Joan G. Paull papers

Joan G. Paull was born in Washington, D. C., and has been a life-long resident of the area. She is married to Norman Paull and has a daughter, Diane. A teacher by profession, she has always given much time and effort to community service. With the C&O Canal Association she was Chair of Work Parties for eleven years. This involved recruiting and supervising volunteers to do work projects assigned by the staff of the C&O Canal National Historical Park. One of her major projects was to repair a cabin at the Paw Paw campground and staff it with volunteer campground supervisors on summer weekends; the flood of 1985 damaged the cabin and brought the project to an end. She did important work in organizing volunteer work parties to repair damage from that flood. She was a Level Walker for the C&O Canal Association on Level 8 (Swain's Lock to Pennyfield Lock) for the same length of time. As a Level Walker she walked her Level every two or three months, recording events of nature, users of the canal and towpath, and problems to be called to the attention of the Association or the National Park Service. Active with the Girl Scouts for 31 years, she combined Scouting with the C&O Canal by creating and co-leading the program where Girl Scouts act as docents at Riley's Lockhouse on the canal. This program has introduced a whole generation of girls to regional history. Ms. Paull has also volunteered with the Smithsonian Folk Festival for 22 years.