Published: July 04, 2009 05:38 pm         

HISTORICAL TREASURE: Treasure brings the meeting to order

“Will this meeting please come to order?” These words are closely associated with an object which is this week’s Historical Treasure — the gavel. Defined as a small ceremonial mallet commonly made of hard wood and typically fashioned with a handle, the gavel is an object with a rather vague history.

One, somewhat amusing theory is that Noah, when trying to convince a reluctant fish to enter the ark, became frustrated and struck the creature over the head with an object. The fish became known as a “flathead,” the gavel became the symbol of “quick decision making,” and Noah would be known as the father of the gavel.

A more reasonable explanation is that, in Medieval England, gavels were used in rent collection proceedings, when litigants become unruly. At any rate, it is clear that the gavel, from its beginning, has been considered a symbol of authority, and has a prominent place in courtrooms, meeting places, and auctions. It is a fixture in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives.

The Vigo County Historical Museum has an interesting collection of gavels, of which some have special significance. One such gavel is made from a log that was a part of Fort Harrison. It was presented to the Society is 1949 by Carl Frericks.

Another, made of walnut, came from the leg of one of the first pianos brought to Terre Haute before the Civil War. It was made by Nunns-Clark and is said to have cost $1,200. Theron Bell bought the piano from the Al Paige Music Store in 1880. When the piano was no longer in use, four gavels were made from a leg. One was given to Mr. George A. Scott on the occasion of his 100th birthday, one to his son, Malcolm Scott who composed “I’m Gonna Float My Boat Right Back to Terre Haute, one to Mr. Lou Harvey, and one to the Vigo County Historical Society.

Given by Mrs. Frederick Black, who received it from her mother, a pine and oak gavel dating from 1861 to 1865 was a part of the stockade of the Andersonville prison. This Confederate Military Prison, near Andersonville, a village of Sumter County, Ga., received 49,485 prisoners during the Civil War. Of these, nearly 13,000 died from hunger, exposure and disease. Andersonville has been made a national cemetery. A metal plate in the center of the gavel is engraved with pertinent facts.

The Historical Museum’s gavels are not currently on display, but may be viewed by any interested visitor.