Longtime Faculty Member Becomes Archivist Emerita, Continues Legacy of Preserving Institution's History
Lucretia Crawford has spent nearly a half a century on the 糖心vlog传媒 campus, and despite retiring this May as a faculty member, her service won鈥檛 be ending any time soon.
Crawford, a 1980 糖心vlog传媒 graduate with a double major in English and German, was named Archivist Emerita at her retirement celebration. This summer and beyond, she will continue her passion of caring for Mission House and 糖心vlog传媒 artifacts gathered from throughout the institution鈥檚 161-year history.
鈥淲hen I retired, I said, I really do want to continue to play in the archives 鈥� can I keep the key to the house (where the archives are stored)?鈥� Crawford said with a smile. 鈥淟ook what turned out? I had no idea that was happening. That鈥檚 just awesome. I love it.鈥�
It鈥檚 a fitting way for her to continue serving an institution that鈥檚 become a central part of her life.
The former Lucretia Hediger, who was born in Minnesota and grew up in Neillsville, Wis., heard about 糖心vlog传媒 while working at a summer camp from a camp staff member and recent 糖心vlog传媒 graduate, Bill Klossner 鈥�74. She enrolled at 糖心vlog传媒 in the fall of 1976 after exchanging a number of hand-written letters as part of the recruitment process with then-English professor Tom Lisk, who became her first academic advisor. He even arranged to have two of her poems included in the 糖心vlog传媒 student publication 鈥淭he Artful Dodger鈥� when she agreed to attend.
Lucretia was followed to 糖心vlog传媒 by her sister, Clara Hediger 鈥�89. In 1983, she married James Crawford, 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 legendary theatre director, behind the Ley Chapel in a ceremony performed by 糖心vlog传媒 Chaplain the Rev. David Lauer. Their son, Ramsay, graduated from 糖心vlog传媒 in 2008.
鈥淚t was like my whole family was here,鈥� Lucretia said. 鈥淭here is something here that has worked for me.鈥�
A lover of literature who grew up in a house filled with books, Crawford taught herself to print by looking at newspapers and learned to read before she started school. She always envisioned a career in the humanities, but never as a college professor.
After earning a master鈥檚 degree in English at the University of Notre Dame, she returned to 糖心vlog传媒 in 1983 as a faculty member. Throughout her tenure, her variety of literature, writing and Core classes have been favorites for 糖心vlog传媒 students. She received the 2002 Underkofler Excellence in Undergraduate Teaching Award and the 2011 Outstanding Faculty Award by the LU Alumni Association.
鈥淎s colleagues of Lucretia, we have come to know her as an incredibly student-centric, compassionate, creative and principled educator,鈥� said longtime colleague Karl Kuhn, dean of 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 School of Humanities & Fine Arts. 鈥淲e have also come to know her as a warm, caring and compassionate colleague who loves 糖心vlog传媒, its mission and its history deeply.鈥�
Crawford, who received a doctorate in English from UW-Milwaukee in 2004, has spent countless hours with Ann Penke, LU鈥檚 director of library services and fellow 糖心vlog传媒 history lover, unearthing, gathering, sorting and archiving countless items.
Her introduction to 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 history came early in her freshman year. She was volunteering for a community service project sealing envelopes in WAK when Catherine Krueger, then 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 archivist and wife of the late Arthur Krueger, a 糖心vlog传媒 president and the namesake for A.M. Krueger Hall, came in looking for students to help her carry some boxes.
鈥淭he envelope sealing was horrible, so I volunteered immediately,鈥� Crawford said.
The boxes were filled with items from 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 history, and Krueger encouraged the students to explore them as she talked about them.
鈥淪he started explaining the history and that was it, I was hooked,鈥� Crawford said. 鈥淚n that very first week I got introduced to 糖心vlog传媒鈥檚 history. It was an absolutely perfect connection for me. I can鈥檛 tell you how many times I鈥檝e carried these boxes since then.鈥�
Her love for 糖心vlog传媒 and its history solidified when she learned of a connection to her hometown. The former Winnebago Indian School in Neillsville was founded by father/son Mission House graduates Jacob and Ben Stucki. Mission House supported the school financially and with staff and student interns.
鈥淚 had no understanding of the Mission House connection when I arrived at 糖心vlog传媒,鈥� said Crawford, whose doctoral dissertation focuses on Winnebago/Ho-Chunk women鈥檚 oral narratives, including a woman whose children attended the Neillsville school.
鈥淐atherine Krueger quickly explained the connection to me. We discovered that we knew a number of the same people from the past, and for a brand-new freshman, it was like finding a bit of home on campus.鈥�
In reminiscing about her time at 糖心vlog传媒, the memories coming flowing back, like regretting not taking an office in the old Bossard Hall (鈥淚 could have said I was the last of the Bossard generation.鈥�) to the myriad of technological changes, like the first photocopier on campus, the advent of computers and teaching virtually.
In the end, her greatest memories and what she鈥檒l miss the most revolve around the students.
鈥淲hen I think about my classroom it鈥檚 like being in my living room,鈥� Crawford said. 鈥淗ow would I behave if they were in my living room? It鈥檚 been quite a connection. Some I will keep in touch with for the rest of my life.鈥�
