On Friday Evening, April 16, 2004, Walker Library hosted a reception to celebrate our progress to date on construction of the Franklin printing press.  Over 100 MTSU faculty, staff, friends, and guests attended the event.  We heard many compliments on the beauty and striking appearance of the press, and our guests all said they were looking forward to another reception in the fall when the press is fully constructed and ready to print. We still have a long way to go to finish the press.  The spindle, the tympan and frisket assembly, the chase, and a number of other components have yet to be fashioned. 

There were several highlights during the evening. Dr. Tracy Pack, one of our first and principal private funders, spoke on why he believes the press project is important. Recently retired Smithsonian curator Stan Nelson gave the keynote talk, "My Thirty Years at the Smithsonian," and recounted his efforts to expand the Institution's holdings in printing technology (Stan also spent several hours with project cabinet maker Keith Jenkins and blacksmith Jeff Henderson the day before the event, answering detailed questions about the original Franklin press in the Smithsonian). And Alan Boehm and Janet Higgins introduced Keith and Jeff to a very long and a very well-deserved round of applause..