There are plenty of Trails of History activities still to come this month; the April program page has the details.
The Trailheads post on April 6 highlighted the 100th anniversary of U.S. entry into World War I. I missed noting that, in addition to a full calendar of programming, the PA Military Museum has put together a temporary exhibit on the Boal Troop, which was organized and trained on the grounds now occupied by the museum. The Boal Troop saw service during the Mexican Border campaign in 1916 and in France during WWI. If you aren't able to get to the temporary exhibit, you'll find info on the Boal Troop on PMM's website; the troop will also be highlighted in the museum's new core exhibit currently under design.
Temporary exhibit on the Boal Troop (photo PA Military Museum)
Last week, Rob Coates of PHMC's Preservation Construction Field Services section shared with me a before-and-after photo of a project he and his crew recently completed. The Landis House privy (at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum) was in bad shape. Rob and crew "removed the structure and transported it back to Daniel Boone Homestead, completed a total restoration of the structure, then returned it to the site and placed it on a new foundation." The Field Services crew works on projects all over the Trails of History; their workshop at Daniel Boone Homestead allows them to keep projects moving forward during the winter, when the weather isn't cooperative.
Landis House privy before (L) and after (R) restoration (photo Rob Coates)
Drake Well Museum curator Sue Beates sent me some info on the latest appearance of images from the museum's collection in a major oil industry publication. The most recent issue of Connections (published by Oiltanking, an oil storage company founded in Hamburg, German) includes images from Tarr Farm and Tidioute. Sue reported that the oil droplets on the cover are heat-activated; they turned black after cooling down from the scanner/copier.
(Top) Historic images of oil industry from Drake Well collection (photo Sue Beates)
(Bottom) Cover of April issue of Connections magazine
Frequent Trailheads contributor Linda Bolla sent the following info from Erie last week: There’s a real energy on the [Erie Maritime Museum] Plaza as U.S. Brig Niagara’s crew works to prepare for up rig next week (subscribe to the ship's YouTube channel to watch the action). Also, Erie Harbor welcomed a semi-annual visit from a special U.S. Coast Guard vessel, which means sailing season is coming soon. USCGC Hollyhock tied up overnight at Dobbins Landing last Tuesday, April 11th, visiting Erie to tend to maintenance on floating buoys and other aids-to-navigation along our stretch of Lake Erie. This 225-foot Seagoing Buoy Tender’s primary missions are maintaining nearly 150 aids-to-navigation on the lower Great Lakes, search and rescue, environmental protection, and domestic ice-breaking. Little ice-breaking was done during this unusually mild winter on Lake Erie, and kayakers are already out on Misery Bay at Presque Isle, braving windy conditions to get a first look at nesting birds and wildlife emerging from winter naps.
USCGC Hollyhock docked at Dobbins Landing, Erie (photo Linda Bolla)
And I couldn't resist sharing this post of Niagara's crew training for the upcoming sailing season. It made me smile. Enjoy your weekend!
In the midst of working with Sean Adkins on last week's guest post about #AskAnArchivist, I missed the fact that it was the 400th Trailheads post since we started this blog in August of 2009. Whew.
I've adapted this week's post from material provided by David Dunn, chief of special projects for the Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums. Dave is overseeing a collections inventory at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum as part of PHMC's Collections Advancement Project (CAP).
Beginning in April of this year, the PHMC assigned David Dunn to lead a team for the Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums (BHSM) that would begin conducting a physical inventory of all collections spaces at the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum. The team will eventually consist of two full-time members, but for now Dunn is working with curators from the PHMC’s Collections Advancement Project (CAP) and volunteers that he is training to assist with the work [more on that later].
Over the course of several decades in the early 20th century, brothers Henry and George Landis assembled a massive and diverse collection of decorative arts, fine arts and agricultural implements and tools, which was turned over to the state in 1953 to be administered by PHMC as the Landis Valley Museum. In addition to the original Landis donation, for the next 60 years the Museum continued to selectively add items to the collection, bringing the estimated total of objects in the collection to approximately 150,000 items today. (Learn more about the history of Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum.)
The last complete physical inventory of the Landis Valley collection was conducted in 1983, although the site’s curators and other staff regularly conduct spot inventories of high-traffic buildings and public areas (in addition to their many other ongoing responsibilities caring for and exhibiting this large collection). The earlier inventory was recorded on paper forms, so updating and searching (activities we now take for granted with the advent of computer databases and spreadsheets) were extremely difficult, if not virtually impossible.
Project work began on the 3rd Floor Mezzanine of the Landis Collections Gallery (photo by Landis Valley curator Bruce Bomberger)
One of the first steps of the 2016 inventory project was to gather collections data (including digital images) and align it with PHMC collections management software (a new system is coming on line as we speak, so that created some challenges as well). With the existing data gathered and a map of the collections storage areas created, the physical inventory began in June, starting on the top level of the Landis Collections Gallery. Shelf by shelf, Dunn and various team members examine each object – one person calling out the accessions number, a brief description, measurements, and basic condition and the other recording the data on the laptop. If an object hasn’t already been photographed for the records, the caller or recorder also takes a digital image that is labeled with the object’s catalog number.
BHSM CAP curator Rachel Yerger assists David Dunn with inventory (photo by Bruce Bomberger)
Items inventoried as of late August included more than 400 pieces of late 19th- and early 20th-century office equipment, a carousel horse, and a variety of English ceramic forms including transfer printed hollowware, yellowware, mochaware, hotel china, Gaudy Dutch, and Gaudy Welsh collected by the Landis brothers at regional auctions over several decades.
The process is considerably more involved and time-consuming than we have space to convey here. If you’re interested in learning first-hand about the inventory process and have some free time during the week, you may want to offer your services as a volunteer. Contact David Dunn at dadunn@pa.gov or 717/569-0401, ext. 230, to discuss opportunities to support this important effort.
Volunteer Sharon O'Neal-Lehner assists as recorder for Landis Valley inventory
Earlier this week, a great bunch of people gathered at the Pennsylvania Military Museum (thank you for hosting!) to explore Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education as it relates to the work that museums and historic sites do. Thanks to Rhonda Newton of the Pennsylvania Heritage Foundation, the program included Sally Flaherty and David Bauman, curriculum advisors (Social Studies and Science Education, respectively) from the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), as well as Jill Whelan from Conner Prairie Interactive History Park (via Skype).
Connecting science, math, and history standards (photos by AKF)
Staff from all over the Trails of History participated in discussions about STEM and how much of what they already do in their programming touches on these disciplines. Flaherty and Bauman shared with us PDE's working definition: "STEM education is an intentional, integrative approach to teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Students become adept problem solvers, innovators, and inventors who are self-reliant by asking questions, investigating, making informed decisions about how they live their daily lives and engage in their vocations and communities." They also walked us through an exercise that showed the connections between academic standards for scientific and mathemtatics practice and academic standards for history, in terms of the kinds of intellectual frameworks and activities that engage students.
It struck me that "integrative approach to teaching" and "asking questions, investigating" also describe the best ways that museums and historic sites help students (of all ages) learn about the past and how it relates to their lives. Hmmmm.
Skyping with Jill Whelan at Conner Prairie
Whelan shared with us a bit about her experience working with front-line staff at Conner Prairie to help them be more comfortable talking with visitors about STEM. She also created a sample matrix that can be used to articulate the STEM concepts that are embedded in so many educational components and public programs at our historic sites, from cooking and food preservation, to gardening, to clothing, to transportation, to...you get my point.
Small group discussions
Perhaps the best part of the day (shhh, don't tell our bosses) was the small group and large group discussion at the end of the day, where long-time and newer colleagues talked about how to apply what we heard and about what we, as a group, can do next. It has been quite a while since we got this bunch together and it was invigorating to see the possibilities for sharing expertise across sites. Stay tuned.
Many thanks to Linda Bolla and Jennifer Rogers of the Erie Maritime Museum for their contributions to this post.
With the bicentennial of the Battle of Lake Erie coming up in September, Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara are happily looking forward to a big year. Happily, because they haven’t had time to get thoroughly exhausted yet, but I know they’re up to the challenge. At a press conference on Feb. 13, staff provided an update on plans for Tall Ships Erie 2013. This gathering of sailing vessels from all over the country promises to be even bigger than Tall Ships Erie 2010 (which was covered in a guest post here). Highmark is the title sponsor for the event, with additional partners signed on as sponsors for visiting ships. Mark your calendars for Sept. 5-8 and watch this space for more details. (If you’re interested in being a part of this major undertaking, volunteers are needed; click here for info.)
New volunteers about to tour the "winterized" Niagara (photo by John Baker)
If you’ve ever wanted to sign on for one of Niagara’s live aboard sailing school programs but couldn’t quite swing the tuition, you may be in luck. The Flagship Niagara League has just announced a three-year scholarship program funded by a generous bequest from Captain Arthur M. “Skipper” Kimberly, who passed away in 2011. Each applicant must complete appropriate paperwork and submit an essay on why he or she should receive a scholarship; awards will be made on the quality of the essay (assuming all other requirements are met). For the particulars, go here.
Photo of reproduction canal boat Queen of the West; the original was one of the first to reach Erie on the new canal
(photographed for Trailheads by Linda Bolla)
In addition to preparing for the bicentennial, the Museum is focusing attention on slightly more recent history with an exhibit on the Erie-Extension Canal, which opened in 1844. The Erie-Extension, part of Pennsylvania’s canal system but privately owned by the time it was completed, connected Lake Erie with Pittsburgh and commerce to the east and west. The canal basin at Erie helped to bring business to the city and spurred development of its harbor. The exhibit draws heavily from a private collection donated to the museum by attorney Elizabeth Malc-Dwyer, with additional items from the Hazel Kibler Memorial Museum’s collection and Erie Maritime Museum.
Malc-Dwyer’s interest in the Erie-Extension Canal was ignited when she discovered that the building in which her law office was located was on the bed of the old canal, at the site of the Sixth Street bridge. The exhibit, “The Erie-Extension Canal: Gateway to the Great Lakes,” will be on view through June and is included in regular Museum admission.
Detail of Bird's Eye View Map of Erie, 1870, showing Sixth Street Bridge (left)
(photographed for Trailheads by Linda Bolla)
Model of Sixth St. Bridge by William Miller
photo by John Baker
There’s so much listed here that I don’t want to bog things down, but I wanted to mention that PHMC sites are participating in the Blue Star Museums program, through which museums all over the country offer free regular admission to active duty service members and their families between Memorial Day and Labor Day. PHMC sites are proud to take part in this effort, and in fact, we welcome military families free of charge year round.
Anthracite Heritage Museum and Scranton Iron Furnaces June 1-3: Fire at the Furnace and Arts on Fire—TONIGHT is the Fire at the Furnace fundraiser at Scranton Iron Furnaces (here for details, you can get tickets at the door for a donation of $20). The Arts on Fire festival is on Saturday and Sunday, with industrial artists working in glass, metal, recycled materials, and clay (plus children’s activities, food, and music). Admission to the Arts on Fire festival is free.
Brandywine Battlefield June 7: Brandywine Battlefield Task Force public meeting—the BBTF is seeking public input on the Brandywine Battlefield Preservation Plan, which concerns an area beyond the boundaries of our Trails of History site. For more information on the planning to date or to register for the public meeting, go here. June 25-29: Summer History Camp for Grades 3-5—summer camp is held weekly through early August for different age groups. Check the website for details and to register.
Bushy Run Battlefield June 16: Lecture—Dr. Karen Kehoe, assistant professor of history at Saint Vincent College, is the speaker. Lecture (and general meeting) is free to members of the Bushy Run Battlefield Heritage Society; there is a $5 fee for non-members.
Conrad Weiser Homestead June 3: Colonial Craft and Demonstration Day—craft demonstrators will share the historical context, materials, and equipment of a variety of mid- to late-18th-century trades (some demonstrators will have items for sale).
Daniel Boone Homestead June 16: Evening on the Green—this program features fiddle music, tour guides in period dress, colonial era games and toys, old-fashioned ice cream making, and mead samples (go here for details).
Drake Well Museum June 13: Model T Reunion Tour—vintage cars from 1909 to 1926 will be on site as the Model T Reunion tour swings through the oil region. June 21: Summer Heritage Lecture Series—check the website for details. June 30: Blacksmith demonstrations—this is a recurring program offered the last Saturday of each month through October.
Eckley Miners’ Village June 16-17: Patch Town Days and Antique Car Show—the village comes to (19th-century) life with music, food, dramatic performances, dancers, and vendors both days. On Saturday only, there will also be a selection of antique cars on site.
Ephrata Cloister June 14, 21, 28 and July 5: Guide Training—are you interested in history and enjoy sharing your interest with others? Consider becoming a volunteer tour guide. No prior knowledge of Ephrata history is required. For more information, go here. June 17: Father’s Day—dads get in free today, and there are guided tours on the hour from 1 to 4 pm.
Erie Maritime Museum and Flagship Niagara June 1: TONIGHT, the US Navy Band will perform a free concert at 7 pm in Erie’s Liberty Park as part of the Perry 200 celebration. Park at the Erie Maritime Museum and take the shuttle. (As of Thursday afternoon, the concert was still on, with bad weather forecast to move out of Erie in the afternoon.) BAYFRONT CONVENTION CENTER; PARKING IS FREE. (Concert moved due to weather--go here for info.) The Navy Band will also perform briefly at tomorrow night’s Mariners Ball, but that’s sold out so this is your chance. June 5 and 18: Tune in to JEOPARDY these two nights (and again on a date in 2013 yet to be announced) for War of 1812 clues during the Double Jeopardy round. (Staff at Erie Maritime recently helped the Jeopardy Clue Crew—say that three times fast—with research for the 2013 clue. Hmm.)
Fort Pitt Museum June 9: Kids at the Fort—this month’s installment in the Summer Saturdays at the Fort series focuses on what life was like for children in 18th-century Pittsburgh. There will also be a book signing and talk by Brady Crytzer, author of Fort Pitt: A Frontier History.
Hope Lodge June 13: Outdoor Concert—the Ambler Symphony Orchestra will perform on the front lawn; bring lawn chairs, picnic suppers (if you like), and flashlights. Rain date is June 20. More info here.
Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum June 19-22: Summer Institute—celebrating its 56th anniversary, Institute offers a wide range of hands-on classes, lectures, tours, and evening events for adults (and summer camp activities for kids so the whole family can attend). Go here for a brochure. June 26: Hands-on History Days—chores, games, crafts, wagon rides, a one-room schoolhouse lesson, and more for kids of all ages ($10 per person, children 5 and younger get in free).
Old Economy Village June 2 and 16: Living History Days—the village will be alive with activity and demonstrations throughout the historic buildings. Start at the Visitor Center for tickets and info on the day’s events.
Pennsbury Manor June 3: Historic Trades—the blacksmith and the joyner will demonstrate their skills from 1 to 4 pm. June 8: Dine Around the Manor—a progressive dinner will take you to various buildings on the site; in-between you’ll find demos of 17th-century cooking and strolling musicians. End the evening in the Visitor Center with dessert, a basket raffle, and a live auction. Check here to see if tickets are still available. June 10: Living History Theater—“John and Mary Sotcher: May 1702” brings us up-to-date on William Penn’s steward and housekeeper, married last fall and currently responsible for taking care of Pennsbury while Penn is in England. June 17: Open Hearth Cooking—the cooks will be making cheese and other dairy recipes, and they’ll talk about the uses of milk in the 17th century. June 24: Garden Highlights—experience the glories of the summer garden, with lush fragrances and colors. (The Times of Trenton posted photos of May's garden program here.)
Pennsylvania Military Museum Weekends in June: T-Shirt Tour Weekends—wear an Armed Forces t-shirt any Saturday or Sunday and take part in a guided tour at 1 p.m. for only $4.00. June 6: "Belgium Under German Occupation During World War I"—speaker is Dr. Sophie de Schaepdrijver, associate professor of modern European history at Penn State, talking about the life, work, and remembrance of Gabrielle Petit, set against a backdrop of military occupation, secret intelligence networks, and divided postwar memories; part of the Friends of the PA Military Museum speaker series. June 14: Flag Day Celebration—State College Elks Lodge and local veterans organizations sponsor this annual Flag Day service and U.S. Flag Retirement Ceremony. If you have a U.S. flag that is no longer serviceable, bring it along for proper disposal.
Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania June 2-3: Norfolk Southern Days—this event will celebrate the 30th anniversary of Norfolk Southern and explore some of its predecessor railroads. Of particular interest will be the Pennsylvania Railroad heritage unit, a new locomotive with a traditional PRR tuscan red and gold paint scheme. Go here for more details about the event.
Robert Fulton Birthplace June 2: “Southern End” House and History Tour—the Southern Lancaster County Historical Society hosts its third annual house and history tour to benefit the Robert Fulton Birthplace in Quarryville (details here). Call 610/593-6989 for details and tickets.
Somerset Historical Center June 23: Exhibit opening—“Made in Somerset County” features some of the finest examples of local craftsmanship, including work by weavers, blacksmiths, coopers, cabinetmakers, gunsmiths, and more.
Included in site admission (free to members), the exhibit will continue into the fall.
State Museum of Pennsylvania June 9: 2nd Annual Fatherhood and Family Celebration—this program features speakers, dance classes, films, workshops and children’s activities. Free admission. June 15: 3rd in the Burg/Learn at Lunchtime—museum admission is free from 11 am to 1:30 pm, and there will be free tours at 12:15 and 1 pm. “Learn at Lunchtime” will continue every Friday through Aug. 31. June 16: Exhibit opening—“Art of the State,” the annual juried exhibition of Pennsylvania artists opens at 6:30 pm, with an awards ceremony at 7 (followed by a reception). June 20: Story Time in Curiosity Connection—free with museum admission, this children’s book program will be offered every Wednesday morning at 10 am through Aug. 1. ALSO, at noon on June 20, there will be a free lecture and book signing by Thomas J. McGuire, author of Stop the Revolution: America in the Summer of Independence and the Conference of Peace.
Warrior Run Church June 10: Strawberry Festival—the day before the event, volunteers start churning hundreds of gallons of ice cream and hulling mountains of local berries. Yum!
Washington Crossing Historic Park June 16: American Heritage Chocolate Program—offered in partnership with Mars Chocolate North America and fitting PHMC’s 2012 foodways theme, this program includes a lecture (with samples!) on the kinds of chocolate consumed in the American colonies and a lecture on 18th-century chocolate processing. Be still my heart.
I’m not usually too superstitious about Friday, the 13th (the day, not the movies, none of which I’ve ever seen, so I guess I’m not too concerned about them either...but I digress). We had one in January and we’ll have another in July, so this is not the year to start worrying about it. But, it did make me think for a moment about luck and feeling lucky or unlucky. I am lucky to write weekly posts for this blog (with an occasional break when a guest blogger sits in), which means I have a great excuse highly professional reason to keep up with activities on the Trails of History. I am unlucky, in that I don’t actually get out to experience as many of these activities as I’d like. So, I’m going to work on that. In the meantime, here are some odds and ends (in no particular order) that I picked up in the past week or two.
Daniel Boone Homestead’s Facebook page has photos of their recent Pennsylvania German Easter and Spring Nature Program. Plastic Easter eggs were “hidden” around the site, which encouraged kids and their families to explore the historic buildings and learn about crafts and trades of earlier times. (There are also some really cute photos of baby bunnies living on the site.)
The Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania has scheduled training sessions for museum volunteers on April 26 and April 28. Volunteers will learn about the museum’s long-range plans, practice fielding commonly asked visitor questions, and work on how to explain the exhibits and rolling stock to visitors. You must be a current volunteer of the museum to take part in the training, but it’s not too late to join the team. Go to the website here for more information.
Pennsbury Manor and Ephrata Cloister have recently upgraded or started museum blogs to share more information with visitors and potential visitors. You can find program information and behind-the-scenes details and provide feedback to site staff.
And finally, because I can't resist a good stop-action, time-lapse video:
Every year, I try to make it to a session of Ephrata Cloister’s Winter History Class if I possibly can. Since I’m immersed in PHMC’s 2012 foodways theme (The Land of Penn and Plenty), I went the day they were focusing on cooking and eating (have I mentioned that this is my favorite PHMC theme of all time?).
Some of you may be familiar with the Winter History Class. I don’t remember how many years it’s been going on but suffice it to say it’s a tradition. The content varies from year to year and includes overarching topics on the historical background and context of the community at Ephrata as well as very specific examinations of collections and material culture. The audience is a mix of volunteer guides, local historians, and members of the general public looking for intellectual enrichment (not to mention the array of goodies provided at the break).
So anyway. The day I attended there were two parts to the session. Site Administrator Elizabeth Bertheaud talked about 18th-century cooking techniques and implements, highlighting some of the differences and similarities between German traditions and English traditions. She also worked to dispel a few myths, particularly the one about lots of colonial women burning to death when their petticoats caught fire. Elizabeth and members of the audience talked about documentation of cooking-related accidents, pointing out that they made the newspaper or were recorded in someone’s diary or letters because they were noteworthy occurrences, not everyday events. There was also some useful discussion about ways to interpret cooking at the site and ways to help visitors (especially young ones) compare and contrast the familiar with the historical. (Note: Elizabeth will be demonstrating 18th-century cooking at Ephrata on Mother’s Day.)
For the second part of the session, Museum Educator Michael Showalter presented a very informative review of what is, and what is not, known about the eating habits of the community members at Ephrata. Michael paid particular attention to the various research sources that contribute to forming a complex and evolving picture of the community’s foodways—writings by founder Conrad Beissel and other leaders; descriptions by visitors from different time periods; archaeological excavations; and the surviving architecture. He talked about the theological underpinnings of the celibate brothers’ and sisters’ restricted diet. He talked about the diet that Conrad Beissel prescribed for singers. And he talked about the fact we can’t be sure just how closely these directives were followed. Sometimes research reveals more questions than answers—isn’t that why we study history? There were also lots of good questions and comments from the audience, which included Susan Kelleher and Tom Martin from nearby Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum.
I’ve been attending meetings and programs at Ephrata for more than 17 years now, and I always learn something new. If you haven’t visited (or haven’t been there in a while), I think you’ll find it an eye-opener.
Continuing our look at educational opportunities, this week's guest blogger is Joe Lauver of the PHMC's Division of Architecture and Preservation. The hiring period for these apprenticeships ends April 30, so don't wait.
Apprentices are instructed intraditional joinery techniques at the apprentice training workshop hosted at Daniel Boone Homestead
Become part of a large and growing sector of the construction industry preserving Pennsylvania’s treasured historic buildings.
PHMC is sponsoring its 7th annual summer apprenticeship program to introduce students and recent graduates of post-secondary trade schools, technical colleges and other training programs, and others with building trades experience to the preservation and traditional building trades needed to preserve Pennsylvania’s historic places. PHMC and several partner organizations and companies will be offering paid apprentice positions for 12 weeks in the summer of 2012 at locations throughout Pennsylvania. The apprenticeships will include a free training program with an introductory one-day seminar in historic preservation and two days of hands-on training by master craftsmen in various preservation and traditional trade skills. More information on the program, including a list of apprenticeship locations, can be found here.
This week’s guest blogger is Lee Price, Director of Development at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) in Philadelphia. CCAHA, in partnership with PHMC, the PA Federation of Museums and Historical Organizations, and LYRASIS, is leading a statewide effort to preserve the millions of objects and historic artifacts that shape the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s history and define our nation.
Save Pennsylvania’s Past, a two-year initiative to improve collections care throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, celebrates the state’s great historic collections. Save Pennsylvania’s Past calls upon the state’s leaders, both public and private, to support the work of preservation. It will streamline information regarding available resources. And, most importantly, Save Pennsylvania’s Past will offer training for staff and volunteers, with registration starting now.
Three traveling educational programs are being offered in 2011-2012. For each of these programs, full-day sessions will be offered at locations in Erie, Pittsburgh, Johnstown, Boalsburg/State College (at the Pennsylvania Military Museum), Allentown, Scranton, Philadelphia, and York.
Jessica Silverman, Paper Conservator and
Preservation Consultant at the CCAHA, leads an educational
program at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Preservation Best Practices for Optimal Collections Care Archivists, collections managers, librarians, curators, and other staff members involved in collections care must manage a variety of tasks, including implementation of collections management plans and policies, management of environmental controls and storage conditions, and provision for safe use and exhibition of collections. This program will provide participants with an overview of the preservation standards for the many aspects of collections care. Speaker: Laura Hortz Stanton, Director of Preservation Services, Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts. Workshops are scheduled between Oct. 6, 2011, and Jan. 13, 2012; the details are here.
Digitization Basics Every institution struggles with pressure to be visible on the web and to make its collections accessible to wider audiences, and many face daunting hurdles to implementing digitization programs. This program will cover basic issues in digital preservation, including an introduction to digitization, and will provide information on handling guidelines for digitization, selection of materials, conducting pilot projects, creating access to digitized materials, funding sources, and the benefits of collaborating with other institutions. Speaker: Thomas F.R. Clareson, Senior Consultant, Digital & Preservation Services, LYRASIS. Workshops are scheduled between Feb. 21 and Apr. 25, 2012; the details are here.
Jessica Keister, Mellon Fellow at the CCAHA, with program
participants at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia
Understanding Archives: An Introduction to Archival Basics Proper archival procedures enable safe and effective management of collections. Participants will learn about the fundamentals of archival appraisal, acquisition, and access; proper storage materials; and the most common preservation problems associated with paper-based archival collections. This program will touch briefly on processing, arrangement, and description. Volunteers, historians, and those with archival responsibilities in addition to other duties may find themselves in the position of "archivist" without formal training in the profession; this program offers an introduction to best practices in the field. Speakers: Beth Bensman, Certified Archivist, and Dyani Feige, Preservation Specialist, Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts. Workshops are scheduled between May 9 and July 16, 2012; details are here.
Additional information and registration materials for all three workshops are available at CCAHA’s website.
I feel like I spend a lot of time on this blog talking about educational offerings on the Trails of History. As a museum educator, I tend to think that everything we do is educational in some way or another. That’s how I roll (ahem). But seriously, as we’ve spent the past year (longer than that, really) trying to more clearly articulate PHMC’s value, education is a big part of the discussion. Last month, a handful of us were able to attend a multi-day institute organized by the Pennsylvania Dept. of Education to help teachers and administrators navigate state academic standards (and their national counterparts). It was very energizing and confirmed that our sites and museums have a vital role to play in supporting and enhancing classroom education and 21st-century learning.
In addition to the many school programs and adult/family learning opportunities our sites provide, we also get a chance to shape the future with educational programs aimed at people exploring possible careers in museum work or skilled trades/traditional crafts or professional development for those already embarked on teaching careers.
Undergraduate and graduate students interested in work experience and career exploration can apply through the Keystone Internship Program for summer internships at historic sites and museums, the State Archives, or the Bureau for Historic Preservation. This past August, Trailheads introduced you to the summer 2010 crop of interns (it took 3 posts—here, here, and here).
PHMC/Drake Well Museum
Keystone Internships are (due to budget cutbacks) unpaid, but most students receive academic credit through their college or university. Please note that the list of internship opportunities on our website is currently being updated and does not reflect what’s available for summer 2011. Please check back for new info or, if you are interested in a particular site or area of Pennsylvania, contact the specific sites directly to see if they can host an intern. Or post a comment here on Trailheads about your interest and I can help you make contact. The application deadline for summer 2011 Keystone Internships is Jan. 21, although you can contact sites or other PHMC offices at any time during the year to discuss internship opportunities.
PHMC/Daniel Boone Homestead
Students or recent graduates of post-secondary trade schools, technical colleges, or other training programs who want to learn important skills for work in the historic preservation field can apply for the 6th annual Summer Apprenticeship Program. Apprenticeships last 12 weeks during the summer and provide an hourly wage while students learn a variety of craft and building trades taught by preservation professionals. PHMC and its partner organizations offer apprenticeships in several locations around eastern and central Pennsylvania. The deadline for applications is April 30.
PHMC, working with the Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit and the Capital Area Intermediate Unit, is currently recruiting K-6 teachers, librarians, and special education teachers for a grant-funded professional development program, “Exploring Colonial America.” As with past offerings, this program provides content and skill development during spring and summer meetings, as well as during the interim (via the Internet). Teachers in the two host intermediate units are invited to apply by January 31 for this year’s program.
Winter brings a big change in routine and rhythm to life on the Pennsylvania Trails of History. I suppose you could say that about any season (especially school tour season), but winter always seems to me to be more different than the others. Some sites are closed to the public in early winter, and the recent budget reductions mean that others have reduced their hours more than in the past (go here or contact your favorite site directly to check the schedule).
There is still plenty of activity at our sites, though. Folks at Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Lancaster took advantage of the December snow storm to show their new site director around the grounds (pictured above--go to the Life in Landis Valley blog for a great photo of the horses). The museum is also using the winter downtime to focus on an ambitious collections care project, the Bitzer Building blitz, January 25-29. Volunteers are welcome for this massive cleaning project; it’s a great way to be part of the work that goes on behind the scenes at a historic site. Contact curator Jen Collins, jencollins(at)state(dot)pa(dot)us, if you’d like to join in (and if you’re reading this before Jan. 29).
In addition to collections care, another winter activity at many sites is in-depth training for staff and volunteers. Ephrata Cloister’s winter history class is a 10-week exploration of this unique historic site offered Thursday mornings, starting February 4 and continuing through a field trip on April 15. It’s a fascinating graduate seminar without all those dreary papers and exams. Tuition is charged and the class is open to the public (Ephrata Cloister Associates members get a discount).
Erie Maritime Museum offers a 6-week course for guides that includes lectures and museum tours. If you’re more adventurous, you can take the sail training course, which prepares volunteers for work aboard the U.S. Brig Niagara. The orientation class has already been held (Jan. 16), but if you’re interested, please contact Capt. Wesley Heersen, captain(at)flagshipniagara(dot)org, to find out more.
Stay tuned to Trailheads for more on some of these activities and other behind-the-scenes stuff on the Trails of History.
Trailheads is a behind the scenes look at the historic sites and museums along Pennsylvania's Trails of History. For more information, visit http://www.patrailsofhistory.com/.
Please note that some staff and volunteers at PA Trails of History sites are wearing masks while indoors. Visitors are encouraged, though not required, to do so as well.
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