Elizabethtown College History and Social Studies Secondary Education major Abigail Sholes ’23 is inventorying, researching, and making accessible artifacts in the Hess Archives, with items that date back as far as the 1920s from the Church of the Brethren, as well as artifacts from countries around the world as a part of the Elizabethtown College Summer Creative Arts and Research Program (SCARP).
Sholes has been hard at work in the High Library and the Young Center this summer alongside staff mentor and Etown Archivist Rachel Grove Rohrbaugh, analyzing a variety of different artifacts, ranging from paper documents to 3D artifacts such as clothing and regalia from past students and faculty dating back as far as the 1920s.
In the early stages of an eight-week project, Sholes has archived over 600 artifacts with much more on the horizon throughout her research.
Title of Research
Inventorying and Cataloguing the Hess Archives Artifacts Collection
Student Researcher
Abigail Sholes ’23 (History and Social Studies Secondary Education major)
Staff Mentor
Rachel Grove Rohrbaugh, Archivist
What are you researching?
Sholes: Throughout my project, I aim to develop a comprehensive list of the artifacts in the Hess Archives, gain a greater understanding of their importance, and share this knowledge with others via the Archon database for cataloging items. By organizing and contextualizing the artifacts within the Hess Archives, future researchers and students will be able to draw on these pieces while conducting scholarship in a wide range of disciplines.
Why did you choose this topic?
Sholes: I began working in the Hess Archives in the Fall of 2022, primarily working with paper items and collections and learning more about the proper procedure in an archival setting. When I was offered the chance to engage in a SCARP project in the Archives with artifacts, I was excited for the opportunity to expand my skills in the archives and my understanding of local College and Brethren Church histories. I wanted to conduct this project for the new challenges it would present, and the new pieces of history I could uncover while working with a variety of artifacts. Being able to contribute to a project which will help future students and researchers have visual, tangible references to pull from in their studies was an incredibly rewarding opportunity I was glad to be part of.
What is the most interesting aspect of this research?
Sholes: The most interesting part of this research is all the unexpected pieces of knowledge I have found through these artifacts. The Hess Archives focuses primarily on the College and Church of the Brethren history, but I have also found a wide range of artifacts from Nigeria, Ghana, China, and Japan. Opening a box, finding something unexpected from plates and figurines to a sword, and doing the research to find out more about such a wide range of artifacts has been such a memorable experience.
How has your staff mentor helped you?
Sholes: My mentor, Rachel Grove-Rohrbaugh, has been a consistent support to me over the past year, and I’ve enjoyed working more closely with her during this project. She is always willing to give me tips and a direction to go in if I need one, but at the same time gives me the independence to do things in a way that works for me. We can talk through decisions and the next steps as a team, and I’ve found her expertise to be incredibly helpful while researching and storing artifacts. I feel we have a great mentor/mentee relationship and have enjoyed working with her on this project!
Hear from the staff mentor – Rachel Grove Rohrbaugh
“With SCARP, I appreciate the time to work with a student on a more in-depth project,” Grove Rohrbaugh said. “All of my SCARP students have been amazing, and I have been delighted with the progress they have made on major projects. Abby is the perfect student for this project. She is diligent, organized, and an excellent researcher and writer. I am excited to see what she accomplishes this summer.”