PRESS RELEASE

FOR RELEASE: ASA
CONTACT: Robin Peeler, 931-864-3247 office, 239-0065 cell

Cordell Hull Folk Festival Planned for May 24th, 2008

Cordell Hull Birthplace State Park & the Friends of Cordell Hull are happy to announce the date of the upcoming Cordell Hull Folk Festival, which is Saturday, May 24, 2008, beginning at 10AM. Please mark your calendar for this exciting, fun-filled spring day! This year's theme is "A Glimpse of Our Past: 1950 and before." The day will include a variety of cultural and natural history events that relate to the way of life of the historic Upper Cumberland region.

Some of the many highlights of the day include Long Hunter and Civil War living history displays and traditional skill demonstrations such as basket making and quilting. Clogging, Native American dance, and a large variety of local and regional musicians such as the Cross Brothers Band, Cletis Beason's Band, Lonesome County Line and the multi-talented Ross Moore will perform on the main stage throughout the day. Local authors will also be on hand for book signing and there will be the well-liked Children's Area with hands on old fashioned games and toys for the young'uns. Nature events include guided trail hikes to popular Bunkum Cave, as well as wildlife programs on native birds of prey and reptiles.

The Folk Festival will also include a quilting contest this year, "Where is Grandma's Quilt?" as well as a Best Period Dress contest which includes any costumes dating prior to 1950. An essay contest, as well as coloring contest has been distributed to the local schools. This year's school theme is "Small Town Kid Makes It Big." Prizes will be awarded to all contest winners.

The Festival will round out with an enchanted evening of story telling and acoustic music. Phenomenal local storyteller Jim Buck will acquaint us with local tales, and Nashville singer-songwriter Mark Elliott will share his amazing talents as we watch the sun go down.

Period food and beverages will be available for purchase throughout the day. Applications are still being accepted for historic or folk craftspeople and food vendors. For more information on the Folk Festival and to obtain the vendor application, please see the park website at www.cordellhullmuseum.com or call the park at 931-864-3247. Interested volunteers are welcome to attend the next Folk Festival Planning Meeting on Thursday, April 10th at the Dixie Café in Byrdstown at 12:30PM. Please watch the paper and the website for additional detailed information about the Folk Festival. We look forward to seeing you on May 24th!

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Press Release

For Immediate Release
Date:………….8-16-2004
Contacts: Kay Elder 1-931-864-3511
Carl Wright

E-mail: busexpress@twlakes.net

Historic Letters Donated to Cordell Hull Museum
By Carl Wright

Byrdstown, Tennessee - Kay Elder, Chairperson of the Friends of Cordell Hull, greeted a surprise visitor at the Cordell Hull Birthplace and Museum State Park in Pickett County recently. Mr. Elias Skovron, aged 90, of Nashville had learned of the museum over the internet and came to visit the museum and to look up the Friends. Mr. Skovron brought with him letters he had since 1938 to donate to the Museum.

"These are letters of outstanding importance to us and we are immensely pleased that Mr. Skovron has donated them to our collections," said Kay Elder. "The generosity of people such as Mr. Shovron is what keeps our museum alive and growing and relevant to our community and state."

One letter is from Judge John J. Gore, who was a federal district judge in Cookeville and an important power in Middle Tennessee politics in the 1930's. Judge Gore was a native of Jackson County. Information on him has been supplied to the Friends by Ronny West of Jackson County Historical Society. Judge Gore was distantly related to the famous Gore family of Carthage, Albert Gore Sr. and Jr. Judge Gore was a close political associate of Cordell Hull throughout Hull's political career.

On May 19, 1938, Judge Gore wrote to Hull on behalf of Mrs. Lillian Bogatsky of Nashville, pleading the case of her nephew in Poland, Elias Skovron who was in his early 20's.
Judge Gore says, "It seems that the boy is having some trouble with the consular service in Poland and Mrs. Bogatsky is anxious to know if there is anything you can do to consistent with the policy of your position to assist her."

"I have discussed this subject with Mrs. Bogatsky a number of times, and expressed to her my sincere desire to be of any assistance I am able…I am enclosing herewith because it contains information, as she received it, relative to a refusal by the consular service to give the boy a passport on a former occasion…I would be awfully happy if you and Mrs. Hull could come to Roaring River and spend a few days with me this summer, and see what a real dirt farm can accomplish."

Mrs. Bogatsky's concern for her nephew was well placed, since in 1938 a Jewish boy in Poland who was denied a visa to the U.S. by the consular service was in effect being given a death sentence to the Nazi concentration camps. Elias Skovron's parents, two brothers and other relatives became victims of those camps.

On June 30, 1938, Cordell Hull wrote to Judge Gore, "With further reference to your letter of May 19, 1938 concerning the immigration case of Elias Shovron (Eliasz Skovron), who is the nephew of Mrs. Lillian Bogatsky, you may wish to inform Mrs. Bogatsky that an immigration visa was issued to her nephew on June 10, 1938."

"I was a poor Jewish boy from Poland who was exceedingly fortunate to have perhaps the two most important people on earth who could help me working on my behalf," said Mr. Skovron. "Shortly after the letter came, I was sent to the United States and to my aunt in Nashville. I escaped with my life and have remained profoundly grateful to Judge Gore and Cordell Hull from the day the fateful letter came. Now I want to give something back to help other poor people."

Mr. Skovron, who was associated with a successful business in Nashville for a number of years, Schayburks Furriers, is establishing a foundation which will benefit the Friends and disadvantaged children and elderly people in Middle Tennessee. "It's one small way to give back to a country which has been so generous to me and which gave me the gift of liberty and life through Judge Gore and Cordell Hull."

The Friends of Cordell Hull is a non-profit private foundation which owns the collection of artifacts it received through the will of Cordell Hull. These are housed at the Cordell Hull Birthplace and Museum State Park in Pickett County.