The Afro‐American Dance Ensemble performs Salaam Alaikum
A Summer Evening in Rittenhouse Square.
George D. McDowell photo from the Special Collections Research Center
Temple University Libraries
2018 Annual Report
Page 4
A summary of 2018 highlights (continued):
Evening Bulletin photographer George D. McDowell dating from 1969 through 1976,
including Nimba on stage during a performance of Guinea Harvest for Summer Evenings in
Rittenhouse Square. These photos can be found online searching through the SCRC. In
the photos reproduced below, notice the 16mm camera at the foot of the stage. One
wonders where that footage may be.
A Summer Evening in Rittenhouse Square.
George D. McDowell photo
Special Collections Research Center
Temple University Libraries
Detail showing cameraman ‐ A Summer Evening in Rittenhouse Square.
George D. McDowell photo
Special Collections Research Center
Temple University Libraries
Maybe a custom Bolex. Hard to tell. Arri? Aaton? Big lens, probably with the zoom control
stick in his left hand. Anyone with any idea as to camera or cameraman or possible
archive with the old footage, please contact me.
A Summer Evening in Rittenhouse Square
George D. McDowell photo
Special Collections Research Center
Temple University Libraries
Is that Delphine Mantz? There is a program for A Summer Evening in Rittenhouse Square in
one of the large scrapbooks compiled by Mama Liz, but it does not list Guinea Harvert.
A Summer Evening in Rittenhouse Square
George D. McDowell photo
Special Collections Research Center
Temple University Libraries
listing for the early 1960s WCAU TV10 broadcast of African Sketches, the one that was
postponed because Ione's and Arthur's pas de deux was too sexy. Unfortunately, the microfilm
is largely illegible. Also it is very linear. One must endlessly crank the film,
occassionally coming up for air. Digital research, like nonlinear editing is
infinitely easier, but who has entered the data from Sunday television shows in the
early 1960s? The broadcast may have been listed as Repertory Theater at
4:00 PM on Sunday, April 29, 1962, but that too will need further research.
The second place to look would be Sunday, April 9, 1961, in the afternoon. The program
was originally scheduled to be broadcast on Easter Sunday, and there should be notice
in the papers about the change.
Jerome Williams and Monzella Allen
BBWms photo 2011.
had located in the ABC-PVI collection. Patrice Janssen, Betty Alridge, Frances
Scarborough, Rita Cottman-Johnson, and I viewed all or parts of:
PJ 85‐3 a program entitled simply Arthur Hall, 8/4/1973,
PJ 87‐3 Orpheus at Graterford Prison, 11/10/1973,
PJ 10‐2 Sojourn which includes footage of Nana Oparebea in Philadelphia, 11/26/1975, and
PJ 102‐2 Visions about the 25th anniversary of the AADE.
Call ahead to the SCRS if you plan to watch any of these, as they may have to be
pulled from off‐site storage. 215 204‐3224.
Margery Sly put us in touch with Anthony Perrone of ABC News in NYC, who in turn gave
us permission to make digital copies for our review. These films cannot be published
without further discussions with ABC, which will probably entail licensing fees.
Jerome Williams and Monzella Allen
BBWms photo September 23, 2018.
Looking to the future, the SCRC will be supportive of research projects, curatorial
projects, and works derived from the collection, but they will not take a leading role
in searching out materials which should be part of Arthur's collection ‐ for example,
the early 1960s broadcast of African Sketches or the 1968 broadcast of Mojuba!
We shall have to organize our own inquiries to coordinate research, public outreach,
and special projects related to the Arthur Hall Collection if it is to remain a living
legacy for the dance stage, school enrichment programs, and cultural history.
Rita Cottman Johnson and Nana Korantema Ayeboafo with the late, great Bob Franklin,
Printer, drummer, friend of Art. ILE IFE Park ‐ BBWms photo 2011
In addition, the Arthur Hall Collection as a Special Collection in the SCRC of the Temple
University Libraries will not include artifacts (e.g., Arthur's citations from the
City and the Commonwealth proclaiming Arthur Hall Day), and the SCRC will not take
heroic actions to keep together all materials in the collection (viz., the Elizabeth
Roberts photographs of cats). The Alumni and others might do well to have in place an
organized interface with the SCRC to cope with issues on a case by case basis as they
may very well arise.
Patrice Janssen eats a cucumber from her Belgrade garden.
BBWms photo 2018
Ile Ife Films was able to charge me (doing business as Bayne Williams Film Co.) for
the use of its equipment during the production of two LakeSmart films for the Maine
Lakes Society on lake science and preserving water quality. That arrangement allowed
Ile Ife Films to purchase a new 4K camera, rendering the old digital camera obsolete.
The old camera is now in the care of Frances Scarborough, who may use it to record
oral histories. The camera is the same one used to record the oral histories arranged
by Kofi Asante in 2012 and the edited piece Bobby Artis Tribute Rehearsal.
The camera is not the highest quality, but it is still useful.
Self Portrait 2018
My productions for the Maine Lakes Society will not continue at the same intensity in
2019, and we shall again be dependent largely on contributions of patrons. Please see
the ten-year project costs involved in making digital Preservation Masters for the
moving images in the AHC. Notice we have no employees and very little money has gone
to director's fees. The 2018 financial report will be updated early in 2019. Annual
financial statements are posted on the Ile Ife Films main page. The roster of
contributors is linked to the Arthur Hall Collection main page.
Abbott Meader indicates his painting "The Back Hallway and The Night Sky."
BBWms photo, Skowhegan, Maine, 2016
We anticipate significant costs in 2019 transferring the Arthur Hall Collection to the
Special Collections Research Center at Temple University Libraries.
If you are in a position to make a contribution to this work, please do.
Respectfully submitted,
Bruce B. Williams
bruce.williams@ileife.org
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Financial Report