The Boys Town Hall of History: a Case Study in Public History and Exhibition Methods
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University of Nebraska at Omaha DigitalCommons@UNO Student Work 11-1-1986 The Boys Town Hall of History: A Case Study in Public History and Exhibition Methods Jacqueline Ann McGlade University of Nebraska at Omaha Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork Recommended Citation McGlade, Jacqueline Ann, "The Boys Town Hall of History: A Case Study in Public History and Exhibition Methods" (1986). Student Work. 2173. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/studentwork/2173 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UNO. It has been accepted for inclusion in Student Work by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UNO. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE BOYS TOWN HALL OF HISTORY: A CASE STUDY IN PUBLIC HISTORY AND EXHIBITION METHODS A Thesis Presented to the Department of History and the Faculty of the Graduate College University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree 4 Master of4 Arts University of Nebraska at Omaha by Jacqueline Ann McGlade November 1986 UMI Number: EP73715 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. UMI EP73715 Published by ProQuest LLC (2015). Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 THESIS ACCEPTANCE Acceptance for the faculty of the Graduate College, University of Nebraska, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Arts, University of Nebraska at Omaha. Committee Name Department ■ __ «_ / J '' , ^ ■ ■ V " •• - c- ■■ t- C ■■ " s / - -- ' Chairperson Date Acknowledgments The lessons I learned as a graduate student and teaching assis tant within the History Department have greatly aided my professional growth outside the "gates of the academy." This thesis is a tribute to my professors and their efforts to instill in students professional insight, courage, and dedication to history. One professor in particu lar, Dr. Jo Ann Carrigan, deserves my greatest debt of gratitude. As my mentor, teacher and friend, she has provided patient wisdom and steadfast direction during the rugged course of my academic and profes sional career. I only hope that this thesis satisfies her insistence on "evidence of a mind at work." A special note of thanks is due to Dr. Jerold Simmons to whom I often turn for personal, academic, and professional support. I am also grateful that Dr. Orville Menard of the Political Science Department agreed to serve on my thesis committee. I would like to take this opportunity to publicly acknowledge persons outside of the academy who have provided personal aid and sup port. In fond remembrance, I dedicate this work to my uncle, Jerry Jensen, with whom I discovered my love of history, and to my grand parents, August and Margaret Jensen, from whom I learned all things are possible. To my family, especially, my mother, Jane, and my father, Richard, who often puzzled over but always supported my life's choices, I offer deepest love and affection. To Michael O'Connor, who opened up his home and heart to make the initial writing of this thesis possible, I offer this note of thanks, "It was a long road that brought us down this path together." To my alter egos, Debra Danielsen and Carol Elrod, thanks for always being there to remind me that when the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. To Virginia O'Connor, who, once again, unselfishly gave of herself in order that "one of her chil dren" might succeed. To Sister Marilyn Graskowiak, whose kind advice helped me through difficult days. To Judge John C. Burke, whose wisdom and direction helped make an "exhibition dream" into a reality, many thanks for "ruling" in my favor. To Dr. Howard Chudacoff, my faraway friend, whose guidance and encouragement have kept my feet on the path and my sight fixed ahead. Finally, I wish to thank my very special friend, Benjamin Lawless, who has shown me many wonderful things includ ing the true meaning of "an exhibition." Preface Present-day historians are extremely fortunate. Increased public interest in history has afforded historians the opportunity to expand their professional influence and convey their scholarship through new forms of communication. In order to satisfy a public hunger for history, historians must learn to use information methods rooted in popular appeal and leisure-time activities. Among the current options, the display of linear history and material culture through exhibitions is one of the most overlooked and understudied areas in public history. The retelling of history through the medium of the museum exhi bition can be a highly rewarding yet intellectually frustrating experi ence for a historian. The exhibition process holds the heady promise of reaching thousands of viewers with the historical message the historian desires to convey. No classroom, scholarly article, or professional conference allows a historian's ideas so much exposure in so short a time. Undoubtedly, on any given topic a trained historian could easily prepare an article or monograph that educates, enlightens, and sometimes amuses a reading public. Can that same historian describe a historical era or subject, its themes, individuals, and contributions to the his tory of the American past in seventy-five words or less? What if no words were available and the historian could only portray a historical era in sight, sound, and touch? iii This thesis, "The Boys Town Hall of History: A Case Study in Public History and Exhibition Methods," will examine many aspects of "doing history" through material culture studies and historical exhibi tions. Chapter One will explore the evolution of the field of social history and its future as a guiding force in the study and display of material culture. The chapter will describe how social history as a field has "cycled" toward the study of material culture and its impor tance for the closure of the "information gap" present in museums and historical exhibitions. Chapter Two of the thesis will present methods and processes involved in conceptualizing and writing history for public exhibitions. Emphasis is placed on the importance of history, not objects, as the focal point of an exhibition. It will be argued that historians can change past "history exhibits" from mere displays of material culture into carefully conceptualized historical exhibitions of informational value to the public. As a remedy, the thesis will offer ways in which historians can direct the presentation of historical images and informa tion in an exhibition. The discussion will be accompanied by an exten sive description of the processes necessary for the conceptualization, research, development, and implementation of an exhibit storyline. Attachments show the evolution of the Boys Town Hall of History through its various stages of planning and implementation. Chapter Three will contain an expanded, annotated version of the historical script conceived for the Boys Town Hall of History in an exhibition catalog format. The chapter will discuss the potential of a catalog to "exhibit" historical information through the written word. Two conclusions are presented for the "exhibition catalog" in an attempt to convey the limitations often placed on history written for the public. In addition to a typical catalog ending, the "Epilogue" offers a more scholarly appraisal of the history of Boys Town. Throughout this thesis, special attention will be given to the limitations, caveats, and rewards of "doing history through artifacts." Chapter Four will attempt to outline some of the difficulties faced by historians engaged in the practice of public history. The chapter will also examine material culture studies and historical exhibitions as avenues for scholastic and professional growth both in and outside of the academy. Finally, it is hoped that this thesis will act as a useful guide for historians interested in "doing history" through exhibitions. The larger goal of this work, however, is to aid historians to refocus their present vision of history to include items of the three-dimensional past. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Acknowledgments ............................................................ i-ii P r e f a c e .................................................................... iii-v Chapter I: Social History: Cycling Into A New Dimension ............. 1 Chapter II: Methods For An E x h i b i t i o n .................................. 30 Attachment A ............................................................ 73 Attachment B ....................... 74 Attachment C ............................................................ 76 Attachment D ............................................................ 78 Attachment E ............................................................ 79 Attachment F ....................... ' ................. 82 Attachment G ........................................................... 104 Attachment H ........................................................... 146 Attachment I . .......................................................