The Docent Guild & Associates - Michigan Historical Center





Docent Holiday Celebration

	Wednesday, December 3rd

	4:00 - 4:45 pm Social 5:00 - 5:30 pm Election & Awarding of Pins Forum 5:30 - 7:00 pm Dinner - Second Floor Atrium 7:00 - 7:45 pm Program in Forum Tickets ($20) are now on sale. Dinner is chicken and beef with homemade cookies (we're looking for volunteers...sign up in the docent lounge) for desert.









	Sympiosium Thanks

	Greeting Fellow Docents, Museum Staff and Friends: First of all I would like to congratulate all of you who participated in our Michigan Docent Symposium on November 1, 2008. It was a great group effort and the response to the symposium was very positive and it is worthy of doing again. The committee will reform after the holidays to discuss plans for 2009. Thanks to the Docent Symposium Committee: Lois Baumer, David Bridgens, Tami Averill, Jean LaRosa and Ron Nelson Thanks to the Docents who were there in various capacities including the above along with James Groen, Chuck Seeley, Shirley Rowland, Halen and Charles Foster, Alice Throop, Barb Koval, Fred Junger, Linda Nelson, Randy Miller, Jim and Kathy Booth, William Shideler, Barbara Wheeler, and Deb Malewski along with husband Paul. Thanks also to the Michigan Historical Center Foundation, Friends of Michigan History, Odells Catering, Elder Chatterton, Elder King and Donn Sleek along with our good friend from DMB, Building Manager Gary Parks. And I can’t forget to thank the person who gave us this idea, Museum Director Phil Kwiatkowski. What an accomplishment to help celebrate our 20th anniversary. Kay M Olson, President Docent Guild and Associates









Starting September 30th Special Docent Training Workshops

	2008-09 Schedule

	"Hey, I Didn't Know That" Presented by: Laurie Catherine Perkins Education Historian Tuesday Afternoons 2:00p.m. - 4:00p.m. *Education Room/* *Museum Exhibit Galleries* The following is a list of special training sessions for Docents who wish to brush up on their Michigan History. Please sign up in the Museum Docent Office, if you are interested in attending

	December 16, 2008 - Center of the State

	January 13, 2009 - Michigan has Forty-Seven of These
	January 27, 2009 - Big Blizzards

	February 10, 2009 - Are you from around here?
	February 24, 2009 - What's you greatest accomplishment?

	March 10, 2009 - Name that tune
	March 24, 2009 - Ladies First

	April 7, 2009 - What's on Sale?
	April 21, 2009 - Fantastic Festivals

	May 5, 2009 - Hail Alma Mater!








	Winterfest Day

	Saturday, December 6, 2008
	11:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.
	Docents are needed to provide greeters, kids' craft activities, traditional craft demonstrations and costumed docents in the galleries. Craft activity tables will be set up throughout both floors and will have a winter/holiday theme. Lunch will be provided. *Contact Tami to volunteer* 517-241-4060 averillt@michigan.gov

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	Statehood Day

	Saturday, January 24, 2009
	11:00a.m. to 3:00p.m.










Summer Potluck/Election
Wednesday June 3rd, 2009

Calumet Theater

The Calumet Theater was built with riches from the local copper mines, and the history marker affixed to its brick exterior says that its 1900 opening was ''the greatest social event ever known in copperdom's metropolis.''

1st Annual Museum Docent Symposium

November 1, 2008

The 1st symposium came off without a hitch. Reviews from those that attended are very positive.

"Overall a wonderful day...please do it again."
"...excellent gathering of interesting people.."
"I will look forward to other days like this one"

"...excellant conference...practical, useful information."

"Very well planned-great presenters", and on and on!

There were four presenters that were universally enjoyed. We started the day with a kick off from Phil Kwiatkowski, Director of the Michigan Historical Museum.

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The Past in Person
Michael Deren
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Musician, Songwriter & Storyteller

Michael presents multi faceted, audience centered programs that educate, delight, enthrall, and encourage participants to learn more about the past that surrounds them. Learn techniques to help bring your tours and programs to life through song, dance, stories and other participative activities!

Mike Deren Lights up the Lighthouses (Video)
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We were trees...blowing in the wind!
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Next up was the presentation from Judy Gail Krasnow.

Hi! Story:

Bringing History to Life Through Storytelling

Judy Gail Krasnow

Professional storyteller, historical portrayal artist, musician and author

The art of storytelling can bring historical characters, events and family history to life. This workshop shows how to research a topic, event or character and transform it into a story narrative that begs telling and captures the audience`s imagination. Meet Temperance activist, Carry Nation, and Michigan’s own Civil War soldier and spy, Pvt. Frank Thompson, a.k.a. Sarah Emma Edmonds.

A Taste of Carrie A Nation (Video)
(Click to Play the Movie)

Judy demonstrated to us how she portrays Carry Nation by effortlessly becoming her before our eyes. She showed how history can come alive. Outstanding performance.

You can visit Judy`s web site at: http://judygailkrasnow.com/index.html

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For lunch we moved to the education room for the keynote speaker, Historical Center Director Sandra Clark.

Sandra Clark, Keynote speaker
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We started the afternoon session with David Allison from Conner Prairie.

Opening Doors to Great Guest Experiences
David Allison
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Experience Design Manager, Conner Prairie

What began as an initiative aimed at improving the quality of Conner Prairie’s living history interpretation, has become a broadly adopted and transformative new way of doing the business of interacting with their guests and helping them learn more about the past!

David walked us through the process they used to analyze their existing operation and design and develop a new interface between there docents and the public they serve. Very enlightening.

You can visit Conner Prairie`s web site at: http://www.connerprairie.org/

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Our own Laurie Perkins followed next with a VERY interest presentation on Shoes.

Standing in Someone Else`s Shoes
Laurie Catherine Perkins
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Education Historian

Michigan Historical Museum

Shoes are often the most overlooked artifacts in a museum`s collection until they are needed to complete a costume or finish off an exhibit. This presentation will look at ways the shoes found in the Michigan Historical Museum`s collection are used not only as tools of interpretation, but as a way for visitors to bring historical meaning to their everyday lives.

It became clear to us that shoes are simply an example of how we can entice visitors with the untold stories of even the simplest items displayed at the museum.

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Docent Round-Table Discussion
Stories, Issues & New Ideas
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David Bridgens

Docent Liaison, Michigan Historical Museum

Lois Baumer

Michigan Historical Museum Docent Guild

Dave and Lois lead the discussion at the final session, a round-table discussion.

When Museum Docents and Volunteers get together there are stories to be told and fresh new ways of looking at the same old issues and concerns always abound.

Fall 2008 Potluck Dinner Slide Show

October 1, 2008

Click the More Info button below to start the show!

Docents Volunteer

OAXACA Convention

July 12, 2008

Thanks to those docents who worked the Saturday night event on July 12, 2008 for the MSU Admissions – Overseas Association for College Admission Counseling convention. As I was walking to my car Gary Parks stopped me to say the Museum and the Docents received rave reviews.

I received an email forwarded by Tami from Carol Payne of the Michigan Historical Center Foundation. “There were 69 countries represented here for their national convention. I understand last year it was in Buenos Aires and they were thrilled that Michigan was able to hold it this year. MSU wanted them to have a “Michigan experience” and the docents made sure that they did.”

Thanks to costumed docents:

Barbara Wheeler, Barbara Koval, Adrian Oudbier, Lois Baumer, Chuck Seeley, Alice Hill, Laura Wanamaker, Helen McLaughlin, Donna Maguire and Deb Malewski and her husband “Clyde”.

Kay Olson, Docent Guild President who was a greeter.

Summer Party 2008

June 4, 2008

Visiting before dinner
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The summer party/business meeting was a great time for people to get together and share their experiences. Since dinner was a potluck, how could it be anything but great food.

We followed the dinner with a short meeting to elect the new officers and pass a change in the by-laws.

President: Kay Olsen

Vice President:

Secretary: Fred Junger

Treasurer:

Check out the slide show for pictures of the festivities.

Summer Party 2008

Spring Tour 2008

Ypsilanti`s Depot Town and Zingerman`s

May 6, 2008

We started a GREAT day visiting Ypsilanti`s Automotive Heritage Museum and Michigan`s Fire House Museum (both in Ypsilanti`s Depot Town) during the morning. For lunch we stopped at Haab's also in Ypsilanti. After lunch we headed over to Ann Arbor for a tour of Zingerman's Bakery, a bus tour through Ann Arbor and finished up with a walk through the University of Michigan's Matthaei Botanical Gardens. A special thanks to Marilyn Rye for planning such a great tour and pulling it off without a hitch.

Depot Town Marker (across from the Museum)
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Automotive Heritage Museum

The Automotive Heritage Museum is located inside a former Hudson dealership. They have a truly outstanding selection of cars that were made or sold in Ypsilanti. The place is literally jammed full of cars, many which you'd see no where else.

Docents looking at a display chassis with the 1st mass
produced Hydra-Matic automatic transmission
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Some of the more exciting cars we saw was Preston Tucker's Car of Tomorrow, A Chevy Corvair (didn't look unsafe to me...although it wasn't moving), a Kaiser and Frazer, a car with real bear skin seat covers, a Hollywood Tucker with it`s gas tank in the back seat and a Hudson Hornet. You could clearly see where the service department and main showroom were located. It's a great visit, worth the trip to Ypsi.

Check their web site: www.ypsiautoheritage.org/

Ypsilanti`s Automotive Heritage Museum

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Michigan's Firehouse Museum

Our second stop of the day was just down the street. Since we had great weather many of us decided to walk. On our way we passed over the Huron river and by Ypsilanti's original city hall. At the museum we received a tour from a retired fireman docent. He filled us in on a bunch of facts we wouldn't have otherwise known. The musuem has a great display of fire fighting equipment starting with a simple hose carts all the way to engines that were in service not that long ago. We saw hand pumped rigs, steam powered pumpers, ladder trucks (with and without windshields) and engines with the capability to pump water as high as seven stories.

The Firehouse Museum from the Huron River Bridge
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Leaving the main hall of the museum, our docent then lead us to an old firehouse to which the museum is attached. We learned:

how fire alarm boxes were tied into the central station and how the original signal was sent from there on to other stations if need be.
about the harnesses that were used with horse teams and how they were suspended from the ceiling until they were needed.
how the firehouse was manned 24 hours a day and how the person on the night shift had to call for volunteers when they were needed. There was a great display of former uniforms and other equipment.

They've done a great job of setting up a great example of what firehouses used to be and how firemen did their job. Check out the Firehouse's website at: http://www.michiganfirehousemuseum.org/ and be sure to look closely at the pictures they have on the home page. Our group is prominetly displayed!

Our group from the balcony
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Michigan Fire House Museum

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Haab's Restaurant

Lunch was really very good. They were ready for us when we arrived. Our orders were taken quickly, the food was delivered hot and the food was great! They do a one day special each year where the prices are the same as the day they first opened. If you're in the area, Haab's is a great place for a meal. Check out their web site: http://www.haabsrestaurant.com/

The waitress worked quickly to get our orders
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Haab's Restaurant, Ypsilanti

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Zingerman`s Bakery

After leaving Haab's we headed over to Ann Arbor for a tour of Zingerman's Bakery. What a great opportunity. A number of us commented that we had been to Zingerman's restaurant, but didn't even know their bakery was in Ann Arbor. We broke into three smaller group and walked through the entire operation. We saw people making bread, cakes, and even strudel. It's a good thing we'd already had lunch, otherwise we'd would probably have gone crazy at the store on the way out.

Working the strudel dough (sure have to know what you`re
doing)
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Zingerman's Bakery

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University of Michigan's Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Meeting our Step on tour guide
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At this point we met up with our step-on tour guide for a guided tour through on our way to the University of Michigan`s Matthaei Botanical Gardens, our final stop of the day.

Meeting up with our fellow travelers on the trails of the
Matthaei Botanical Gardens
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Matthaei Botanical Gardens