THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, July 7, 1994 TAG: 9407060105
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY SHIRLEY BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 64 lines
AS THE NEW director of Riddick's Folly, Susan Vasoti has finally fulfilled a childhood dream.
``When I was a little girl, I was fascinated with historic houses,'' Vasoti said. ``I have always loved history and my family and I traveled to historic houses throughout Virginia.''
A fourth-grade teacher at Southampton Academy also piqued Vasoti's interest in history.
``My teacher told great stories and planned great field trips,'' she said. ``She made the people in history come to life.''
Vasoti, who will work three days weekly at Riddick's Folly, said that several programs have already been planned for the coming year. However, she has a few exciting ideas of her own.
``We are thinking of sponsoring a Mother-Daughter Tea,'' said Vasoti, who works with Lee King, assistant director, and several volunteers. ``We would like to show the importance of the etiquette of a tea.''
Participants would be asked to wear hats and gloves and would not only be treated to delicious refreshments, but also a tour of the house. The Tea would be held in the main parlors, where, after many years of waiting, window treatments were recently installed.
Patterned after historically appropriate examples, the parlors' six windows have been hung with swags and jabots made from green, wool-moreen fabric lined with a light yellow chintz.
``Every Christmas, we have a program, `Riddick's Family and Friends' which begins before Thanksgiving,'' Vasoti said. ``There will be candlelight tours and pictures, clothing, and mementos of the family will be displayed.''
Vasoti also will plan changing exhibits, schedule volunteers, and be in charge of rentals of the house for luncheons, meetings, weddings and receptions.
Beginning Aug. 16, an exhibit entitled ``The History of Suffolk Education'' will be featured at Riddick's Folly and pictures or mementos belonging to Suffolk residents are needed, Vasoti said.
``We sign a loan agreement,'' she said, ``and the house is climate-controlled. I will even pick up items and return them.''
A native of Franklin, the 25-year-old Vasoti graduated in 1987 from Southampton Academy and entered Virginia Wesleyan College. And for a while, she forgot her dream of managing a historic house.
``I wasn't shown how to explore career choices,'' she said.
Due to an interest in writing, Vasoti majored in mass communication and journalism and received her bachelor's degree from Virginia Wesleyan in 1991.
She attended Old Dominion University full-time and earned a master's degree in adult education in December 1993.
A resident of Norfolk, Vasoti has been employed part-time for the past two years at the historic Adam Thoroughgood House in Virginia Beach. She plans to continue working there on weekends.
Vasoti and her fiance, Ken Ward, plan to be married in the fall and are contemplating a move to Suffolk. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Susan Vasoti is the new director at Riddick's Folly.
by CNB