History

The Society was founded in 1974 under the leadership of John A. H. Sweeney, a member of the first graduating material culture class of 1954. The stated purpose of the Society was “to advance the interest in an usefulness of the Winterthur Program in Early American Culture" and “to advance the cause of scholarship and to promote beneficial relations between the Henry Francis du Pont Winterthur Museum, the University of Delaware, and alumni and fellows.” Original committee included Scholarship, Reunion, Finance, Fellows, and Communications.
WPEAC 1955 pictured in the Winterthur Library
WPEAC Fellows in 1955 with John Sweeney. Image courtesy of the Winterthur Archives.

Material Culture Studies and Art Conservation

With the addition of the Winterthur/University of Delaware Program in Art Conservation, also in 1974, the Society came to represent alumni of both graduate programs. Activities and events have expanded over the years to accommodate a growing membership and wide demographic. But the organization’s original mission—to keep alumni connected to each other and to Winterthur and to support the graduate programs of the museum—has remained unchanged.
WPEAC 1954 pictured in Winterthur's Memorial Library
First WPEAC class of 1954. Image courtesy of the Winterthur Archives.
WUDPAC 1977 class photo
First WUDPAC class of 1977. Image courtesy of the Winterthur Archives.

Presidents of the Society

​1974 - 1977     Martin Weil (culture 1967)
1978 - 1979     Phillip Curtis (culture 1972)
1980 - 1983     Phillip Johnston (culture 1973)
1984 - 1985     Catherine Lynn (culture 1966)
1986 - 1990     Morrison Hecksher (culture 1964)
1991 - 1993     Debra Hess Norris (conservation 1980)
1993 - 1995     Ellen Snyder-Grenier (culture 1983)
1995 - 1999     Constance Vecchione Hershey (culture 1966)
1999 - 2004     Page Talbott (culture 1974)
2004 - 2010     Thomas Ryan (culture 1993)
2010 - 2015     Robin Sarratt (culture 2001)
2015 - 2017     Christie Jackson (culture 2009)
​2017 - 2019     Matthew A. Thurlow (culture 2004)
​2019 - 2021    Andrew Richmond (culture 2003)
2021 - today   Renée Wolcott (conservation 2011)
Header:  First WPEAC Class of 1954 (left), and first WUDPAC Class of 1977 (right). Images courtesy of the Winterthur Archives.