"C.L. Brown and Kansas Independent Telephony" is Now on YouTube

Back in July, the Dickinson County Historical Society premiered our short documentary film, C.L. Brown and Kansas Independent Telephony.  The film highlights the life of C.L. Brown, a utilities entrepreneur and humanitarian who gave back to the Kansas public in fantastic ways during his life.  Today, the independent telecommunications companies continue this tradition set forth by Brown, by giving to their communities as well.  You can watch the film below:

Principal funding for this program is provided by the Kansas Humanities Council, a nonprofit cultural organization promoting understanding of the history, traditions, and ideas that shape our lives and build community.

Historical Bicycle Tour Coming Up in Abilene

The Dickinson County Historical Society will once again be conducting a historical bicycle tour of downtown Abilene.  This tour benefits the Quality of Life Coalition, and will be held on August 24, 2012 at 7:00pm.

Great Interaction at our Short Film Premiere

Our premiere's audience.

For the past seven months, the Dickinson County Historical Society has been working on a short film highlighting the life of C.L. Brown and his lasting legacy of community giving that still exist in Kansas independent telephone companies today. On Saturday, July 21, 2012, we premiered the fifteen-minute film, C.L. Brown and Kansas Independent Telephony, to a crowd at the Eisenhower Presidential Library auditorium. I was hoping for a good-sized crowd for the event. What we got far exceeded my expectations.

That evening, we totaled 165 guests for the film screening. That’s right, 165 people. This total was more than would fit in the auditorium’s seats, but staff at the Eisenhower Presidential Library graciously set up additional chairs so everyone in attendance could have a place to sit.

After the screening, we also held a panel discussion focusing on the history of C.L. Brown, community engagement, and how the short film was made. I was very pleased with the variety of questions our audience posed and the many stories that were shared during the discussion. Many of our audience and their families have strong memories of the Brown Memorial Park, so it was fascinating to hear those people reminisce about the past.

After the discussion, we hosted our annual Ice Cream Social at the Dickinson County Heritage Center. This was probably the largest crowd we have ever hosted for this event. Our museum was a packed house, but everyone seemed to be in high spirits throughout the evening.

I would like to thank everyone who helped make this short film and event a success, and would like to thank our society’s membership for coming out in full force Saturday night. If you were not in attendance, we will be announcing other ways to view the short film very soon.

For another take on this evening, be sure to read the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle’s writeup on the event. 

Principle funding for this program is provided by the Kansas Humanities Council, a nonprofit cultural organization promoting understanding of the history, traditions, and ideas that shape our lives and build community.

Memories of the Prairie Lecture Series: Presentation Explores Kansas Opera Houses

The Dickinson County Historical Society and the Heritage Homes Association of Dickinson County in Abilene will host “Kansas Opera Houses and Community Events,” a presentation and discussion by Jane Rhoads on Saturday, June 30 at 7 pm  at the Dickinson County Heritage Center located at 412 S. Campbell St.  Members of the community are invited to attend the free program.  Contact the Heritage Center at 263-2681 for more information.  The program is made possible by the Kansas Humanities Council.

 This program is part of the Memories of the Prairie Lecture Series presented by the Dickinson County Historical Society. All the programs are free, however donations are always welcomed.  You are also invited to become a member of the Dickinson County Historical Society to help support the continuing efforts to preserve the heritage of Dickinson County.

From melodrama to Shakespeare, from church socials to high school commencements, the opera houses of Kansas made significant contributions to the state’s social and cultural fabric in communities both large and small.  Rhoads will discuss the history of opera houses in Kansas and how they are being used today.

Rhoads is an author and a 2009 Notable Kansas Book award winner.  Her book, “Kansas Opera Houses, Actors, and Community Events 1855-1925” is the result of years of travel across Kansas to research opera houses.

“I came to love opera houses when as a small child I played in the opera house built by my great-grandfather,” shared Rhoads.  “This eventually led to my visiting 400 Kansas communities to learn about the activities that took place in the local opera houses and to photograph the state’s remaining ones.”

“Kansas Opera Houses and Community Events” is part of the Kansas Humanities Council’s Kansas Speakers Bureau featuring presentations and discussions about Kansas and what it means to be a Kansan over time and across generations.                         

The Kansas Humanities Council conducts and supports community-based programs, serves as a financial resource through an active grant-making program, and encourages Kansans to participate in their communities.  For more information about KHC programs contact the Kansas Humanities Council at 785-357-0359 or visit online at www.kansashumanities.org.

For more information about “Kansas Opera Houses and Community Events” in Abilene contact the Dickinson County Historical Society at 785-263-2681 or visit www.heritagecenterdk.com.

Promoting Student Learning in Museums, Part 2

In my last post, I took a look at free-choice learning and its role in museums.  In this post, I would like to focus on what museums can do to appeal to school districts and educators.

One area of importance to schools is state education standards.  We sometimes hear that schools are only teaching for the test or state standard.  While I do not think this is necessarily the case, it does show how state education standards are viewed at the utmost importance.  To appeal to schools, museums need to show that a visit will not only be educational or intellectually stimulating, but will also meet state educational standards.  Museum educators should tread cautiously here though, as they do not want to make museum tours so strict and rigid that schoolchildren lose interest in the subject matter.  A balance mus exist.  So often, individuals get into arguments over whether or not schools should teach to such specific standards.  After all, we are all very different people with different learning styles and interests.  But this fact does not negate the importance of learning information that will create a foundation to learn more specialized skills in the future.  This is what school is supposed to do for children: prepare them for the real world.

Museums also need to highlight their collections and give schoolchildren an experience they could never have in the classroom.  At the Dickinson County Heritage Center, we offer students the chance to visit a real pioneer cabin, a tipi, and a covered wagon.  These are all real tangible objects and places that allow students to experience the past in person.  We also feature hands-on objects in the museum which help students learn in a multi-sensory way.  Lastly, we typically end a school tour with a ride on the 1901 C.W. Parker Carousel.  The students are taught the history of this fantastic device, but are also treated with a ride.  These are all things that students could never experience in the classroom.

That said, museums should strive to meet on the same level of students.  Many schools have began using tablet computers with all ages of students.  There is no reason museums cannot create tours or programs for visitors to use on these devices.  For example, SCVNGR offers affordable tours that users can access on mobile devices.  This is an area I am currently researching, and hope to develop for our museum soon.  Museums can also meet students on their level in a more low-tech way.

One great way to create outreach to schools is to give in-school programs or presentations.  Since some schools may not have the budget to afford field trips, why can't museums come to them?  Our museum, as well as others, offer Traveling Trunk programs that allow teachers to borrow cases of hands-on artifacts, books, games, and other resources.  With these objects, the educator is able to give a lesson (or lessons) that will engage their students with a small piece of the museum.  Museum Educators could also benefit their institutions by giving programs in the classroom.  Like a museum visit, educators should strive to make these a unique experience, and allow students to view artifacts up close and personal in their classrooms.

Overall, museums can offer visitors unique experiences both inside and outside their institutions, but should never forget to adapt to others' needs, wants, and desires.

Promoting Student Learning in Museums, Part One

We are currently in the thick of school tour season at the Dickinson County Heritage Center, and so far, it has been a great experience meeting school kids and showing them some of our museum artifacts.  We have certainly seen the affects of the US economy this year.  In some cases, schools have decided to cut down on field trips due to transportation costs.  In other cases, schools have banded together, planned their field trips in conjunction, and traveled together on the same buses.  One teacher, whose students arrived at the museum in a charter bus, said it was cheaper for the students to travel in a rented bus, rather than one owned by the school.  She also said that a large portion of the travel costs were paid with money raised by the students.  No matter how you look at it, field trip budgets have been severely diminished across the board.

Now, I realize you may be thinking, "Well of course he is going to complain about this.  He works in a museum and wants visitors."  That is probably a valid criticism, but while I do want visitors at the Heritage Center, I more importantly want learning to occur.  In school, most students are educated via direct learning, meaning they are directed through a specific lesson or curriculum, with their teacher serving as a guide and educator.  This type of learning exists in museums as well.  As a museum educator, I get the opportunity to lead students through a museum tour.  I offer factoids, ask questions, and point out important things.  But I always do one other thing as well: I let the students explore.  The students are allowed free-reign of an area of the museum, a chance to explore, to learn something new.  Free choice learning gives visitors the chance to learn at their leisure.  We all have different experiences and interests that guide us through museums.  Just because I am interested in historic photographs does not mean the next guy will be.  That is the beauty of museums: there is something for every type of learner.  At least, there should be.  Does free choice learning occur in classrooms as well?  Undoubtedly.  But it occurs in museums to such a large degree, it becomes of paramount importance for museums to provide and promote these opportunities.

In my next post, I will focus on what museums need to do to entice school districts to support field trips for their students.  I will also provide some examples of what museums can offer the public inside and outside their physical buildings.