The Early Bird: Getting Students Excited About History Early

by: Susan Voskuil

Recently, I was talking to a history teacher from an area High School who explained to me that students’ knowledge about history is a spiral. If something (or someone) doesn't excite them about the topic at an elementary level they won't understand its importance at a High School level- and beyond. Luckily, far from finding this a daunting task, staff at the museum considers it a privilege.

One of the greatest challenges I have faced in museum education is conveying my own enthusiasm about a subject into a meaningful program for students and visitors. In my personal experience, I’ve often found that my energy level at a historic site or program is usually unparalleled by those I am with- it’s why I’m in this profession! When a sister or other family member agrees to go on a historic excursion with me, typically the trip ends with me exclaiming something like, “You're the one who couldn't pick out the Watergate building in the DC skyline and I'M the crazy one?!” Sometimes it takes a couple edits to tune this zeal into something really tangible. From the way objects are displayed in exhibits to the inflection used in presentations, everything in the museum is designed with the visitors experience in mind.

 

In conversations with family or friends about a topic you’re passionate about a certain degree of clarity can be sacrificed with enthusiasm. This is not the case during a museum program or demonstration. Typically, we’re given one shot at making an impression and getting our information absorbed. This is where the importance of follow-up evaluations and visits come in. With schools, we encourage teachers to return with their students the following year, or have someone from the museum come to the school, in order to complement the material students already learned. Usually we find in subsequent visits that part of the material has been retained, but typically not all. How do you express to a child when their answer about the Civil War includes George Washington fighting the Germans and Mexicans (see “Kids Say the Darndest Things” blogpost), that you’re simultaneously excited they retained knowledge about all those topics but also a little horrified?

 

Everyday we learn something new about how a subject is best learned and how we can best teach it. For the museum, our wildest dream includes seeing every area student (and parent!) come to the site for a program- and then come back to continue the experience. We, as a staff, are up to the challenge and look forward to the opportunity to shape our programs into the best museum experience possible!  

After 9 years of dedicated service, our wonderful Administrative Assistant Elaine Jackson is retiring in March. Thank you Elaine for all your hard work! Here, in her words, are a few of her favorite moments with the museum.

It’s really hard to believe that only nine years ago I came to work as the Admin Asst for the museum – February 16, 2005. Over the years, I’ve learned so much, both about the families that settled Dallas and Gaston County and the history of this great 1852 building. I’ve had some wonderful times here and made some outstanding memories that will always stay with me. Some include the front porch reconstruction a few years ago, the landscaping of the back gardens, the Depot renovation making it a usable space, the beautiful snow that’s falling right now outside my third floor office window, the gorgeous brides and lovely weddings that graced the back lawn over the past nine years; these are just for starters, but I don’t want folks to nod off! 

There were some really great exhibit opening parties, one even had Tom Watson’s cream-colored vintage Rolls Royce sitting on the museum’s back lawn. I’ll never forget the Orthopedic Hospital exhibit and reunion that brought back so many touching memories for the  folks who worked and lived there.  The visitors I’ve met from England, Australia, all over the US - even Dallas, Texas - who loved the fact this building was preserved and presented in such a historic manner. Keeping the museum’s progress going for many years to come so more can see all the museum is and is capable of becoming.  What really made the job so good was it didn’t seem like a job much of the time – I got to work with folks who made work a pleasure – and the most dedicated volunteers who gave the museum their time and talents – I will remember you and the fun we had.  Take care of each other – Elaine

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

 by Kelly Mason, Outreach Coordinator

Does anyone remember the TV show with Bill Cosby, “Kids Say the Darndest Things”? I absolutely loved that show! You truly never knew what the children were going to say and nothing was off limits! Working as a museum professional, I have found that, in a lot of ways, my job can turn into that show. Working in museums is so exciting, especially when you get to work in the education department. There are so many priceless moments that we educators get to experience with young inquisitive minds!

Broaching challenging topics can be both exhilarating and baffling for these students. For example, trying to explain to a 4^th grader what life was like without electricity or the concept of slavery can lead to some very interesting conversations.

As an educator, I have found that people do not give children enough credit; they are smarter than we think. The mind of a child is a wondrous place. Sometimes the things they say are so shocking- for better or worse. I have been reflecting on some of these moments over the past 5 years and here is my conclusion: kids say the darndest things!! One thing I am certain of, I have the best job in the world. I have the opportunity to try and help shape young minds and them up to a new world:  the history in which they come from. History is a foreign and scary place at times, but it is a beautiful thing to watch students try to embrace it!

May you enjoy my “Kids Say the Darndest Things” collection from the past 5 years!

(Deep sigh from a child) “Life is life.” (What a wise kid!)

Discussing life in North Carolina back in the 1800’s: “How could they even live without electricity? It makes no sense!”

“Butter comes from milk that you get from a cow? EWWW!” (Eww? I am almost positive all these kids eat butter in some form!)

“What do you mean cotton comes from a plant you grow in the ground? I thought it came from sheep!” (Speechless)

(After asking a class to explain what the American Civil War was, this was the first response I received) “The American Civil War was when George Washington fought against the Mexicans and the Germans.” (Where do I begin…)

During a 4^th grade program after discussing slavery: “Why would they make babies slaves? They did nothing wrong!” (I blew their minds even further when I told them that slaves were not slaves because they did something wrong, but because people forced them to be!)

“Who won the Civil War anyways, Miss Kelly?” (After I explained that the Union won, he seemed sad. Understandably so, his side lost right? I turned to the child and said, “You know something, if the Union did not win, then I would never have moved down here, [I am from Connecticut] and if I never moved down here, then I would have never met you!” He turned to me and said, “Phew, I am also glad the Confederates lost so we could be friends!” Priceless!!!)

With a very pensive expression: “Do you think something like the Civil War could ever happen again in America?” (Yikes! Let’s hope not!!)

When asking a child, who happened to be attending our Civil War Soldier Camp, which side he was going to fight on, he looked at me with confusion and asked, “Do you NOT know that the Union fought for justice and rights for everyone? Of course I am going to fight for the Federal Army!” (Silly me! We continued to have a deep 20 minute conversation about the war and a show he was watching on the history channel. Melts my heart just thinking about it!)

Last but not least, after attending an 8^th grade history class to do an outreach about the Civil War, I was asked by a student: “Did you live back during the Civil War?” (His teacher spoke up, “You did NOT just ask her that?!” While another student chuckled and said, “Um, she looks really good for her age if she did. Dude, she would be dead!” I smiled and said, ‘No sir, I did not.”) He responded, “Then how do you know ALL this stuff about the Civil War?” My response: “I read books.” J

Do you have a favorite kids story? We’d love to hear it here at the museum! Please leave a comment with any fun stories you may have!

Legacy of Slavery: A Student's Understanding

by: Jason Luker

The program was like any other I have done over the course of my career. The Civil War was the topic and since we only had forty five minutes with the students, the program focused on slavery and how it was the center cause of the war. During the discussion, I tried to gauge the students understanding on slavery and see if they possibly understood the importance of this “peculiar institution” was to all of southern society. So I asked the student’s one simple question; what is a slave? Most of the answers were expected, but what was left out was surprising.

The students quickly identified that enslavement meant forced labor. Some students understood that slaves were owned by another, had to work without any compensation, and were not allowed any freedom. Brutality was mentioned at times, but mostly the students made enslavement sound like a rather crummy job.  I pressed the issue a bit further with the class, trying to get them to see that the slaves’ value and worth went beyond free labor, and then it dawned on me. No one had said anything about race or color. So, I asked what the big difference was between a slave and a slave owner. They replied that the slave owner was “white” and the slave was “African American.” I asked what they meant by “African American” and my question was met with silence. It took time, but finally someone confessed that the slaves were black.

I think the main reason the students would not use the word “black” was they were afraid to do so. Fear motivated them to come up with any way possible to describe slavery without using race. Apparently the students equated identifying slaves as “black” with being racist. The word stuck in their throat like glue. This program was a chance for the class to speak openly about a historical moment in history and try to better understand how slavery was such a central part of the Civil War. Because they were so worried about being associated with racism, it stopped them from actually examining the origins of slavery and its importance in American history.

I believe this is just one of many examples on how the history of slavery and its’ legacy has shaped the modern discussion on race.  To better recognize how race is understood and debated in the United States, people need to look at the struggle over slavery. This is impossible if we are unwilling to examine slavery completely and honestly.  This is especially true for historical organizations and museums. If we are not brave in our interpretation and eager to examine all facets of difficult topics such as racism and slavery, we are not fulfilling our obligation to the public. That does not mean we should be reckless and insensitive. Rather we should be bold in our work while providing assurance to others as they work through their fears and reservations.

If you are interested in learning more about the legacy of slavery and how this legacy has changed over the course of American history, please join us for the program Legacy of Slavery on Saturday, February 8^th at 1:00pm at the Gaston County Museum. For more information or to make a reservation, please call Jason Luker at 704-922-7681 ext. 105 or by email at Jason.luker@gastongov.com.      



Today’s blog post is for all my friends and colleagues who hoped and dreamed of donning the fedora and bullwhip…. 

-Regan Brooks, Registrar

January 22, 1939
Assistant Professor Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr.
Department of Anthropology
Chapman Hall 227B
Marshall College

Dr. Jones:

As chairman of the Committee on Promotion and Tenure, I regret to inform you that your recent application for tenure has been denied by a vote of 6 to 1. Following past policies and procedures, proceedings from the committee’s deliberations that were pertinent to our decision have been summarized below according to the assessment criteria.

Demonstrates suitable experience and expertise in chosen field:

The committee concurred that Dr. Jones does seem to possess a nearly superhuman breadth of linguistic knowledge and an uncanny familiarity with the history and material culture of the occult. However, his understanding and practice of archaeology gave the committee the greatest cause for alarm. Criticisms of Dr. Jones ranged from “possessing a perceptible methodological deficiency” to “practicing archaeology with a complete lack of, disregard for, and colossal ignorance of current methodology, theory, and ethics” to “unabashed grave-robbing.” Given such appraisals, perhaps it isn’t surprising to learn that several Central and South American countries recently assembled to enact legislation aimed at permanently prohibiting his entry.

Moreover, no one on the committee can identify who or what instilled Dr. Jones with the belief that an archaeologist’s tool kit should consist solely of a bullwhip and a revolver.

Nationally recognized for an effectual program of scholarship or research supported by publications of high quality:

Though Dr. Jones conducts “field research” far more often than anyone else in the department, he has consistently failed to report the results of his excavations, provide any credible evidence of attending the archaeological conferences he claims to attend, or produce a single published article in any peer-reviewed journal. Someone might tell Dr. Jones that in academia “publish or perish” is the rule. Shockingly, there is little evidence to date that Dr. Jones has successfully excavated even one object since he arrived at Marshall College. Marcus Brody, curator of our natural-history museum, assured me this was not so and graciously pointed out several pieces in the collection that he claimed were procured through Dr. Jones’s efforts, but, quite frankly, we have not one shred of documentation that can demonstrate the provenance or legal ownership of these objects.

Meets professional standards of conduct in research and professional activities of the discipline:

The committee was particularly generous (and vociferous) in offering their opinions regarding this criterion. Permit me to list just a few of the more troubling accounts I was privy to during the committee’s meeting. Far more times than I would care to mention, the name “Indiana Jones” (the adopted title Dr. Jones insists on being called) has appeared in governmental reports linking him to the Nazi Party, black-market antiquities dealers, underground cults, human sacrifice, Indian child slave labor, and the Chinese mafia. There are a plethora of international criminal charges against Dr. Jones, which include but are not limited to: bringing unregistered weapons into and out of the country; property damage; desecration of national and historical landmarks; impersonating officials; arson; grand theft (automobiles, motorcycles, aircraft, and watercraft in just a one week span last year); excavating without a permit; countless antiquities violations; public endangerment; voluntary and involuntary manslaughter; and, allegedly, murder.

Dr. Jones’s interpersonal skills and relationships are no better. By Dr. Jones’s own admission, he has repeatedly employed an underage Asian boy as a driver and “personal assistant” during his Far East travels. I will refrain from making any insinuations as to the nature of this relationship, but my intuition insists that it is not a healthy one, nor one to be encouraged. Though the committee may have overstepped the boundaries of its evaluation, I find it pertinent to note that Dr. Jones has been romantically linked to countless women of questionable character, an attribute very unbecoming of a Marshall College professor. One of these women was identified as a notorious nightclub singer whose heart he attempted to extract with his hands, and whom he then tried, and failed, to lower into a lake of magma. Another was a Nazi scholar he was seen courting just last year who, I’m told, plummeted into a fathomless abyss at Dr. Jones’s hand. And, of course, no one can forget the slow decline and eventual death of Professor Abner Ravenwood after Dr. Jones’s affair with Abner’s underage daughter was made public, forcing her to emigrate to Nepal to escape the debacle.

Demonstrates successful record in undergraduate and graduate teaching:

In his nine years with the department, Dr. Jones has failed to complete even one uninterrupted semester of instruction. In fact, he hasn’t been in attendance for more than four consecutive weeks since he was hired. Departmental records indicate Dr. Jones has taken more sabbaticals, sick time, personal days, conference allotments, and temporary leaves than all the other members of the department combined.

The lone student representative on the committee wished to convey that, besides being an exceptional instructor, a compassionate mentor, and an unparalleled gentleman, Dr. Jones was extraordinarily receptive to the female student body during and after the transition to a coeducational system at the college. However, his timeliness in grading and returning assignments was a concern.

Establishment of an appropriate record of departmental and campus service:

Dr. Jones’s behavior on campus has led not only to disciplinary action but also to concerns as to the state of his mental health. In addition to multiple instances of public drunkenness, Dr. Jones, on three separate occasions, has attempted to set fire to the herpetology wing of the biology department. Perhaps most disturbing, however, are the statements that come directly from Dr. Jones’s mouth. Several faculty members maintain that Dr. Jones informed them on multiple occasions of having discovered the Ark of the Covenant, magic diamond rocks, and the Holy Grail! When asked to provide evidence for such claims, he purportedly replied that he was “kind of immortal” and/or muttered derogatory statements about the “bureaucratic fools” running the U.S. government. Given his history with the Nazi Party, I fear where his loyalty lies.

- – - -

To summarize, the committee fails to recognize any indication that Dr. Jones is even remotely proficient when it comes to archaeological scholarship and practice. His aptitude as an instructor is questionable at best, his conduct while abroad is positively deplorable, and his behavior on campus is minimally better. Marshall College has a reputation to uphold. I need not say more.

My apologies,

Prof. G.L. Stevens

Chairman

(written by Andy Bryan from Timothy Sweeney’s Internet Tendency)

PREschool PREview!  

As the new Programs Assistant at the museum, I just wanted to take the time to introduce myself and talk about upcoming PREschool PREview programs! I grew up in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. My dad instilled in me a love of history early on in my life by taking me out to the

Kings Mountain Battleground on the weekends and always making sure our family vacations were educational. I just recently graduated from the College of Charleston as a double major in history and political science. While I was in college, I was a nursery worker at St. Michael’s Church, the oldest church in Charleston, and gave historic home tours for the Preservation Society.

I am so excited to be the new Programs Assistant because it combines my love of working with children with my love of history and crafts. So far I have had a blast making turkey hats and gumdrop snowflake ornaments with the kids but my favorite program is the Appalachian Folktales program that I am putting on this month. I am reading “Jack and the Bean Tree” from The Jack Tales by Ray Hicks and then having kids plant their very own bean plant. I am also planning Victorian Valentines for February 8^th from 10:00 to 11:00am at the museum. Your kids will get to hear a story, make a Rebus Valentine’s Day card for a loved one, and have cupcakes for just $2! So be sure to bring your kids because this might be the last Saturday PREschool PREview. We are thinking of going back to Terrific Toddler Tuesday every fourth Tuesday of the month.

If you have any concerns about moving the program from Saturday back to Tuesday or just want more information on preschool programs, please contact me at 704-922-7681 (106) or Jordan.Hubbard@gastongov.com.  I look forward to seeing you and your kids at the museum! 

The Museum Field

Jeff Pruett- Director

I often get asked from various students and even museum guests or the general public – “how did you get into what you do?”  or “how can I get a job in the museum field?”  Most folks are very energetic, passionate, study art or history and are eager to learn.  There are definitely some suggestions I would offer to you if you or someone you know is interested in this  field.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

I began studying Anthropology at UNC-Charlotte and minored in Museum Studies.  I remember my brother commenting to me, “I’m just concerned about you finding a job in that field.”  I’m sure my parents were too, but they never verbalized it.  Many parents are concerned that the types of skills we gain studying in history or museum studies are not marketable in the overall job field.

Gaston County Museum of Art & History
I interned here and gained invaluable
skills and contacts.

Historic Latta Plantation
My first museum job as Curator
of Education/Volunteer Coordinator 

I have absolutely loved museums since I was a child.  When I became older and discovered people worked in museums, I was ready!  But, it is a very competitive field.  I would highly recommend doing internships while in college or even after college.  Even though many are unpaid, the experience and contacts you gain are invaluable.  Your first job may be part-time and it may involve Guest Services, but as we say, your foot is in the door.  While in your first job, prove yourself, go above and beyond the call of duty and let folks know your passion for the field.  Eventually, a full-time job will open up and if you have proven yourself, the odds may be in your favor.  To advance in the field, a Master’s Degree is highly recommended.  I took a small break after my B.A., but went back and completed my M.A. while working full-time in the field.  

Gaston County Museum of Art & History
My current museum job...started as Programs Coordinator
and am currently Director

Historic Brattonsville
My second museum job as School Programs
Coordinator and later as Public Programs Coordinator

For further advice or questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call or an email – Jeff Pruett – 704.922.7681 x101 or jeff.pruett@gastongov.com.  

GOOD LUCK IN ALL YOUR ENDEAVORS!