Hazel Grove Winesett Collection
SC 201.9

Summary Information

Repository
McConnell Library Archives and Special Collections
Title
Hazel Grove Winesett Collection
ID
SC 201.9
Date [inclusive]
1931-1994
Extent
3.5 Linear feet
Location
Located in locked compact shelving, Level 1, Row 23
Language
English
Abstract
Hazel Winesett, the child of Lawrence and Laura Frost Winesett, was born April 17, 1913 and raised in Carroll and Wythe counties. Her father owned a country grocery store in Austinville and lived above it until he built a house next door. Her father was a successful businessman, investing in property and municipal bonds, as well as a hotel in downtown Wytheville. house was built next door. Hazel attended Woodlawn schools and graduated from Woodlawn High School in 1932. She matriculated at Radford State Teacher’s College and graduated in 1938 and took her first job teaching home economics at West Jefferson High School in Ashe County, NC. After a year, she moved to Okaloosa County, Florida, to take a teaching position at Fort Walton Beach High School. She moved back to Austinville after three years of teaching. Much of our knowledge about Hazel’s life comes from the scrapbooks she left to McConnell Library. Each year she wrote a short one-page Christmas letter that she mailed to her loved ones. They contain bills and tuition receipts for the years she attended Radford State Teachers College. She included clippings about people and events that occurred at Radford, such as graduations and contribution stickers given to donors during annual campaigns. She relocated to Pulaski when her father built a small ranch house and made this her home for the next 50 years. Hazel remained active in Pulaski by becoming involved with local clubs and traveling. In the early 1950’s Hazel became a dedicated member of a local variety show sponsored by the Lions Club and the Business and Professional Women’s Club. She sang in the choir at First Christian Church, and was a leader and officer in the Christian Women’s Fellowship. She was active in the Pulaski Business and Professional Women’s Club. In 1961, an article in Southwest Times noted she was nominated for “Miss Progress” by the club. She promoted the variety show and led the club in a mental health fund raising campaign. Miss Winesett was interested in all civic ventures, community projects and church activities. Religion was an important part of Hazel’s life. She was very connected to the First Christian Church. Over the years Hazel donated flowers and gifts to the church and a significant gift of 70 folding chairs to honor her parents. Upon her death she donated enough for a large addition to the building on North Jefferson Avenue that is now named after her. Her scrapbooks contain many religious and inspirational quotes she found of interest. Hazel had made domestic trips – New York City, Florida, and Pennsylvania Dutch Country. During a 1965 trip to New York City she discovered the convenience of airplane travel that made international travel possible for her. In 1966, Hazel went to the West Indies and to Jerusalem and the Middle East through Europe. In 1968 she flew to Hawaii, Australia in 1970, and Mexico in 1971. These trips appear to have been with organized tour groups. On her return from trips she became a whirlwind of activity. Giving talks and lectures to many clubs and civic groups around town. Many were reports describing her travels, while others were based on knowledge she gained, such as the talk on “International Affairs” to one local club. Hazel’s modest living and careful spending in Pulaski disguised her financial worth. Many were surprised after her death she when she left large endowments not only Radford University, but also to Lynchburg College, her old school districts, and her church. In 2002 Hazel Grove Winesett endowed a gift of $820,000 to McConnell Library, the largest gift the Library has received to date. Each year the Library uses interest from the endowment to fund a number of projects that serve the Radford University community, including prizes for the Winesett Library Research Award and the Winesett Book Collecting Contest. Funds from the endowment’s annual interest are also used to purchase resources, equipment, and furnishings. To learn more about Hazel Winesett, the biographical essay written by retired University Librarian David Hayes titled “Hazel Grove Winesett: The Best Friend” is available on the libraries’ Winesett Book Collecting Contest page. The link is: http://library.radford.edu/archives/bookcontest.html. -Sarah Theibert, Spring 2013, based on information in the Hazel Grove Winesett Collection.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Hazel Grove Winesett Collection, Special Collections, McConnell Library, Radford University, Radford, VA.

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Scope and Contents

This collection contains class notes from Hazel Winestt's high school and college years, her last will and testament, and scrapbooks.

Box 3 Tan Scrapbook This scrapbook includes material from church and clubs she was involved with. She was a member of the First Christian Church, sang in the choir, and formed the Christian Women Fellowship. She also joined the Young Men’s Christian Organization. She joined the Business and Professional Women in Pulaski, who nominated her to be “Miss Progress.”

Brown Scrapbook This scrapbook contains news about local disasters, marriages and betrothals, anniversaries, poems, recipes, and photos of Pulaski and Winesett’s childhood. Winesett kept her graduation program, Radford graduation announcements, and birthday cards from her loved ones. The scrapbook provides Business and Professional Women club news about their events and the talks Winesett hosted about her travel to the Middle East. It also documents her travels to New York City, Cuba, Hawaii, and Germany with pictures and postcards.

Burgundy Scrapbook This scrapbook contains cards (birthday, Christmas, get well, and postcards), local news and recipes, letters, travel logs and photos of travel destinations (Las Vegas, NV; Grand Canyon, AZ; Myrtle Beach, SC; and Europe), poems, Radford graduation invitations, and photos of friends. The scrapbook also holds a history of her teaching career, Radford State Teachers College registration and news of Radford employees, a photo of the Radford campus, handkerchiefs, and religious sayings or pictures.

Box 4 Unbound Scrapbook This scrapbook contains local tragedies, memorials, recipes, ads, poems, cards (Christmas and thank you), marriage and anniversary announcements, and photos of Hazel Winesett and the Winesett store. Her religious life is documented through articles about church duties, Winesett’s enrollment in church’s school in 1969, photos and bible passages, her Holy Land itinerary, and her last will and testament to the First Christian Church Choir. The scrapbook includes her Europe tour schedule and her travels to Hawaii; St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Florida; Bermuda; Athens, Australia; and China. She collected stamps and placemats from her destinations. The scrapbook also holds more information about the Business and Professional Women club and a Delta Kappa Gamma bulletin.

Bound Scrapbook This scrapbook features cards (postcards, good wishes, and Thanksgiving), letters (from her travels, friends, and Christmas), poems, local articles about funerals, and wedding invitations. It also has photos of Winesett growing up, her birthday parties, friends, cruises she took, and the family gravesite. She saved articles about the Holy Land and religious passages and photos found by her and her loved ones. Winesett had received a choir award for her service to the First Christian Church. The scrapbook holds some of Radford University history with articles about the centennial, Jehan Sadat’s visit, M’Ledge Moffet’s activities, alumni events, and a contributor donor acknowledgement of 1981-82. There are also more photos and stamps of when she traveled to Florida and New Zealand.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

McConnell Library Archives and Special Collections

McConnell Library
PO Box 6881
Radford, Virginia
540-831-5692
archives@radford.edu

Restriction to Access

An appointment for research is required. The collection is open for research. No interlibrary loan.

Accruals Note

No additional accruals are expected.

Processing Information

Processing and finding aid by Sarah Theibert with finding aid assistance by Gene Hyde, Spring 2013.

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Collection Inventory

Box 1 

Folder 1: Last Will and Testament 

Folder 2: Biology 

Folder 3: Conference 

Folder 4: Education 11 

Folder 5: Education 12 

Folder 6: Education 26 and 27 

Folder 7: English I 

Folder 8: English II 

Folder 9: English III 

Folder 10: English 22 

Box 2 

Folder 1: Government 25 

Folder 2: U.S. History 1609-1931 

Folder 3: History 12 and 42, magazine articles 

Folder 4: Science II 

Folder 5: Vocational Guidance 

Folder 6: Miscellaneous 

Box 3 

Item 1: Tan Scrapbook 

Item 2: Brown Scrapbook 

Item 3: Burgundy Scrapbook 

Box 4 

Item 1: Unbound Scrapbook 

Item 2: Bound Scrapbook