The Burchfield Penney Art Center mourns the loss of a close friend, the SUNY Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus Edward O. Smith, Jr., Ph.D. who had been an important patron and advocate since the museum’s inception. Known to friends simply as E.O., he frequently brought his history students to see exhibitions, using art to place history in context. Like the legendary university dons of another century, he gave students experiences that embraced arts and humanities so they could have a more comprehensive, meaningful aesthetic and philosophical education. As director of the Monroe Fordham Regional History Center at Buffalo State until retiring in 2013, Dr. Smith oversaw numerous important publications and programs about Western New York’s regional history, including celebration of the Pan-American Exposition centennial in 2001 and scholarship about architectural treasures.
In 1999, the Burchfield-Penney Art Center recognized Dr. Smith’s outstanding support for the museum with an Esprit de Corps Award for Individual Service. The awards are given annually to an artist, individual (who is not an artist), foundation, council or board member, and corporation that have given extraordinary service to benefit the museum that year, and who also have given generously of their time and resources for a sustained period of years.
Working behind the scenes, Dr. Smith regularly donated funds, making a commitment as a major contributor to the capital campaign for the new museum building, earning him acknowledgment on the special patrons’ wall when it opened in November 2008. He also supported numerous exhibitions and in 2008 donated a print by Buffalo State College colleague, Paul D. Martin.
Dr. Smith was the leading founder of the museum studies program at SUNY Buffalo State. It is now a full master’s degree program that was first established as a minor for undergraduate students and a master’s certificate program, which are still available. Working over the years with Cynthia Conides, Ph.D. who is director of museum studies, subsequent chairpersons of the history and social studies education department, and deans of the natural and social sciences; he saw growth of the curriculum and faculty, who include professionals from art, history and science museums among other related fields.
Nancy Weekly, Head of Collections and the Charles Cary Rumsey Curator at the Burchfield Penney Art Center and the Burchfield Penney Instructor of Museum Studies at SUNY Buffalo State worked with Dr. Smith in both capacities. He proposed and financially supported exhibition projects that she organized with Buffalo State graduate students in museum studies. In 2010, they collaborated with E. H. Butler Library, The Monroe Fordham Regional History Center, and Road Less Traveled Productions to present an exhibition about the prize-winning playwright, Edward Albee and his connection to Buffalo. In 2011, the Albee exhibition was presented in the lobby of E. H. Butler Library so the college and community could learn about the library’s Studio Arena Archives that held the source materials that were placed on display. In 2011, Weekly and a new class of graduate students produced Selections from The Madeline Davis Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Archives at Buffalo State College at the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum on North Street in Buffalo. Artifacts and documents were lent by E. H. Butler Library from its recently acquired special collection. A brochure and promotional materials were funded by The Monroe Fordham Regional History Center. Recently, Ms. Weekly met with Dr. Smith and others about an architecture-based project in the research phase that hopefully will be realized next year at the Burchfield Penney Art Center.
TOP 10 “E.O. ISMS”
I. “GODDAMMIT!”
II. “I’m not arguing that!”
III. “You’re not paying attention!”
IV. “WOW…..”
V. “Are you serving oysters?” or “Where’s my wine glass?”
VI. “Ex-actly”
VII. “Oh Really?”
VIII. “MOVE DOGS, GET OUT OF MY WAY!”
IX. “The fact of the matter IS…!”
X. “Come on now, Hurry UP!”
E.O. Smith’s closest friends shared this list of the “Top 10 E.O.-isms” for his memorial service on March 14 2014. You can truly hear his voice coming off the page, so I thought they should be shared as we consider how much he touched our lives.
— Nancy Weekly