Dr. Alfred Quinn announced his second (and, according to him, final) retirement last night during a celebration of his eighty-fifth birthday at the Dickens Station Public Library. After Amelia Dickens thanked Dr. Quinn for his many years of service and for his innumerable contributions to both the Library and the community, Dr. Quinn quieted those gathered. 

Amelia handed Dr. Quinn a lit, antique brass oil lamp, a symbol of the pursuit of knowledge. “It’s time for me to pass the torch,” Quinn said, “to a person whose continued growth, hard work, and dedication have kept the torch lit these many years. Her commitment allowed an old man the dignity of a meaningful retirement. It is with great pride, and with Amelia’s and the Town Council’s blessing, that I present to you Dickens Station’s new Library Director, Flora Skukalek.” Dr. Quinn beckoned Flora to join him at the head of the crowd and passed the oil lamp to her. The party erupted with applause.

For those new to our community, Dr. Quinn retired early as a professor of Library Science at the University of Maryland in July 2000. A frequent visitor to Dickens Station, he chose our tiny Christmas-themed village as his retirement home. Many believe that Amelia Dickens enticed him to retire and settle here by offering him a library of his very own.

I asked Dr. Quinn what he considered his most significant accomplishments during his second career. He said, “My goal has always been to make our library a cultural and learning center for the community. I thank Amelia for funding my efforts to expand our selection of classic literature. Our catalog now offers an early edition of works penned by each author in the ring of honor and many important American authors. I am also grateful to the community for responding so favorably to the many live programs and readings we offer.” The ring of honor refers to the names of influential nineteenth-century British authors inscribed in the headboards of the original bookcases in the Library’s reading room.

Dr. Quinn recruited Flora from his alma mater as an intern at the Library while she completed her bachelor’s degree in Library and Information Science. After graduation, Flora moved to Dickens Station in May 2001 to accept a Librarian position under her mentor. She earned her master’s degree in 2011, and Dr. Quinn promoted her to Library Manager shortly thereafter. 

I caught up with Flora after the passing of the torch and asked her what she considers her most important accomplishments to date and what we can expect from the Library in the future. Flora replied, “I’m most grateful for the leadership and mentoring of Dr. Quinn. With his guidance and support, I believe the modernization of our catalog system, and the related connection to the state library system, opened a world of opportunities for the citizens of our community. I look forward to expanding the computer lab and to continuing our partnership with Rutland High School to offer technology courses right here in Dickens Station.”

Flora’s good friends, Charlie and Dianna Mattson, invite one and all to a barbecue to celebrate Dr. Quinn’s retirement and Flora’s promotion. The affair is open to the community and will be held at the Marley Farm this Saturday, April 17, starting at 3:00 pm. Bring a covered dish if you like. Also, this reporter has it on good authority that Flora will bring her famous halupki (Slovakian cabbage rolls). These are a treat you will not want to miss. See you there.