Missouri Passages - September 2007

Volume 4, No. 9: September 2007, from Michael Bouman, Executive Director & Editor

Local Chautauquas Enliven the Fall

Abraham and Mary Todd Lincoln will hold a town meeting-style Chautauqua on Saturday, September 15, 2:00 p.m. at Northwest R-1 High School in Cedar Hill (south of St. Louis). This "Taste of Chautauqua" has been put together with MHC support by The Highway 30 Foundation. Carl Sandberg will be there to introduce them. Read on...

See Harry S Truman, Thomas Hart Benton, Mark Twain, and George Washington Carver, along with several others at the two-day "Chautauqua in the 'Burg " in historic downtown Warrensburg, along Holden Street, from the evening of October 5 through the afternoon of the 7th. A special treat will be piano music by John William "Blind" Boone, played by Bob Ault. Sponsored by the Greater Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce under an MHC grant.

History Theatre House Tour in St. Louis

The Etc. Senior Theatre company is presenting a dramatized return of the eminent historian, Francis Parkman, author of The Oregon Trail, to see his old friend, Henri Chatillon and the wealthy entrepreneur, Robert Campbell. The event is a dramatized, costumed guided tour of two of St. Louis's premier historic houses, the Chatillon-DeMenil House and the Robert Campbell House.

The two-house tour is titled "The Oregon Trail." There are three tours on Saturday, September 29, all beginning at the Chatillon/DeMenil House at 3352 DeMenil Place (Highway 55 & Broadway). Times are 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and 2 p.m. For reservations, please call (314) 421-0325.

Sac and Fox Heritage Exhibit at Van Meter State Park

Van Meter State Park is one of Missouri's showcase places to interpret Native American heritage. From now through the end of November, the touring exhibit on Sac and Fox heritage will be on display there.

Of special interest is a public program at 10 a.m. on Sept. 22. Representatives from the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska and the Sac and Fox Nation of Oklahoma will be on hand to answer questions and discuss their tribal migration routes from Canada through the Great Lakes region, Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois and the Platte Purchase area of Missouri.

Workshops for Museums, Historical Societies

We are now booking workshops to help museums, historical societies, and historic houses upgrade their thinking about using their assets to create great visitor experiences. Read on ...

Free! Connecting to Collections Bookshelf

Small to Mid-size museums and libraries should take note of a "bookshelf" of resources about taking care of collections. Now though November 15, the Institute of Museum and Library Services is accepting applications for this free collection of resources. I heard about this in early September from AASLH (The American Association for State and Local History). The information, plus links to IMLS, are at the AASLH web site. There's a second application period next spring, March 1 through April 15, but I imagine you'll be preoccupied with your tax return to jump on the bandwagon at that time, so act now if you're so inclined!

"We The People" Bookshelf for Libraries

Here's an announcement from the American Library Association about a free "bookshelf" of titles on the theme of "Created Equal." Public and school libraries may apply on-line from September 10 through January 25, 2008.

Great New Photo Exhibit in Nodaway County

Talk about involving the public! Take a look at how the Nodaway County Historical Society has gone the extra mile to generate community interest in historical photographs! Their new exhibit opens on Wednesday, September 19 with a talk at 7:00 p.m. by Dr. Michael Steiner of the NMSU History Department. This exhibit is part of a three-segment project on the aesthetic history of a county, and it's creative thinking all the way.

The Thrill of a New Book

Parlez-vous Français? My favorite moment in composing this newsletter comes when I open Julie Douglas's new column on family reading. She has such a gift for words, I read her piece even though I have no child to read to these days. Don't miss her new column on how she explored a new book in a language she doesn't speak! -Michael Bouman

History and Prayer

In my September 7th blog, Michael Bouman weaves together several ideas about the possibility of sacred resonances in the work of the humanities.