april 2017 Museletter IGNITE y our curiosity . DISC OVER y our st ory . From the CSPM Collection
april 2017 Museletter IGNITE your curiosity. DISCOVER your story. Doing Community History By: Leah Davis Witherow CSPM Curator of History & Archivist In our ongoing effort to tell new stories in new ways, the CSPM exhibits team partners with individuals and organizations to create “community curated” exhibits in our Museum Experience Gallery. Utilizing an innovative and collaborative approach, we invite community members to help examine and interpret Pikes Peak regional history. Opening on April 6, 2017, Promoting Patriotism: WWI in Colorado Springs is a timely community-curated exhibit commemorating the 100th anniversary of America’s entry into WWI. From the CSPM Collection The WWI exhibit project began in 2016 through a series of conversations between Museum staff and Fountain Valley School faculty. On February 23, ten FVS juniors who enrolled in Jake Emery and David Racine’s American Studies class arrived at the Museum ready to get to work. After orientation and a background lecture on WWI, students considered the impact of the “Forgotten War” by examining WWI posters from the CSPM collection. They spent the next week consulting primary and secondary sources about wartime propaganda in order to conduct analysis and interpretation. As a result, each student “adopted” a poster in the gallery and was solely responsible for an object label of approximately 300 words. The FVS students gamely took on the challenge to help “tell history” and successfully completed their assignments on time. Through the “community gallery approach,” they also received a “behind the scenes” opportunity to learn about Museum work and see firsthand how CSPM preserves and shares our community’s history. Collections and exhibits staffers spent six hours over two weeks working with the students and gained valuable insights toward improving our community outreach model. In the past CSPM partnered with both adults and elementary school students on Museum Experience projects. In the future we look forward to providing this opportunity to other age groups and schools. pg. 2
Additionally, Marisa Campanaro, former history major and 2015 UCCS graduate conducted research in CSPM collections, including our extensive holdings of Colorado Springs Gazette newspapers to create context. Her work is an example of how every year between 3-5 undergraduate and graduate interns interested in museum work and potential archives and library careers receive valuable training at the CSPM. With significant professional guidance, students learn museum best practices while assisting CSPM with processing collections, accessioning artifacts and conducting preliminary exhibit research. Campanaro has contributed to multiple museum projects during the past two years, and we are thrilled to announce that this fall she will be entering the Masters of Library and Information Science program at the University of Wisconsin Madison. From the CSPM Collection Finally, another interesting facet of the story is told through an exhibit contribution by Eric Swab, local researcher. During WWI, the General Electric Turbine Research Department conducted high altitude gasoline-powered aircraft engine testing on Pikes Peak. Swab’s research describes how tests conducted in our region launched G.E. into the aircraft engine business and propelled their success through WWII and into the era of jet engines. Please be sure to visit Promoting Patriotism: WWI in Colorado Springs to see the results of this unique collaboration. From the CSPM Collection From the CSPM Collection pg. 3
Mark Your Calendar..... PIKES PEAK REGIONAL HISTORY LECTURE SERIES TRACES ON THE LANDSCAPE: THE PHYSICAL LEGACY OF THE WAR TO END ALL WARS Presented by Robert Burns Saturday, April 8th (2:00pm – 3:00pm) One hundred years on, the planet still bears the traces of the First World War. This lecture examines the residual physical legacy of that conflict, both on the former battlefield itself and among some of the hundreds of memorials that were constructed during and after the war – and highlights how the two are related. CHILDREN’S HISTORY HOUR - POCKET POEMS Wednesday, April 19th & Saturday, April 29th (10:30am - 11:30am) April is National Poetry Month! Discover the story of Helen Hunt Jackson, a favorite local poet. We will explore her real home, read “Pocket Poems” for inspiration and practice some rhyming of our own. Please RSVP for these events at: http://www.cspm.org/rsvp-for-an-event/ CHECK THIS OUT! The museum store is featuring two books this month. “Early Assents on Pikes Peak” by Woody Smith (21.99) is a fresh new way to look at our beloved mountain. Mr. Smith captures the news of the era to recount the thrill of pioneer days on America’s most famous mountain. A children’s book to check out is, “Love is All Around Colorado” by Wendy Silvano. * The museum store is now looking for volunteers. Store volunteers receive a 20% discount, free parking and the benefit of visiting with people worldwide. Interested? Call Carol Denning at 719-385-5643. pg. 4
Did You Know? New Movable Shelving in the Archives By: Stephanie Prochaska CSPM Assistant Archivist As one can image, a museum moving into a 1903 courthouse may have some interesting challenges for the museum staff. For example, installing shelving for collections storage in the space available is not as simple as it sounds. One must consider the building footprint, weight restrictions in the floor and the type(s) of collection(s) being stored. Museums want to install storage solutions that maximize space and provide a safe, stable shelf for the collections. The museum was contacted in July regarding free movable shelving from Colorado Christian University and found a place for the shelving in the archives. The new shelving provides an additional 255 square cubic feet (or 255 bankers boxes) of storage. CSPM is happy to add to the onsite storage footprint and plan to add more moveable storage in the future to maximize our onsite collections storage needs. Photos of new shelving and storage in the archives pg. 5
THANK YOU: National Volunteer Month 2016 was a tremendous year of programming, only made possible by our incredible volunteers! In recognition of National Volunteer Month, CSPM celebrates our volunteers with the rest of the nation during CSPM Volunteer Appreciation Week (April 3rd8th). Bruce Wadman interprets TB history While the museum strives to thank our volunteers every day, April is a special time to look back on a year of passionate service. Throughout the year, volunteers painted faces, read storybooks, researched in the archives, reported the “back pages”, led school programs, helped in the museum store, greeted guests at the front desk, promoted programs, processed collection items, assembled crafts, sorted beads and much more! CSPM could NOT accomplish so much without our amazing volunteers. In April, and in every month, CSPM asks you to join in by saying “Thank you!” to the wonderful people that dedicate their time and talents to serve the museum and its visitors. Joyce Morgan with a young guest at the Festival of Lights Family Fun Day Berta, Mary and Tanja at the City of Sunshine education counter Interested in Volunteering? Visit our website to find out how you can help: http://www.cspm.org/support/volunteers-corp/ pg. 6
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHT! Photo of Leah Koller Leah Koller started volunteering at museum in May 2013. During the past four years, she has served as a front desk volunteer and has supported the marketing efforts by posting upcoming events on social media. When asked why she chose to serve at the museum, she shared “I have had a huge passion for history since college. After a very strenuous time in my life, I had the opportunity to start volunteering in 2013 which was such a pickme-up and continues to be four years later. I volunteer at the museum because I love all the local history surrounding me, the people I get to meet and help, and the many things I learn there every time I am there.” Koller also shared that the people are truly what has made her time at the museum so special, “I have seriously loved my time at the museum. Every time I volunteer there, I get the opportunity to meet new, fascinating people from all over the world. I have made amazing friends through the staff and other volunteers. It brings me great pride to be able to help patrons that walk through our museum.” She is particularly interested in medical history and enjoys the City of Sunshine exhibit. Outside of her volunteer work, Koller enjoys time with John, her husband of nine years, her two beautiful children - Calvin and Paul, and her cats, Pi and Zaphod. She is a stay-athome mother and wife. In her free time, she can be found reading any book she can get her hands on! She also enjoys video and board games and relaxes with a good movie when time allows. Partner Spotlight Pioneer Sand pg. 7
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