Community care and history celebrated in 'Home: The United Methodist Children's Home' exhibition

November 14th, 2023

Panorama of the Orphan’s Home, ca. 1920. (Courtesy of kudzu at the Children’s Home by Beate Sass) Black & White photo provided courtesy of Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, United Methodist Children's Home records, RG 067.

The Dekalb History Center celebrates over 150 years of community caregiving in a new exhibition, “Home: The United Methodist Children’s Home.” The show documents photography, oral histories and audio testimonials from former residents, employees and volunteers throughout the Home’s years of operation in Decatur.

In this interview, Beate Sass, the photographer and documentarian who contributed to the exhibit, as well as Moira Bucciarelli, who provided interview assistance along their journey to capture this little-known chapter of Decatur history, speak with “City Lights” host Lois Reitzes, about the exhibit.

“We pretty quickly realized that this historic home was at a crossroads, and we didn’t know what it would become,” Bucciarelli said.

The new exhibit on the United Methodist Children’s Home is on view at the Dekalb History Center through January 2025, and more information is available here.