Heritage, 2010, Volume 4 Page: 27
39 p. : ill. (some col.) ; 28 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
new narrative of an historic
event by changing or reconfig-
uring the primary source mate-
rials, such as artifacts, photo-
graphs, and other archival
materials, that are used to illus-
trate the story. For museums
and historic sites, developing
new interpretations of their
resources is strengthened
through collaboration with
educators.
Efforts underway at the
Gonzales Memorial Museum
(GMM) exemplify how they
plan to look at their historical
inventory from a new perspective. One of
the state's nine Centennial museums
established in 1936, the building is under-
going a facelift in anticipation of next
year's 175th anniversary of Texas indepen-
dence. Glenda Gordon, museum services
projects director in Gonzales, explains:
"After talking with educators about
their classroom needs, we recognized that
the majority of the historical resources in
Gonzales focused on the Republic of Texas
era. While this period is a proud and
important part of our city's heritage, the
teachers we serve must cover a more exten-
sive historical timeline." She continued,
"So as we began our restoration effort, the
museum's board and staff wanted the site
to showcase our local treasures in a way
that would provide the most benefit to our
community."
The decision was made to develop an
interpretive plan that would tell a fuller his-
tory of their community and state, and
encompass the six periods of Texas history--
Natural Texas and Its People; Spanish
Colonial, Mexican National; Revolution
and Republic, Early Statehood; Texas in the
Civil War and Reconstruction; Age of Oil;
Civil Rights and Conservatism-as defined
by TEKS standards. Gordon sought the
assistance of the well-qualified Dr. Lynn
Denton, who in addition to her current
duties at Texas State University, served as the
founding director of the Bob Bullock Texas
State History Museum, to guide Gonzales
Memorial Museum through the interpre-
tive planning process. Together they began
investigating how to design a planningmodel that would ensure that the muse-
um's broader historical focus would align
with state curriculum requirements. The
chosen course of action would also
address the needs of a wide-ranging
audience including teachers, students,
staff, volunteers, adult visitors, and the
Gonzales' historical community.
In January 2011, the Gonzales
Memorial Museum will host a sympo-
sium, appropriately titled, Texas: The Big
Picture. Invited participants include his-
tory teachers from the Gonzales
Independent School District and sur-
rounding districts, staff and volunteers
from local and regional museums, and
members involved with the historic
community. Six historians from five
Texas universities, led by Dr. Frank de la
Teja, will share their expertise in each of
the TEKS-designated periods of Texas
history. According to Gordon, this over-
view will offer participants a more in-
depth understanding of content specific
to curriculum for each era and how to
apply local historical resources within
TEKS directives.
"This Texas history tutorial serves to
put everyone on the same page," com-
ments Denton, "by demonstrating how
to use the historical knowledge in this
particular community." Gordon adds
that Gonzales area museums will also
be better equipped to develop a com-
munal interpretive plan. She explains,
"Where our museum may touch on each
Texas history period, some other sites
may opt to provide a more detailed focus
HERITAGEf Volume 4 2010Youngsters at the Texas Archeological
Field School learn about the history
that took place at the site they are
excavating. Image by Robin Matthews.
on one or two selected eras."
Additionally, those attending
Texas: The Big Picture may par-
ticipate in subsequent sessions
devoted to discussion of how
GMM can tailor its interpretive
plan to embrace the particular
needs of each representative
group. The participants' feed-
back will be used during subse-
quent planning sessions.
Moreover, the ultimate goal for this col-
laborative format is best expressed in
promotional material:
"By attending the symposium and
planning sessions, participants will form
alliances that will strengthen and energize
their institutions as they work together to
inspire new avenues for life-long learn-
ing."-Pamela Murtha* History Educators
* Museum Planners
*Texas History Enthusiasts
-
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas Historical Foundation. Heritage, 2010, Volume 4, periodical, 2010; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth254219/m1/27/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas Historical Foundation.