Bailey’s Woods trail undergoes restoration
  The work to rehabilitate Bailey’s Woods trail began in earnest in the fall, and by press time, should be complete. Three areas were specifically addressed: the steepness of some sections, the unsafe bridge and trail erosion. Stairs and terracing were created in the steep and eroding sections of the trail, the replacement steel bridge was placed a bit downstream in the dry creek bed from the former location, and a safety railing near a steep drop off was installed. The trail should be in great shape for a long time to come.
The highlight of the project was placing the steel bridge by airlift. It was done in two pieces because of the weight restriction for the helicopter we used. Director Albert Sperath, Curator Bill Griffith and Preparator Bob Pekala were on site to witness this exciting event. As the chopper got overhead and began to descend, the forced air from the propellers began to blow the leaves away. As the pilot got lower, twigs began to blow into them, and, once he had flown away, some limbs had
fallen.
 “The downdraft was so strong we had to brace ourselves to keep from blowing over, and it got much ‘colder’ due to windchill effect,” said Sperath. “Pretty exciting for the uninitiated.”
From start to finish, the project took about an hour and half to set both parts of the bridge, much quicker than Sperath imagined. “The chopper pilot was impressive, demonstrating complete control over the placement. He had to hover in exactly one location for about 20 minutes until everything was aligned and secured.”
Visitors get hands-on experience
with exhibition of historic works
Ruminations about the human condition are shared in an exhibition of 35 rare and important books at The University of Mississippi Museum. The
Remnant Trust Athenaeum exhibition remains on display through April 29.
 Featuring a 1350 copy of the Magna Carta, the show includes titles and artifacts that explore equality, history, dignity, law, morality, philosophy, politics, race and religion.
Noteworthy authors include Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine, William Blackstone, John Calvin, David Crockett, Frederick Douglass, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, James Madison, Thomas Robert Malthus, Thomas Paine, William Penn, Adam Smith, Alexis de Tocqueville, Mary Wollstonecraft and Francois Marie Arouet Voltaire.
The Remnant Trust is a public educational foundation that shares an actively growing collection of original and first-edition works dealing with the topics of liberty and dignity with some pieces dating as early as 1250. The Trust makes this collection available to colleges, universities and other organizations for use by students, faculty and scholars. What makes this exhibition different from customary museum fare is that they are encouraged to touch, feel and read the originals.
The Freedom Forum, which made this museum program possible, is a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press, free speech and free spirit for all people. The Freedom Forum was established in 1991 under the direction of founder Al Neuharth, who was successor to a foundation started in 1935 by newspaper publisher Frank E. Gannett. University of Mississippi alumnus Charles L. Overby is CEO and chairman of the Freedom Forum.
“I’m really delighted that the Freedom Forum was able to help bring these really priceless documents to Ole Miss in conjunction with the opening of the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics, said Overby. “Some of the greatest thinkers in history have enhanced the concept of
freedom, which is often taken for granted. These documents have enhanced freedom’s evolution.”
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