a challenge

This looks like so much fun! If only I had the time!

The Next Great Science Exhibition

fly girls

In elementary school, I once did a report on Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, as they are often known. These were the 1,074 women who became the first to fly aircraft for the U.S. military during World War II. They were non-combat, so only flew in the continental US and Canada, and mostly ferried planes to different locations. I always found their story fascinating, and today I was lucky enough to have the chance to meet a few of them! The occasion was the Dole Leadership Prize ($25,000) from the Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas being awarded to Texas Woman's University to enhance the WASP National Archives, which are located on the campus and partially available online to the public.

"Bee" Falk Haydu

I drove out to New Century Air Center, in New Century, Kansas, which is just southwest of Kansas City, and met up with a few other museum studies graduate students. Near one hangar, we watched while many old and brightly-colored planes flew in and landed, or chose not to land and instead show off for the crowd, and that was exciting to see too. It was only after the final planes landed that I realized some of those flashy pilots were actually the WASP ladies! There were ten in all, and three of them held a stage interview and question and answer session. There were lots of great stories, my favorite being how when one of the women had her physical before entering flight school, the doctor promised her when she got out of the service, she would never be able to have children. She went on to have TEN (two of which were in the audience). We heard stories about how one girl "accidentally fell out" of the bomb bay, but was able to pull her parachute in time, and the reason why one of the women decided to become a pilot was after taking a $5 ride in a daredevil plane with her grandmother when she was a young girl in the 1930's. It was great to hear all these stories, and the museum advocate in me is equally glad there is funding going toward preserving these stories and making them available for everyone else!

      WASP Archives at Texas Woman's University

One of the other ladies (up front)

                                            

museum rescue!

I've been finding a blog for everything lately, and luckily many of them have been full of helpful information. For one class this semester, the Nature of Museums, our group project is to determine a need or issue within our local community history museum, which is run by our local historical society. Unfortunately, after reading the 80-page report compiled by a museum consultant, it's obvious why I had only ever ventured into the museum once, spent 5 confusing minutes in the basement level, and walked right back out. This museum needs a LOT of work-- everything from very little community involvement to the inside of their brochures being printed upside down.

Our group has decided to tackle the issue of space analysis. I was happy to choose this because having studied architecture for a year, I can finally put some of that not-to-be-forgotten knowledge to work!  I must say, however, that the museum itself is located in the most beautiful building in town. Construction was finished by 1888 and consisted of three main stories. There's a split-level marble staircase and ceilings up to 22 feet high, along with a separate type of wood trim for each floor (ash on the first floor, white oak on the second floor, and yellow burled pine on the top floor). It was originally used as office space and a bank, with the building owner's mortgage company on the third level, and housing for him and his family in the very top--sort of a large attic. Overall, it's just gorgeous, and that museum is lucky to have the space! I'm eager to see what our group can come up with...