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Communique Online
April 24, 2009
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Table of Contents:

Training Opportunities and Conferences
Indiana Genealogical Society’s 20th Annual Conference
Cemetery Preservation (Basic) Workshop
Online Preservation Classes
Preservation of Sacred Artifacts: Care and Handling of Cultural Materials in Religious and 
      Spiritual Institutions Class

Programs
Redbud Trail Rendezvous to Honor Abraham Lincoln
Book Signing with Scott Russell Sanders, Jim Hillman and John Murphy at the Indiana 
      Historical Bureau
Daisy Day Celebration at the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead
18th Annual Spring Pow Wow in Lebanon
Celebration of Local History at the Lawrence County Museum
The Twigh Twee Singers at the Greentown Historical Society
Dedication of Historical Marker Honoring Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
Is Your Norma Listed as “Warnie” in the Census? at the Indiana State Library
Crawfordsville’s Carnegie Library Indiana State Historical Marker Dedication in Crawfordsville
2009 Events at the History Center in Fort Wayne
Jerry Lewis at the Honeywell Center in Wabash
Mode for Mother’s Day Open House at New Clark County Museum
Celebration of History of the Putnamville United Methodist Church and the Putnamville 
      Community

Funding Opportunities
Scholarships to Attend AASLH Annual Meeting
National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipends

Resources
MayDay: Cultural Institutions Prepare for Emergencies

IHS News
IHS Manages Operations Budget with Cuts and Phases Construction for Indiana Experience Project

Help
Submissions Requested for The History Tree Magazine for Children

Exhibits
2009 Exhibits at the History Center in Fort Wayne

Job Opportunities
Local:
Director of the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum in Crawfordsville, Ind.
National:
Assistant Registrar at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Ariz.
Collections Manager at a Private Museum in Phoenix, Ariz.

On the Internet
It's Fitting for TinCaps to Honor Historic Figure in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette
Museums and the Web 2009 Best of the Web Award Winners

Training Opportunities and Conferences

Indiana Genealogical Society’s 20th Annual Conference
This conference will be held on April 25, 2009, at the Marriott East in Indianapolis. 

Pamela K. Sayre will be the featured speaker.  Other speakers include Dr. Jack Early, Curt Witcher, Bennie McRae, Dr. Alan January, Kevin Flanagan, Dona Stokes-Lucas and Ron Darrah.

For more information or to register, visit http://www.indgensoc.org/conference.php.


Cemetery Preservation (Basic) Workshop
This Indiana Historical Society and Indiana Department of Natural Resources workshop will be offered May 1 and 2 at the Southport Cemetery and Bethel Community Church in Southport.

Taking care of a loved one’s gravestone or even an entire cemetery goes far beyond yard maintenance. Understanding the history, laws and proper techniques of cemetery preservation all play a role in caring for cemeteries.

During the half-day classroom session, find out about the symbolism and traditions of Indiana’s cemeteries, laws regulating cemeteries and the Indiana Cemetery Registry. During the full-day cemetery work session, learn how to identify the different types of stone used to make gravestones and the proper techniques for cleaning, straightening and resetting stones.

Instructors will include John “Walt” Walters and Kelly Luke, cemetery preservation; Sheila Riley, Indianapolis Children’s Museum; Jeannie Regan-Dinius, DNR-DHPA; and Vince Hernly, IUPUI.

The cost (including lunch during the full-day cemetery session) is $30 for nonmembers and $25 for IHS members. 

Register by April 24.

For more information or to register, please e-mail localhistoryservices@indianahistory.org, call (800) 447-1830 or visit http://www.indianahistory.org/lhs/LHS%20News%20&%20Events%20May%20June%202009.pdf.

This project has been funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service Historic Preservation Fund, administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. However, the contents and opinions do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of the Interior or the Department of Natural Resources.

This program receives federal financial assistance for the identification and protection of historic properties. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the U.S. Department of the Interior prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability or age in its federally assisted programs. If you believe that you have been discriminated against in any program, activity or facility as described above, or if you desire further information, please write to: Office of Equal Opportunity, National Park Service, 1849 C St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20240.


Online Preservation Classes
The following online classes will be held May 4 through 29 at http://www.museumclasses.org/.

The cost for each class is $425 per person.

  • MS 211: Preservation Environments
    The museum's brick exterior wall is crumbling. The powder coated metal storage shelves have active rust under the foam padding. Objects in fur storage are covered in mold. It is raining in the exhibit hall. This is the damage that occurs to museum buildings or collections when staff do not understand preservation environments.

    Preservation Environments is essential knowledge for any collecting institution. Everyone should understand how humidity and temperature are controlled by a building and its mechanical system. For museum staff considering a new building – and any institution planning to expand or rebuild an existing one – Preservation Environments provide important information for calculating whether the proposed improvements will actually improve the environmental control of your protective enclosure. Participants learn the advantages and disadvantages of numerous methods of temperature and humidity control. Preservation Environments does not try to turn museum professionals into engineers. Rather, it arms them with the knowledge they need to work with engineers and maintenance professionals and helps explain why damaged occurred and how to keep it from happening again.

  • MS215: Care of Archaeological Artifacts from the Field to the Lab
    Archaeological finds come out of the ground fragile – and they often stay that way. Yet archaeologists and museum professionals have few clear guidelines for handling, moving, storing and displaying such materials. Participants in Care of Archaeological Artifacts From the Field to the Lab learn techniques for safely lifting and packing artifacts, safe transportation, and temporary and permanent storage. The course also covers a broad range of excavation environments, including the Arctic, wet sites, tropical and temperate. Though Care of Archaeological Artifacts is not intended to train archaeological conservators, it is designed to help participants understand what can and can't be done to save the artifacts they unearth.

To reserve a spot in a course, please pay at http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html. If you have trouble, please contact Helen Alten at helen@collectioncare.org.


Preservation of Sacred Artifacts: Care and Handling of Cultural Materials in Religious and Spiritual Institutions Class
This program will be held on June 4 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Msgr. Joseph Jessing Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio.

This program, presented by the conservation staff of the Intermuseum Conservation Association, helps religious and spiritual institutions understand the basic care of the cultural materials of which they are stewards. Each talk will address the principles of caring for, displaying and storing materials found in religious collections and buildings. Preventative conservation and information on practical ways to ensure the long-term stability of artifacts and documents will also be discussed. The program is tailored for staff and volunteers responsible for collections in churches, synagogues, mosques or other spiritual or religious centers, but is open to all interested parties.

The cost is $60 for ICA members and $75 for nonmembers and includes lunch.

For more information and to register, please visit http://www.ica-artconservation.org/education/SacredArtifactsRegistrationForm.pdf.

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Programs

Please confim event specifics with sponsoring organization, especially if traveling any distance.

Redbud Trail Rendezvous to Honor Abraham Lincoln
This event will be held on April 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on April 26 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of the Fulton County Historical Society four miles north of Rochester on U.S. Highway 31. The Festival will be held in the Living History Village just south of the Round Barn Museum this year due to flooding in the festival area next to the river.  Rain or shine the festival will go on.

The Redbud Trail Rendezvous will honor Abraham Lincoln by dancing to his favorite tune “Skip to My Lou” in the Frontier Frolic.

Re-enactors from five states are gearing up for the Redbud Trail Rendezvous. Every spring it is one of the first outdoor events of the season. This event is brimming with frontier history and often brings surprises for the participants and public.

Two additional events will go on concurrently on Saturday. A Farmers Market will be held in the museum meeting room from 9 a.m. to noon, and an auction will be held in the Richland Township meeting room beginning at 9 a.m.

Music and dance will be performed in the upper level of the round barn a different program every half hour. Programs include Mark Gropp with bagpipe music, Frontier Frolic – pioneer dancing by the teenage re-enactors, Liza and Mark Woolever – music and songs, and Indian dances. Shirley Kern Needham will show a red-tailed hawk named Phoenix and a red-shouldered hawk named Keeah and tell about habitat, hunting traits and spiritual importance to the native tribes.

People dressed in authentic pre-1840 outfits demonstrate many traditional crafts. Crafts included are flintknapping, beadwork, spinning and weaving, leather, wood carving, blacksmith, blade smith, fingerweaving, and much more. Members of the Metocinyah Longrifles will be here along with a wigwam village by Norm Rhoads and Grave’s brothers. Booths will also be set up in the buildings in the Living History Village.

Members of the Seven Years War Time Period will be set up in the Living History Village and will be doing training demonstrations such as marching, canon firing and horse training and weaving in the Log Cabin.

Many trade goods and handmade items used for frontier living will be offered for sale or barter in merchant’s historic marquee tents and by blanket traders. Many of the traders have Indian ancestry. Traders come from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky and other states. 

Muzzle loading shooting contests will be not be held due to location change. 

Foods cooked over wood fires will include ham and beans, vegetable stew, buffalo burgers, sassafras tea, breakfast of biscuits and sausage gravy at the Fulton County Historical Society booth; Carmel Corn made in big iron kettles by Dennis Thompson; and homemade fudge and cookies by Mark Gropp will be in Old Time General Store in Living History Village.

Admission is $3 for adults ages 12 and older, $1 for kids age six to 11 and free for children ages five and under. Proceeds enable the historical society to operate the museum and preserve history.

There is no admission charge to see the Fulton County Museum at the north end of the grounds. Volunteers can earn free admission to the Redbud Trail Rendezvous by working half a day. To volunteer, call the museum at (574) 223-4436. Free parking is provided on FCHS grounds. The grounds are handicapped accessible. Plenty of free benches are available to sit and rest.

For more information, visit www.icss.net/~fchs.


Book Signing with Scott Russell Sanders, Jim Hillman and John Murphy at the Indiana Historical Bureau
This event will be held on Saturday, April 25, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Indiana Historical Bureau located at 315 W. Ohio St. in Indianapolis.

The Indiana Historical Bureau is hosting Hoosier authors Scott Russell Sanders, Jim Hillman and John Murphy All books in the shop will be 20 percent off during this event.

Scott Russell Sanders’s recently released A Conservationist Manifesto shows the crucial relevance of a conservation ethic at a time of mounting concern about global climate change, depletion of natural resources, extinction of species, and the economic inequities between rich and poor nations. The important message of this powerful book is that conservation is not simply a personal virtue but a public one.

Scott Russell Sanders, Distinguished Professor of English at Indiana University Bloomington, is the author of 20 books of fiction and nonfiction, including Writing from the Center (IUP, 1995), Hunting for Hope and A Private History of Awe. Sanders is winner of the Lannan Literary Award, John Burroughs Essay Award for Natural History, AWP Award in Creative Nonfiction and the 2009 Mark Twain Award.

Jim Hillman and John Murphy co-authored Indianapolis Social Clubs which provides nearly 200 rare vintage photographic memories that capture the heart, soul and history of the clubs. Defining Indianapolis, the clubs were stoic agents of power and segregation, providing clear historical snapshots of Hoosier pomp and circumstance.  A special display of images from the book will be shown during this event.

John Murphy, son of the Miramar Club’s original general manager and former club employee, and Jim Hillman, childhood Riviera competitive swimmer, historical author and instructor of sociology, explore the Propylaeum, Highland Golf and Country Club, Dolphin Club, Heather Hills, and several other facilities.

For further information about this event and other resources on Indiana, visit the Indiana Historical Bureau’s Web site at www.IN.gov/history or call (317) 232-2535.


Daisy Day Celebration at the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead
This event will be held on Saturday, April 25, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead located at 2920 E. 10th St. in Bloomington.

Bloomington Restorations, Inc. invites visitors to celebrate spring at the annual Daisy Day celebration at the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead. Daisy Day is held in honor of Daisy Garton, who donated the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead to BRI to be used as a community resource for historic preservation and education. Daisy grew up on the farm and spent many years teaching music to children in Monroe County. 

During Daisy Day, visitors will have the opportunity to tour the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead, including the garden plot which will be planted with heirloom flowers, fruits and vegetables. At 2 p.m., there will be a presentation of stories, poems and projects from the Sisters of the Flying Fountain Pen, a group of young writers who meet weekly at the Farmstead. The girls have been learning about strong women of Monroe County and reflecting on how they can use their talents to work for a better community and world. The presentation of the girls’ writing is made possible by a partnership between BRI and Writing Unlimited and a grant from the Indiana Humanities Council. 

Refreshments will be served, and there will be craft activities for children throughout the celebration, including decorating flower pots and planting daisy seeds. Please join us to celebrate Daisy, her vision for historic preservation education and the creativity of the Sisters of the Flying Fountain Pen.

Daisy Day is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact BRI at (812) 336-0909 or bri@bloomingtonrestorations.org.


18th Annual Spring Pow Wow in Lebanon
This program will be held April 25 and 26 at the Boone County 4-H Fair Grounds in Lebanon.

The American Indian Council invites the public to enjoy Native American singing, dancing, arts, crafts and food.  Grand entry times are Saturday at 1:30 and 7 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.

The cost for admission is $5 for ages 13 to 59, $2 for ages six to 12 or over 60, $1 for dancers, and children under age six are free.

For more information, e-mail aicindiana@yahoo.com or call Kathy Wamsley at (765) 481-1571.


Celebration of Local History at the Lawrence County Museum
This dinner-fundraiser benefiting the Lawrence County Museum will be held on April 25 at 6 p.m. at The Sycamore Room on 16th Street in Bedford.

Enjoy an evening of fun, food, antiques and surprises! When you purchase your ticket, let the museum know if you’ll be coming just for the food and show or if you’ll be bringing an item to have appraised. Professional appraiser J. Scott Keller will be appraising items during the meal and where everyone can hear about all of the items being appraised. If your item is too large or delicate to bring along, bring a picture of your item to be appraised.

The cost to attend is $20 for dinner and the show or $30 with an item to be appraised.

To purchase tickets, call the museum at (812) 278-8575 or see the flyer at http://lawrencecountyhistory.org/pdf/celebrationflyer.pdf.


The Twigh Twee Singers at the Greentown Historical Society
This event will be held on April 26 at 1:30 p.m. at the Greentown Historical Society located at 101 E. Main St. in Greentown.

The Tribal Drum, called The Twigh Twee Singers, demonstrate and explain the Indian drum and portray different songs for the dances of the women and men.

The event will be held out of doors with weather permitting.

For more information, please call (765) 628-3800.


Dedication of Historical Marker Honoring Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
You are invited to join the Sisters of Providence in celebrating the dedication of the Indiana historical marker in honor of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin on Wednesday, April 29, at 2 p.m. at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods across from the Lourdes Grotto.

The celebration will be held outside with refreshments served immediately following the dedication on site.

The two-sided state marker text reads “Born Anne-Thérèse Guerin in 1798 in France. In 1823, she entered the Catholic congregation Sisters of Providence of Ruillé; received the name Sister St. Theodore. Noted for her teaching, she led a mission from France to establish schools and orphanages in the Indiana wilderness; arrived here fall 1840 and established the Sisters of Providence in U.S. Guerin opened a female academy in July 1841, the predecessor of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Initially, she and the sisters endured anti-Catholic sentiments and harsh frontier conditions. At her death in 1856, she had directed the opening of 11 schools in 9 Indiana towns. Pope Benedict XVI canonized her in 2006, naming her Saint Theodora Guerin.”

The marker is part of the State of Indiana Historical Marker Program which is administered by the Indiana Historical Bureau. The Indiana Historical Bureau and Jeremy Hackerd, Historical Marker Program manager, worked for more than a year to make this event a reality.

To reach the site of the historical marker unveiling from Highway 150, turn onto St. Mary’s Road and proceed up the hill. Take the second gate entrance, on the right. You will be on The Avenue. Continue straight. Go right on Grotto Lane (the Woodland Inn will be on your right). Proceed on Grotto Lane. Please avoid parking on Grotto Lane. You may park on The Avenue, Providence Place or 1840 Way. Security personnel will assist with parking.

For more information, please visit http://www.spsmw.org/cgi-bin/site.pl?3208&dwContent_contentID=1597.


Is Your Norma Listed as “Warnie” in the Census? at the Indiana State Library
This program will be held on Thursday, April 30, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. 

This program will show researchers how to deal with a variety of indexing errors such as mangled names and misapplied geographic identifiers, as well as other types of errors evident in many indexes. 

The program is free to the public and requires no registration.

For more information, call (317) 232-3675.


Crawfordsville’s Carnegie Library Indiana State Historical Marker Dedication in Crawfordsville
A public dedication ceremony for an Indiana state historical marker commemorating Crawfordsville’s Carnegie Library is scheduled for Friday, May 1, at 6 p.m. at the Carnegie Museum of Montgomery County located at 222 S. Washington St. (U.S. Highway 231) in Crawfordsville.  

The text follows for the state marker entitled Crawfordsville’s Carnegie Library: "In 1897, the Current Events Club, like many women’s clubs during this era, helped organize city’s public library. Andrew Carnegie donated $25,000 in 1901 for library building construction; city provided land and annual funding. Local architect W. F. Sharpe designed this Renaissance Revival building. This was first Carnegie Library opened in Indiana, dedicated July 29, 1902 with 4,500 volumes. Library moved 2005, building opened as Carnegie Museum 2007. One of 1,679 libraries built in U.S. with funds from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Indiana built more Carnegie libraries than any other state."

The public is invited to attend the dedication ceremony for this Indiana historical marker that commemorates the first Carnegie Library opened in the State of Indiana. State historical markers commemorate significant individuals, organizations, places and events in Indiana history. These markers help communities throughout the state promote, preserve and present their history for the education and enjoyment of residents and tourists of all ages. For more than 90 years the Indiana Historical Bureau, an agency of the State of Indiana, has been marking Indiana history. Since 1947, the marker format has been the large roadside marker, which has the familiar dark blue background with gold lettering and the outline of the state of Indiana at the top. There are approximately 500 of these markers across the state.

For more information about this marker, the state Historical Marker Program and other resources about Indiana, visit the Indiana Historical Bureau’s Web site at www.IN.gov/history or call (317) 232-2537.


2009 Events at the History Center in Fort Wayne
The following events will be held at the History Center located at 302 E. Berry St. in Fort Wayne unless otherwise noted.

  • Miami Indian Heritage Days
    The Miami Indian Heritage Day events will be held at the Chief Richardville House located at 5705 Bluffton Rd. in Fort Wayne. The cost for each Miami Indian Heritage Day event is $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and students, and free for History Center members and children under five.

    • Saturday, May 2, from 1 to 4 p.m.
      The Painted Turtle Singers will demonstrate the important role that drumming, singing and dancing have played in traditional Miami society.
    • Saturday, June 6, from 1 to 4 p.m.
      Dani Tippmann, a dedicated interpreter of Miami culture at the Chief Richardville House, will describe edible and usable native herbs, plants, roots and vegetables.
    • Saturday, July 4, from 1 to 4 p.m.
      Erik Vosteen, one of the region’s leading authorities on ancient lifeways, will demonstrate skills used by the earliest societies that resided in the Great Lakes area.
    • Saturday, Aug. 1, from 1 to 4 p.m.
      Mary Tippmann, 2007 Head Lady for the Gathering of Great Lakes Nations Pow Wow and 2003 Miami Maiden of Indiana, will demonstrate the significance of Miami dancing.
    • Saturday, Sept. 5, from 1 to 4 p.m.
      Erik Vosteen returns to demonstrate early hunting techniques and give visitors a lesson in throwing the deadly atlatl, the “double-elbow” spear launcher.

  • George R. Mather Lecture Series
    These Sunday lectures are free to the public.
    • Sunday, May 3, from 2 to 3 p.m.
      Dyne L. Pfeffenberger presents From the Emboyd to the Embassy: A History of Fort Wayne's Opulent Showplace.
    • Sunday, June 7, from 2 to 3 p.m.
      Jim Sack presents World War I Repression of Fort Wayne’s Germans.

  • Jan Shupert-Arick Lecture and Book Signing
    This event will be held on Saturday, May 9, at 2 p.m. and is free to the public. Shupert-Arick lecture on her new book, The Lincoln Highway Across Indiana, followed by questions and answers and a book signing.

  • Memorial Day Concert in the Barr Street Market
    This event features the American Legion Post 47 Band and will be held on Saturday, May 23, at 1 p.m. at the Barr Street Farmers Market located behind the History Center. The concert is free to the public.

  • Brown Bag on Barr
    This event will be held on Tuesday, June 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free to the public. Bring your “brown bag” lunch and join us under the trees and canopies at the Barr Street Farmers Market located behind the History Center, a wonderful place to gather and enjoy the sights and sounds of downtown Fort Wayne.

  • Barr Street Farmers Market
    This event will be held each Saturday from July 11 through Sept. 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and features food and crafts for sale as well as family-oriented entertainment. The Barr Street Farmers Market is free to the public.

  • Follow the Pipes
    This event will be held July 14 through 16 and is free to the public. Visit local churches and the Embassy Theatre and learn about their historic pipe organs. For times and other details, call Jamia Alexander at (260) 426-2882 x309.

  • Kekionga Storytelling Festival
    This event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is free to the public. Bring the entire family to Headwaters Park in Fort Wayne at the confluence of the Three Rivers for a day-long storytelling festival featuring notable native Americans.

  • Arts United Taste of the Arts
    This fundraiser will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The fundraiser is for new education grants including field trip transportation funds and artist-in-residence programs for area schools, sponsored by Arts United of Greater Fort Wayne. Settlers, Inc. will demonstrate candle making, basket weaving, spinning and more at the History Center. Pay-One-Price admission to Arts United Center, Hall Community Building and the History Center is $5 per person or $20 per family. For information, visit http://www.artsunited.org/ or call (260) 426-0646.

  • Be A Tourist In Your Own Hometown!
    This event will be held on Sunday, Sept. 13, from noon to 5 p.m. and features free admission to the History Center sponsored by NIPSCO. On this day Fort Wayne residents with a “passport” will be able to visit area attractions and museums for free!  For more information contact the Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention & Visitors Bureau at (260) 424-3700 or http://www.visitfortwayne.com/.

  • Buffalo Tro Fundraiser
    This event will be held on Friday, Sept. 25, at the Chief Richardville House, located at 5705 Bluffton Rd. in Fort Wayne. The event includes buffalo steaks cooked directly on a large bed of smoldering coals, a delicious catered meal, music, Miami Indian cultural presentations, tours of the house and a silent auction. Additional cost applies.

For more information on these events, call (260) 426-2882 or visit http://www.fwhistorycenter.com/.


Jerry Lewis at the Honeywell Center in Wabash
This event will be held on Friday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. 

The evening will feature Lewis backed by a live orchestra and entertaining the audience with his humor, film clips and pantomime.

Lewis is considered to be one of the greatest comedians of all time. He rose to fame in 1946 as half of the comedy act he shared with the late Dean Martin. Over 10 years, Martin and Lewis made 16 movies together, appeared in nightclubs and on television. Lewis continued on to a successful solo comedy career, co-writing and starring in comedies such as The Ladies Man and Nutty Professor. Lewis, now in his eighties, continues to tour the world and perform with the humor and energy that launched him to stardom in those early years.

Tickets are $28, $48, $68 and $100. Tickets can be purchased at the box office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, by calling (260) 563-1102 or *tix from your Centennial Wireless phone. Tickets are also available at http://www.honeywellcenter.org/.


Mode for Mother’s Day Open House at New Clark County Museum
This event will be held on Sunday, May 10, from 1 to 4 p.m. at Room 408 of the Clark County Courthouse located at 501 E. Court Ave. in Jeffersonville. 

Looking for an affordable – yet memorable – outing for Mother’s Day? Clark County Museum Inc. has just what you need. The group is in the early stages of developing a historical museum for Clark County and will host an open house to showcase the artifacts that have been gathered to date.

The featured exhibit will be a display of the work of local photographer Norris “Floppy” Mode. Mode, a Clarksville resident, took photographs around Clark County for more than 40 years. His work appeared in The Courier-Journal, The Louisville Times and Men’s Wear magazine. His commercial clients included Jeffboat and DuPont. He retired and closed his private studio in 1978.

Refreshments will be served at the event. Chocolate replica tickets from the LeRose Theater, produced by Schimpff’s Confectionery, will also be available for purchase to benefit the museum.

Clark County Museum Inc.’s mission is to work with former, current and future citizens of Clark County to locate, collect, and preserve artifacts and stories related to the history of Clark County and its surrounding region.

For more information, call (812) 256-4685.


Celebration of History of the Putnamville United Methodist Church and the Putnamville Community
This event will be held on Saturday, June 27, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the church located at the corner of State Road 243 and Highway 40 in Putnamville.

The small brick church in Putnamville is turning 175 years old this year.  Built by the Presbyterians in 1834 and sold to the Methodists in the early 1860s, this Greek Revival structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Activities will include tours of the church and Dr. Amos Horn's renovated 1884 office/museum (adjacent to the church), musical entertainment, refreshments, local folklore and memorabilia.

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Funding Opportunities

Scholarships to Attend AASLH Annual Meeting
The American Association for State and Local History’s Small Museums Committee is offering full- or part-time paid or volunteer employees of small museums scholarships to attend the AASLH Annual Meeting Aug. 26 through 29 in Indianapolis. The scholarship is open to AASLH members. It will cover the cost of registration. Remaining funds available will offset travel and/or lodging expenses.

Every year increasing numbers of sessions at the Annual Meeting address issues specifically affecting small museums. These sessions can be as practical and wide-ranging as training, marketing and strategic planning. Other sessions revolve around creative ways to forge and re-energize relationships with the surrounding community.

To qualify, the museum must have a budget under $250,000. Applicants must explain how the meeting will benefit their professional development, their particular institution and their extended community.

Application forms are available at http://www.aaslh.org/SmallMuseums.htm.

Applicants can submit applications electronically to Bob Beatty at beatty@aaslh.org with “2009 Small Museum Scholarship” in the subject line of the e-mail.

Mail or fax hard copy of application with signatures to:
AASLH Small Museum Scholarship
Attn: Bob Beatty
1717 Church St.
Nashville, TN 37203
Fax: (615) 327-9013

The deadline for applications is May 30.

For questions, please contact Bruce Teeple, Small Museum Scholarship Committee Chair, at mongopawn44@hotmail.com. Award notification will be made by June 30.


National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Stipends
Summer Stipends support individuals pursuing advanced research that is of value to scholars and general audiences in the humanities.

Recipients usually produce articles, monographs, books, digital materials, archaeological site reports, translations, editions or other scholarly tools. Summer Stipends support full-time work on a humanities project for a period of two months. Summer Stipends support projects at any stage of development.

Summer Stipends are awarded to individual scholars. Organizations are not eligible to apply.

Summer Stipends may not be used for research for doctoral dissertations or theses by students enrolled in a degree program; specific policy studies or educational or technical impact assessments; the preparation or publication of textbooks; studies of teaching methods or theories, surveys of courses and programs or curriculum development; inventories of collections; works in the creative or performing arts (e.g., painting, writing fiction or poetry, dance performance, etc.); projects that seek to promote a particular political, philosophical, religious or ideological point of view; or projects that advocate a particular program of social action.

Applications may address the holdings or activities of a single institution or may involve collaboration. In all cases, projects should be designed to facilitate sharing, exchange and interoperability of humanities information and products.

For more information, please visit http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&flag2006=false&oppId=46794.

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Resources

MayDay: Cultural Institutions Prepare for Emergencies
Libraries, museums, archives, and arts and historic preservation organizations across the nation will set aside May 1, 2009, to participate in MayDay, a national effort to prepare for disasters.

Sponsored by Heritage Preservation and other members of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force, MayDay encourages organizations to take one simple step to protect the art, artifacts, records and historic sites they hold in trust.

Any organization can participate in MayDay. This year, staff at both the Kingman Museum in Battle Creek, Mich., and The Field Museum in Chicago, Ill., will finalize new emergency plans. The University of Utah in Salt Lake City will hold a luncheon to discuss advances in earthquake preparedness as they impact preservation of the University's collections.

Heritage Preservation is collecting examples of creative but practical measures like these to share online. This year, any institution submitting a MayDay story will be entered in a drawing for disaster supplies donated by Gaylord Brothers. Four winners will be announced on June 1, the beginning of the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. Brief descriptions of 2009 MayDay plans or accomplishments should be submitted to taskforce@heritagepreservation.org by May 22, 2009, to be eligible for prizes.

Heritage Preservation will also be offering its award-winning Field Guide to Emergency Response and Emergency Response and Salvage Wheel at special MayDay prices from April 15 through May 31.

Visit www.heritagepreservation.org/programs/tflessons/MayDay.html for project ideas, information on prizes, and the publications sale and for customized versions of the MayDay logo for publicizing this national event.

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IHS News

IHS Manages Operations Budget with Cuts and Phases Construction for Indiana Experience Project
Due to the extent of the current economic deterioration and significant decline of its endowment value, the Indiana Historical Society has made recent financial decisions in order to maintain the stewardship of its resources. Those include the reduction of its annual operating expenditures by eliminating some staff positions and the phasing of planned renovations to the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center for the Indiana Experience.

Efforts to manage the 2009 annual operating budget began in December 2008, when IHS management reduced the approved operating budget by $501,515. This reduced costs by eliminating three positions by attrition, freezing one open position, and downgrading a vice president position. Reductions also included eliminating merit increases, cancelling two contract positions, and reducing administrative costs such as printing, travel, office supplies and meeting expenses.

As a continuation of those adjustments, further reductions to the operating budget will yield a three-year savings of $1.3 million. Additional cuts in April to general operating expenses eliminated four full-time positions, three part-time positions and some funded internship positions. The combined result of all reductions will be the alleviation of a projected, three-year accumulated operating deficit of $2.6 million.

“Attempting to strike the delicate balance between planning for the future and managing our current resources is painfully difficult,” said John A. Herbst, president and CEO of the Indiana Historical Society. “With these reductions, we hope we have done all that is necessary in order to trim our sails to the prevailing winds and do not expect to have to make further cuts.”

In preparation for the debut of the Indiana Experience in spring of 2010, renovation of interior spaces at the History Center has begun – the construction for which will be divided into three phases. Project costs will be covered with contributions to the Campaign for the Indiana Experience – a restricted giving fund separate from the IHS’s general operating budget. Later phases will round out the remainder of the construction work after the 2009 phase is complete. Phasing of the project will not impede the on-time delivery of the Indiana Experience.

“Given the nature of the current economy, we felt it was extremely important to demonstrate fiscal responsibility and sound business judgment where this project is concerned,” said Herbst. “Phasing is an appropriate, prudent, pay-as-you-go strategy – a choice that will accumulate zero debt while we add new dimensions in our building for visitors to maximize use of IHS’s incredible headquarters.”

The first phase of physical modifications to the building, which is already fully funded, will cost approximately $2.1 million, with the majority of work taking place on the canal and first-floor levels. Visual changes will include the enclosure of the theater mezzanine in the east wing, a renovated Stardust Terrace Café, and new spaces for the IHS Welcome Center and the Basile History Market, which will in turn create new programming spaces for the Indiana Experience.

The Indiana Experience will make the History Center even more of a destination by bringing the people of the state a uniquely Indiana experience – one that connects them with their rich Hoosier heritage in new and exciting ways. IHS officials are planning a grand re-opening for the spring of 2010.

The IHS launched several prototypes of the programs that compose the Indiana Experience last year and saw immediate positive response from the general public. In addition to surveys and focus group studies, the success of the initiatives was also confirmed in the form of a nearly 65-percent increase in walk-in attendance in 2008.

In an effort to continue its service to the community, the IHS will maintain regular public access to several of its spaces at the History Center during its interior renovation in 2009. Guests will still have access to the History Center’s parking lot, located on the north side of the building, and can follow signage pointing to the alternate entrance.

The William Henry Smith Memorial Library  operating hours will continue to be Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Frank and Katrina Basile Theater will again host the performances of its arts partners and some IHS-related programs beginning in the fall of 2009. Various class and meeting rooms will also be accessible for rent – a schedule of space availability can be obtained through the IHS Special Events Department.

In order to prepare the History Center for the introduction of the Indiana Experience, the IHS has closed other parts of the History Center in 2009. These include:

  • Stardust Terrace Café
  • Basile History Market
  • Eli Lilly Hall
  • All Exhibitions/Experiences Gallery Spaces

In December 2007, the IHS announced a five-year public campaign (2008-2012) to raise $23.8 million to create and deliver the Indiana Experience. To date, $10.7 million has been committed from individuals and foundations, and an additional $8 million is expected over the next four years through projected annual fund giving and additions to the IHS endowment through planned giving. Additional significant gifts are expected to follow, including local, state and national foundations, government grants, and major corporate contributions.

For information on how to support the mission of the Indiana Historical Society, including the Indiana Experience, call (317) 232-1882 or (800) 447-1830. Information is also available at http://www.indianahistory.org/. 

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Help

Submissions Requested for The History Tree Magazine for Children
The History Tree, a new history and genealogy magazine for children, is growing quickly!  We are now working with the Senior Archeologist of the Indiana DNR, Amy Johnson and the Hamilton County Historian, David Heighway, both of whom are writing for our first issue.

We have partnered with the Girl Scouts and we will be teaching a course on genealogy at a Girl Scout camp over the summer. We have also partnered with several nursing homes in the area to develop an "Adopt-a-Grandparent" program where children can be matched with a "grandparent." The children can spend time with their partner and learn about their life when they were growing up. The children can then write about their experience and submit their writing to The History Tree for possible publication. 

We're hoping to have a sample issue of our magazine out in June and our first full-length edition out in August, just in time for the new school year. 

We are still looking for submissions, especially from children, as well as any feedback anyone may have. Please visit http://www.thehistorytreeonline.com/ to learn more.

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Exhibits

2009 Exhibits at the History Center in Fort Wayne
The following exhibits will be held at the History Center located at 302 E. Berry St. in Fort Wayne.

  • Lincoln’s Treasurer: Hugh McCulloch of Fort Wayne
    This exhibit is currently on display through June 30 and shows how Fort Wayne native Hugh McCulloch shaped Abraham Lincoln’s presidency and legacy.
  • Three Rivers TRAIN Display
    This exhibit of the Three Rivers and Indiana Northern model railroad will be on display July 9 through 20 and includes an HO scale and fully operational freight yard.
  • Images of Native Americans: The Wannamaker Collection
    This exhibit will be on display July 15 through Aug. 10. Sponsored by WFWA PBS 39, WGBH, American Experience and We Shall Remain, this nationally-traveling exhibition from the Mathers Museum of World Cultures at Indiana University features stunning photographs of early 20th century Native Americans, drawn from an 8,000 piece photograph inventory featuring over 150 individual tribes. One of the world’s largest and most important collections of its type, The Wanamaker Collection is a one of a kind record and singular reflection of Native American lifeways shortly after the turn of the century. This display will be supplemented with local artifacts, images, and documents from the History Center’s collection to highlight the history and heritage of local Native American entities.

Admission to the History Center is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students and free for History Center members and children ages five and under.

For more information, call (260) 426-2882 or visit http://www.fwhistorycenter.com/.

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Job Opportunities

Local:

Director of the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum in Crawfordsville, Ind.
The General Lew Wallace Study and Museum is searching for a Director that is creative, dynamic and energized to plan and direct all museum activities and operations.

Situated in west central Indiana, the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum is approximately 60 minutes from Indianapolis and 3 hours from Chicago. The Museum houses the private study of Major General Lew Wallace, author of Ben-Hur, and contains items collected by Wallace during his life as author, soldier, statesman, artist and inventor. The Museum was honored in 2008 with the prestigious National Medal for Museum and Library Service awarded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, one of only five winners in the nation.

The new Director will be expected to work successfully in a team-based environment with three staff members and a large volunteer base. Strong networking skills as well as honed interpersonal and communication skills are required for success. The new Director will proactively cultivate high-level donors and develop key relationships with current and potential individual, corporate and government supporters to ensure the Museum’s financial wellness as well as explore and apply for grant opportunities. The successful candidate will implement the strategic initiatives as outlined by the Board of Trustees recently adopted five-year plan that will continue to advance the Museum’s position as a vibrant and integral institution of national distinction. The position has a dual reporting responsibility to the Board of Trustees of the Lew Wallace Study Preservation Society and the Director of the Parks and Recreation Department of the City of Crawfordsville.

Education requirements: Master’s degree in Museum Studies, Public History, History, Art History, Anthropology or related field. A Bachelor’s degree with relevant experience will also be considered.

The salary range is $33,150 to $37,142 per year.

To apply, send cover letter, resume, references and a writing sample to:
Search Committee
General Lew Wallace Study and Museum
P.O. Box 662
200 Wallace Ave.
Crawfordsville, IN 47933

Electronic applications and submissions will not be accepted. This posting will close on May 15, 2009.

For more information about the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum, please visit http://www.ben-hur.com/.


National:

Assistant Registrar at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix, Ariz.
MIM seeks a highly motivated individual to fill the position of Assistant Registrar. The Assistant Registrar will participate in all aspects of registration and collections management activities for MIM as it builds an outstanding collection of musical instruments. This position will report to the Registrar and work closely with staff in MIM departments, including Conservation, Curatorial, Exhibits, Education, Operations and Security.

The museum's new 190,000 square-foot building, currently under construction in north Phoenix, is scheduled to open to the public in 2010 and will contain approximately 75,000 square feet of gallery space. The collection and offices are located in Tempe, Ariz., while the museum building is under construction.

The Assistant Registrar is a full-time position and includes benefits. It is a term position of 18 months with the possibility of extension. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

Primary Responsibilities:

  • Assist in the creation and maintenance of object, archival and audiovisual media collection records (manual and electronic), including acquisition, accession, provenance, condition, location and other records.
  • Input and update collection data into MIM's collection database, TMS, as needed. Provide and create database searches and reports as needed by all museum departments. Assist with general museum-wide support for TMS users as needed.
  • Work with the Registrar to manage all logistics and paperwork for loans (loan agreements; receipts; object checklists; object condition reports; crate and packing lists; packing, crating and transportation logistics; and courier documents).
  • Working closely with Conservation, assist with the handling, packing and inspection of all objects entering or leaving the museum; inspect condition of museum objects; assist in collections inventories.
  • Assist in the routine care and maintenance of galleries and object storage areas, ensuring the security of collections, monitoring environmental conditions in permanent storage and galleries, and making storage mounts.
  • Assist with the planning and executing of the movement of the collection to MIM's permanent facility and the installation of exhibits in the new building.
  • Arrange access to the collection for MIM staff and visiting scholars. Respond to research inquiries and other requests from institutions and the public.
  • Supervise the work of volunteers and student assistants as needed.
  • Manage and assist in selected special projects and performs other related duties, as assigned.

Qualifications:

  • B.A. in Anthropology, Museum Studies, or related field with a minimum of 3 years experience, OR Master's Degree in Museum Studies with 1 year of internship or practical experience.
  • Knowledge of accepted museum registration, collection management, and loan practices and procedures, as well as legal and ethical issues.
  • Experience with collection management databases, cataloging standards and controlled vocabularies.  Familiarity with TMS is preferred, but not required.
  • Must be technically literate, including experience with digital photography and the processing and management of digital media.
  • Ability to problem solve, work independently and excel in a high performance, team-oriented culture.
  • Strong writing and collaborative interpersonal skills.
  • Some travel may be required.
  • Ability to lift 50 pounds and climb a step ladder.
  • Valid driver's license.

To Apply:
Identifying a candidate for this position is a priority for MIM, therefore applications will be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled. Candidates available for preliminary interviews at AAM should indicate this in their application.

Submit a letter of interest, CV and contact information for three professional references to:
Sharon Aponte Misdea
Registrar
Musical Instrument Museum
1219 W. Geneva Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85282

Or e-mail application materials to sharon.misdea@themim.org.


Collections Manager at a Private Museum in Phoenix, Ariz.
The highly diverse collections consist of 6,000 objects ranging from ancient to contemporary art in all mediums. The most significant areas represented are ancient and historic art of the Americas and historic jewelry of India. Textiles comprise about half the total number of objects.

The Collections Manager will complete a physical inventory and photographic documentation of the collections. In addition he/she will consolidate and add data to the existing database. Other responsibilities will include object research and processing of acquisitions and loans.

Applicants should have a minimum of three years experience in collections management and preservation practices and a degree in Museum Studies or a related field. The Collections Manager must be proficient in current registration practices, cataloging standards and the TMS data management system as a System Administrator. He/she must have strong photography and computer skills. Familiarity with cultures of Latin America and/or India and a reading knowledge of Spanish would be helpful. The successful candidate will be a hands-on self starter, eager to expand his/her horizons and happy to work alone.

Salary and benefits will be commensurate with qualifications. 

Please e-mail cover letter, resume and contact information to LMUSEUM@cox.net.

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On the Internet

It's Fitting for TinCaps to Honor Historic Figure in the Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette
Todd Maxwell Pelfrey's article about Johnny Appleseed and the Fort Wayne TinCaps was published in the April 15, 2009 issue of the Journal-Gazette. Pelfrey is the executive director of the History Center in Fort Wayne.

To view the article, please visit http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009304159921.


Museums and the Web 2009 Best of the Web Award Winners

For more information about the awards, visit
http://www.archimuse.com/mw2009/best/.

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Note from the Editor:

Do you know someone who might want to receive Communique Online? Anyone may join the mailing list by e-mailing col@indianahistory.org.

If your historical organization, genealogical society or museum has changed its address or phone number in the past six months, please send the updated information to Coordinator, Local History Services, at the above e-mail, or Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Communique Online is provided for the benefit of local historical societies and museums throughout Indiana. It is e-mailed to a subscriber list maintained by the Local History Services department of the Indiana Historical Society.

Anyone may subscribe. This is a free publication.

To be added or removed from the mailing list, simply e-mail col@indianahistory.org or call toll free (800) IHS-1830.

News releases from local societies are welcomed and may be faxed to (317) 234-0427, e-mailed to the above address or mailed to Local History Services, Indiana Historical Society, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Please visit the IHS Local History Services Web site at www.indianahistory.org/LHS.