FAIRFIELD HISTORY CLUB'S Art Exhibition features two displays Sept. 25 through Oct. 31, one at the Freestone County Museum and one at Community National Bank of Fairfield. Preparing for the exhibit are bank employees Jason Hullum, Teresa Vandiver and Gina Robinson. Leading the way for the arts in Freestone county, GFWC Fairfield History Club kicks off its 85th year with an art exhibition, which begins Friday, and a Patsy Cline musical tribute set Nov. 14.

"The History Club has always been in the arts," says club reporter Patricia Tate. "The first art exhibit was in 1928."

In club minutes from March 22, 1928, a note about the presentation was entitled, "Famous Paintings are Exhibited by Club," and read:

A large collection of paintings of the most famous of Texas artists, and a group of the works of Fairfield people featured the interesting and splendid art exhibit which the History Club held at the restroom of the courthouse in Fairfield Thursday afternoon, March 22. Mrs. H.B. Steward presided over the register, and the following members of the club were named to explain the pictures and the life of the artists to visitors: Mrs. T.J. Hall, Mrs. C.N. Williford, Mrs. D.B. Shelton, Miss Lizzie Anderson, and Mrs. F.E. Hill, Jr.

The paintings done by famous artists of Texas were a surprise and delight to those who saw them, and offered a great opportunity to the people to see real works of art. Most valuable of the pictures exhibited in this collection was "The Abyss, Grand Canyon,'' a picture of grandeur and beauty, by Rolla Taylor, priced at $125.

The art exhibition starting Friday includes two artists: a political cartoonist and a photographer.

"Running for Office: Candidates, Campaigns and Cartoons of Clifford Berryman", which includes 44 pen and ink drawings, will be shown at the Freestone County Museum, which is open to the public Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Clifford K. Berryman, internationally renowned political cartoonist during the first half of the 20th century, drew every presidential administration from Grover Cleveland to Harry Truman.

Staff cartoonist for The Washington Post and the Washington Evening Star, Berryman drew thousands of cartoons commenting on presidential and congressional candidates, campaign issues, and elections of his era. He was a Washington institution, and his 53 years of frontpage drawings were internationally renown.

Berryman satirized both Democratic and Republican political figures but was able to critique without rancor, which won him great respect from many politicians.

The exhibition was created by the National Archives with the support of the Foundation for the National Archives and organized for travel by Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

"Russell Lee Photographs" is an exhibition by the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, the University of Texas at Austin, presented in partnership with Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

This traveling exhibit of 37 black and white photographs by renowned documentary photographer Russell Lee will be on display at Community National Bank in Fairfield during regular banking hours.

Lee evidenced a compassion for the human spirit from his work with the photographic unit of the Federal Farm Security Administration during the Depression. The exhibition shows the accomplished images he produced in 1935 and 1936 when he first took up a camera and goes on to highlight the vast body of important work Lee produced from 1947 through 1977.

Both exhibits will be open to the public from Sept. 25 through Oct. 31.

On Saturday, Nov. 14, the History Club presents the first in a series of Concerts on the Green with "Crazy 'bout Patsy", a musical tribute to Patsy Cline.

The tribute stars entert ainer/impersonator Sherrill Douglas, and will be presented to a limited audience at the historic Moody Bradley House from 5 to 7 p.m.

Ms. Douglas will perform all the hits of Patsy Cline, such as "Crazy", "Sweet Dreams", "Walkin' After Midnight", "I Fall to Pieces", "She's Got You", plus many more.

Sandy Clark, manager of Sweet Dreams Productions, says Ms. Douglas authentically portrays the late Ms. Cline and recreates an actual Patsy Cline concert.

"Ms. Douglas has been recognized by Patsy Cline fans as the number one Patsy Cline tribute artist in the world. She has accurately duplicated Patsy Cline's costumes and sounds so much like Patsy the audience thinks she is lip-syncing," Ms. Clark adds.

Since Ms. Douglas was a child, she has perfected the vocal style and range of Patsy Cline, and has been described as "the spittin' image of Patsy Cline", the "Cline Clone" and "Patsy Clone".

"I am very honored that God blessed me with the voice to keep the music of this legendary superstar alive," Ms. Douglas, who is based out of Dallas, says.

Patsy Cline died with her manager and several other famous country singers in a plane crash in 1963 after returning from a benefit concert in Kansas City.

Tickets to the concert are $20 each, and can be purchased by calling 903- 390-1863.

The club's 85th year is officially celebrated on March 19, 2010 with an anniversary gala.

Organized on that date in 1925 with the stated purpose of "intellectual improvement and social pleasure", they later changed their purpose to "intellectual and social improvement".

Charter members were Miss Lizzie Anderson, Miss Mattie Anderson, Miss Nannie Anderson, Mrs. Lonnie (Ruby) Childs, Mrs. William H. (Purula) Childs, Mrs. Burta Sneed Davis, Mrs. P.O. (Bernice) French, Mrs. F.E. (Laura) Hill, Sr., Mrs. F.E. (Emma) Hill, Jr., Mrs. A.S. (Della) Johnson, Mrs. J.E. (Mattie) Johnson, Mrs. Arthur (Callie) Parker, Miss Mattie Powell, Mrs. T.H. (Eunice) Watson, Sr., Mrs. R.L. (Eunice) Williford, Sr., Miss Mamie Winforn and Mrs. T.J. Hall.

When the women approached the county commissioners and county judge to request the use of a room in the courthouse for their meetings, they were denied. Not to be deterred and because they knew the courthouse was a public building, they decided to hold their meetings in the women's public restroom until such time that their request was honored.

According to old records, on the day of their meetings, the women could be seen entering the courthouse in hats, gloves and heels carrying their folding chairs and marching down to the restroom.

The Fairfield History Club has been involved in the progress of the community since its inception, including establishing the first public library in Fairfield, helping procure funds for the first hospital and the first fire truck in Fairfield, and sponsored Salk vaccinations for school children in the 1950s.

Club members have sponsored a ward at the Mexia State School for more than 30 years, holding Christmas and Easter parties for 80 mentally challenged women, and implemented the "Hands Up" crime prevention program county-wide in the 1970s.

They spearheaded the award-winning "Keep Fairfield Beautiful" campaign in the 1980s, and published the Pictorial History of Freestone County, Vol. 1.

The History Club has given more than 125 area scholarships since 1954 through the Leatha Parker Memorial Scholarship Fund, the oldest continuous scholarship of its kind, and is probably most famous in Fairfield for the restoration and preservation of the historic Moody Bradley House, an 1860s antebellum home the club has owned for more than 40 years. To date, club members have spent more than $300,000 on the home, and are currently adding heirloom heritage plants to the grounds.

The 40th consecutive presentation of the "Queen of the Trinity Star" Pilgrimage will be presented in May of next year and includes a melodrama, pageant, musical presentations, and artisans, and last year boasted the largest ever attendance.

The History Club is a member of the Texas Federation of Women's Clubs, and the General Federation of Women's Clubs, the world's oldest and largest non-political, non-sectarian and nonprofit volunteer organization of women.

"The History Club has always had a focus on the music and art culture in our community," says History Club member Melinda Bonds. "We are just adding to our activity list."

"The City of Fairfield is encouraging various clubs and organizations to make an effort and offer a cultural commitment to the community. This is what we are doing," she adds.

This year, the History Club projects will expand and include arts in the community, conservation and beautification, education, home life, international affairs, public affairs, Texas heritage, and their signature project, domestic violence awareness and prevention.