Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, Northern Arizona's Early Art Educator
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Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Educational Policy Studies Dissertations Department of Educational Policy Studies 3-22-2010 We Must Grow Our Own Artists: Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, Northern Arizona's Early Art Educator William James Burns Georgia State University Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/eps_diss Part of the Education Commons, and the Education Policy Commons Recommended Citation Burns, William James, "We Must Grow Our Own Artists: Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, Northern Arizona's Early Art Educator." Dissertation, Georgia State University, 2010. https://scholarworks.gsu.edu/eps_diss/54 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Educational Policy Studies at ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Educational Policy Studies Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ACCEPTANCE This dissertation, WE MUST GROW OUR OWN ARTISTS: MARY-RUSSELL FERRELL COLTON, NORTHERN ARIZONA’S EARLY ART EDUCATOR, by WILLIAM JAMES BURNS, was prepared under the direction of the candidate’s Dissertation Advisory Committee. It is accepted by the committee members in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Education, Georgia State University. The Dissertation Advisory Committee and the student’s Department Chair, as representatives of the faculty, certify that this dissertation has met all standards of excellence and scholarship as determined by the faculty. The Dean of the College of Education concurs. ______________________________ ___________________________ Sheryl A. Gowen, Ph.D. Barbara Kawulich, Ph.D. Committee Chair Committee Member ______________________________ ___________________________ Ann Kruger, Ph.D. Chara Bohan, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member ______________________________ Robert Breunig, Ph.D. Committee Member ______________________________ Date ______________________________ Sheryl A. Gowen, Ph.D. Chair, Department of Educational Policy Studies ______________________________ R. W. Kamphaus, Ph.D. Dean and Distinguished Research Professor College of Education AUTHOR’S STATEMENT By presenting this dissertation as a partial fulfillment of the requirements for the advanced degree from Georgia State University, I agree that the library of Georgia State University shall make it available for inspection and circulation in accordance with its regulations governing materials of this type. I agree that permission to quote, to copy from, or to publish this dissertation may be granted by the professor under whose direction it was written, by the College of Education’s director of graduate studies and research, or by me. Such quoting, copying, or publishing must be solely for scholarly purposes and will not involve potential financial gain. It is understood that any copying from or publication of this dissertation which involves potential financial gain will not be allowed without my permission. ___________________________________________ William James Burns NOTICE TO BORROWERS All dissertations deposited in the Georgia State University library must be used in accordance with the stipulations prescribed by the author in the preceding statement. The author of this dissertation is: William James Burns 12239 N. 61st Place Scottsdale, AZ 85254 The director of this dissertation is: Dr. Sheryl A. Gowen Department of Educational Policy Studies College of Education Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 30303 – 3083 VITA William James Burns ADDRESS: 12239 N. 61st Pl. Scottsdale, AZ 85254 EDUCATION: Ph.D. 2010 Georgia State University Educational Policy Studies M.A. 1994 Arizona State University Public History B.A. 1992 University of Arizona History PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: 2007-present Curator of History City of Tempe, Tempe History Museum 2000-2007 Director of Curatorial Services Georgia Museums Inc., Booth Western Art Museum 1999-2000 Head Registrar Atlanta History Center PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ORGANIZATIONS: 1997-present American Association of Museums (AAM) 2005-present Curators Committee (AAM) 1992-present Museum Association of Arizona ABSTRACT WE MUST GROW OUR OWN ARTISTS: MARY-RUSSELL FERRELL COLTON, NORTHERN ARIZONA’S EARLY ART EDUCATOR by W. James Burns What were Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton’s contributions to the progressive education movement and the Indian arts and crafts movement in the Southwestern United States at a time when the region was still very remote? Artist, author, amateur ethnographer, educator, and curator; these were but a few of the talents of Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton, co-founder of the Museum of Northern Arizona and early art advocate on the Colorado Plateau. This study investigates how Colton contributed to the progressive education movement and the Indian arts and crafts movement through the work that she did at the museum. There, she labored to increase public awareness of the importance of art education and to revive Native American arts on the Colorado Plateau. Using an extensive collection of archival material in the Colton Collection at the Museum of Northern Arizona, as well as oral history interviews, this historical study provides a nuanced analysis of Colton’s life as an educator. Colton’s influence is not well known today, but her professional contributions merit recognition, giving her a place in the history of American education. This study reveals how Colton’s efforts fit within the context of the work of her contemporaries in Santa Fe and Taos, and within the progressive education movement, from the then relatively remote outpost of Flagstaff. Much can be learned from Colton’s work that is relevant to the field of education today. Her ideals and writings about art education will resonate with opponents of No Child Left Behind. Colton’s work as one of northern Arizona’s earliest art educators contributed to a better understanding of the culture of the various peoples of the Colorado Plateau and to the preservation of Navajo and Hopi traditions through education. Colton made notable contributions to the Indian arts and crafts movement, museum education, and the progressive education movement. A woman of firm convictions and ideals, Colton was strong-willed, and complex, a multi-faceted person with a broad range of interests which she pursued with passion and commitment. This study crosses the boundaries of several disciplines, including educational history, museum studies, women’s studies, educational biography, Native American studies, and art education. WE MUST GROW OUR OWN ARTISTS: MARY-RUSSELL FERRELL COLTON, NORTHERN ARIZONA’S EARLY ART EDUCATOR AND ADVOCATE by W. James Burns A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Social Foundations of Education in the Department of Educational Policy Studies in the College of Education Georgia State University Atlanta, GA 2010 Copyright by William James Burns 2010 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS A project such as this one cannot be completed without owing a deep debt of gratitude to a great number of people. I am particularly indebted to the staff of the Museum of Northern Arizona, Robert Breunig, Ph.D., Executive Director, Jonathan Pringle, Archivist, Ed Evans, Ph.D., Librarian, Elaine Hughes, Collections Manager, Karen Enyedy, Publications Volunteer, and Pats Shriver, Executive Assistant to Dr. Robert Breunig. Without their assistance this study would not have been possible. I appreciate all of the time that they took out of their busy schedules to located archival materials and artifacts, scan photographs, and provide access to the usually restricted Colton Collection. I am also grateful to all of Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton’s family, friends, and colleagues who took the time to reminisce with me about her. The interviews with her granddaughters Robin and Denise Colton were especially valuable and will now be preserved in the archives at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Robin and Denise’s memories of their grandmother often inspired me to continue writing. Thanks also to Barton and Margaret Wright, Bill Breed, Richard Wilson, Ron Hubert, Marie Stilley for sharing their remembrances of Colton. The assistance of the archivists and curators at the Laboratory of Anthropology and the School of Advanced Research in Santa Fe, the Center for Southwest Research at the University of New Mexico in Santa Fe, Special Collections at Cline Library, Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona Collection, Hayden Library at Arizona State University in Tempe, and the Billie Jean Baguley Library at the Heard Museum in Phoenix is very much appreciated. I would like to thank my committee members, Dr. Sheryl Gowen, Dr. Barbara Kawulich, Dr. Robert Breunig, Dr. Ann Kruger, and Dr. Chara Bohan, for their assistance in shaping and organizing this study. Each of them brought a wealth of knowledge and a special interest to the study: Dr. Breunig a fascination with Colton and the Museum having worked there for many years, Dr. Kruger a love of art education, Dr. Bohan, interests in women’s history, feminist history, and educational biography, and Dr. Kawulich, interests in Native American Education and ethnography. Thank you to Dr. Gowen for agreeing to chair this committee after two previous committees left the University; had she not done so it would not have been possible for me to complete this study. I wish to offer