USIA Film produced on the Wilderness Library

In 1952, Norman Weissman wrote and directed the film titled "Wilderness Library", along with two other films, "Ozark Newspaperwoman" (the story of Maude Duncan), and "School of the Ozarks".

The films had world-wide distribution and were very popular with foreign audiences.

Norman recalls Ted fondly,

"He was a dedicated veteran, recovering from TB and the impact of the war, bringing books to the "wilderness", encouraging literacy, was certainly a true picture of who we are as Americans."

"Ted was what later was called a "dropout". . . He gave up a conventional career in Chicago, I believe it was advertising and recovering from TB he contracted in the Army in WW1 he took to his beloved hills and found his role in life serving an isolated region without access to libraries, schools or newspapers"

, quoted Norman later.

On Maude Duncan, Norman said,

"Maude Duncan, a well-born Virginia lass followed her husband to Winslow, and after his death, ran the "Winslow American" setting type by hand as she wrote her stories, working the foot-powered rotary press by herself. A very special lady. Unfortunately forgotten."

Maude Duncan and Ted Richmond are two American's that would qualify for what Mr. Weissman envisioned as the "Anonymous Hall of Fame" for dedicated Americans who are never given the true credit they deserve in building our great country.