Online Museum Classes from NSCC
The following online short classes will be offered in September from Museumclasses.org.

• MS107a: Introduction to Museum Security
  Oct. 5 through Oct 30
• MS243: Making Museum Quality Mannequins
  Oct. 5 through Oct 30
• MS108: Fundamentals of Museum Volunteer Programs
  Oct. 5 through Oct 30
• MS224: Care of Leather and Skin Materials
  Oct. 5 through Oct 30
• MS210: Integrated Pest Management for Museums, Libraries and Archives
  Oct. 5 through Nov. 13
• MS106: Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation
  Oct. 5 through Nov. 13
• MS222: Care of Photographs
  Oct. 5 through Nov. 27
• MS209: Collections Management Policies for Museums and Related Institutions
  Oct. 12 through Dec 18
• MS010: Condition Assessments (short course)
  Oct. 12 through 16
• MS214: Collection Management Databases
  Oct. 19 through Nov. 13

The cost for each class is $475, except for MS010: Condition Assessments which is $95.
For more information or to register, please visit http://www.museumclasses.org/.

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

Annual Civil War Symposium
Saturday, Oct. 3, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
First Division Museum at Cantigny, 1s151 Winfield Rd., Wheaton, Ill.
$40 per person, $20 for teachers and round table members, and $10 for senior citizens (60+), students with valid ID, veterans and active duty military

Join noted Civil War historians Craig Symonds, John Marszalek and Paul Finkelman as they discuss notable events and personalities of the Civil War including Abraham Lincoln and John Brown. Tour a Civil War encampment; meet Abraham Lincoln; hear a cannon's roar; spend some quality time doing period activities with your children; see a realistic Civil War surgeon's operating tent; watch the First Infantry Division's mounted color guard in action, or just tour the magnificent museum and grounds at Cantigny. Teachers can earn continuing education credits for attending.

For registration information, visit http://www.archives.gov/great-lakes/public/programs/calendar.html or call (773) 948-9001.

Additional information on the First Division Museum at Cantigny, including travel directions, can be found at http://www.firstdivisionmuseum.org/about/directions.aspx.

Programs at the Indiana State Library
These programs are free to the public and will be offered at the Indiana State Library, 140 N. Senate Ave., Indianapolis.

• Military Records
  Saturday, Oct. 3, 10 to 11 a.m.
  Indiana Author’s Room
  
  Get an overview of military records in the Indiana State Archives from the Territorial Period to the Present.
  
  
• Using City Directories to Locate a Family Member
  Monday, Oct. 5, 11 a.m. to noon
  Indiana Author’s Room
  
  Learn how city directories can help your genealogy research.  Find homeowners by name or address, year by year.
   
  
• Family History Tour
  Tuesday, Oct. 6, 9:30 to 11 a.m.
  
  Learn where different family history resources are located on the first and second floors of the Indiana State Library.
  
  
• Genealogy for Beginners                                                                                          
  Tuesday, Oct. 6, 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
  History Reference Room
  
  Get an introduction to the beginning elements of genealogy research and overview of the basic documents and resources used in tracing your family tree. 
  
  
• A Century of Wedded Bliss: Indiana Marriage Laws 1791-1891
  Thursday, Oct. 8, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
  History Reference Room
  
  Take a close look at the changes in the age of consent restrictions, residency requirements, and other factors of the legislative rules and regulations governing marriage in the State of Indiana.

These programs require no registration. For more details, call (317) 232-3675 or visit http://www.in.gov/library/3632.htm.

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SMAC Fellowship for the International Registrars Symposium
The Small Museum Administrators' Committee of the American Association of Museums is offering one fellowship to the 3rd International Registrars Symposium in Chicago, Nov. 6 through 8. The award will include registration plus $300 to assist with the cost of travel and hotel. The cost of registration has been graciously underwritten by Atelier 4 Inc.
Applicants must be current SMAC-AAM members and be a full-time paid or unpaid employee of a museum with a budget of $350,000 or less.

To apply, submit a letter (no more than 2 pages) discussing your current responsibilities, activities (previous workshops, conferences, professional service) and career goals. Please indicate how attendance at the IRS3 conference will benefit you and your museum, as well as how you will share what you learn with other small museums in your area. Please include a resume, proof of museum's budget size and a letter of support from your institution (i.e. board member, executive director). Make sure your letter includes a contact address, e-mail and telephone number.

Mail your application postmarked by Oct. 15 to Janice Klein, 1103 E. Redondo Cir., Tempe, AZ 85282. The fellowship award will be announced and notification sent out by Oct. 23.   
For more information contact Janice Klein, SMAC-AAM Fellowship Chair, jkhm@mindspring.com.

For additional information about the Symposium visit the Registrar’s Committee Web site (http://www.rcaam.org/) and click on "IRS3."

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Call for the IHS Speakers Bureau
Have you heard a great speaker on a topic of Indiana history lately?  Are YOU a great speaker about Hoosier heritage? 

The Local History Services department of the Indiana Historical Society seeks to update its listing of over 60 speakers with YOUR help.

The Speakers Bureau 2009 (currently available on the Local History Services page of the IHS Web site) is provided as a service to the various groups and organizations throughout Indiana that are seeking program topics with an historical flavor. The listing in the PDF (Adobe Acrobat) format is updated periodically, and a new edition will appear in January 2010. 

Each speaker’s listing provides contact and basic information about the content, format and cost of programs offered.  We also provide a content and format index to the programs listed in Speakers Bureau, so that organizations can find speakers who meet their needs, whether they are looking for a children’s program on Mary Todd Lincoln or an annual dinner speaker on John Bushemi, the WWII photographer from Gary.

If you would like to recommend a speaker or list your own programs, please contact Stacy Klingler, assistant director of Local History Services at (317) 233-3110 or sklingler@indianahistory.org by Nov. 1, 2009.

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Traveling Exhibit Cases Wanted
The Indiana Lincoln Highway Association is in need of traveling exhibit cases for exhibit photo and text panels. The organization would like to obtain used cases with wheels. If you have cases, please contact Jan Shupert-Arick at (260) 471-5670 or at janshupert@yahoo.com.

Museums and Social Media Technology Survey
Rose Sherman, Director of Enterprise Technology at the Minnesota Historical Society, is interested in learning how other museums and cultural institutions are engaging their communities through social media technologies. Contribute to benchmark data by completing this survey about what types of social media are being used by museums, how much time is spent on it and who in the organization manages this engagement. This survey should take less than 15 minutes to complete.

Visit http://bit.ly/MuseumSurvey.

If you are interested in receiving a copy of the survey results, please provide your e-mail address.

For more information, contact rose.sherman@mnhs.org.

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Indiana Humanities Council Announces $10,584 in Grants to Six Nonprofits
The Indiana Humanities Council awarded grants of up to $2,000 to six nonprofit organizations in Indiana for projects that provide the public with a hands-on humanities experience. The grants will fund a variety of events and exhibits, including student-written radio segments on Indiana history, a lecture discussing healthcare reform, a play for students of all ages and an exhibit on Victorian frugality. The Humanities Initiative Grantees are:

• Art in the Public Sphere; Sheldon Swope Art Museum, Inc., Terre Haute, Ind. ($2,000)
• Coming Together, Then and Now: A Story of Two Unsung Heroes; Purdue University Calumet, Hammond, Ind. ($1,300)
• Ethical and Social Issues in Comparative Effectiveness Research; Indiana University, Indianapolis ($1,300)
• Hands-On History: Experiential Learning at the Elkhart Co. Historical Museum; Elkhart County Historical Society, Inc., Bristol, Ind. ($2,000)
• A Moment of Indiana History; Indiana University (WFIU), Bloomington, Ind. ($1,984)
• Naturally, Victorian! Fashionable, Frugal Living for Modern Times; Historic LandmarksFoundation of Indiana, Indianapolis ($2,000)

The Indiana Humanities Council will announce its 2010 grant program in early November.
For more information on the projects, visit http://www.indianahumanities.org/Grants/humin09.htm.

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Etcher of the Dunes: The Life and Work of Earl H. Reed Exhibit at the Westchester Township History Museum
Oct. 1 through Nov. 27
Westchester Township History Museum, 700 W. Porter Ave., Chesterton

Earl Reed is credited with being the first artist to popularize the Indiana Dunes. He first visited the Dunes in the 1890’s and was inspired by them to create beautiful etchings using sweeping lines, trees, and birds to illustrate the play of wind, sand and sky across the sand hills of the Lake Michigan shoreline. He was also an author and illustrator and produced The Voices of the Dunes and several other books celebrating the people and beauty of the Dunes.

The exhibit, which will run through Nov. 27,  contains 36 of Reed’s etchings as well as copies of his books and an exhibit of etching tools and photos of the etching process loaned by Stephanie Carnell.

Jane Walsh-Brown, Curator of the Westchester Township History Museum, designed and wrote the exhibit with the research assistance of Eva Hopkins. Museum staff members Bill Corrigan, Joan Costello, LuAnne DePriest, and Tory Duhamell provided additional assistance.

The exhibit includes artwork owned by the Museum as well as pieces borrowed from the Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University, the Save the Dunes Council and five private collectors.

The museum, which is an educational service of Westchester Public Library, is open free of charge Wednesday through Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. or by appointment. For more information, call the Museum at (219) 983-9715.

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Auto Indiana: Celebrating the Automobile in Indiana at the Nettle Creek Valley Museum in Hagerstown
From Elwood Haynes's early machine to today's numerous parts manufacturers, this exhibition examines the role of the automobile in the Hoosier state. Indiana was one of the leaders in automobile production until the 1930s when Detroit emerged as the nation's technological and industrial giant. Eighty-eight Indiana cities and towns have either had automobiles manufactured or assembled in their communities, and approximately 523 automobiles, trucks, motor-cycles, and cyclecars can claim Indiana production or assemblage. The exhibit focuses on such topics as Haynes's life and career as an inventor in Kokomo, an early assembly line at the Revere Motor Car Corporation plant in Logansport, samples of the Studebaker Corporation's advertising literature, and the automobile's effects – both positive and negative – on society.

This traveling exhibit is on loan from the Indiana Historical Society. For more information about the IHS traveling exhibit program, go to www.indianahistory.org/LHS and click on "Traveling Exhibition."

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Local

Executive Director at Grouseland in Vincennes
Grouseland, a Presidential home and National Historic Landmark, seeks an energetic and experienced Executive Director to assure a successful future.  The Board of the Grouseland Foundation has recently completed a long range strategic planning process and the right candidate will have specific expertise in implementing and directing successful fundraising and capital campaigns. 

The Executive Director reports directly to the Board of the Grouseland Foundation and is responsible for overall management, operations, sustainability and implementation of policies for the house.  He/she is the representative of Grouseland in the community and will play an integral role in all marketing and public relations efforts for the advancement of Grouseland.

Experience And Qualifications: Minimum of five years of demonstrated leadership experience in directorial or managerial positions, preferably in the non-profit arena; a capacity for developing and sustaining relationships in the community; talent and enthusiasm for outreach, fundraising, education and team-building; a genuine understanding and appreciation for Grouseland Foundation’s mission; college degree in a related field, i.e., historic preservation, non-profit management, etc.

Position Responsibilities: Fundraising; community involvement; administration and operations; financial management; attend meetings of and report to the Grouseland Foundation Board.

Compensation commensurate with experience and benefits are provided.

Qualified candidates should submit their resume along with contact information for three professional references to: Grouseland Foundation, ATTN: Search Committee, P.O. Box 1262, Vincennes, IN 47591. Applications must be received by Oct. 9, 2009.

For more information about the site, visit http://www.grouselandfoundation.org/.

Regional

Curator I, Faculty Services at the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio
The Curator I is responsible for identifying society collections related to Teaching American History grant seminars, working with educators to select primary sources for lessons plans, working with project partners to plan seminars and field trips, providing training to educators on using primary sources, presenting workshops on researching OHS collections, digitizing and describing primary sources, presenting workshops on researching OHS collections, digitizing and describing primary sources for online access, bringing appropriate OHS resources to participating classrooms and providing reference service to educators.

For a full job description, visit http://www.ohiohistory.org/about/jobs/092409.html.

Please submit a resume and cover letter to:
The Ohio Historical Society
Human Resources Department
1982 Velma Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211-2497
Fax: (614) 297-2293
E-mail: applicant@ohiohistory.org

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Forgotten Tales of Indiana by Keven McQueen
Author Keven McQueen recalls a time when skunk farms, which allegedly produced a cure for rheumatism, were speckled throughout the countryside and a miserable woman tied her husband to a fence post, coated him with salt and intended to let the cows “lick him to death.” Meet the King of the Ghouls – an accomplished grave robber and notorious murderer – and a man so convinced he was an ox that he often joined neighborhood cattle for a bite of grass. Discover ghosts, monsters, giant skeletons and more in this collection of outlandish tales from the Hoosier State.

For more information, visit http://www.thehistorypress.net/.

Forgotten Hoosiers by Fred D. Cavinder
Vowing to overcome the sin of seriousness, Indiana-born humorist Don Herold lived up to his promise. Gifted with a droll sense of humor and a vivid imagination, he was one of the most widely read, if least remembered, Hoosiers. In Forgotten Hoosiers, journalist Fred D. Cavinder presents a collection of biographical sketches charting the lives of noteworthy Hoosiers who have been overlooked, as well as acclaimed figures whose Hoosier origins have been obscured. From Harland David Sanders, the pioneering Kentucky colonel who developed the world-famous chicken franchise, to Samuel G. Woodfill, whom many have called the greatest hero of World War I, Hoosiers – both known and unknown – have continued to make their marks across the country and the world.

For more information, visit http://www.thehistorypress.net/.

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Kentucky Derby Museum Flood Blog
The Kentucky Derby Museum suffered major flood damage in August. Their Web site includes a blog documenting the damage and progress as well as Flickr photos. This is a good example of turning a major negative event into a social marketing opportunity.

Visit http://www.derbymuseum.org/.

How to Build a Museum Exhibit in an Hour
Morrison County Historical Society in Little Falls, Minn., has created a succinct how-to with illustrations on museum exhibits.

Visit http://morrisoncountyhistory.org/?page_id=1449.

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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 organizations, 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.