Jp :i!~d.A"/ c/,"'l...' ~
THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES AT SAN ANTONIO
FEBRUARY/MARCH 1982
EDITOR: CINDY BUCK
ADIOS • • •
She writes ', she types; she understands,
she creates ,she supervises" she's talented,
she's gracious, and SHE'S MOVING!
Our own Cindy Buck is moving to Athens,
Georgia, where she and her husband will be
setting up their own business. Friday,
February 5th, will be her last day here.
Good luck, Cindy, to you and Mark on
your new venture. And thank you for adding
so much not only to our office, but to
our lives. You will be sorely missed!
MEMO FROM BONNIE
Mark the week of February 8th on your
calendar!
This is , the week we will begin the special
"while we are closed for re-carpeting"
program for those Alliance members who work
for the Educatio,nal. Programs department.
Those ITC volunteers who work in The Store,
in the Library, for the Artifacts department,
or in any of the offices will continue
their regular weekly schedules unless
otherwise directed by their supervisors.
If, however, you normally give tours or
are an interpreter, please take this opportunity
to assist with our expanded outreach
program. You will not only enjoy it~ but no
doubt will pick up new information for your
exhibit floor tours.
How do you get in on this marvelous, onetime-
only offer? Visit or call Sandra Merrifield
in the Educational Programs office,
and she will tell you which kits are to go
out on your regular service day, even providing
directions to the school or community
center.
IMPORTANT: The first time is strictly
for observation. Going out to observe does
not mean that you are expected to become a
regular 'TexKit docent. If, however, you are
then interested in observing a different
kit or are', willing to assist an experienced
docent with a kit you've already seen, just
talk to Sandra. We really need your help
during this busy time!
The exhibit floor will be re-opened the
week,of March 3rd. During that week all
docents are requested to work on the exhibit
floor to become acquainted with the changes.
School tours will resume the week of March
16th. Keep taking your vitamins and hang on
to those comfortable shoes!
WELCOME!
Sally, Selma, the Alliance, The Institute
staff, and I extend a hearty welcome to our
40 new docents from the January 1982 class!
We hope your time with us will be pleasant
and rewarding. It will certainly be so for
us. You are a hardworking, enthusiastic,
energetic bunch, and we will be ~ thankful
to have you ready, willing, and able to give
tours when the March-April-May onslaught of
school groups begins!
NEW FLOOR PLAN
Mummy Duster Bob Miller has recently completed
a new map of the Exhibit Floor. Despite
the many changes that have occurred
bver the years, this is the first updated
chart we've had since Hemisfair! A particular
advantage of Bob's chart is that it is
done in pencil on tracing paper, so any
changes on the floor can be refl,ected simply
by erasing. Why didn't we think of this
before?
Our thanks to you, Bob Miller!
****
"The decent docent doesn't doze:
He teaches standing on his toes.
His student dassn't doze and does,
And that's what teaching is and was."
****
ONE FOR THE POST OFFICE
Institute postal workers recently celebrated
the end of their second successful
month of service, reporting that stamp sales
have been brisk -- especially during Decem~
ber -- and requests for cancellation many.
(Beverly DiCamillo says her cancelling arm
is just about back to normal!)
Children aged 7-10 and foreign visitors
are those most enjoying our artifacts and
. snatches of postal history. Questions and
comments have included "Are these safety
deposit boxes?," "Do you sell old stamps?,"
and "I want to make a payment." -- from a
second grader! Another little one, after
staring at lIse Griffith for several minutes,
asked "Are you stuffed?" Such reactions
are, of course, a great part of the
reward working in the Post Office brings.
Incidentally, many people are complimenting
us on the "speedy delivery" of mail
posted ,at our station!
(Reporter: Beverly DiCamillo)
aLLIANCE NEWSLETTER 2-3/82 PAGE 3
PHEW!
In the extreme southeast corner of Indiana
lay the backwoods area of Switzerland
County. On election day that fall of 1844,
old Freeman Clark, a farmer, lay seriously
ill in bed. But he begged his sons to carry
him over a mountain road to the county seat,
so that he could vote.
The candidate for whom the old man wished
to vote was David Kelso, who once had defended
him on a murder charge and obtained his
acquittal.
His wish was obeyed. The old farmer
voted, was carried home by his sons, and the
exertions of his journey caused his death.
David Kelso was elected to the Indiana state
senate by a single vote: Freeman Clark's.
Sitting at Indianapolis, the state senate
had a task of high importance: the election
of a United States senator. Counting Kelso,
the Democrats in the state senate had a maj
ori ty of jus tone. A caucus was held and
it developed that a majority of the party
delegation favored a man who, i t was known,
would vote against the Texas annexation, if
elected.
But Kelso refused to vote for the party
choice. A deadlock resulted between the
Democratic and Whig candidates which continued
for days.
Finally, Kelso made his move. He proposed
a new candidate: Edward A. Hannigan.
And in the party caucus he noti fied his Democratic
associates that he would bolt and
vote with the Whigs -- thus electing a
Whig to the senate -- unless they supported
Hannigan.
The Democrats felt constrained to accept
Hannigan. He was elected by a single vote:
Kelso's.
The first great issue before the United
States Senate when Hannigan. took his seat
was the reconsideration of the Texas treaty
of annexation, placed before it again by
President Tyler. Texas sentiment had grown,
but in spite of that, the treaty was ratified
with the necessary two-thirds majority
by only one vote: that of the new Indiana
senator, Edward A. Hannigan.
--Paul I. Wellman, Magnificent Destiny
KIDS SAY ..•
*** Kindergartener, on entering the dome
area: "Are we in Joske's? "
*** "My grandmother used to sing that song -but
she's broken now."
AND MORE ...
*** A 3rd grader whose class was told they
would have a docent when they visited
The Institute, asked "What's that?" On
hearing a docent was a guide he said
"Oh good. - I ' thought we had to take some
yukky medicine!"
PUPPETEERS
The holidays are over and "The Gone to
Texas Puppeteers" are prepared for an exciting
spring. Participants recently attended
another delightful workshop at Charlene
Alvarado's Little People Puppet Company,
where they learned more about puppeteering
techniques and worked on some
great new puppets for use with tours and
the pre-school program. If you've not
seen the cowboy character "J. W.," created
by Rosalina Ascencion, you've missed a
treat!
Many other characters, too, have been
created by this very talented group. We
now have Indians "Running Deer" and "Blue
Flower" from Wendy Burch and Pat Garland;
the aristocratic Mexican boy "Pedro" from
Grace Campbell (who also skillfully restored
another puppet that was given to The
Institute); the senorita "Maria" from Julia
Smythe (maker of the terrific smocks the
puppeteers wear); a longhorn cow from Pat
Garland; five ethnic finger puppets from
Marge Holcombe and Pat Garland; a fierce
side-winding snake from Cindy Buck; and a
paperbag version of the Domingo Leal character
from Jane Bull.
Jo Ellan Burgwin has been hard at work
on new scripts for the "Gone to Texas Theatre
. " She is quite a writer, and spring
and summer should see among others the new
shows "Animals of Texas" (for very young
children) and "Texas" (to be produced for
the Folk1ife Festival).
Docent Nettie Robley has been appointed
Wednesday theatre director. She and her
crew -- Grace Campbell, Jane Jackson, Pat
Garland, Georgia Baskett, Rosalina Ascencion,
Jane Bull, and newcomer Anita Chavez
present "Domingo Leal" at 9:30 and 11:00 on
that ' day. Jane Bull, as Friday director,
is trying to line up a crew for that day,
and Pat Garland continues as coordinator and
creative consultant for the theatre and preschool
story time.
All of this is such fun, and there's room
for more help. During re-carpeting the puppet
theatre will move to Classroom II where
a new production is being readied for spring
tours. Puppeteers are needed, so if you're
curious, Bonnie Truax, staff program coordinator,
would be delighted to hear from you!
(Reporter: Pat Garland)
