History History Works 2008

2008

Splitting Shakes

The Bryant Watershed Education Project hosted fourth graders from Dora, Fairview, Glenwood, Howell Valley, Richards, South Fork, and West Plains for History Works at the Harlin Museum October 28-30. Special education students from West Plains Middle and High School, as well as adult participants from Let’s Go and Oakwood Services, came for their own session on Thursday morning.
“The L.L. Broadfoot portraits are both regional art and historical documentation. We’re building on the portrait collection to take the students on an exploration into the working life of the Ozarks settlers in the early part of the 20th century,” says Lois Reborne, project director.

Actors Jem Duffin, Marideth Sisco, and Al Vance visited with the students as the artist and two of the pioneers depicted, basing their characterizations on the stories Broadfoot set down. Working with the Harlin Museum's extensive collection of period tools, craftsmen and historians Colin Collins, Jim Decker, and Tom Arth guided the participants as they gave old time woodworking and agricultural techniques a try. The art session led by artists Pat Hight and Mary Jane Morton introduced the students to working with charcoal as a medium.

A reception was be held Thursday evening, 5-7 PM at the Museum so everyone could sample the workshop activities. The artists, actors and docents were on hand. Samples of the students’ charcoal work were alsodisplayed.  Families of all participants, school and museum board members, and school administrators were especially invited to attend.

In its third year, financial assistance was provided by the Missouri Arts Council, with matching funds from Brixey resident Peter Callaway and Emerson Technologies in Ava. “Our community volunteers make it all work, guiding groups around, providing lunches, and keeping supplies ready. This year we had great help from the folks at Oakwood Services who prepared hundreds of baggies of art supplies,” said Reborne. “We are so grateful that the Harlin Museum Board and volunteers support this opening up of their treasured collections to hands on learning.”

 Grade Level Expectations for this project
See: Historyworks Fall 2006
Historyworks Fall 2007

A drawing Lesson, based on the Broadfoot Collection at the Harlin Museum

History Works 2008 was supported in by funding from the National Endowment for the Arts through a grant from the Missouri Council on the Arts. Local match was provided by Peter Callaway of Brixey, and Emerson Technologies in Ava, as well as in kind donations from the Harlin Museum and community volunteers.

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