"The museum, like many such New England institutions, is owned by a private corporation and may or may not receive funding from the municipality. 'Bringing Cunningham on board is a matter of practicality,' said Wallace Barrow, President of the Museum Association. 'We need him,' he said. Barrow pointed out that Cunningham is willing to work for low wages, but did not say how much he will be paid. Cunningham, who will work twenty hours per week, declined to say how much he would be paid. He said serving as Vice President of the Association and working in the museum shouldn't be a problem. 'It's reasonably common in Corporations,' he said. Barrow and other library corporators said yesterday they saw nothing wrong with the move which is to be funded by the corporation and not taxpayers. 'I look at it this way,' said Barrow: 'Banks can have presidents who often also are trustees.' Cunningham called it 'a non-issue,' adding he has worked as a volunteer at the museum for eleven years. 'I am going to be doing what I have been doing already for essentially no pay.'

" 'As a professional librarian with more than twenty years of experience, I don't think I can work with him both as Association Vice President and as a staff assistant,' Wright insisted. 'Being Vice President of a museum corporation should not be a ticket to obtaining museum employment'. There have been rumors," Armstrong closed, "that Cunningham would like to run the museum."

In a separate article that same day: "Support Group Starts Drive to Build New Museum":

"A group of Museum of the Year 1912 supporters yesterday announced they will turn to old-fashioned fund-raisers to fund the building of a new museum. Over the next 10 months, members of The Friends of the Museum of the Year1912 say they hope to come up with more than $700,000.00 'to build a new museum building appropriate for the 21st Century.' One proposal is that it be built on Lake Street, on grounds fronting Camperdene Pond. 'The new museum,' said Friends' President Nicholas Wentworth, 'will provide programs and services in a welcoming environment which will promote inquiry and learning while lending entertaining and informational materials in a variety of formats for persons of all ages. It will be a community information center, a child's door opening to learning, an independent studies center, a formal education spport center, an outreach provider, a community activities center. This is possible,' Wentworth stated emphatically. 'We are going ahead with this proposal -- we are going to build this new museum.' At present, the Friends group counts about 100 members. The Museum Association has not yet shared with this reporter their position on this issue."

"Dear Camperdene Resident," the newly formed Museum of the Year 1912 Building Support subcommittee of the Friends of the New Museum began, "We are writing to ask for your help with a project that is of the utmost importance to the future of our town, the construction of a new Museum of the Year 1912. Our goal is to raise $900,000.00. Substantial pledges of $10,000.00 each have been received from assorted community banks and businesses. We enclose a pledge card for your convenience. Specifically, we ask you to pledge all you can in support of the capital fund drive for construction of a new Museum of the Year 1912. Sincerely, Nicholas Wentworth, President, Friends of the Museum of the Year 1912."

Jan Bundy, proprietor of the Golden Spoon Restaurant, was the first to sign on.This too was in the news: "Golden Spoon Restaurant Puts New Museum on Friday Menu": "The Golden Spoon Restaurant, at 37 Banyan Street, will offer its patrons an opportunity to support The Museum of the Year 1912 support group in its effort to raise funds for a new museum while they dine. From now through October, The Golden Spoon will donate 10 % of every meal purchased on a Friday to the museum support group. Owner Jan Bundy will work with Friends of The Museum president Nicholas Wentworth to host book displays at the restaurant. Bundy said the fundraiser is one way the restaurant can support the community."

On September 5th, in the afternoon, at about 2:30, Martha Stronski phoned Neil. "Your head is going to roll," she assured him. "The Association is in the process of having you removed from your position. Just so you know." She urged Neil to hire a lawyer.

Carla Spagnoli arrived at the library at 4:00. She said, "I need to look in the files for Executive Committee minutes," and went in the back room. She left just minutes before the museum closed at 5:00.

After closing the museum, Neil went to the office and found that Carla Spagnoli had gone through his desk and papers, including the contents of his personal briefcase. Further inspection of the premises revealed that the keys to every display case or cabinet in the building had been removed. Among the papers missing from Neil's briefcase was a note he'd written to himself: "Thursday, September 5th: Martha Stronski phoned to say the Museum Association is in the process of removing me and that I'd better get a lawyer."