Summer 2011 Fellowship & Internship Opportunities at Stratford

Stratford Hall, the ancestral home of the Lees in Westmoreland County, Virginia, and Chantilly, in Chantilly, France, invite scholars with an interest in exploring American and French connections in the 18th century to apply for a three-month research fellowship.

Stratford Hall and Chantilly
Stratford Hall, a historic 18th-century plantation with associated research library, has an extensive collection of books and manuscripts related to the Lee family, including two signers of the Declaration of Independence. Several of the Stratford Lees were intimately connected with France. Richard Henry Lee, who made the resolution for independence from England, visited Chantilly during a tour of the continent in 1751-52 and subsequently named his home Chantilly. His brother Arthur was a member of the American delegation sent to France in 1776. Henry Lee IV, nephew of Richard Henry and Arthur, lived his final years in Paris working on a biography of Napoleon and is buried in Montmartre.

The Domaine de Chantilly outside Paris is the grand estate of the Montmorency and Condé families and is owned by the Institut de France. Its art collection and library are among the finest in France and its 17th-century gardens are the

work of Andre Le Notre. The estate was left as a museum for the people of France by the Duc d’Aumale, who was one of France’s great 19th- century collectors. It is managed by the Fondation pour le Sauvegarde et le Developpement du Domaine de Chantilly.

The Fellowship
The fellowship is open to doctoral and post-doctoral candidates. Research proposals will be considered for any project that will result in a book or journal article-length manuscript that explores an aspect related to the broad theme of 18th-century French-American relations. Special consideration will be given to proposals that specifically address connections between the Stratford Lees, France and Chantilly. The fellowship carries a stipend of $5,000 as well as funds for travel. Office facilities and accommodations are available at both Stratford and Chantilly. Stratford Hall and Chantilly are convenient to other research collections in Richmond,Va., Washington, D.C. and Paris. This fellowship is open to all eligible persons, including foreign nationals. Applicants should submit a proposal of no more than four pages that describes their research project and how it might benefit from the use of the collections at Stratford Hall and Chantilly. Please also include a CV and several references.

Further information can be obtained by contacting: Stratford Hall-Chantilly Fellowship, 483 Great House Road, Stratford, VA 22558 or by email fellowships@stratfordhall.org. Applications must be postmarked or emailed by April 1, 2011. Information about the American Friends of Chantilly can be found at www.afchantilly.org.

The Jessie Ball duPont Library at Stratford Hall is seeking a qualified summer intern to participate in planning for Stratford Hall’s partnership with Mount Vernon and Gunston Hall in the Founding Fathers Library Consortium, an on-line digital catalog of library collections. The full-time ten-week internship involves assembling information for the retrospective conversion cataloging of the duPont Library’s collection of approximately 2,800 rare book titles.

The project will entail handling rare books dating from 1590 to the early 19th century, matching books to their accession records and bibliographic lists; inserting acid-free identi-strips for barcodes and call numbers; photocopying title pages/versos of books not listed as part of larger collections; and other duties required to organize the collection for digital cataloging. Qualifications include an interest in books, familiarity with library organization, attention to detail, and ability to work independently. Applicants should not be allergic to dust and mold inherent in old books and be able to climb a library ladder.

The internship will include a stipend of $1000 for the 10-week period. Free housing on site will also be provided with kitchen and laundry facilities. The grounds of Stratford Hall and surrounding areas provide many outdoor activities than can be utilized during the internship. Due to Stratford's remote location, personal vehicles are recommended but not required.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter stating reasons for applying and dates available for work. Please attach a resume with a list of three references for possible contact. Applications are due by April 8, 2011. Mail applications to Stratford Hall Book Cataloging Project, 483 Great House Rd., Stratford, VA 22558 or emailed to jshynson@stratfordhall.org with Rare Book Internship in the subject line. Questions can be directed to Judy Hynson, Director of Research & Library Collections, at 804-493-8038 ext. 8572 or jshynson@stratfordhall.org. All applicants will receive a reply.

Stratford Hall, birthplace of Robert E. Lee, was once home to the Lees of Virginia. Located on the Northern Neck of Virginia, the plantation now consists of 1,900 acres along the Potomac River. Our Lee Heritage Interpretation Plan uses our research and collections to interpret Stratford Hall from its construction under the direction of Thomas Lee, the economic development by Philip Ludwell Lee, the renovation of Stratford Hall under Henry “Light Horse Harry Lee,” the birth of Robert E. Lee, and its eventual restoration by the Robert E. Lee Memorial Foundation.

Stratford Hall is seeking a Collections Management Intern for the summer 2011 semester. The Collections Intern will assist with multiple projects. These projects include assisting museum staff with inventory, researching and re-housing objects,taking digital images, and preparing and updating artifact records into the Rediscovery database.

Skills Required: Applicants should be college students studying history, art history,material cultural studies, museum studies or related subjects. Coursework or experience in collections care and management and familiarity with database systems is a plus. The candidate should have excellent PC skills; experience with digital imaging;excellent organizational skills; a working knowledge of all office equipment; and be detail-oriented, responsible, and dependable. Hours of work are flexible and to be determined.

To Apply: Interested applicants should send a cover letter stating their reasons for applying, including their goals for the internship and dates available for work. Also,please attach a resume and contact information for three references and send to: Sarah Holland, Collections Manager, sholland@stratfordhall.org. This internship carries a generous stipend and free on-site housing with kitchen and laundry facilities. Due to Stratford’s relatively remote location, personal vehicles are recommended but not required. All of these positions require a full-time 10 week commitment with specific dates negotiable depending upon the applicant’s schedule.

All applications should be received by April 8, 2011.

The Program and Exhibition Intern will work with Stratford Hall staff to help plan a symposium and related exhibition for 2013 on the Civil War homefront experience on the Northern Neck of Virginia. Duties will include historical research on the Northern Neck during the time of the American Civil War, identification of scholars/institutions involved in this topic, and development of program themes for use in the symposium and/or exhibition. The intern will be responsible for writing preliminary symposium programs and exhibition scripts. Interns are expected to work largely independently and should possess superior writing/research skills.

The Program and Exhibition Internship carries a $1,000 stipend and free on-site housing. Applicants should be graduates of a BA or BS program majoring in History, American Studies, Public History, or a related field. MA-level experience preferred. Interns will work full-time for 10 weeks with specific dates negotiable depending upon the applicant’s schedule.

Stratford is located in Westmoreland County on the beautiful Northern Neck of Virginia. Westmoreland County is a 45-minute drive from Fredericksburg, two hours from Washington, D.C., and 90 minutes from Richmond. Stratford is set on 1,900 acres with 2.5 miles of Potomac River waterfront. For more information visit www.stratfordhall.org.

Interested applicants should send a cover letter stating their reasons for applying, including their goals for the internship. Also, please attach a resume and contact information for two references.

Inquiries and applications should be directed to:
Program and Exhibition Internship
483 Great House Road
Stratford, VA 22558
ggoodell@stratfordhall.org
All applications should be received by April 8, 2011.