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Anne M. Hill is dedicated to art. If you don’t know it from her tireless efforts in the community, or if you haven’t read it on her aqua blue t-shirt, you can read it the inscription on a special plaque of recognition that now hangs in her living room. The special plaque was presented to Anne M. Hill on July 15, 2010 by McLeod Summer Playhouse and Carbondale Community Arts in recognition of her support and dedication to the arts. “There are many people who deserve to be recognized,” said CCA Executive Director, Nancy Stemper during the presentation, “but not many with as long a history of support within this community as Anne.”
Anne has been a resident of Carbondale since December of 1979 when she took a job in Office Systems and Computing Affairs at the University. “I spent a lot of my career prior to the University advancing word processing. There were no personal computers then,” said Anne during a recent interview. “Data was entered in all capital letters in a data processing system connected to a mainframe computer. That was cutting edge technology. There’s been a lot of change in the field in the past thirty years.”
Born in a small town in Bergen County, Anne graduated from New Jersey College for Women in 1936 and has a long history of work as a secretary, data processor, and office manager for many companies and not-for-profit organizations. She attributes much of her success to her mother who she says, “Was a teacher and a good organizer.” Her career took her from New Jersey to New York, then to Ohio, and Chicago before sojourning to Southern Illinois.
She retired from SIUC in 1981 and immediately set upon completing an MA program with an assistantship in the English Department. During that time she wrote a manual for word processing and taught technical writing. She has been active in the community ever since as a member of the Friends of the Public Library, The Audubon Society, The Sierra Club, The American Association of University Women, The Lorelei Singers, The John Thomas String Program, a volunteer copy editor for the Society for Technical Communication, a writer and producer of newsletters for The Stage Company, AAUW, a Friend of MSP, and a member of the Board of Friends of WSIU for which she recently recorded a “Powered by me” promotion.
“I learned to love music and theater through my family,” Anne says. “My grandfather, who immigrated to America from Germany in 1870, played the oboe and trombone in an orchestra. My mother loved thetheater and would often talk about the Theater Guild productions in New York. That passion rubbed off. What you learn as a child is so important to what you do as an adult. If you are surrounded by theater, literature, and music, you take it in and use it.”
She has seen many changes in the Carbondale art scene since her arrival in 1979. The work done by the Department of Theater, McLeod Summer Playhouse, the School of Music, the Public Broadcasting Stations, and Carbondale Community Arts top her list. “It‘s a great investment, “she said, “because you can see them constantly getting better. “ She applauds SIUC for integrating art, as well as sports, into college life through the Fine Arts Activity Fee.
She is also extremely proud of her involvement with Carbondale Community Arts, particularly the All Southern High School Theater Project which is jointly produced each summer with McLeod Summer Playhouse. “It’s a wonderful training program,” she says. “It has developed a core of young professionals who got their start with the project. Connecting young people to the arts is so important. I’m happy to participate to the extent I am capable of in developing new young audiences and performers.”
Anne, who was 94 years old in April, 2010, suffers from macular degeneration. She encourages people to have their eyes checked regularly and to find out more about this problem from the Center for Independent Living Elderly Blind Program. “What is amazing,” Anne said “is that it can be helped. Early detection and preventative treatment can save your eyesight as you age.”
Anne plans to continue being dedicated to the arts and wearing her inspirational aqua-blue t-shirt. If you want to know where to get one, just stop her when you see her, and ask.
Anne M. Hill is dedicated to art. If you don’t know it from her tireless efforts in the community, or if you haven’t read it on her aqua blue t-shirt, you can read it the inscription on a special plaque of recognition that now hangs in her living room. The special plaque was presented to Anne M. Hill on July 15, 2010 by McLeod Summer Playhouse and Carbondale Community Arts in recognition of her support and dedication to the arts. “There are many people who deserve to be recognized,” said CCA Executive Director, Nancy Stemper during the presentation, “but not many with as long a history of support within this community as Anne.”
Anne has been a resident of Carbondale since December of 1979 when she took a job in Office Systems and Computing Affairs at the University. “I spent a lot of my career prior to the University advancing word processing. There were no personal computers then,” said Anne during a recent interview. “Data was entered in all capital letters in a data processing system connected to a mainframe computer. That was cutting edge technology. There’s been a lot of change in the field in the past thirty years.”
Born in a small town in Bergen County, Anne graduated from New Jersey College for Women in 1936 and has a long history of work as a secretary, data processor, and office manager for many companies and not-for-profit organizations. She attributes much of her success to her mother who she says, “Was a teacher and a good organizer.” Her career took her from New Jersey to New York, then to Ohio, and Chicago before sojourning to Southern Illinois.
She retired from SIUC in 1981 and immediately set upon completing an MA program with an assistantship in the English Department. During that time she wrote a manual for word processing and taught technical writing. She has been active in the community ever since as a member of the Friends of the Public Library, The Audubon Society, The Sierra Club, The American Association of University Women, The Lorelei Singers, The John Thomas String Program, a volunteer copy editor for the Society for Technical Communication, a writer and producer of newsletters for The Stage Company, AAUW, a Friend of MSP, and a member of the Board of Friends of WSIU for which she recently recorded a “Powered by me” promotion.
“I learned to love music and theater through my family,” Anne says. “My grandfather, who immigrated to America from Germany in 1870, played the oboe and trombone in an orchestra. My mother loved thetheater and would often talk about the Theater Guild productions in New York. That passion rubbed off. What you learn as a child is so important to what you do as an adult. If you are surrounded by theater, literature, and music, you take it in and use it.”
She has seen many changes in the Carbondale art scene since her arrival in 1979. The work done by the Department of Theater, McLeod Summer Playhouse, the School of Music, the Public Broadcasting Stations, and Carbondale Community Arts top her list. “It‘s a great investment, “she said, “because you can see them constantly getting better. “ She applauds SIUC for integrating art, as well as sports, into college life through the Fine Arts Activity Fee.
She is also extremely proud of her involvement with Carbondale Community Arts, particularly the All Southern High School Theater Project which is jointly produced each summer with McLeod Summer Playhouse. “It’s a wonderful training program,” she says. “It has developed a core of young professionals who got their start with the project. Connecting young people to the arts is so important. I’m happy to participate to the extent I am capable of in developing new young audiences and performers.”
Anne, who was 94 years old in April, 2010, suffers from macular degeneration. She encourages people to have their eyes checked regularly and to find out more about this problem from the Center for Independent Living Elderly Blind Program. “What is amazing,” Anne said “is that it can be helped. Early detection and preventative treatment can save your eyesight as you age.”
Anne plans to continue being dedicated to the arts and wearing her inspirational aqua-blue t-shirt. If you want to know where to get one, just stop her when you see her, and ask.
