall’s existence. She also spent countless hours in the Chisum Special Collections Room at Coe Library, The American Heritage Center, the Albany County Library, and the Coe Media Center.\u00a0 The articles and photographs are presented in the book exactly as they appeared in the papers. The staff at the University Lab School provided Lea with a DVD of all the Prep yearbooks from 1920 to 2007.\u00a0 It was amazing to see how the Ivinson girls changed over the years\u2014hairstyles, music they listened to, how they dressed, what was acceptable and unacceptable behavior, and how they saw the world in which they lived.Lea’s favorite part of this whole process was calling the women who attended Ivinson Hall, or their families and friends, and telling them about the book.\u00a0 Each person shared\u00a0their reminiscences, and whether brief or lengthy, each added much to what really became an historical tapestry.<\/p>\n

In the summer of 2011, Lea retired from teaching.\u00a0\u00a0She thought for all intents and purposes, she was done with the book, and set out to celebrate that accomplishment.\u00a0\u00a0But then her dear friend\u00a0Mary Mountain, Executive Director of the\u00a0Laramie Plains Museum, suggested she include current events throughout the book. With many more weeks of research, Lea\u00a0printed out a timeline of current events from \u201cWikepedia\u201d, and asked her high school Civics teacher for his help.\u00a0 They sat for hours at his kitchen table, as he helped her choose and verify the events to include.\u00a0 He also had insights into the various events that Lea couldn\u2019t possibly have gotten anywhere else.\u00a0Many people have said the current events added such a relevant perspective to the history.\u00a0\u00a0Several of the Ivinson Hall girls also commented that the current events helped bring back memories more vividly for them. Lea’s biggest hope is that the people who appear in the book, their families and friends, are pleased and\u00a0they feel that their memories have been honored. \u00a0Lea hopes that the memory of Ivinson Hall is honored as well, how it came to be, and the amazing people who were associated with it over the years.\u00a0Lea feels truly blessed to have had this opportunity.<\/p>\n

There will be a book signing Saturday, Oct. 13th<\/sup>, in the\u00a0University of Wyoming Union\u00a0from 11-1.\u00a0\u00a0The book is also available at the UW Bookstore, the Depot Gift Shop and State Museum Gift Shop in Cheyenne, the Laramie Plains Museum Gift Shop, Wind City Books and Blue Heron Books in Casper, the Little Snake River Museum in Savery, the Storyteller and Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center in Thermopolis, Dog-Eared Books in Afton, Whistle-Stop Book Store and the Wyoming State Pioneer Museum in Douglas, and at\u00a0www.polishedcorners.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Patricia Frolander, Wyoming\u2019s Poet Laureate for 2011-2013, said of this book:\u00a0 \u201cImpeccably researched, delightfully written, remarkably interesting. Don't miss an opportunity to come to know these women who have enriched the Wyoming landscape.\"<\/tt><\/em><\/p>\n

Lea\u2019s current project is assisting Charlie Petersen of Laramie in writing an historical novel about the Big Boy locomotives coming to the West.\u00a0 It will be called\u00a0Full Steam Ahead<\/em>. VISIT OUR WEBSITE & READ THE CURRENT ISSUE: \u00a0http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/<\/a> OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS: \u00a0Wyoming Weddings\u00a0http:\/\/www.wyoweddings.com\/<\/a>\u00a0 Wyovore\u00a0http:\/\/www.wyovore.com\/<\/a>\u00a0 WYO XY \u00a0http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/WYOXY\/index.html<\/a>\u00a0The Wyoming Woman\u00a0http:\/\/www.thewyomingwoman.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

VISIT OUR WEBSITE & READ THE CURRENT ISSUE: \u00a0http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/ OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS: \u00a0Wyoming Weddings\u00a0http:\/\/www.wyoweddings.com\/\u00a0 Wyovore\u00a0http:\/\/www.wyovore.com\/\u00a0 WYO XY \u00a0http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/WYOXY\/index.html\u00a0The Wyoming Woman\u00a0http:\/\/www.thewyomingwoman.com\/ We are thrilled to team with the\u00a0Wyoming Business Council\u00a0to feature a Wyoming First business every week on our blog!\u00a0Wyoming First\u00a0is a program that promotes Wyoming member businesses. Visit their website\u00a0(click here)\u00a0to learn more about this service \u2014 and if you are a Wyoming business who\u2019s not a member, be sure to inquire about membership! There are many benefits! This week we are featuring\u00a0Polished Corners of the Temple Wall\u00a0by Lea Schoenewald from Thermopolis, Wyoming Author\u00a0Lea Schoenewald, Thermopolis, Wyoming PO Box549\u00a0Thermopolis,WY 82443 www.polishedcorners.com Lea Schoenewald was born and raised in Thermopolis.\u00a0 She grew up hearing stories about Ivinson Hall, a boarding school for girls in Laramie, from her mother, Bette (DeBerry) Cavalli, who was born and raised in Laramie.\u00a0 Lea’s mother didn\u2019t attend Ivinson Hall, but she did attend the University of Wyoming\u2019s Prep School in Laramie with the Ivinson Hall girls.\u00a0 So did her mother’s sister, Gladys (DeBerry) Rees and their cousin, Marion (Keller) Meyers. The school was in existence from 1921-1957.\u00a0 Edward Ivinson donated his beautiful home (known as the \u201cIvinson Mansion\u201d) to the Episcopal Missionary District of Wyoming, to be used as a boarding school for Wyoming farm and ranch girls.\u00a0 They lived in the mansion during the school year and walked up Ivinson Avenue every school day to attend Prep. The stories Lea most remember from her Mom, Gladys, and Marion were about how strict the rules were at Ivinson Hall and how the girls had to wear uniforms.\u00a0 The principal from 1934-1952, Miss Whitehead, had a very strong influence on all of the girls; as did all of the Ivinson principals. In 1993, Lea attended her mother’s 50th\u00a0high school reunion with her.\u00a0 Lea thinks that may have been the\u00a0time she started thinking about writing a book about Ivinson Hall. In 1998, Lea decided to \u201cjump in\u201d and see what might happen.\u00a0 The first person she spoke to about Ivinson Hall was Beverly MacNeel, Edward and Jane Ivinson’s great-granddaughter.\u00a0 She received much of the information included in the introduction and chapter I of the book and was encouraged to pursue the project. Lea’s aunt Gladys lived in Laramie and\u00a0knew so many people with ties to Ivinson Hall.\u00a0 Gladys sent her to the Laramie Plains Museum, where Lea\u00a0had total access to the Ivinson Hall, and the entire Laramie Plains Museum archive, plus wonderful encouragement and assistance. Dorothy (Holmes) \u201cSpezie\u201d Cleveland, an Ivinson Hall girl who lived in Laramie, got Lea in contact with several other Ivinson Hall girls.\u00a0 She also had donated several pieces of Ivinson Hall memorabilia to the Laramie Plains Museum, including one of her Ivinson Hall handbooks. \u00a0It contained the words to the Ivinson Hall hymn, \u201cPolished Corners of the Temple Wall\u201d. \u00a0That’s when Lea knew she\u00a0had found the title for the book. Because Ivinson Hall was sponsored by the Episcopal Church, the St. Matthew\u2019s Cathedral archive was a source of many pictures and accounts of Ivinson Hall, as well as copies of \u201cThe Wyoming Churchman\u201d newsletters. Her mother had saved all of her Prep \u201cSaddlebag\u201d newspapers, which were a wealth of Prep and Ivinson Hall information; pictures of her mother and articles about her and her Ivinson Hall friends. The staff at the\u00a0Laramie Daily Boomerang\u00a0gave Lea full access to their archive.\u00a0Lea compiled articles and photographs about Ivinson Hall and Prep that appeared in the\u00a0Boomerang, the\u00a0Republican, and the\u00a0Daily Bulletin\u00a0during Ivinson Hall’s existence. She also spent countless hours in the Chisum Special Collections Room at Coe Library, The American Heritage Center, the Albany County Library, and the Coe Media Center.\u00a0 The articles and photographs are presented in the book exactly as they appeared in the papers. The staff at the University Lab School provided Lea with a DVD of all the Prep yearbooks from 1920 to 2007.\u00a0 It was amazing to see how the Ivinson girls changed over the years\u2014hairstyles, music they listened to, how they dressed, what was acceptable and unacceptable behavior, and how they saw the world in which they lived.Lea’s favorite part of this whole process was calling the women who attended Ivinson Hall, or their families and friends, and telling them about the book.\u00a0 Each person shared\u00a0their reminiscences, and whether brief or lengthy, each added much to what really became an historical tapestry. In the summer of 2011, Lea retired from teaching.\u00a0\u00a0She thought for all intents and purposes, she was done with the book, and set out to celebrate that accomplishment.\u00a0\u00a0But then her dear friend\u00a0Mary Mountain, Executive Director of the\u00a0Laramie Plains Museum, suggested she include current events throughout the book. With many more weeks of research, Lea\u00a0printed out a timeline of current events from \u201cWikepedia\u201d, and asked her high school Civics teacher for his help.\u00a0 They sat for hours at his kitchen table, as he helped her choose and verify the events to include.\u00a0 He also had insights into the various events that Lea couldn\u2019t possibly have gotten anywhere else.\u00a0Many people have said the current events added such a relevant perspective to the history.\u00a0\u00a0Several of the Ivinson Hall girls also commented that the current events helped bring back memories more vividly for them. Lea’s biggest hope is that the people who appear in the book, their families and friends, are pleased and\u00a0they feel that their memories have been honored. \u00a0Lea hopes that the memory of Ivinson Hall is honored as well, how it came to be, and the amazing people who were associated with it over the years.\u00a0Lea feels truly blessed to have had this opportunity. There will be a book signing Saturday, Oct. 13th, in the\u00a0University of Wyoming Union\u00a0from 11-1.\u00a0\u00a0The book is also available at the UW Bookstore, the Depot Gift Shop and State Museum Gift Shop in Cheyenne, the Laramie Plains Museum Gift Shop, Wind City Books and Blue Heron Books in Casper, the Little Snake River Museum in Savery, the Storyteller and Hot Springs County Museum and Cultural Center in Thermopolis, Dog-Eared Books in Afton, Whistle-Stop Book Store and the Wyoming State Pioneer Museum in Douglas, and at\u00a0www.polishedcorners.com. Patricia Frolander, Wyoming\u2019s Poet Laureate for 2011-2013, said of this book:\u00a0 \u201cImpeccably researched, delightfully written, remarkably interesting. Don’t miss an opportunity to come to know these women who have enriched the Wyoming landscape.” Lea\u2019s current project is assisting Charlie Petersen of Laramie in writing an historical novel about the Big Boy locomotives coming to the West.\u00a0 It will be called\u00a0Full Steam Ahead. VISIT OUR WEBSITE & READ THE CURRENT ISSUE: \u00a0http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/ OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS: \u00a0Wyoming Weddings\u00a0http:\/\/www.wyoweddings.com\/\u00a0 Wyovore\u00a0http:\/\/www.wyovore.com\/\u00a0 WYO XY \u00a0http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/WYOXY\/index.html\u00a0The Wyoming Woman\u00a0http:\/\/www.thewyomingwoman.com\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1519,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67,167,656,118,423],"tags":[734,735,736,103,102,89,37,64],"class_list":["post-1517","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-art","category-wy-people","category-wyoming-first-spotlights","category-wyoming-travel-and-tourism","category-wyoming-woman","tag-lea-schoenewald-thermopolis-wyoming","tag-polished-corners-of-the-temple-wall","tag-www-polishedcorners-com","tag-www-wyolifestyle-com","tag-www-wyovore-com","tag-wyoming-artists","tag-wyoming-lifestyle","tag-wyoming-lifestyle-magazine"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1517","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1517"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1517\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1619,"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1517\/revisions\/1619"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1519"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1517"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1517"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.wyolifestyle.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1517"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}