Farewell From The Archives

To The Gilman Family-

[caption id="attachment_1833" align="alignright" width="247"] Time ticks along.[/caption]

It is with a twinge of sadness that I must tell you that I will be leaving Gilman on June 3rd. While I have greatly enjoyed my time here, I have been offered an exciting opportunity at Bowling Green State University in Ohio that is too good to refuse.

Time seems to have flown by since I joined the school in February of 2015. I've taken part in two Alumni Weekends, the 100th Gilman-McDonogh game, made a number of classroom visits, and been peppered by so many questions from you all that I've lost count. All along, I've been treated like part of the family, and for that I'm grateful. The people I interact with –– whether student, faculty, staff, or alumni -- and their many stories and questions are the reason I come to work every day, and I will miss that.

It is my greatest hope that I'm leaving the archives better than I found it, and part of that includes having gotten you, dear reader, excited about Gilman's history and place in the world. And judging from how you're responded to my writings in this space, I've succeeded at least a little. Whether it has been football films from times gone by, a simple roof shingle, the very name of the school, or the women who helped make Gilman what it is today, I've always had a great response from the community. And that has always driven me to dig even deeper and share more.

The Gilman Archives will tick on without me. The stuff and stories will remain, and there will be a new person filling this chair soon. I hope you will make them feel as welcome as you have me. Thank you.

-Steve Ammidown

P.S.- I'd be remiss if I didn't give a special shout out to Mrs. Reiter and the 2015-16 3A classroom. I've had a great time working with them this year, and one of my visits provided the sort of moment every archivist dreams of, captured as I was showing off a pair of cleats donated by George Rich '66:

[caption id="attachment_1867" align="alignnone" width="768"] "Yes, they're made of real kangaroo leather."[/caption]