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COMMUNIQUE
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07/20/2007
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Table of Contents:
1. TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES AND CONFERENCES
Digitizing Oral Histories
2. PROGRAMS
Civil War Day at the IHS
Dick Wolfsie at the
“The Age of
3. FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
Smithsonian Offers Fellowships in Museum Practice
4. EXHIBITS
“Juxtaposition: Frank Lloyd Wright's SAMARA in Victoriana”
Community & the Arts: Craine House Awareness
Seegar Family Exhibit at Greentown Historical Society
5. TRAVELING
EXHIBITS
6. ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE NEWS
Restored Logs Return, Boxley Cabin to be Reassembled
7. PEOPLE IN THE
NEWS
8. CALL FOR PAPERS
9. JOB
OPPORTUNITIES
Archivist,
Development Director,
Registrar,
Curator of Interpretation and Collections, Wisconsin Historical Society (WHS),
Villa Louis Historic Site,
Prairie
Museum Program Specialist,
10. ON THE INTERNET
___________________________________________________________________________
1. TRAINING
OPPORTUNITIES AND CONFERENCES
Digitizing Oral
Histories
The Ball State
University Libraries will host a one-day conference on digitizing oral
histories on September 20. The purpose of this conference is to engage in
discussion and exploration of issues involved in the digitization of an
important element of preserving history: the voices of the past as recorded in
oral histories.
Key issues to be
discussed
The conference is
intended to help archivists, librarians and other information professionals
move forward in the digital age. For more information about the conference
schedule and costs and to register online, go to www.bsu.edu/library/conference/oralhistory
or contact John Straw, conference chair, at JStraw@bsu.edu.
___________________________________________________________________________
2. PROGRAMS
Please confirm
events specifics with sponsoring organization, especially if traveling any
distance
History Camp in
Learn about historical time periods from pre-1750 to present at History Camp in
Johnson County July 23-27. At this week-long, half-day camp, children will
participate in craft activities and games and learn about life as a pioneer,
Native American, Civil War soldier and more! Participants must have recently
completed the 3rd or 4th grade. Cost is $40 for members of the
_________________________
Genealogy for Night Owls at
Late night
genealogy at the museum! The Genealogy Section of the Fulton County Historical
Society has scheduled a special "Genealogy for Night Owls" at the
museum July 27. It will begin at 7:30 p.m. with Peggy Reen of the 17th-century
Colonial Dames and Daughters of the American Revolution telling how to find
your colonial ancestors. This will be followed by time for research in the
Tetzlaff Reference Room in the museum and the opportunity to use the computers.
Melinda Clinger, museum director, subscribes to Ancestry.com and will show
participants how to use it. Closing time will be midnight.
Bring your
notebooks, photos, cameras, laptop computers, scanners and family files. Snacks
and drinks will be available. The museum is air-conditioned,
handicapped-accessible and has ample parking.
For more
information, call 574-223-4436.
_________________________
Late Night
Genealogy: Taking Care of Loose Ends at
The Genealogy and
Local History Library of the
Call The Johnson
County Museum of History at 317-346-4500 for more information and to register
for the genealogist on call.
_________________________
Max Fitzpatrick,
Johnson County Historian, announces the first session of "Talk
Shoppe" on August 3, from 9:30-11:30 a.m. at the Johnson County Museum of
History,
Civil
War Day at the IHS
Come to the
Cost: $2 per participant with advance registration; $3 per walk-in participant
. For more information or to register, please call 317-232-1882
_________________________
Dick Wolfsie at the
The
From 5-6 p.m., the
sounds of the Provine Jazz Trio will accompany conversation over drinks from
the cash bar and the silent auction. Organized by Steve & Laura Stamper,
the auction will feature several pieces of Peeler pottery, items of local
historical interest and lots surprises. Dinner at 6 p.m. will be followed by
the annual membership meeting highlighting the museum’s achievements, electing
a new board and approving by-law changes. At 7 p.m., Dick Wolfsie will delight
the audience with stories of the quirky, the offbeat and the unusual from his
travels documented in "Indiana Curiosities," the 300 most
off-the-wall people and places in
Contact the museum
at 765-653-8419 or museum@co.putnam.in.us by July 27 to
reserve a seat for this great evening of food & fun!
The
_________________________
Discover where
Abraham Lincoln lived and worked on this three-day tour to
Registration for
members of Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana members $599 per
person/double occupancy and $699 per person/single occupancy; non-members add
$20. Contact Deb Slater for reservations or more information at 317-639-4534,
800-450-4534 or statetours@historiclandmarks.org.
_________________________
“The Age of
“The Age of
Lincoln” is a provocative, original history of the five decades that pivoted
around the presidency of Abraham Lincoln. One Saturday, September 15, at 11
a.m. in the Newberry Library in
“The Age of
Lincoln” will be for sale in the Newberry Library's A.C. McClurg Bookstore. A
book signing will follow the talk. Admission is free. No reservation is
required.
___________________________________________________________________________
3. FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES
Smithsonian Offers
Fellowships in Museum Practice
Access to new
research and best practices is recognized as an important force in increasing
workplace effectiveness and standards, yet often new scholarship is not widely
available or presented in formats useful to the needs of the field. To
bridge the gap between theory and practice, decision-makers and practitioners
need information delivered in ways that meet the demands of the contemporary
workplace.
The Smithsonian's
Fellowships in Museum Practice (FMP) program provides a means for addressing
the information and learning needs of the museum profession. The program
offers museum researchers, practitioners and training providers a stimulating
environment in which to examine an idea or practice, and to reflect on and
share that information with colleagues. A fellowship gives experienced
professionals time to step back from the daily routine and think in-depth about
an aspect of their work from a broader and different framework, and then to
consider how to apply that research to the practical concerns of institutions.
The long- term goals of the program are to foster innovative scholarship and
expand the body of knowledge for museum practitioners to draw upon as they
confront contemporary issues.
Fellowships are
awarded in all subject areas of museum theory and operations. Preference
is given to studies that address the new roles and challenges of the 21st
century environment. Examples of possible topics include learning in
museums, program assessment, cultural and intellectual diversity, and
employment practices.
Fellows are expected
to produce a document reflecting their work during the fellowship and to
participate in forum discussions. Dissemination can be through a variety of
formats such as journal articles, books, lectures, case studies, instructional
materials, literature reviews and web sites.
The Award
One or more
fellowships is awarded annually for a period of up to 6 months. An award
consists of a stipend of $3,000 per month plus round-trip travel expenses
between the recipient's home and
On occasion the
program offers an award of merit to an applicant whose proposal is worthy of
further study but is not sufficiently structured to meet the Fellowships in
Museum Practice selection criteria. In these cases, the applicant may be
awarded funds to support the costs of a short-term professional visit to the
SI. Professional visits do not entitle a recipient to participation in SI
sponsored forums or obligate him/her to submit a report of findings.
The
Eligibility
The program is open
to mid- and senior-level museum personnel, researchers and training providers
who would like to enhance their ability to understand and act on a particular
topic of interest that is relevant to their work and to share those findings
and insights with the profession.
All disciplines and
functional areas of work in museums and allied cultural and educational
organizations are eligible to apply. Previous award recipients represent
a range of functional areas including administration, collections care and
study, and public programming.
To be considered
for funding, applicants must be employed by a not-for-profit (50l-C-3) cultural
or educational institution that deals directly with the public or be an
independent scholar. People who work in libraries and schools as well as
museums and cultural centers have received fellowships. International participation
is welcome. Participants must be fluent in spoken and written English.
Alumni include practitioners from
Not eligible are
requests for funds to support study in universities, colleges or continuing
education programs, certificate or graduate programs, material culture or
connoisseurship or that are part of an institutional project. Smithsonian
employees, current Smithsonian research associates, and individuals who perform
Smithsonian Institution service contracts are not eligible.
The Application
Process
Fellowships are
awarded through a competitive process. To be considered for a fellowship,
applicants should submit a concise proposal (7 pages maximum not including
resume or letters of recommendation) containing:
Letters of
reference should be sent directly via e-mail to fmp@si.edu or mailed separately to: Smithsonian
Institution, Fellowships in Museum Practice, MRC 508,
Prospective
applicants are encouraged to contact the Fellowships in Museum Practice program
(fmp@si.edu) prior to
the submission of a proposal for advice and guidance in developing a grant
request. This service is offered because we know the development of a
fellowship proposal requires significant expenditure of time and effort and
that the nature of the program may not be clearly understood by some
prospective applicants. Discussions early in the development process are
intended to discourage inappropriate applications and strengthen those that
have a likely prospect of funding. Preliminary inquiries are accepted up to one
month prior to the application deadline.
Proposals for
consideration should be submitted via email to fmp@si.edu or by fax 202-633-5489.
Email is preferred.
The deadline for submission is February 15. Receipt of proposals will be
acknowledged. Late arrivals or proposals that do not conform to the
requirements cannot be considered. Application materials cannot be returned. Do
not include printed materials describing your institution.
___________________________________________________________________________
4. EXHIBITS
“Juxtaposition:
Frank Lloyd Wright's SAMARA in Victoriana”
The Morris-Butler
is hosting "Juxtaposition: Frank Lloyd Wright's SAMARA in Victoriana"
now through September 29. Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) was born two years
after the Morris-Butler House was built. He grew up surrounded by the Victorian
architecture and ideals exemplified by the Old Northside landmark. One of the
world's most famous and influential designers, Wright developed a new, organic
approach to architecture and the American dwelling. Amid the Morris-Butler
collection of Victorian furniture and decor, Wright's style provides a fascinating
juxtaposition. The side-by-side display of Victorian furniture with pieces
Wright created for SAMARA, a Usonian home in
Please contact the
Morris-Butler House staff at 317-636-5409 or mbhouse@historiclandmarks.org
for reservations for groups of 10 or more people.
_________________________
Community & the
Arts: Craine House Awareness
The Dean Johnson
Galley in
Craine House is an
alternative sentencing program for non-violent females allowing them to serve
out their sentences while living with their pre-school aged children. They work
to empower women through development of life and parenting skills, academic
advancement and economic independence.
For more
information about the exhibit, go to www.dealjohnson.com or contact the gallery
at ccrist@deanjohnson.com or 317-634-8020. To learn more about Craine House,
visit www.crainehouse.org.
_________________________
Seegar Family
Exhibit at Greentown Historical Society
The Greentown
Historical Society will open a temporary exhibit August 3 featuring the Seegar
Family, a local family that found national fame on the opera stage and the big
screen. Three of the four Seeger sisters were in the entertainment business.
Dorothy performed as a singer and actor in light opera and stage productions.
Miriam acted in stage plays and film productions in
The exhibit will be
on display until November 30 and features the entire family, including the
eldest sister Helen, who did not have a career in entertainment. As part of the
exhibit celebration, David L. Smith, author of Hoosiers in
“From
The exhibit will be
on display through August 5. For more information, go to www.richmondartmuseum.org
or call (765) 966-0256.
_________________________
The
The
Sandy Skoglund has
participated in only one solo show in the state of
Skoglund is famous
for her elaborate room-sized installations and resulting Ciba-chrome
photographs, which present environments where everyday objects are combined
with unexpected elements to suggest the anxieties and dangers of contemporary
life.
The staged,
fantastical images typically present surreal situations in color-infused
environments such as a flood of orange-red foxes in a restaurant seen in “Fox
Games,” hundreds of brown eggs in a flesh-colored bathroom in “Walking on
Eggshells” and 1,000 mechanically choreographed glass dragonflies that flutter
in a background of ethereal blue in “Breathing Glass.” With their proliferation
of out-of-place objects, creatures and colors, Skoglund’s images open a
dialogue between the natural and the artificial as they blend photography,
sculpture and installation art.
In the course of
her career, Skoglund has participated in over 100 solo exhibitions and has had
her work featured in 64 public collections, namely the Metropolitan Museum of
Art, the Chicago Art Institute, the J. Paul Getty Museum, Centre Pompidou and
the Whitney Museum of American Art.
For more
information, call 260-434-7591 or visit www.sf.edu/art. The School of Creative Arts
(SOCA) is an accredited school by the National Association of Schools of Art
and Design (NASAD).
The
_________________________
The
Sisto's work has
been exhibited in
There will be an
opening reception for this exhibit on Friday, July 20, from 6-8 pm. Visitors
can enjoy refreshments, the sounds of the Jamey Aebersold Jazz Quartet and a
chance to meet the artist. Sponsored by the Carnegie Center, Inc., this event
is free and open to the public. Additional works by Penny Sisto will be on
display at The Gallery on
The
___________________________________________________________________________
5. TRAVELING
EXHIBITS
Correction: The "One Shot: The WWII Photography
of John A. Bushemi" traveling exhibit mentioned in last week's issue of
Communiqué Online is at the Tippecanoe County Public Library, 627 South Street
in Lafayette. Last week's issue incorrectly said the exhibit was at the
Tippecanoe County Historical Association.
___________________________________________________________________________
6. ORGANIZATIONS IN
THE NEWS
Sullivan County
Historical Society Receives Two Gifts
The Sullivan County
Historical Society received a $10,000 grant from the National Trust for
Historic Preservation, the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Fund for Historic Interiors
for the creation of a master plan for the renovation of the museum. In another
gift, Hoosier architect George Ridgeway, who served as the architect for
the renovation of the West Baden Springs Hotel, donated a new roof for the
museum.
_________________________
Restored Logs
Return, Boxley Cabin to be Reassembled
The work to
position restored logs and reassemble the cabin home of abolitionist George
Boxley on its original foundation at Pioneer Hill in Sheridan’s Veterans Park
starts July 17, according to the Sheridan Historical Society and restoration
contractor, Schwartz Construction, Geneva, Ind.
The 1828 landmark,
now on the National Register of Historic Places, represents a $90,900
reinvestment to recognize local heritage—a contract that launched Apr. 18. It
is expected to be complete by the end of September. The society is working with
the Indiana Department of Historic Preservation and Archaeology and the Town of
Sheridan, property owner.
Edgar Spear,
president of the Sheridan Historical Society who also serves as project manager
on the collaborative, said the Town of Sheridan is now in process of examining
the outbuildings from the Boxley frontier farm and will be installing a 24-hour
monitoring as part of a security system for the historic site.
The project has
been funded in part by a grant from the U.S. Department of the Interior,
National Park Service’s Historic Preservation Fund administered by the Indiana
Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and
Archaeology. The HPF grant provided $34,500 for Boxley cabin rehabilitation and
was matched by $30,000 in gifts and grants assembled by the Sheridan Historical
Society from the Stephenson Family Foundation; Efroymson Fund, A CICF Fund; and
the Hamilton County Convention & Visitors Bureau (HCCVB). The HCCVB
recently committed another $20,000 from the Hamilton County Destination Fund
2007 to the Boxley cabin restoration as part of the Town of Sheridan
collaborative that will perform feasibility study of three future adjacent
structures in Sheridan Veteran’s Park as well as Main Street
revitalization. Such plans funded by the Hamilton County Destination Fund
2007 will be vital to transform Sheridan into a heritage tourism destination.
George Boxley, a
native of Virginia, was alleged to have fomented a sabotaged slave rebellion in
Spotsylvania in 1816. He was jailed while others were hung or “sent
South” to greater cruelties. Boxley escaped jail, thanks to wife Hannah’s
clever smuggling of a spring saw that enabled him to carve a hole in the jail
wall and make his way to safer places. Those places were hard to find as
Boxley attempted to settle in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Missouri before carving
out his pioneer farm in the wilderness of Adams Township, Hamilton County,
Indiana. Born in Virginia in 1780, Boxley was both farmer and
schoolteacher in Indiana, a comfort to his neighbors, and a man of strong
libertarian opinions. Much before his time, he was among the first of
abolitionists who were outspoken to plantation owners. He beat the drum
early on behalf of anti-slavery as an inherent ethical right provided in the
United States Constitution. The Spotsylvania rebellion occurred 43 years
before John Brown’s famous raid at Harper’s Ferry. Never to return to Virginia
after the incident, Boxley often lamented his losses of the land he loved, a
great sacrifice for this former miller and retailer.
___________________________________________________________________________
7. PEOPLE IN THE
NEWS
Jeanne Abbott is acting as interim executive director of
the Scott County Heritage Center and Museum, and former youth volunteer Phillip
Dold is her assistant.
___________________________________________________________________________
8. CALL FOR PAPERS
Small Museum
Association 2008 Annual Conference Call for Papers
The
Small Museums Association (SMA) is planning its 24th Annual Conference in
Ocean City, Maryland, February 24-26, 2008. Every year, this conference
brings together more than 250 museum professionals from a wide range of
institutions, primarily from the Mid-Atlantic region-although our member
and attendee base has been steadily expanding. The conference aims to improve
professionalism within the community of small museums by providing a
unique and comfortable environment for individuals and institutions with
diverse experiences to meet and learn from each other. Conference
sessions typically provide practical, relevant discussions, and examples
for small museums and institutions with limited budgets.
This
year, the theme of Annual Conference will be the use of technology in
five broad areas, including fundraising, curating, education, museum
boards, and volunteers, which will allow attendees to concentrate on the
area that most suits the needs of their own work and that of their
museum. Technology in the world of museums is continually evolving-and is
continually changing museums themselves. Technology, however your museum
is currently using it, can open up a great many opportunities, from
improving the efficiency of
your
gift shop to updating your collections records to managing the business
that is your museum. The SMA wants to provide those associated with small
museums (volunteers, board members, interns, or staff) with the tools
needed to use technology to make their institutions even better and more
relevant than they already are.
We
invite proposals for sessions based on original research. Proposal topics
should in some way touch on the use of technology in all facets of museum
work, but especially in the five broad categories mentioned above (fundraising,
curating, education, museum boards, and volunteers). Possible session topics
include:
·
Planning and implementing a fundraising
event
·
Writing exciting exhibit labels
·
Working with your community
·
Starting up education programs
·
Managing and working with interns
·
Developing a well-run board of directors
·
Ethics in museum programming
There
will be sessions all day on Monday, February 25, and on the morning of
Tuesday, February 26, 2008.
Individuals
from the museum/historic preservation and related supporting communities
who would like to present at this dynamic and friendly conference are invited
to submit proposals to the address below by July 20, 2007; you will be
notified by August 31, 2007.
To
submit a session proposal, send your name; institution/organization/company;
your address; your phone number; your cell phone number; your email address;
your preferred session date Mon. (Feb. 25), Tues. (Feb. 26) or either; your
preferred session length of 60 min. or 90 min. ; the title of proposed
session; and a description of proposed session to Katherine H. Maas, SMA
Speakers Coordinator,
GW
Museum Studies Program, at KatherineMaas@gmail.com.
___________________________________________________________________________
9. JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Archivist, University of Illinois, Chicago
The University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) Library seeks an Archivist
to work with The HistoryMakers video oral history archive. This is a
specially-funded position, with a one-year appointment, renewable for a period
of up to three years. The incumbent will work primarily at The HistoryMakers
archive in Chicago and will report to both UIC’s Head of Special Collections
and to The HistoryMakers’s Executive Director.
JOB SUMMARY: The Archivist performs professional archivist, reference
and records management duties involved in the administration of The
HistoryMakers video oral history archive.
SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
ADDITIONAL DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS: Familiarity with the professional
standards and cataloging practices of the Association of Moving Images
Archivists and Oral History Association.
Salary/rank/contract: Salary is $55,000. This is a twelve-month
Academic/Professional appointment in the UIC Library; annual contract renewable
for up to three years; 24 vacation days; 12 days of annual sick leave with
additional disability benefits; 11 paid holidays; medical insurance (contribution
based on annual salary; coverage for dependents may be purchased); two dental
plans available; life insurance paid by the State; participation in one of the
retirement options of the Illinois State Universities Retirement System
compulsory (8% of salary is withheld and is tax exempt until withdrawal); no
Social Security coverage but Medicare payment required.
For fullest consideration, apply by August 10, with supporting resume
and the names and addresses of at least three references.
Contact Info: Annie Marie Ford, Director of Library Human Resources; The
University Library; The University of Illinois at Chicago;
Box 8198; Chicago, IL 60680; lib-hr@uic.edu; Fax: 312-413-0424.
_________________________
Development Director, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati, OH
The Contemporary Arts Center seeks an experienced, highly motivated
development director who will serve as the principal fundraising professional
of the CAC. The development director provides strategic development and
implementation for all major gifts from corporate, foundation and government
entities as well as all individual gifts and memberships, and will also
spearhead the ongoing endowment campaign for programs. The development director
participates as a member of the senior management team and will work closely
with the executive director, the president and board of directors to formulate
and meet CAC’s short and long-term fundraising objectives. This position provides
leadership and day-to-day management of the development staff.
This position will leverage recent success stories to continue to build
a provocative program for annual and endowment gifts based on stewardship,
strategy and advance planning. The development director will be responsible for
face-to-face cultivation and prospect research as well as for creating the
necessary proposals, reports, solicitation letters and development brochures.
Essential Functions
Requirements
TRAITS AND CHARACTERISTICS: The selected candidate will possess a strong
entrepreneurial spirit and exceptional supervisory skills, and should
demonstrate excellent managerial, interpersonal, organizational, analytical and
communication skills. CAC seeks someone with an optimistic orientation and “can
do” attitude who easily adapts to changing assignments as required. A
team-oriented individual with the ability to shape the big picture while
effectively implementing and following through on the many details that will
define an exceptional development department is essential. Experience in an
arts organization is strongly preferred.
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: Competitive salary, plus a comprehensive
benefits plan including medical, dental and vision insurance, vacation, sick
leave and holidays.
ABOUT THE CAC For more than six decades, the
APPLICATION PROCESS: By August 1, please send cover letter and resume
to: Contemporary Arts Center, Lois & Richard Rosenthal Center for
Contemporary Art, 44 East 6th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, Attn: Human
Resources. Also, application materials can be emailed to: hr@cacmail.org.
Please, no phone calls.
_________________________
Registrar,
The
Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in art history, cultural studies, fine arts,
collections management, museum studies or related field; M.A. art history
highly desirable, minimum 1 year related experience. Demonstrated knowledge and
proficiency in museum collections best practices; ability to work with a
variety of objects and materials; knowledge of conservation standards. Ability
to multitask with panache and actively collaborate with other staff. Ability to
climb ladders, to bend, stoop, and to lift up to 50 pounds.
Note: US residents only. Commensurate with education and experience.
For more information, contact Director Susan Talbot-Stanaway at
__________________
Curator of Interpretation and Collections, Wisconsin Historical Society
(WHS), Villa Louis Historic Site, Prairie
Introduction:
The Villa Louis Historic Site complex consists of 17 buildings located
on 25 acres along the
Job Duties: The Curator of Interpretation and Collections of the Villa
Louis historic site is a professional museum position with responsibility for
the interpretation program at the site, as well as the management and
maintenance of the extensive Villa collections. The curator oversees
limited-term employees (LTEs) in the area of interpretation and collections in
consultation with the Villa Louis Historic Site Director. The curator also
attends and organizes meetings and presentations for school children, members
of the public, donors and the Friends of the Villa Louis Incorporated.
Professional level work is performed under limited progressing to general
supervision of the Villa Louis Historic Site director.
Special Notes:
1. Well qualified applicants for this position would have either a
Bachelors or Masters degree in Museum Studies, Art History, Anthropology, Art,
History or Archives Management OR equivalent work experience.
2. A criminal background check will be conducted prior to an offer of
employment to determine if the circumstances of any conviction may be related
to the job.
3. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires employers to
hire only individuals who are eligible to work in the
Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: