Seashells
Collection
Children love the colorful and unusual shells
found in the Seashell Collection, which consists of hundreds of small and
individually tracked seashells.
About Shells
Macacology is the study of the mollusk, its
biological makeup, living habits and requirements for its health and growth.
Cochology is the study of the skeleton it builds. Curiously, the
skeleton of the mollusk is primarily the house it lives in. All shell
life begins from a very tiny stage, often microscopic, hatching from eggs
and, as their body grows, they build their houses to suit their bodies,
always growing in a circular pattern no matter what shape they ultimately
become.
About the Boyle Collection
Shell collecting is one of the most ancient of
hobbies, et how many of us really know anything about our beautiful and, for
the most part, edible mollusk family? There are upwards of 150,000
different species of sea shells living in the deeps, the shallows, the mud,
and the sands of the world about us.
The hobby of seashell collecting is one of the
most rewarding for both beauty and knowledge. It opens doors to the
very basis of life.
The 600 different species in this collection are
only examples of the wonder and majestic beauty of nature's handiwork.
Their exquisite shades of rainbow colors, the marvelously symmetrical
patterns that make each one a wonderfully amazing creation. Shells
range in size from the microscopic to the immense horse conch which grows
sometimes 20 inches long.
This collection is comprised of specimens form
all over the world, but it also includes a good number of seashells from the
Texas Golf Coast, from the Louisiana line to the Mexican Border, altogether
a distance of 370 miles, plus the bays and tidewater flats which make 624 of
beach for shell collectors to investigate.
This collection is precisely catalogues and
carefully identified for the viewers' pleasure and learning.
About the Collector
Mrs. Verda Boyle has lived in El Campo since
1940. She began collecting shells around 1951 after her interest was
aroused by a collector who came through El Campo and showed her some
beautiful shells. Since then, she has collected and catalogued
hundreds of shells from different coasts of Texas, Florida, Georgia, and
Oregon. Although she considers herself "very much an amateur," she has
kept accurate records and has amassed an extraordinary knowledge of shells.
The showcases in which she likes to display her collection were especially
made to her own specifications by her husband, C.T. Boyle.
Mrs. Boyle has attended many Seashell Shows,
Exhibits, Auctions and Programs on her absorbing hobby. She has given
programs about her collection throughout this area to diverse groups
including the Woman's Club and Rotary.
"As I have learned about shells, their names and
how they live, I still gaze in awe," Mrs. Boyle says. "Each one in my
collection is truly my friend. I have learned that each one is an
individual and all are so very important as a basic element in the health of
our planet. They are essential for conservation of our Earth and ARE
the balance of our ecology. These few words cannot begin to tell the
story of our wonderful seashells."
Verda's shell collection
fascinate young & old
El Campo Leader News |
Wednesday, August 5, 1998
by Quala Matocha
The late Verda Boyle's love for sea life
continues to live on today. Since 1981, her seashell collection,
which includes some 730 shells and other artifacts of sea life, has been
displayed at the El Campo Museum of Natural History.
According to Denise Prochazka, museum
administrator, "Mrs. Boyle loved anything that pertained to sea life."
Throughout the years, she devoted her time personally giving tours of her
collection, as well as loaning several shells to local elementary schools
for students to study. "She even gave seashell lectures to the
classes," said Prochazka.
"Verda's seashell collection started as a
temporary exhibit in 1981, then became a long term loan and now a permanent
gift," said Prochazka. "She gathered them from all over the world from
places she has visited."
A single room houses the seashell collection,
which is comprised of seashells, seahorses, algae, coral, and starfish.
They are displayed on glass shelves within six lighted showcases. Even
the sign "Seashells," which was designed by Verda, is spelled out with
seashells and hangs on the wall above the cases.
In addition to Verda's collection, she devoted a
great deal of time to catalog each shell. She was a board member and
active volunteer for many years. Prochazka said, "Adults and children
are still fascinated with her collection."
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