Proprietors of the Bat and Ball: Interpreting the National Pastime and Its Predecessor Games by Dean R

Programs for Your Public BNDL018

This bundle includes great ideas for beginning or improving your programs. From amateur movies to using theater techniques for interpretation to playing ball, these are crowd pleasers and attention-getters.

TL100 – Old Movies: A Source of Local History Programs (1977) TL117 – Craft Festivals: A Planning Guide (1979) TL197 – Interpreting Foodways (1997) TL227 – Theater 101 for Historical Interpretation (2004) TL231 – Proprietors of the Ball & Bat: Interpreting the National Pastime and its Predecessor Games (2005)

This bundle may help institutions achieve the standards as set forth under the Interpretation section of the AASLH StEPS Program.

VISIT THE AASLH BOOK STORE AT WWW.AASLH.ORG FOR MORE RESOURSES JUST LIKE THIS!

HISTORYNEWS TECHNICAL LEAFLET A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY

Interpreting Food History

BY SANDRA OLIVER Food is at the center of all human endeavor. Your visitors, members, staff, and trustees all share the need for sustenance. Museums and historic sites across the country have the opportunity to connect their visitors to

some aspect of food history, whether the site is an historic house with only a dining room or a living history farm

with animals as well as crops of grain, vegetables, and fruit. Technology and science museums can demonstrate

the link between food production and distribution, and its eventual preparation and consumption. Fine and

decorative art collections invariably have images depicting food as well as objects decorated with food motifs or

created for food service or consumption.

1 A food history program can be as simple as a single evolving. In recreating a group’s or site’s foodways, lecture to accompany an exhibit, or as rich as a fully- plan to address all the following: integrated, year round, farm-and-kitchen, from-field-to- • food supply—commercial and domestic includ- table program. Many sites enjoy the liveliness and ing seasonal variations interest that a cooking demonstration brings, but even • water source and supply a few selected pieces of faux food can add a new level • food preparation spaces: kitchens, field kitchens, of meaning to an object or room. The wonderful and pantries, cellars important thing about food is that all your visitors— • cooks and other food handlers no matter what age, background, or gender—under- • available cooking technology—hearth or stove, stand food on some level, even if only through their and equipment own personal tastes. Food can also be used as an • dining area and equipage entry point for introducing more complicated themes • daily meal patterns and seasonal variations and ideas. including holidays The better studies of foodways describe all these. BEGINNING PRINCIPLES To move to the level of understanding the significance Take Food History Seriously. Food history is nearly of food, seek the following: the last of the social history topics to emerge. While • evidence of conflict over or around food, anthropologists have long recognized food’s role in including theft human behavior, historians have been slow to regard it • expressions of satisfaction and dissatisfaction as a worthy topic, even (or perhaps especially) about food supplies, preparation, and service. women’s studies and feminist historians. Many histori- • contrasts of plenty and want ans who did acknowledge it, were regarded as slightly • effects of the market on production and con- eccentric. In the past twenty-five years, however, sym- sumption by both producers and consumers posia, exhibits, publications, and extraordinary scholar- • evidence of industrialization on food supply and ship have increased awareness of food history within preparation scholarly communities. University presses are now the • evidence of refinement and gentrification of food best sources of historical cookbook reprints and new • evidence of food as identity markers for class, scholarship. Some universities offer food history topics gender, ethnicity, region and a few Ph.D. candidates have written, or are writing, • issues of health and nutrition their dissertations in food history. • magical or power attributes of certain foods Concomitantly, history museums have abandoned • correlations between certain foods and the pro- the mere baking of gingerbread to develop sophisticat- ducers and/or preparers ed foodways programs which delve not only into the • (fish and fishermen, women and kitchen gar- production and preparation of sometimes complex dens, dairying, men barbecuing, etc.) dishes, but also the social significance of table settings Secondary Sources: A great deal of the better and manners. Historic sites now plan for food history known secondary works on food history are gradually programs as carefully as they do for other research- being replaced by better scholarship. Generally speak- based programs. ing, plan to use work published before the 1970s with care. In fact, use the bibliographies and footnotes from Use an Interdisciplinary Approach. Food is ephemer- these works to lead you to the original sources them- al, and cooking and eating are behavior. No one disci- selves which you will want to examine. Waste no time pline alone adequately informs us about food in the with any work lacking footnotes or bibliography. past; no single resource will provide even a majority of the facts we need. Period cookbooks are actually the WHAT WILL YOUR last link in a chain of resources you will need. COLLECTION SUPPORT? Material culture studies including architecture, his- Food interpretation, like any other interpretive aspect torical archaeology, agricultural history, and social his- of your site, is always best if there is sufficient material tory will best support food programs at traditional his- and documentary evidence to back it up. The richest tory sites. Anthropology, ethnology, folklore, econom- and most accurate story is the one that will be most ics, food sciences, and nutrition have a great deal to specific to your site. We already have plenty of generic offer the open-minded historian. Most importantly, hearth cooking programs across the country to intro- cooking is to the study of food history as the perfor- duce the topic. We are best served when sites seek mance of music is to musicology. Food cannot be stud- ways to personalize and localize their food story. Your ied on paper alone. The gravest errors in contemporary collection is the key to what you can do. writing about food or domestic work history occur when the historian has not cooked or consulted with Architecture. When owners modify domestic struc- someone who has. tures, kitchens are among the first rooms to be mod- ernized. Many restored historic homes no longer State of the Art. Food history is a new and emerging have kitchens (or the rooms are so altered that they field, and naturally the quality of the scholarship is still are barely recognizable). Support rooms like pantries

2 AL LEAFLET TECHNIC

and cellars, or in some regions out-buildings like and on manuscript reader’s review sheets, so you can dairies, smoke houses, and spring houses are also find your references again when you need them. Alert missing or obscured. research staff to note the locations of food references. Work from your strengths: if you have lost your Here is what to expect to find in various sorts of pri- kitchen but have interesting extant outbuildings, con- mary sources: sider developing a program that utilizes them. For Manuscript narratives and personal accounts, let- example, if you have a smoke house, emphasize meat ters, journals, and diaries — not everyone in past preservation. If you are lacking a dining room, consider times talked about the food they ate. Those who did depicting small meals consumed in other rooms. primarily described special occasions. These sources If your site is positioned to make extensive restora- are significant, as they add personal experience to your tion, keep in mind that the field could use more urban research. Look also for miscellaneous, off-hand refer- kitchen exhibits, twentieth century restorations ences to daily activities which shed light on your sub- or recreations, work camp, institutional, and under- ject’s food habits—references to gardening activity, ani- class kitchens. mal husbandry, shopping expeditions, trades or exchanges with neighbors, and food gifts. Archaeology. Food remains uncovered by archaeolo- Account books — If you have account books for gy close the gap between the prescriptive literature of your site’s occupants, read for food information. These cookbooks and general facts about food supply. sources will tell you what food was brought in, and in Ceramics and metals help us accurately set the table, what quantity, and prices listed will shed light on rela- furnish kitchen, and select storage containers. Through tive values of foods. Look also for evidence of food archaeology you can present a highly personalized exchanges, particularly of fresh meat and produce. account of your site. If your site has been analyzed by Account books from food vending businesses describe archaeologists, reexamine the reports with an eye for what was available, average quantities and frequencies food-related artifacts. If not, put a dig on your wish list, sold. Account books also reveal information about food or examine information about similar socio-economic related household equipment. sites in your region. Inventories — These are well known to reveal information about both furnishing and food- related Research Resources. Primary sources are often rich in tools. Earlier ones particularly mention food; read incidental but revealing food references. Make sure with an eye to skewing by seasonal limitations or you include food among your card catalog headings, family politics.

3 Period imprints, particularly travel and description from an earlier era may best reflect your sites’ food- and local history — These sources can reveal general ways, especially if the occupants were older. Do not and particular information about your site and adhere to your usual period limitations with foodways subject(s). Guests and travelers often described meals research, but be flexible at least up to twenty years served to them by prominent individuals, as well as food (and even as many as thirty years) before and after. served in public houses. Sometimes they described local Manuscripts recipes — These are the inner circle of customs, agricultural practices, trade, and industries—all written instruction. As with cookbooks, the life of many of which can shed light on food history. manuscript receipt books is very long, often begun at Pitfall: Beware of boosterisim or hypercritical the commencement of a married life, and added to over reviews. The oft-quoted Frances Trollop, for example, time. Expect to find a plethora of recipes for desserts, disliked almost everything she encountered about preserves, and remedies—items requiring more preci- American food and eating habits. Compare her descrip- sion and made less frequently than daily meat and pota- tions to those of the curious and observant Swedish toes. Food historians assume that handwritten recipes naturalist, Peter Kalm. represent foods the cook actually prepared or certainly Newspapers — Modern people do not believe intended to, and so come considerably closer to reflect- everything they read in newspapers, and neither ing an individual’s or family’s preferences. should historians. Newspaper advertisements are, how- You will be best served if your site has a printed or ever, a good source for supply information. manuscript cookbook in the collection known to have Newspapers carried special occasion menus for public been used on site, or from the occupying family. The dinners and miscellaneous food-related events as well next best thing is a printed or manuscript cookbook as information about local farming or gardening. Look from a similar family and time. for seasonal variations on food supply and food humor, which often reveals attitudes toward various foods. Food Related Artifacts. Along with the time lag that Literature — Prose and poetry may present another occurs with recipes, there are tremendous variations in view—albeit often dramatized—of regional and period acceptance of technology, food supply, and cookery foodways. Compare these descriptions with other habits across the country and even within regions. This material from your site’s era, and use to find overlaps in underlines the necessity for local and contextual research. attitudes about food. These overlapping areas are often In the mid-nineteenth century across the United States where you gain the highest accuracy. and Canada, there were simultaneously urban house- Cookbooks and recipe notebooks — Cookbooks are holds equipped for wood or coal stove cookery, with a prescriptive literature. They describe what is supposed to great range of foodstuffs available and prepared in the happen under the best conditions. The early works— highest of styles, and rural poor and frontier households pre-1800—are most often cooking on an open hearth with a food supply more typi- written for gentry household, cal of a hundred years earlier. assuming a housewife is If your site lacks specific instructing servants. Later inventories, take a very hard works are more likely to look at the site’s collection of address the middle-class house- food-related artifacts for informa- wife cook herself, with or without help; tion on how the objects came to the well-known American Frugal be in the collection. Wherever Housewife is a good example. A possible, match your collection to few books were geared towards additional information from the lower-classes. As the nine- archaeological or documentary teenth progressed into the evidence. Too often museum col- twentieth century, cookbooks were lections, especially those of house museums, have often written by reformers with an agenda. Cookbooks been subject to artifact accumulation of the “wouldn’t are virtually useless for underclass sites and marginally it be nice to have....” variety. useless for early frontier sites except as background Once you have examined your collection, consider information. Southern gentry sites will find English and how much you wish to have on exhibit. Sites which Southern cookbooks more useful during the antebellum want to maximize artifacts on view may wish to have period than later, and Northerners will find an enormous less real-food activity. Sites with a thin collection of his- array of books at their disposal, for many cookbook torical culinary equipment may find this a good oppor- writers and publishers were from the northeast. tunity to acquire usable reproductions. Pitfall: Cookbook dates do not always reflect the era of the cooking within. Publishers often reprinted cook- Ancillary Food-Related Site Programs. Field crops, books intact for up to twenty or more years after their gardens, and animals all support a food program and initial writing, even though certain food supplies and integrate the whole story of an historic site. A site with technologies changed. On the other hand, food habits a milk cow can consider more seriously a cheese-mak- are very conservative—they are among the last habits ing demonstration; a site with an orchard can economi- to change, either individually or as a culture, so material cally conduct a cider-pressing program.

4 CHOOSING PROGRAM LEVEL “bread” leads to similar explorations of yeast, flour, bak- Occasional or Annual. Some sites interpret food ing processes, artifacts, symbolism associated with once a year, often in conjunction with a holiday or a bread, and the various uses of bread. special event. Other sites add a food component to all special events. For example, a site sponsoring a militia Fireless Programs. Where fragile collections or con- encampment may encourage the group to cook, both servation policy prohibit live fires, a selection of fireless for themselves and for the public; a site hosting a fall activities can enrich regular programming. Some event may present historical ways of working with processes can be started or finished with conventional apples or other fall crops; summer house tours might heating off-site, with the rest of the process conducted conclude with a recreation of an historic tea. Consider in public view. Examples: custard can be churned into turning to outside vendors, reenactors, or profession- ice cream, milk heated then made into soft-cheeses; als to present a program. Many come with their own vegetables prepared for pickling with the hot process equipment and materials and the cost of hiring them completed later. Other processes can be done com- will be considerably less than building and maintain- pletely without fire: sauerkraut making, vegetable or ing your own program. You can also consider training fruit drying, butter churning, or cold dessert assembly. a cadre of volunteers who will perform cookery as needed for special events. Foodless Programs. Conservation-safe food exhibits are certainly possible. A very small handful of custom Regular. Some sites choose to have food presentation faux food producers across the country can fashion each day the site is open; others prefer to present food displays of whole meals from roasts to trifles, or pro- programs on weekends or on maximum attendance duce an array of small sweets to depict a tea. Faux days. Still other sites designate one weekend a month food leaves nothing to the imagination, and often for a regular program. Sites open only seasonally gear leave sites looking as if they had purchased all the their foodways programs accordingly. Southern sites same take-out food from some historic deli. The selec- may prefer to operate in the cooler months, for the tion of artifacts to suggest a recipe in the making or sake of both visitors and staff. the preparation of a particular meal, leaves a site free to display unusual and intriguing artifacts, and the Special Programs. Programs with or for children, meals or processes that rarely get attention, such as schools, elderhostels, culinary arts, or other special breakfast, gelatin, and molded dessert making. food interest groups, are an ideal way to present your food history. Using food as the entry point, be sure to EQUIPPING YOUR PROGRAM coordinate school programs with curriculums for local What to obtain. Except for gentry sites, there are or state history program requirements. about forty items which regularly appear by 1840 in Several museums across the country offer special inventories, outfitting lists, and household hint books. evening dinners, often cooked down-hearth with hands- Later nineteenth century sites have more stuff—spe- on participation, followed by period games or music. cialized gadgets and storage containers. Earlier seven- Such programs can be quite successful, with reser- teenth and eighteenth century sites, frontier sites, and vations going on choice weekend nights for as much underclass sites have fewer. To determine your historic as $50 per person. Other sites offer birthday parties, battery de cuisine, examine inventories, archaeological teas, picnics, even breakfast programs. reports, and, if known, cookbooks used at your site. Such programs usually require a back-up Pitfall: Some historic kitchens look as if the cura- kitchen with standard dish washing equipment tors had spent a great deal of time with the his- and refrigeration, as well as some level of pre- toric equivalent of the William’s Sonoma Catalog. program preparation. In some seasonally operat- Beware over-furnishing. ed sites, these programs provide winter employ- ment for historic cooking staff. Artifacts. Each historic site will make their decision about artifact use depending on their Thematic Programs. One successful collections policy and practice. You may use approach to a foodways program is field-to- more durable artifacts carefully—even cast iron kitchen, showing the processing of agricultural or can be fragile and crack if dropped—while you can farm products into household foods. Examples never use other pieces—particularly glass and ceram- include showing dairying processes from grazing to ics. Depending on the extent of your cooking program, milking to cheese and butter making; or wheat from you may be able to equip yourself with sufficient repro- harvesting, threshing, milling, to baking bread. ductions for preparing your basic menu, while display- Seasonal changes offer natural variations. ing artifacts representing special occasions or infre- Other theme possibilities include those based on one quent processes. ingredient, such as corn or sorghum. Site cooks can recreate various dishes featuring unique regional uses Reproductions. Certain items are widely available: of the ingredient, and underscore the daily importance very decent, faithfully reproduced redware and yellow and variations in its uses. Sometimes a theme such as ware pottery, forged ironware, tinware, and treen.

5 Glass, silver, and fine ceramics are much more difficult While it is true that women still do most household to find, and equipping your site from the present supply cooking, the nature of cooking itself has changed so tends towards an eerily homogenous look. much over the past twenty years that such common historic methods as bread making, baking from Food. The good news with food scratch, disjointing fowl, boiling puddings in a bag, are supplies is that most historic not universally familiar, and will require as much train- recipes call merely for basic ing as the use of hand planes. ingredients: flour, sugar, Cooking is a skill, and historic cooking is a highly molasses, lard, butter, vegetables, developed skill requiring the same practice, repetition, meat. The bad news is that and self-confidence as other crafts. Performing the obtaining ingredients that skill before the public and other staff members while authentically replicate earlier explaining it takes it to still another level. Your historic forms is next to impossible: with cooks will need the same respect, training, careful flour, for example, you can come close, but the wheat selection, and support as your other crafts people. grown in earlier times is no longer available. Renewed interest in heirloom plants and early breeds continu- Interviewing and Selection. Do interview specifically ously brings into reach more truly appropriate period for historic cook assignments. Make sure your food. With a little effort, you can find local supplies of prospective cook at least likes to cook, has affinity for traditionally processed foods like stone ground meals, food, and is self-confident. If your site does butchering sweeteners like sorghum, preserved and meat preparation, be sure staff will be meats and fish, and other regional spe- comfortable with related tasks. Curious and cialties. Otherwise, obtain the least energetic people open to experimentation are processed foods possible, matching as a better bet for historical cooking than the nearly as possible its probable historical gourmet cook, who may have a great deal of appearance. pride attached to his/her performance. If Pitfalls: Its very tempting to make your site permits it, consider men for cooks: inappropriate substitutions to satisfy sites with bakeries, gentry homes where a modern taste: do not permit margarine chef might have been employed, production where lard should be used or baking cheese works, work camps, and the like are powder where saleratus was the rule. possible places for men to do food preparation. Site food budgets also skew the historic picture. In any given week, a great Training. Provide your cooks with broad deal more chicken is cooked in museums across the exposure to primary sources. If needed, prepare them country than was cooked in an entire historic month or ahead of time with guidelines for critical reading. Mere more across the whole country. Consider the purchase exposure to a few photocopied recipes from a period of large quantities of beef and pork, even whole sides, cookbook is inadequate. Expose them to narratives, for custom butchering for your site. accounts books, newspapers, letters, and archaeological reports. Encourage continued reading. Food refer- Fire. Sites which go to great trouble to furnish peri- ences are usually so buried that the more people you od kitchens with reproductions need to obtain firewood have scouring the research sources for them, the bet- and kindling that matches period technology. If period ter. Provide a standardized system of notation so work kindling is impossible, make sure the fire is lit before is shared. visitors appear on the scene. Shavings created by draw Provide hands-on, in-kitchen training from fire-build- knives or hand planes are better than newspaper, and ing and handling to oven-heating to all the basic cook- hatchet-split kindling is better than shop scraps. Check ing processes: boiling, broiling, frying, roasting, bak- to make sure no plywood, pressure treated, or compos- ing. Send staff members to a site with an established ite scraps have crept into the wood box. If necessary, program for a one- or two-week apprenticeship, or train cooks in hatchet use. bring an experienced hearth or wood stove cook and teacher to your site for intensive work with new staff. Back-up kitchen. You may wish to have back-up facili- Allow each new staff member to become adept at basic ties for standard refrigeration, food storage, and clean-up. processes—boiling, frying, broiling, before having Plan it in proportion to your program. For example, large them move on to roasting, boiling in bags, and baking programs with extensive year-round cookery may need a from scratch. Adjust menus accordingly. great deal of cold storage, while smaller programs can use household-sized equipment. You will need washers DAILY OPERATIONS and dryers to wash towels and miscellaneous linens. Cooks and Coordinators. Assign responsibility to one person for planning menus and assigning supplies, pro- STAFFING AND TRAINING visioning, and over-seeing the food storage facilities. In Cooks as Artisans. When training staff, do not the best-run programs, cooking sites are equipped with assume a correlation of gender and cooking skill. appropriate basic supplies—flours, meals, sweetenings,

6 seasonings—and cooks pick up, or have delivered museum’s collection. At such an event, dishes reveal daily, assigned groceries from a back-up kitchen. various ethnic and economic groups as well as coun- Leftovers are returned to the back-up kitchen, evaluat- tries and regions, sparking participant interest in fur- ed for further use, and stored. Grocery assignments ther exploration. prevent assertive cooks from selecting choice viands for an impressive display, and leaving the rest of the Archiving Manuscript Material. If a collection of staff in the lurch for lunch. It also prevents shyer his- family papers is coming to your site or library, inquire toric cooks from reliance on a limited repertoire. after the culinary material, particularly handwritten As in any household, one person needs to oversee recipe notebooks and cards. Now is the time to collect food supplies, check for spoilage, replenish supplies, the early to mid-twentieth century material which and ensure cleanliness. You may also wish to shows the terrific changes of the transition from an assign this person the budget responsibilities era dominated by home food processing to the one for the program. dominated by the market place; the introduction of many now familiar ethnic foods; the coping strategies To Eat or Not to Eat. Historic sites with cooking for the rationing during World War I and World War programs vary tremendously in their policies about II, and the deprivations of the Depression. This whether staff or the public can eat the food prepared. material is tremendously endangered. While culinary Obviously, food prepared in an historic setting simply ephemera and printed cookbooks have value as cannot precisely match modern standards for collectibles, the handwritten material is frequently cleanliness—in fact, if they do, the food is probably thrown away. not being prepared authentically enough. (It should be noted that modern Americans are considerably GETTING MILEAGE FROM more anxious about food safety than most of our YOUR PROGRAM European contemporaries; a good example, is the Tying Food to Curriculum. Food programs can be tied difficulty of obtaining in the U.S. French cheeses to school curricula not only via history and social stud- made from unpasteurized milk and consumed with ies, but math, science, and geography. Food topics impunity by thousands of French.) Check with local increasingly find a sympathetic interest among teachers. food handling regulations if you decide to serve the food to the public. Historic Sites and Food Writers. Most daily newspa- Some sites encourage staff to eat interpretively in the pers feature food once a week—on Wednesday—and public view to show period appropriate food service unleash an army of copy-hungry food writers to whom and table manners. Support this kind of interpretation information about historic food programs greatly with a handout or staff member to explain to visitors appeals. Food professionals are discovering food histo- what is going on and why the public isn’t free to join in. ry and are among the most enthusiastic consumers of Otherwise, since our society considers it ill-mannered historic food news. A lively program at your site will to eat in front of someone without sharing, staff is well give a food writer a reason to return to your site. advised to take the consumable food to a staff lunch- room where it can be eaten discretely. Artisanal Food Movement and Museums. Along with greater interest in food history, general consumers and FOR THE FUTURE professionals alike are increasingly interested in the Oral history. Food is evocative. You will find visitors craft of producing specific foods, known as artisanal not only interested (or sometimes, repulsed) by the foods—hand formed bread, micro-brewed beer, tradi- cookery they see, but forcibly reminded of their own tional cheeses, charcuterie, and preserves. Food histo- food habits, childhood associations, and memories. ry can provide deep background on artisanal foods, Valuable information about food in our century, ripe and food artisans can provide food products tied to for preservation, will be offered to the historic site your program for sale in your museum shop. positioned to record it. Let your foodways program recruit potential informants. If you already have an Publishing Food History. Many historic sites have active oral history program, consider adding ques- cookbooks for sale in their museum shops, too often tions about eating habits and food supply. If your tapes hastily-assembled compilations of locally favorite are indexed, be sure to include references to food in recipes. If publishing is possible at your site, consider the index. a book based on manuscript recipes from your collection, provided in the original as well as a version Food and Family History. One western historic site clarified for modern cooks. A collection of food-related sponsored a family food heritage program. They invit- extracts from site-related travel and description, ed museum members and the public to bring to a diaries, journals, and letters is a valuable addition to potluck supper a dish made from their own family’s food history scholarship. collection of recipes along with a copy of the recipe, information about their family, and significance of the dish. The recipes and information were added to the

7 RESOURCES Replicas, Reproductions, and Books Bibliography Replica Resource List. Compiled by ALHFAM’s Replica The best new food history work in North America is Resource Committee. Send $12.00 ($7.00 for ALHFAM regional, and too numerous to list here. Several bibli- members) to Museum Research Associates, Ron Kley ographies have been assembled which will give you and Jane Radcliffe, 11 Spring St., Hallowell, ME, 04347. titles for reference: Early American Homes publishes an annual list of Bitting, Katherine Golden. Gastronomic Bibliography. craftsmen many of whom produce museum quality San Francisco: the author, 1939. reproductions. Lowenstein, Eleanor. Bibliography of American Prospect Books and Food Heritage Press. These two pub- Cookery Books, 1742-1860, Based on Waldo Lincoln’s lishers are leaders in the ever-growing field: Prospect American Cookery Books, 1742-1860. 3d ed. Books is one of, if not the, first publishers of annotated Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1972. reprints. To send for the catalog, write: Prospect Books, Longone, Janice and Longone, Daniel. American Allaleigh House, Blackawton, Totnes, Devon, TQ9 7DL, Cookbooks and Wine Books, 1797-1950. Being an Great Britain. Food Heritage Press is a new mail order Exhibition from the Collections of, and with Historical business but has the most comprehensive selection of Notes. Ann Arbor: Clements Library, Wine and Food historical cookbook reprints and scholarly work on food Library, 1984. history. For a catalog send $1.00 to Food Heritage Press, New York, New York Public Library. Regional PO Box 163, Ipswich, MA 01938-0163 American Cookery, 1884-1934; a List of Works on the Subject. Comp. by James E. Gourley, New York, 1936, Early Cookbooks Reprinted with Additions from the Bulletin of the NY Specialty sellers of period cookbooks, and wine and Public Library of June-July, 1935. food books, abound in virtually all regions of the coun- Oxford, Arnold W. English Cookery Books to the Year try. Look for advertisements in the same places you 1850. (Reprint of London: New York: Oxford University see information about antiques and collectibles. Press, 1913) London: Holland, 1977. Weaver, William W. Early Printed Cookbooks of Publications Pennsylvania Germans: their Sources and Their Legacy. Petits Propos Culinaire. For nearly two decades PPC From Pfalzer /Palatines. Heimatstelle Pfalz, 1981. has addressed food and food history for all periods and The Wine Institute. Selective Bibliography of Wine places, regularly reviews books, invites inquiries, and Books. San Francisco, 1944. broadens considerably one’s perspective of the field. For Wheaton, Barbara and Kelly, Patricia. Bibliography of current subscription information and instructions inquire Culinary History: Food Resources in Eastern Massachusetts. at PPC, 45 Lamont Rd., London, SW 10 HO, England. Boston: G.K. Hall & Co. n.d. Excellent comprehensive list- Food History News. Founded in 1989 for historic ing of many centuries of culinary material. cooks in museums, the quarterly newsletter FHN continues to serve museum audiences as well as food pro- Associations fessionals and culinary historians with regular pieces Association for Living Historical Farms and on military and domestic foodways, news in food histo- Agricultural Museums. ALHFAM has a vigorous food- ry scholarship, sources for equipment and information. ways committee which ensures food history presenta- Send $15 for one year, $28 for two years, to FHN, HCR tions at all its annual conferences, and often at regional 60 Box 354A, Iselsboro, ME 04848. meetings as well. For membership information write: Culinary historian groups frequently have fine and Judith M. Sheriden, Sect/Treas., 8774 Route 45, NW, informative newsletters. North Bloomfield, OH, 44450. ALHFAM’s web page: http://www.mystic.org/alhfam Sandra Oliver is a food historian and editor of Food History Culinary Historians: There are culinary historian News. Her recent publication, Saltwater Foodways: New groups in Boston, New York, Ann Arbor, Houston, Englanders and Their Food at Sea and Ashore in the Nineteenth Chicago, San Diego, Washington, DC, Delaware Valley, Century, was published by Mystic Seaport Museum. She can Hawaii, and Toronto. If you wish a list of addresses and be contacted at HCR 60 Box 354-A, Islesboro, Maine 04848; membership information please send a SASE to S.L. (207) 734-8140. Oliver, Food History News, HCR 60 Box 354A, Islesboro, ME 04848.

© 1997 by American Association for State and Local History. Technical Leaflet #197,“Interpreting Food History,” included in History News, volume 52, number 2,Spring 1997.Technical Leaflets are issued by the American Association for State and Local History to provide the historical agency and museum field with detailed, up-to-date technical information.Technical Leaflets and Technical Reports are available through History News magazine to AASLH members or to any interested person. Membership information or additional Technical Leaflets may be acquired by contacting American Association for State and Local History, 530 Church Street, Suite 600, Nashville,TN 37219, (615) 255-2971; fax (615) 255-2979.

8 AASLH

A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY #227

Theater 101 for Historical Interpretation By Dale Jones

BEING “HIPP” USING HEART, IMAGINATION, PLANNING, AND PHYSICALITY IN HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION

All understanding interpreters know as well as I what the ideal interpretation implies: re-creation of the past, and kinship with it. The problem is how to achieve this desirable end. It is not easy…So, in interpretive effort we are constantly considering ways and means of bringing the past to the present, for the stimulation of our visitors… Freeman Tilden—Interpreting Our Heritage

nterpreters at historic sites and history museums and the visitors to those sites have quite similar goals. Both want an engaging experience that brings the past alive and makes it understandable. Interpreters want to create those experiences, and visitors want to enjoy them.

Creating those experiences, as Tilden says above, “is not easy,” but he does suggest a way out of this difficulty—through art: I Interpretation is an art, which combines many arts, whether the materials presented are scientific, historical, or architectural. Any art is in some degree teachable.

#1 Theater 101 for Historical Interpretation

ne of those arts, that far too often The Heart in “HIPP” goes unrecognized in the history The heart in “HIPP” is the passion you bring to your field, is theater. If the goal of his- work. It is the inspiration you have and that you pass torical interpretation is to engage along to others. It is the caring you have for the quality O and inform visitors, then some of of your work and the concern you have that you succeed. the best tools for achieving those Interpreters have many reasons for their “heart.” A goals come from the world of theater. Whether you are living history interpreter might be passionate about playing a costumed character in first or third person open-hearth cooking or costumed interpretation. An interpretation,1 performing in a scripted museum the- actor may care deeply about the craft of acting. atre production, talking to visitors on the floor of the Some interpreters are passionate about working with museum, or designing interpretation, four key factors children. Many interpreters care deeply about a from the world of theater are essential for developing museum or exhibit. quality interpretation. While you can have some suc- What if you are lacking heart or passion for your cess by not incorporating all four, or by incorporating interpretative work, either because you have lost it or them half-heartedly, those who excel in their interpre- never had it? The time has come for you to begin tation display strong elements of each: heart, imagina- some exploration to discover, or rediscover, passion. tion, planning, and physicality. You might begin by reading books that you find inspir- Heart is the passion, the love you bring to your ing—try Freeman Tilden. His thoughts about passion work. That heart or passion may be found in your love and interpretation are still relevant today. As he writes of history. It may be your commitment to a museum in 1957 in Interpreting Our Heritage, “If you love the or site. Or it may be fueled by your love of performing thing [that you interpret], you not only have taken the for an audience. No matter what the reason, to suc- pains to understand it …, but you also feel its special ceed with style in museum interpretation, you have to beauty in the general richness of life’s beauty.” He like- have passion and a desire for doing a great job—you wise advocates that you “love the people who come to gotta have heart. enjoy it…in the sense that you never cease trying to Imagination provides the spark of creativity that understand them….” lifts your ideas and presentations out of the ordinary You might also talk to some people you respect. and into the realm of greatness. Imagination gives you What is the source of their passion? What books or the capacity to see new, exciting ways to do something articles do they recommend? Inspiration is often wait- or to show connections that will help the audience ing for you just by wandering around a site or exhibit understand your ideas. after everyone has left or before they arrive. Let your Planning ties everything together. It is the careful imagination roam. The quiet times you spend alone on design and organizational structure that allows you to site can help you connect with your historical passion. utilize all the other components in a logical, systematic But “heart” is not enough, unless you combine it way to achieve your interpretive goals. Planning forces with the essence of theater—imagination. you to think ahead, to assess your interpretive goals, your audience, and the best way to reach them. Using Imagination: Planning then helps you design a process for a success- Storytelling and Motivation ful, engaging interpretation and allocate time for prac- Perhaps the most powerful tool in your interpretive tice or rehearsal until you get it right. kit is an active and vivid imagination. That does not Physicality, or control of your body and voice, leads imply that you create fictitious information or events to to a presentation that visitors can understand. What engage your audience. What it does mean is that you good will it do you to have created the most engaging develop “historically plausible” 2 interpretations and sto- and thoughtful presentation, only to discover that peo- ries and use vibrant, descriptive language. A story, ple did not hear or understand what you said or that scene, or interpretation is “historically plausible” if it is you bored them with a monotonous voice? Knowing based on primary and secondary sources and is a rea- how to use your tools, in this case your physicality, lets sonable extrapolation of what might have happened. you construct a presentation that audiences can see, hear, understand, and enjoy. Storytelling If you have all four—Heart, Imagination, Planning, A practical imagination exercise and interpretive and Physicality—then you are “HIPP” and ready to technique is incorporating storytelling and evocative present your best image, and the museum’s best image, language into your work. Storytelling and associated to the public. Let’s examine these four elements below.

1 In first person interpretation, the interpreter pretends to be a character from the past, speaks in first person, and attempts for the most part to stay in character. In third person interpretation, the interpreter dresses in period costume but does not attempt to be a character. 2 “Historical Plausibility” is a term coined by Dr. Ira Berlin, University of Maryland, College Park, while serving as a consultant at the Baltimore City Life Museums for a museum theater project. 2 skills do not have to be limited to the stage or to fictional stories. The techniques below are appropriate to use in your interpretation to tell a story as part of your interpretive message. Courtesy of the author The story might be about a well- known figure such as George Washington as he braves the winter at Valley Forge or it might be about an unknown soldier who was in Washington’s army. Alternatively, your story could focus on an object and how that object was created or used. Your first step in telling such a story is to know the story and its

Brian Bagley plays the role of an African-American sailor in the War of 1812 in a cal leaflet #227 details well. Here are some factors to play called “A Taste of Freedom.” The author wrote and directed the play for the consider in developing a story that Star-Spangled Flag House in Baltimore. will be a delight for you to tell and for listeners to hear: which everything else hangs is the plot. Just as a good Visualization. You want to paint a picture in your historian creates interesting stories for the reader audience’s mind about the story, and to help you do based on historical facts, so must you. To do so you techni this, visualize scenes from the event or story so your need to understand the flow of events, or the plot. To telling becomes more vivid and engaging. Close your help you get a firm understanding of the story and eyes and recreate the sequence of the story in your pare it down to its essence, try to relate it in three sen- mind’s eye. Stop in each mental sequence and look tences in which you tell the beginning, middle, and around. What colors and sounds do you notice? What end of the story. What is the context of the story? descriptive words help convey what you are imagining? What is the most important moment? Describe some of the scenes to a friend, and then let Rhythm. Varying the rhythm and pacing is another that person ask you questions about the scene. Think way to heighten an audience’s interest in your story. about the most important objects in the story and Identify the parts in the story where the pacing is fast describe them to a friend, using descriptive language. and slow. Retell it, exaggerating the slow and fast parts. Doing this exercise can also help you understand some Tell the story again and notice where the pacing of the missing information you might be able to fill in changes for the first time. Retell that part, exaggerating with a little research. the change and paying more attention to the transition. Characters. The people in your story were once alive, Language. Go back over the most important points and you want to pass that sense of “aliveness” to visi- of the story. Check to see if you are using powerful tors. Begin by identifying the most important person descriptive words that evoke the meaning of the story. in the story and describe him or her to a friend. Detail Get out a thesaurus if necessary and substitute more their physical appearance and personality in a few interesting words for some of the less descriptive evocative words. To help you dig deeper into the char- words you have used. This does not mean, of course, acter, you might let a friend ask you questions about that you are choosing language that visitors do not your character’s physical appearance and personality. understand, just more varied language. Find a place in the story where the character talks and try to speak as the character would. How would you Movement and Motivation describe the voice? Do the same with other main char- Another imagination activity from theatrical training acters in your story. If you have found any relevant pri- that can be especially helpful to living history inter- mary material, this is also a wonderful point to preters, but also to those who incorporate the story- integrate some actual quotes from the character or telling outlined above, relies on imagination, about the character. motivation, and movement. Audiences learn more What is the major obstacle or success the character from you than just from the words you say. How you faces in the story or event that you are relating? How move your body also sends them information. As a does the character react to this? Do they have any sec- very basic example, think about the difference in pos- ond thoughts about their actions? Describe the main ture that you would have if given a hug by a favorite challenges and the character’s reactions to them to a friend or relative versus your reaction if someone that friend and as before, let your friend ask questions. you did not like gave you a big hug. Plot and meaning. The framework of the story on 3 Theater 101 for Historical Interpretation

To get an idea of how your movements can send a develop a scene is a logical extension of the storytelling message, try this classic acting 101 exercise, modified activities above. The key to creating these scenes is for historical interpreters. This is a good activity to do using your imagination and letting it run wild. Of with a group, but you could also do it alone. course, as you move toward creating a scene for pre- Pretend you are a living history interpreter standing sentation, you should keep in mind the concept of just outside the parlor in a house from the 1840s. You “historical plausibility.” hear visitors enter the parlor from the hall and turn To begin this exercise, start with a primary source. back to enter the parlor. Should you walk into the Below is one such primary source, taken from an article room in the same way you would if you were in your in the February 1840 Baltimore Clipper, which describes present-day house, or should you enter as an 1840 per- an accident on the streets of downtown Baltimore in son would enter their parlor? How would a person which a boy is run over by a suction engine. A key to from 1840 enter the room? Each of these ways to doing this exercise effectively is to keep in mind that enter a room conveys a different message to visitors. for any incident that happens, there are multiple per- Try these examples below, perhaps with a friend to spectives from which to describe and interpret that assist. Notice that each of these has an interpretive event. Read over the article below from the Clipper: theme associated with it. • Quickly—you have misplaced a letter from a dear ccident. A lad about sixteen years of age friend who is traveling to Indiana and you want to A named Michael Laurence, was yesterday find it immediately to show to your husband (or afternoon run over by the suction engine of the wife). (Your interpretive theme may be to let visitors Patapsco,3 while coming down Fayette. His head know about travel conditions in the 1840s). was considerably lacerated. He was taken into Dr. • In anger—your daughter has just said to you that Alexander’s office, and such aid rendered him as she wants to write books like Lydia Maria Child his wounds required. We are only surprised that when she gets older, so she does not need to learn more accidents of the kind do not happen. how to cook. (Theme: role of women in antebellum America). Now, reread the article and try to identify all the • With pride—a phrenologist has just read your head various points of view or perspectives that could be and told you that your faculty of courage is well used in telling this story. Pretend that you might be developed. (Theme: interpretation of phrenology interpreting this event for an audience and you want and other “philosophical” ideas of the period). to make it interesting and still accurately tell the Depending upon the circumstance, you will find events as described. An obvious perspective to choose yourself entering at a different pace, with a different would be that of Dr. Alexander, who treated the boy. degree of tension, and with a different force behind Take a minute or two and make a list—some perspec- your movements. Also, be aware of your posture—how tives are obvious and others are more subtle. Below is you hold your head and shoulders—and what you do a partial list, but don’t peek until you have created with your hands. You might want to hold a relevant your own perspectives. prop (perhaps a letter, a book, or some other object) to People: give you something to do with your hands and to help Michael Laurence convey some meaning to the audience. Driver of the suction engine Too often, living history interpreters are not aware Reporter who wrote the story that when playing a character they can greatly expand Editor of the paper their interpretive repertoire and engage visitors better Michael’s mother (and other family members) by developing motivations for their character, even for Bystanders such a simple thing as entering a room. When that Animals: happens, the character becomes more interesting to Horses that pulled the engine the audience, and when coupled with a carefully Pigs (American streets were covered with pigs roam- designed interpretive theme, the whole interpretation ing freely at this time) is much stronger. Dogs Inanimate objects: Using Imagination: Creating a Scene Suction engine One of the most important aspects of being “HIPP” Road is “imagination,” and there is no better way to exercise Sky and grow your imagination than in creating interpre- An important concept to remember is that if you are tive scenes. Using primary and secondary sources to creating a museum theater scene or a story to tell, you

3 A suction engine is a nineteenth-century fire engine pulled by horses that pumped water. The “Patapsco” was the name of one of many volunteer fire departments in the city.

4 Courtesy of Conner Prairie cal leaflet #227 techni Dan Shockley working as Col. Harrison Hamlin Whitley outside the Tent of Wonders for Country Fair. have some flexibility in applying your creative juices. Planning for Imaginative For example, you do not have to be limited in time and Interpretation space. You could move your interpretation through Up to this point, the discussion has focused on spe- time to a few months (or even years) later and have a cific, personal elements of your interpretation. It is now friend of Dr. Alexander relate the story of Michael to a time to step back to view the whole process. Inevitably, group of people. And since you have moved the telling some of you will at some point be asked to create a of the story through time, you could also move it to character, a scene, an interpretation, a demonstration, a another location. Perhaps the friend is on a wagon train story, or a welcome greeting. When those occasions heading west and tells the story around a campfire. arise, it is valuable to be able to take a much broader Once you have established a point of view, take five look at what you are trying to do and how best to do it minutes or so, ideally with a few others, and create a so your efforts support the museum’s mission and the scene that tells the story from the perspective you program or exhibit’s interpretive goal. Below are some have chosen. Be sure to include elements that we elements to consider as you create that presentation, have mentioned earlier, including thinking about whether it is a museum theater presentation, a living variation in movement, pacing, and vocal expression. history interpretation, a tour, or a special program.4 As an alternative activity, you could create a story that What is your goal? Asking this question should be is told by one person. Remember in both cases to use obvious; on the other hand, museum interpreters often evocative language to help paint a verbal image of fail to do so, and the answer affects all the other what you are saying. aspects of the project. You need to identify clearly your Your imagination in many ways is like any other part mission, your goal, and your “spire of meaning”—the of your body or mind. The more you use it, the essential point you want to get across to visitors. stronger and more agile it becomes. Look for opportu- Who is your audience? Are you designing this for ele- nities to use it by finding elements of your interpreta- mentary school children, for families with young chil- tion or presentation that lend themselves to dren, adults interested in a specific topic, or a general storytelling and then practice by telling the stories you audience including adults and children? Once you create to family members or friends. As you begin to know who the audience is, you can begin making deci- finalize your presentation, keep the concept of “histor- sions about whether the piece should be interactive, ical plausibility” in mind, so you do not stray from dramatic, a more traditional interpretation, or some- your interpretive message. thing else entirely.

4 These planning elements are based on a workshop conducted by Dale Jones and Margaret Piatt, “Planning Effective Living History Performances” at A Union of Spirits: A Conference for Interpreters. The Farmers’ Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., 1991. 5 Theater 101 for Historical Interpretation

What is your interpretive format? Will you be creat- audience needs to have time and space to rehearse or ing a tour; a living history interpretation for an inter- practice. Be sure to set some rehearsal practice time preter that has a station, or specific spot; a short or for the actual space in which they will be performing long museum theater piece; a demonstration; or some or presenting. other format? Do you have a director for your production? Many Where will you perform or present? Is the space in an museums fall into the trap of not using a director for exhibit, outside, in the room of a historic house? Will their performances or a staff member with director- visitors have benches, chairs, low walls, or steps to sit type abilities for their presentations and interpreta- on? Will audiences be positioned so the sun or light is tions. A director can provide an objective perspective in their eyes or at their backs? Are there distracting on your performance or interpretation that you can’t sounds coming from another gallery? If so, your audi- possibly do yourself and can help you create a more ence should be positioned to face away from that area. interesting presentation by calling to your attention How long will your presentation be? Long enough to strengths and weaknesses of your interpretation: accomplish your goals, but no longer, is the standard • Effective and engaging parts of your presentation; but unclear reply. The time range can vary greatly. It • Distracting or ineffective parts of your presentation; could be as short as three to five minutes, or as long as • Points in your presentation where you need to add fifty minutes. There is no set answer, although many some variation to your movement—perhaps sitting, museums choose a range of seven to fifteen minutes standing, leaning against a wall, or moving to a dif- for museum theater presentations. If you are creating a ferent space; tour, there is also no magic length. Some short but • Your pacing in case some parts are moving glacially poorly designed and presented tours seem to last an and need to speed up or another part is presented at eternity and other long tours keep visitors totally such a rapid pace that you lose intelligibility; engaged. It really depends upon your audience, your • Solid tips on how to create a better, more effective goal, your space, and other factors listed here. presentation. How will your audiences be oriented? If you are creating If you are creating a museum theater piece, you may a museum theater performance or a short living histo- need to interview several directors to find one who ry interaction, it is important to let visitors know what understands the nature of museum education and how is about to happen. Will visitors accidentally stumble to combine that with a theatrical presentation. You upon the program? Will there be an announced time might look in university or school drama departments, and place? Will an orientation, or description of what community theaters, or local professional theaters for a is to follow, be built into the presentation or will director. If you don’t have the time or inclination to someone else need to do that? search outside your museum for a director, you might How much interaction with visitors and families do you look to your own staff to find someone with those abil- want? Do you want the audiences only to watch or lis- ities. Someone with a good eye can improve staff’s pre- ten? Do you want families to have some interaction sentations tremendously by just watching a few times during the presentation or tour? How much? Will it and giving some inspired coaching. support the main goal? Do you have supplies and Have you considered the use of “prepared impromptus?” props for interaction? Interpreters or presenters have many opportunities to Have you developed a written script or outline? While respond to questions from their audience—the same some presentations may successfully arise without con- questions that are asked routinely. Rather than taking scious planning or scripting, you have a better chance each one and answering anew or falling into a pattern of of creating an effective presentation that can be passed responses that haven’t been well-thought out—why not on to future presenters or performers if you have prepare an engaging response that you practice and are planned it carefully and written it down. ready to give when the occasion arises? A “spontaneous” If you are creating a museum theater performance reply prepared and rehearsed beforehand, a “prepared and looking for a good playwright, you might contact impromptu” is perhaps the most effective way of consis- local university drama departments, community the- tently making a strong interpretive statement. All good aters, and local professional companies for possibilities. speakers do this, so why not museum interpreters? All it To assist you in selection, you might ask for previous takes is a little bit of time and planning. work or even invest a small amount of money and, How much planning? As Mark Twain once said, “It after presenting your goals and some information to usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a the playwrights, ask them to create a portion of a scene good impromptu speech.” So it is with these “pre- for you to look over. pared impromptus.” To the audience it appears to be a Have you allocated time, money, and locations for fresh response to the question they have just asked rehearsal and practice? Whether this is a museum the- (from their standpoint, the question is new, of course). ater play, a short first person interpretation, or a You, on the other hand, have prepared and practiced demonstration, the staff who will be in front of the your best response. 6 a question or a topic comes up, you provide atransi- a questionortopiccomesup,youprovide 5 Physicality tion and boredom. tion andboredom. tovoice. related thoughts andexercises some ments aboveandbelowwewillbrieflyreview voice andbody. We touchedonsomemovement ele- your into play—makingyourselfunderstoodthrough the“Physicality”aspectoftheatercomes This iswhere audience orvisitorscannothearunderstandyou. ing when appropriate. engaging anddescriptivelanguage,interactivity toincorporatemovement, yougo!Besure and off impromptu, line,pulloutyourprepared tion/entry andwhensomeoneasksyou impromptus, of prepared and CatherineHughes, eds.(Washington, DC:AmericanAssociationofMuseums, 1999). inflection or expression andwho lullsusintoinatten- inflection orexpression someone whospeaksinamonotone withlittleorno had themind-numbingexperience oflisteningto has Inaddition,everyone not enunciatetheirwords. their audiencesattentionbecausetheymumbleanddo speaking,whileotherslose room inwhichyouare thebackofa culty findingenoughvolumetoreach Othersmayhavediffi- of alongdayinterpretation. experience ofstrainingorlosingyourvoiceattheend but impliesrelevant interpretive contentaswell. Note that“engaged”doesnotmeanjust“entertained” the simpleadagetoengageandnotbore theaudience. sentation withfactsanddates.Theyfailtokeepinmind all theiremphasisonnumbertenandloadupthepre- Commandments are: aswell.TheseTenmuseum interpretation Commandments ofMuseumTheater”thatapplyto a“Ten thathecreated museum theaterinteresting tomake Science, Boston,feltthatitwassoimportant esting?” JonLipski,playwrightfortheMuseumof orsceneandaskyourself,“Isthisinter- presentation Jon Lipski,“Playwriting forMuseumor:HowtoMakeaDrama outofSlimeMolds”in 0 Thoushaltalwaysdelivertheinformation. 10. .Thoushaltnotbeboring 9. Thoushaltnotbeboring 8. Thoushaltnotbeboring 7. Thoushaltnotbeboring 6. Thoushaltnotbeboring 5. Thoushaltnotbeboring 4. Thoushaltnotbeboring 3. Thoushaltnotbeboring 2. Thoushaltnotbeboring 1. The above problems are common throughout the common throughout are The aboveproblems All thoughtandimaginationwillbefornaughtifthe Unfortunately, toomanymuseumpresentations place situation,youcanhaveanumber In anyinterpretive Many of you have probably hadtheunfortunate Many ofyouhaveprobably Have youmadesure yoursceneorpresentation isinterest- ? It is worthwhile tostopperiodically,? Itisworthwhile lookatyour And 5 volume, try doingthisexperiment. Takevolume, try adeepbreath, voice. To your affects giveyouanideaofhowbreath ofyour ofthatexhalationgivesyoucontrol control properly, youtakeinenoughairforexhalation,and in this withoutstrainingyourvoice.Whenyoubreathe endurance tospeakforalongperiodoftime—all andenough ofyourgroup those standingintherear not yourupperlungs. insoyour stomachexpandsand The trickistobreathe full? You canevenaddvolumeifyouhaveenoughair. isit,whenyourlungsare the samething.Notsohard, saying filling yourlowerlungs(notchest)andtry your air, doit.Nowtakeadeepbreath, youcanbarely isfun.”Ifyouhaveemptied lower abdomen,“History your as loudlyyoucan,pushingthesoundfrom empty,exhale untilyourlungsare tosay and thentry to volume toproject ing enablesyoutohavesufficient downonetoneeachtime. dropping hummingupanddownthescale song. Next,try work. Firsthumjustasinglenote,thenfavorite you candointheprivacyofyourcarasdriveto yourvoiceishumming,anexercise loosen upandrelax waysto theirvoice.Oneofthemosteffective prepare soshould an interpreter body fordancingorexercise, hisorher andprepares activitystretches strenuous andexpression. relaxation, articulation, breathing, warm-up, success toyourspeechefforts: ly usedintheater. elementscanbring Fiveimportant voicetrainingtechniquescommon- through addressed andcanallbe world ofmuseuminterpretation at ConnerPrairie. The Fall Creek Massacre Trial. Oneofmanyperformances Relaxation Warm-up. Case StudiesinMuseum, Zoo,andAquariumTheater, Breathing affects thepitchof yourvoice,vol- affects Just asadanceroranyoneabouttodo is the core of your voice. Proper breath- ofyourvoice.Proper is thecore Laura Maloney

Courtesy of Conner Prairie technical leaflet #227 7 Theater 101 for Historical Interpretation

ume, and the strain you put on your vocal chords. Try and energy flagging in the end. Your heart might be the humming exercise above, with the idea of relaxing tied up with the mission of the museum, or it might be your vocal chords and your neck. Notice that your based on the fact that you like talking to people. It voice should relax and your pitch should be a bit lower. might even be based on your enthusiasm for interpret- As you learn to control your breathing and relax your ing or performing. In many ways, it doesn’t matter voice, you should also lessen the strain on it. what makes you passionate about your work. It is only Articulation is indispensable for allowing audiences important that you have that passion or heart that you to understand what you are saying and enabling you to can transfer to others. For without heart, you will not be heard without having to speak as loudly. You can have the motivation or the energy to care enough increase your verbal dexterity by trying any of the old about your work to plan, practice, rehearse, and make it stand-by practice phrases such as “Peter Piper picked a better. And that would be a loss for you and the public. peck of pickled peppers,” or make up your own to practice your enunciation. Try saying the phrases Bibliography clearly and cleanly, paying attention to the consonants. Bridal, Tessa. Exploring Museum Theatre. Expression in your voice gives you nuance, emotion, Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2004. and emphasis and helps audiences understand your meaning. It makes the sound of your voice more pleas- Hughes, Catherine. Museum Theatre: Communicating ant to the ear—more interesting and less boring. This with Visitors through Drama. Portrsmouth, NH: is clearly one area where many interpreters are remiss. Heinmann, 1998. One of the best ways to learn to become more expres- Jones, Chuck. sive is to read aloud. Try reading to children or to a Make Your Voice Heard: An Actor’s Guide . friend. You might choose some poetry you like, for to Increased Dramatic Range Through Vocal Training New York: Back Stage Books, 1996. example Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.” Read it as if you are very sad and then try reading it as if you Jones, Dale. “Living History in the City,” are quite happy. Try a variety of different emotions. History News Vol. 50, #3, pp. 10-13. The purpose is to learn a variety of expressive ranges Levy, Barbara A., Sandra Mackenzie Lloyd, in your voice to help engage your visitors. and Susan Schreiber. Also try to vary your pace—sometimes it makes Great Tours!: Thematic Tours sense to talk slowly, other times more rapidly. What and Guide Training for Historic Sites. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2001. does not make for an interesting interpretation or talk is to speak at the same pace all the time. Keeping some Maloney, Laura, and Catherine Hughes, eds. variation—in pacing, expression, and volume—makes Case Studies in Museums, Zoos and Aquarium Theatre. you more interesting to listen to. Washington, D.C.: American Association of Museums/International Museum Theatre Alliance, Coming Back to “Heart” 1999. Our brief tour through theater and interpretation Roth, Stacy F. Past into Present: Effective Techniques for has taken you through the elements of being First-Person Historical Interpretation. Chapel Hill, North “HIPP”—heart, imagination, planning, and physicali- Carolina: University of North Carolina Press, 1998. ty. As you begin to look at all four of these and integrate them into your interpretive work, it is useful to Tilden, Freeman. Interpreting Our Heritage. 3d. ed. keep a couple thoughts in mind. Without proper plan- Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North ning, your efforts will probably not reach the interpre- Carolina Press, 1977. tive success you desire. If you do not have the imagination to create engaging interpretation, whether Dale Jones is a senior associate at the Institute for in museum theater, living history characters, guided Learning Innovation, where he conducts research and tours, or other interpretations with visitors, then you evaluation, focusing on history museums and organiza- run the risk of being boring. If visitors cannot hear or tions, and designs materials and programs for museums. understand you, you will have lost them even with the He has designed museum theatre, living history, hands- best-designed interpretation. on, and interpretive experiences for a variety of museums Even with all three of the above in place, however, and has a background in folk studies and theater. You can unless you have “heart,” you will find your enthusiasm reach him at [email protected].

© 2004 by American Association for State and Local History. Technical Leaflet #227, “Theater 101 for Historical Interpretation,” included in History News, volume 59, number 3, Summer 2004. Technical Leaflets are issued by the American Association for State and Local History to provide the historical agency and museum field with detailed, up-to-date technical information. Technical Leaflets and Technical Reports are available through History News magazine to AASLH members or to any interested person. Membership information or additional Technical Leaflets may be acquired by contacting American Association for State and Local History, 1717 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37203-2991, 615-320-3203; fax 615-327-9013; www.aaslh.org. 8 A PUBLICATION OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION FOR STATE AND LOCAL HISTORY #231

Proprietors of the Bat and Ball: Interpreting the National Pastime and its Predecessor Games By Dean R. Thilgen

uilding connections with visitors is paramount to most historical societies and museums. Hook them with something they ﬁ nd interesting and it may lead a visitor to become a member, donor, or volunteer. Bat and ball interpretations are the type of engaging and entertaining experience that visitors seek and is a subject historical societies and museums use to attract new audiences, enhance the institution’s outreach, and form new ties with the community.

Baseball history in the form of a club or team playing games at open air museums has grown and evolved over the past quarter century. John C. BWells, a progenitor of re-created baseball games in Ohio wrote, “Historic Base ball (that is two words in the early days) in conjunction with a museum, historic village, or special event has the distinct ability to attract patrons and funding, generate publicity in all media, provide a principal outlet for historic interpretation, support (even carry) special events, provide fun and recreation for staff and volunteers, create esprit de corps with the supporting groups, and can even generate profi ts.”1 Wearing reproduction uniforms, using old-style equipment, and enacting the game using period rules and procedures can be a popular activity throughout the entire museum season or at a one-time special event. Children naturally enjoy swinging a wooden bat and running the bases, especially if it is an old-style ball game. Prior to the 1870s, there were several popular bat and ball games, each with regional variations, and your historical organization may fi nd one of these old games useful in fulfi lling your mission.

1 John C. Wells, “Forming an Historic Base Ball Club. If You Build it, They Will Come,” Local History Notebook 10, no. 1 (January/ February 1994): i-iv.

1 Proprietors of the Bat and Ball

f your museum does not have position, now weakened by recently acquired knowl- a large open space for games, edge, forcing established re-creation programs to there are other options. Many decide whether to revise their interpretation.4 county and local historical societies send their ball players Re-Discovering the Game: into communities they serve, Vintage Base Ball acting as goodwill ambassadors. In the early 1990s, a group of history enthusiasts Baseball can be interpreted and Civil War re-enactors formed the Colorado in small ways, too, such as Vintage Base Ball Association. This fi rst use of the exhibitions, demonstrations, term “vintage base ball” was readily adopted by ball-making workshops, living history story lines, baseball historians and groups who were re-creat- theatricals, and presentations. ing nineteenth-century games of “base ball.” The broadest defi nition of vintage base ball is to re-create The History of Baseball History games of baseball using old rules, and in recent years Although the modern game can be traced to mid- some have thought of it as a recreational activity. nineteenth-century New York City, prior to the Vintage base ball does have one common founda- Civil War there were several bat and ball games with tion—all groups interpret the game derived from variations played in this country. David Block took Knickerbocker club or “New York” rules. A vintage a bold step in his book by including the diagram base ball game may be from the late 1850s, the “Theoretical Flowchart of Baseball’s Evolution” which evolved rules for 1860, the post Civil War era game begins in medieval times. European immigrants, on the eve of professionalism, the mid-1880s when particularly the English, brought their games with overhand pitching was being perfected, or even as them, but they also evolved in the New World. Block late as the 1920s. traces three basic English games: trap-ball, “cat” Bat and ball game programs began at a number game variations, and stool-ball. He theorizes that our of historic sites and museums in the 1980s, includ- modern game is a descendant of stool-ball, which ing Old Bethpage Village Restoration (New York), evolved into forms called base or “base ball” played Ohio Village (Ohio), Farmers’ Museum (New in late eighteenth-century America. Alternatively, in York), Living History Farms (Iowa) and Carriage early Connecticut, wicket ball was a popular variant Hill (Ohio). However, the focus of some programs of cricket, another stool-ball descendant. No matter shifted. Gary Monti from Old Bethpage’s Old what era your museum interprets, there is a bat and Time Baseball program wrote in 1995, “What had ball game to be explored. begun as a purely demonstrational interpretive Baseball historians have always valued the game’s program had turned into something quite differ- statistics and accomplishments, but the game’s early ent: ‘a new sport.’”5 This sentiment is shared by material culture and practices have not fared as well. many in vintage base ball, that what they are doing Prior to action photography and motion pictures, is analogous to modern town softball or baseball, how the games were actually played is not recorded but with old rules and old equipment. The growth in exacting detail. Historians and re-creation players in vintage base ball in recent years has come from hash out the early rules and game descriptions, which independent groups which typically enact games at are vague and subject to differing modern inter- city parks and not at museums. Their main objec- pretations. Unlike Civil War re-enactors who have tive is for the player’s personal gratifi cation; the original objects to replicate, baseball re-creationists people watching often are secondary.6 struggle to fi nd original equipment to study in de- Some vintage base ball groups re-create the entire tail. The National Baseball Hall of Fame’s collection experience of historic baseball clubs of the past, with is grand, but the earliest objects are not there: the member rolls, dues, practices, scheduled games, and oldest known surviving uniform dates to 1866 from social engagements. There are natural comparisons Wisconsin and the oldest bat is a trophy bat from to re-enactors, but the range of interpretations and 1871.2 A bat recently discovered at Bowdoin College, diversity of goals in vintage baseball separate it from Brunswick, Maine may date to 1860.3 In the 1980s traditional reenacting. Unlike a military battle, actual and early 1990s when the fi rst baseball re-creation baseball games from the past are not easily re-enacted, programs were getting started, the situation was more so it is more common to refer to them as enactments bleak. Gaps in knowledge were often fi lled with sup- or re-creations.

2 John Thorn, Treasures of the Baseball Hall of Fame, (New York: Villard Books, 1998), 29, 144. 3 Bowdoin College. “Oldest Bat May Belong to Bowdoin.” Bowdoin, 76, no. 1 (fall 2004), 3. Its provenance has yet to be determined. 4 Crystal Ferrara, “The 1869 Red Stockings are Back!” Midwest Open Air Museums Magazine XXII, no. 3 (fall 2001): 17-18. 5 John Husman, “Vintage Baseball,” Nineteenth-century Notes 95, no. 2 (spring 1995): 5. 6 William M. Anderson, “Manistee’s Field of Dreams,” Michigan History Magazine 78, no. 3 (May/June 1994): 49-51. 2 Courtesy Devon Kurtz, Old Sturbridge Village Sturbridge Old Kurtz, Devon Courtesy technical leaflet technical #231

Old Sturbridge Village is a living history museum showing early New England history (1790-1840). Here staff members demonstrate their 1838 ball game. Thunderation!

Interacting with Visitors: town ball rules, a game with stakes as bases. “We em- Examples of Existing Programs phasize demonstration/education as our first priority,” An early bat and ball interpretation can be found writes organizer Martha Sherwood, “but … equally at Old Sturbridge Village (OSV) on Sunday after- important [are] the social relationships and experi- noons through the summer, a version from Robin ences of being in the club.” Martha has a liaison at Carver’s The Book of Sports.7 The addition of public the museum, but museum staff does not take a hands- interactive games has been a tremendous success on role with the games other than to direct visitors for Old Sturbridge Village, and is one of their most on game day. popular programs. “All in all, it is a lot of fun,” says Conner Prairie of Fishers, Indiana, has a directive Devon Kurtz. “We have recently added a couple of to “set a new standard for living history interpreta- demonstrations of how baseballs are made, usually tion. We will do this by establishing engagement me sitting under a tree, wrapping yarn and stitching as an essential component of good interpretation.” leather; people are absolutely fascinated.” OSV has Under the leadership of Timothy Crumrin and Dan a lesson plan for its baseball activity on its Web site, Freas, the White River Base Ball Club was created “Playing Ball: A Very Early Version of Baseball” by in 2000 for Liberty Corner, an 1886 farm and rural Tom Kelleher.8 crossroads. Establishing the baseball program has Interpreters at Historic Fort Snelling in St. Paul, been a tale of improvement and adjustment. Minnesota successfully incorporate the old game of The first White River uniforms were purchased, rounders at its frontier 1827 military post. Modified but after a few months of use the players were set to by changing the base running orientation to the work under the guidance of Conner Prairie’s historic more familiar counterclockwise, children enjoy these clothing supervisor, Ericka Mason, to make their own interactive games. wool flannel period uniforms. The use of gloves was The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown, New York, controversial in 1886, and the thin leather gloves is the home of the Leatherstocking Base Ball Club in use did not offer much protection. Many players since 1985. A volunteer group, they interpret 1858 then did not use them. Conner Prairie’s program has

7 Robin Carver, The Book of Sports, Boston: Lilly, Waite, & Holden, 1834. Block describes the Carver book as “one of the crown jewels of early baseball books.” It is the first English book to describe a game called “‘base’ or ‘goal ball.’” 8 “Lesson Plan – Childhood in Early 19th-Century America” (www.osv.org/education/LessonPlans/ShowLessons.php?PageID=R&LessonID=23&DocID=935 &UnitID=&PageID=R). 3 Proprietors of the Bat and Ball

experimented with creating a period-looking glove a child-sized bat and a soft rag ball puts this program and lets only certain players wear them. Another on track for success. change was switching to a ball more typical of 1886. • If your site is costumed and a game program does A consequence of this harder ball is long hits into not appeal, consider a storyline of a field practice. If the woods, which was not possible with a softer, you had visited a small town in the mid-nineteenth handmade ball. century, odds are you would see the local nine Audience research drives changes in the Conner engaged in practice, not a game. A club may have Prairie program. Despite the active nature of a base- practiced three to five days a week and played a ball game, the role of a passive spectator was not sat- game once or twice a week. Amateur clubs of the isfying to visitors. Research indicated they wished to nineteenth century published field practice times take part in the game or swing a bat and run the bases. in the newspaper. At the start of the season they The main historic baseball program has been changed published an organizational meeting announcement. and now occurs the first Saturday of each month dur- Consider posting such announcements ing their season. Dan Freas writes, “The storyline will conspicuously. Have players ask visitors walking by be that Liberty Corner’s White River Base Ball Club to join the club and give them a chance to swing (our blue uniforms) and Noblesville’s Rustic Base the bat. Show them the style of ball, discuss the Ball Club (our old gray uniforms) have scheduled a formality of paying dues as a member of the club, match at Liberty Corner. Unfortunately, not all of how the nines are chosen, show them the rule book, the players have shown up (we’ll field 5-6 per team) the club constitution, player deportment guidelines, and we need to recruit players (museum guests) to fill how club fines are assessed for poor behavior, etc. the nines [teams]. We will play one brief game at 1:00 You only need a handful of staff members to take p.m., let the kids play at 2:00 p.m., and finish with a part and it may only be for an hour a day. Practices second game for adults at 3:00 p.m.”9 would not require baseball uniforms, so interpreters from another storyline can easily slip in and out of the baseball practice storyline, making it a very quick and easy way to incorporate baseball into your Ambrisi existing interpretation. • Your museum might consider a vignette where the older men discuss the merits of the bat and ball game

Courtesy Richard D Richard Courtesy of their childhoods versus the “modern” game of choice. Most notably, during the years surrounding the Civil War debates were exchanged over the “scientiﬁc” game of National Association rules baseball that all the young men were playing and the variations of town ball from the older gentlemen’s youth. Accounts of clubs that made the switch in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts expressed regret that SABR member Richard D Ambrisi of Cockeysville, Maryland, shown with his son Jeffrey, at Ellicott City the ball game of their youth was going extinct. B&O Railroad Station Museum in June 2002. D Ambrisi interprets baseball history at museums Special event game plans to consider: and other special events. • Invite two area vintage base ball clubs to play for your organization as a special event. By inviting Getting Organized two existing groups, you will provide your visitors While you explore the possibilities for a baseball a chance to see experienced players at work. Be history program, keep your institution’s mission close aware that if you have an existing living history at hand. Review your rationale, goals, and objectives program with a high interpretation standard, your carefully to make sure it is a good ﬁt. local vintage base ball clubs may not be up to the challenge without extra preparation and training. Public programming plans to consider: Each group will have suggestions for the setup, and • A school program featuring a bat and ball game is by inviting two groups you will need to pay closer a great way to engage children. Children tended to attention to coordinating them. Keep in mind that play one of the “old cat” games right through the established vintage base ball groups can set their early twentieth century, but any of the early ball calendars a year in advance or more. games are adaptable. Pull-over smocks designed to • Match nine of your own against an area vintage look like period clothing helps them feel the part, base ball club. This plan can be very exciting for

9 Dan Freas, e-mail message to author, February 22, 2005. 4 • Do it all in-house. This plan works well for large The benefit of this plan is that you are not limited with carefully trained volunteers. will make for a better event. Many vintage base ball with the experienced players prior to show time other organization’s activities. Living history sites are organizations decide that forming a baseball group experienced group, but only if that group is prepared to visit and prepare you in advance. A training session clubs and museum programs got started under this players have not taken an active part in any of the program would be a good fit. Most historical plan when they realized a full game interpretation more inclined to include staff members as players, is best done with volunteers, which is a plus if the living history sites and museums that want to scorekeepers, and umpires, filling in the other players staff, volunteers, and visitors who play the local maintain quality control over the interpretation. America. in choice of game scrub the was one-old-cat and England, in popular more farwas game this states century.Block teenth mid-eigh- the in America in arrived game The ballbat, Trap-ball,trap, played cricket. played also 1840s-1860s the of players Yorkbaseball area New talented the of Most 1860s. the in country the of much to spread eventually but areas, ing York,surround- New and Philadelphia, in primarily established was game the 1840s, the By locales. isolated in continues but 1860s, the in faded game The America. in emulated was that and game adult an was England in cricket children, by played were games ball and bat other Whereas wicket. single called variant another also is There evolved. also has cricket baseball, of game American the like century.Just teenth mid-eigh- the in America in arrived game The Cricket PlayedinEighteenth andNineteenth-Century America 1908), for 1908), Company,and Brown Little, (Boston: Played They Games the and Boys called game a traced has Block ball,roundtownball Knickerbockerrules), (pre-ballBase of the 1860s. The game The 1860s. the of end the at faded game The letters. and diaries WareraCivil in mostly Internet, the on found be can game the of accounts Isolated Cricket. early of variant American an be to believed is ball Wicket Wicketball Lovett of Association rules baseball. rules Association National to conversion the and games ball town D War.Civil James the See of end the before baseball rules Association National by replaced been had Massachusetts and York,New Pennsylvania, in clubs top the by played ball town of ants vari- All names. other on took then century.It the in later America to came century,which eighteenth the of start the to back England WolfLovett, CommonBatand Ball Games base ball base s childhood s a description a Old Boston Old in 13, 1857): 60. 1857): 13, YorkClipper New lished in lished pub- were ball wicket for Rules 1857. in lished pub- were Iowa Clinton, as west far as club a of reports but Connecticut, in popular most was The Boy The book, 1828 the to prior rounders called game a find to unable was Block belief, common Despite Rounders 1834 description 1834 the that discovered Block the Game of Wicket of Game the • Another option is inviting baseball historians to • Interpreters like Richard Pawling can also make groups interpret groups You may even find a member who plays vintage base Baseball Research (SABR). There are SABR Japan. Many SABR members study local baseball Brainard, Pawling performs baseball programs fear of cancellation at the last minute. For a large for an excellent special program. As Asa “Count” chapters throughout North America, England, and by an invited group’s interpreted year, its ability to and describe what they do. ball and who can come in uniform, bring equipment, perform or present. Many of the leading baseball provide an effective living history program, and may not be difficult, but the lead time necessary to museum, finding eighteen volunteers to be players historians are members of the Society for American history and specialize in nineteenth-century baseball. set up an event is going to be longer. foundation Knickerbocker derived from derived one common one does have does New YorkNew the game the base ball base s Own Book. Own s Vintage club or club Field Rules for Rules Field rules. (June of all

Carver repeated explanation that explanation repeated oft- the to subscribe not does Block America. in diverse geographically was it Weband Wide Worldthe on found be can century mid-twentieth rounders description. rounders 1828 the to identical Base Ball Players. Ball Base of Association National the association, baseball national first the by fied modi- and adopted was game their 1850s late the In Knickerbockers. YorkNew 1840s the of rules the to back traces game modern The ballrulesbase NationalAssociation YorkNew rules, Knickerbockerrules, first the that states Block threeetc.cat,old One-old-cat,oldtwo reminiscences of reminiscences childhood of examples Many Tip-Cat. game the of derivative a possibly is It 1837. to dates ence old-cat cat the game round ball round game the is short for catapult. for short is one-old-cat s book is nearly is book s dating up to the to up dating refer- one- in

5 technical leaflet #231 Proprietors of the Bat and Ball

in various confi gurations. Cricket and baseball in a memorable way. Be sure to keep the “bleaching historian Tom Melville travels to museums to share boards” back from the action, minimizing the surprise his love of cricket, teaching museum visitors in of a foul ball in the stands. simple terms how the nineteenth-century version of the game was played. Other considerations when planning a special event or house nine interpretation. Taking the Plunge: Establishing a • Groups may expect a performance fee to offset their House Nine Program expenses, but it is not a universal practice. In return, After evaluating baseball as a special event, devel- you should draw up a performance agreement, spell- oping a regular bat and ball program for the entire ing out the responsibilities of each group. season may be your next step. There are benefi ts to • Expect it to rain. Do not be afraid to stop the game keeping a large bat and ball game interpretation in- if it begins to rain or lightning, but give them a house. Developing the program internally enables it place to go and something to do. You may want to to match your site’s level of interpretation and control specify a specifi c huddle time to re-evaluate the situ- the takeaway message. ation and have the players all return if the shower Talented, modern ball players will need extra guid- should pass. After it rains, a nice green lawn can ance to adapt to an earlier style and some lack the abil- become a slippery mud pile very quickly after a few ity to “unlearn” their modern techniques. An in-house runs. Have a large supply of sawdust, straw, or dry interpretation allows you to select your interpreters potting soil ready to soak up the rain at the bases. more carefully and train them to your standard. To be proactive, you may want six-foot by six-foot Duplicating another group’s program may not be squares of waterproofed duck canvas ready to stake appropriate, or even desirable. If your period of in- down over the bases. But also, 18 players going into terpretation is prior to 1858, there are not very many the museum to change after the game is sure to groups that can come in and accurately demonstrate bring mud inside. Prepare for it. a game, and the ones that can are probably at another • Player passions for the game can get out of control. museum. You will want to research the bat and ball It is best to defuse the situation before it begins. Do games played in your area. It may be possible to re- not surprise your vintage base ball guests by invit- create a local club in name, uniform, and playing style ing a non-historic town team, in modern uniform, based on newspaper accounts. to be their opponent. It is much better to fi nd two “Softball creep” is a concern for compatible and matched groups to play public programmers. It is when game All in all, it is at your event, not only will the players re-creations evolve beyond the inter- enjoy it more, but the spectators will a lot of fun, pretive themes and modern softball see a good game. Find out if the visit- behaviors and motivations crop up says Devon Kurtz. ing club values competitive games with due to the players’ familiarity with the We have recently accurate umpiring. If they do, you may modern game. The changes are subtle added a couple want them to provide their own umpire. but will damage the educational focus of demonstrations Who wins and who loses may not be of the program. The program at the of how baseballs important to you, but it may be impor- Ohio Historical Society’s Ohio Village, tant to your guests. are made, usually for example, realigned its interpreta- • Many vintage base ball clubs have a tion in the early 1990s after the games me sitting under a tradition to meet for a meal after the lost focus. A program that is monitored tree, wrapping yarn game. You may be able to negotiate the and re-evaluated regularly by the staff, and stitching leather; meal as compensation for the perfor- especially one that is kept entirely in- people are absolutely mance. If you have a historic restaurant house, will be less likely to suffer from fascinated. setting, extend the game to the dinner softball creep. table, as many mid-nineteenth-century Safety for the volunteers and the clubs did, with cheers and toasts. spectators is a great concern. If your site already has • Do not forget the families of the players. If possible, live animals, farm equipment, farm chores, live steam, give them free admission. You will want to query in or a working kitchen stove, you are well aware of advance if family members usually wear costumes. safety issues. A bat and ball game is not any more of a Clearly state your institution’s policy on unapproved risk, but the hazards are different. Visitors should be costumes. Some museums ask visitors who are in reminded that balls and bats may land in the crowd, costume to wear a noticeable “visitor” tag to delin- either in an introduction by a staff member or in an eate them from museum staff. informational handout. You could also have a person •The farther the group has to travel, especially over- hold up a vaudeville-type sign, “Look out for fl ying night travel, the harder it will be for them to bring a balls and bats!” to put the message in their minds full complement, so be prepared to fi ll in.

6 The visitors to your site are usually passive spectators 11“The Art of Base Ball Crafting” (products.silverbaseball.com/) 10“Vintage base ball equipment and vendor guide. A list of reproduction items used in the activity and sources for them” (www.vbba.org/ed-interp/vendors.html). Afats vs. leans perhap marriedvs. single or old-timers vs. young gents games. Museums can re-create this kind of game for aspecial event,muffin games were commonplace from the 1860s to the early twentieth century. Sometimes they were matched Minnesotaup as fire. The players held abest costume contest, and the clothing worn is anything but uniform. These fun-infused FestivalorTournament? ResearchandResources Committee section on the Web site offers some some offers Web site the on section Committee gifts, participation medals, trophies, entertainment, entertainment, trophies, medals, participation gifts, who can afford to pay. to afford can who group with a network of members, a Web site, Web site, a members, of network a with group will be an attraction to your baseball guests. early you are planning to charge an entry fee for groups groups for fee entry an charge to planning are you to be part of your event, be prepared to spend that that spend to prepared be event, your of part be to If fee. entry an charged festivals and tournaments tion i at these large baseball events. costs and restrict entry to the groups that fit your your fit that groups the to entry restrict and costs these cover to donor a find yet, Better like. the and by state. The Education and Interpretation Interpretation and Education The state. by a new a and the rewards for the work are few. By their very unique resources and maintains a list of vendors vendors of list a maintains and resources unique money on perks for the participants, such as meals, meals, as such participants, the for perks on money players and are more about goodwill than education. potential, which may partially explain why they are mission and interpretation, rather than to the ones ones the to than rather interpretation, and mission regularly sought. However, successful ones require an inordinate amount of time, coordination, volunteers, nature, festivals and tournaments are focused on the The Vintage Base Ball Association is a resource resource a is Association Ball Base Vintage The Tournaments and festivals have a great marketing The perks, if known in advance, can be a participa- Some museums and historic sites that have held held have that sites historic and museums Some

ncentive. If your site is a prominent attraction, it spring. The Web site lists club members members club lists Web site The spring. s seven as afundraiser for the museum. letter, and an annual convention held in in held convention annual an and letter, muffin game at St. Peter, Minnesota, held as acharity fundraiser for victims of the 1894 Hinckley, 1881 by the father of baseball journalism, Henry University of Minnesota Libraries, was microfilmed Restoration program. Restoration Markwort, now sells two nineteenth-century styles styles nineteenth-century two sells now Markwort, National Association specifications has a core made made core a has specifications Association National Children’s Literature Research Collections at the were popularthenandareusedforreproductions. who carry items used in vintage base ball. base vintage in used items carry who over the years. The Hess Collection, part of the originally specified for the Old Bethpage Village Village Bethpage Old the for specified originally of natural India rubber. To date, most makers of of makers To most rubber. date, India natural of yarn for wrapping is not difficult to find, but ball ball but find, to difficult not is wrapping for yarn that matchesthetypeandcharacteristicsoforiginals t collection includes eleven editions of the fragile and by University Microfilms International in 1981. This ate anoldbatdesign,butfindinggrowthwood balls he makes closely approximates the horsehide horsehide the approximates closely makes he balls hide kangaroo the believes Kurtz Devon cover. used in the period. Billy “Goat” Pollifrone, a player player a Pollifrone, “Goat” Billy period. the in used productions inthiswoodareknown.Ashandmaple program, shows on his Web site a step-by-step pho- step-by-step a Web site his on shows program, reproduction balls are using a synthetic rubber core, core, rubber synthetic a using are balls reproduction makers struggle with good sources for the leather leather the for sources good with struggle makers is so great that a large sporting goods wholesaler, wholesaler, goods sporting large a that great so is is aproblem.Apopularwoodchoiceduringthemid- in the Genessee Country Village and Museum’s Museum’s and Village Country Genessee the in scarce such as a toy ball or balled-up rubber bands. Wool bands. rubber balled-up or ball toy a as such nineteenth centurywasEnglishWillow, butnore- o pa o There aremanywoodbatmakerswhocanrecre- Access to period rule and guide books has improved A l A at g e illustrating how he makes balls. makes he how illustrating e Beadle’s Dime Base-Ball Player e -1850s and 1860s baseball created to to created baseball 1860s and -1850s , edited 1860- 11 Demand Demand 10

Nicollet County Historical Society Collections

7 technical leaflet #231 Proprietors of the Bat and Ball

Chadwick. The New York Public Library’s set of Gutman’s Banana Bats reviews glove, bat, and catcher Beadle’s was microfilmed in 1954. Reprints from the mask patents, making it an important book for 1880s microfilm editions are now available. and 1890s interpretations. The late Ralph Horton reprinted many Spalding Kirsch, George B. Baseball in Blue and Gray: The and Reach baseball guides in the 1980s. Although National Pastime During the Civil War. Princeton, NJ: now coveted by baseball historians and vintage base Princeton University Press, 2004. ball players, the reprints can be found with relative ease, as opposed to their original counterparts, which Morris, Peter C. Baseball Fever: Early Baseball in can fetch hundreds of dollars each and are most often Michigan. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, kept in private and restricted collections. 2003. Professional team sports have become a fixture of Morris makes a case for Midwest baseball history our culture over the past 150 years. Examine nine- with Baseball Fever. It is a top choice for a Midwest teenth-century baseball and you will provide a cata- museum’s reading list. lyst for understanding the growth of the game and Morris, Peter C., “Muffin Baseball,” NINE: A Journal insight on American consciousness. of Baseball History and Culture, 12, no. 1 (fall 2003): Bibliography 133-139. Rucker, Mark. Base Ball Cartes: The First Baseball Cards. Aldridge, Gwen. Baseball Archaeology: Artifacts from Saratoga Springs, N.Y.: Haymaker Books, 1998. the Great American Pastime. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1993. Shieber, Tom. Nineteenth-Century Base Ball Pictures Many of the photographs are enlarged several times on the World Wide Web (www.bluecurl.com/ncbbp/ actual size, an advantage for anyone making repro- index.htm). duction bats, balls, gloves, masks, and the like. Most Although small and fuzzy, this online photograph of the content is about twentieth-century baseball, resource may lead you to an original print for closer but the images of nineteenth-century Hall of Fame inspection. objects are excellent. The only downfall is a complete Sotheby’s. The Barry Halper Collection of Baseball lack of nineteenth-century uniforms. Memorabilia. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2000. Bevis, Charlie. Sunday Baseball: The Major Leagues’ The photographs in this acclaimed 1999 auction are Struggle to Play Baseball on the Lord’s Day, 1876–1934. important and it makes an excellent companion to Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland & Co., 2003. Thorn’s Treasures book. Block, David. Baseball Before We Knew It. Lincoln, Sullivan, Dean A. Early Innings: A Documentary NE.: University of Nebraska Press, 2005. History of Baseball, 1825-1908. Lincoln, NE: This book has become an instant “must read” for University of Nebraska Press, 1995. museum programmers in charge of baseball inter- It is the first volume in a trilogy on the subject. pretations. Block sheds new light on the evolution of Thorn, John. Treasures of the Baseball Hall of Fame. America’s early bat and ball games. New York: Villard Books, 1998. Dickson, Paul. The New Dickson Baseball Dictionary. Tygiel, Jules. Past Time: Baseball As History. Oxford, San Diego: Harcourt Brace & Co., 1999. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. Dickson’s second edition expands on nineteenth- century baseball terms, but there is much more work to do. In the meantime, this is the best resource Dean R. Thilgen is a founding participant of the available. Washington County Historical Society (Minnesota) vintage base ball program. He has served as the chair Gutman, Dan. Banana Bats and Ding-Dong Balls: of the Vintage Base Ball Association Education and A Century of Unique Baseball Inventions. New York: Interpretation Committee since 2000. He is writing an Macmillan, 1995. e-book, Interpreting the National Game: Historic Bat A very popular title that arrived during a large wave and Ball Games at Open-Air Museums. of new vintage base ball groups in the mid-1990s,

© 2005 by American Association for State and Local History. Technical Leaflet #231, “Proprietors of the Bat and Ball: Interpreting the National Pastime and its Predecessor Games, included in History News, volume 60, number 3, Summer 2005. Technical Leaflets are issued by the American Association for State and Local History to provide the historical agency and museum field with detailed, up-to- date technical information. Technical Leaflets and Technical Reports are available through History News magazine to AASLH members or to any interested person. Membership information or additional Technical Leaflets may be acquired by contacting American Association for State and Local History, 1717 Church Street, Nashville, TN 37203-2991, 615-320-3203; fax 615-327-9013; www.aaslh.org. 8