ANNUAL REPORT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1993
The Institute of Texan Cultures is a
university educational center dedicated
to the enhancement of historical and
multicultural understanding through exhibits,
programs, and publications that encourage
acceptance and appreciation of our
differences as well as our common humanity.
Operating on the premise that people are
stronger citizens when they know more about
themselves and each other, the Institute serves
as a forum for multicultural education efforts
in the state and symbolizes the state's
strength in diversity.
Holiday Traditions around the World 1993
The University of Texas INSTITUTE OF TEXAN CULTURES at San Antonio
IN A SPECIAL ISSUE LAST FALL, Time magazine offered to its
readers "The New Face of America," exploring the perils, challenges,
and opportunities of what is fast becoming a truly multicultural
society. Texas and other border states lead the nation in the
number of foreign-born residents and, as a result, have been
among the first to -deal with a citizenry of unparalleled diversity
and the education, religion, and politics of blending cultures.
The Institute of Texan Cultures, created by people of vision 2S
years ago, is positioned to serve as a vehicle fostering cultural
understanding - to be a positive changemaker in both the state
and the nation. Armed with a solid, revised mission statement,
it continues to focus all of its programming and product
development on multicultural education, education that does
indeed encourage in us acceptance of one another and appreciation
of our differences as well as of our common humanity.
'Rex 13a{{
[ The Institute Team
THE INSTITUTE INVESTS IN HUMAN CAPITAL
through a strong professional development program.
Generous support from UTSA allowed several staff
members to attend conferences offered by the Council
for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
The Institute was also well represented at the
American Association of Museums conference and at
other local, regional, and state conferences and
workshops specific to individual jobs and departments.
Additionally, UTSA offered numerous classes and
workshops related to professional training and
management, computer proficiency, and Total Quality
Management, all of which helped to improve both
skills and efficiency.
Institute staff members work as a team. An idea
may begin in the mind of a research associate - may,
with funding sources identified by our Development
Office, grow into an Institute-produced exhibit with
related educational programming for children and
adults. After many hours of research and writing and
the collection of names for a targeted audience, our
Production staff of designers, fabricators, photographers,
and woodcrafters turn concept into reality. An
audiovisual may be produced, offering an "on-site"
look into a piece of a culture, and a family day of
entertainment and activities might light a spark of
Tejano Exhibit Development Task Group
knowledge and understanding in both the very young
. . . and the very unaware.
Local, state, and perhaps national experts on a
topic may assemble for a symposium for a deeper
analysis, and the Special Events staff may be called
upon to offer a taste of the culture in the appropriate
area of the exhibit floor. Of course, nothing takes
place at the Institute without generous support from
our corps of 450 docents, who volunteered more than
50,300 hours during FY93; nor does it occur without
our solid team of Business, Security, and Physical
Plant personnel, and the promotion efforts of the
Communications and Marketing Department.
But the investigation of any culture takes both time
and dollars; with the downsizing of staff and the
continued fiscal squeeze, the limited resources to be
both a voice and an instrument for multicultural
understanding have hindered our ability to fulfill our
important mission. Yet, through solid leadership and a
25-year-old vision made even stronger and more
focused, "downsizing" is becoming "rightsizing," as the
Institute, like organizations everywhere, cloaks itself
with the economic reality of today to meet the challenges
our state and nation will surely face tomorrow, not
just in learning to live together, but, as Rex Ball says,
"in respecting one another."
3
The Event --------@)
EACH YEAR THE INSTITUTE CELEBRATES our
ethnic and cultural diversity with special events that
entertain while they educate. In 1993 Pioneer Sunday
enticed eager children to exchange their remote controls
and rollerblades for scrub boards and barrel hoops,
as they learned about life on the Texas frontier.
American Indians became the focus of a family day
in November, when the Institute employed storytelling,
picture writing, beadwork and pottery activities, and
a Tigua dance performance to host Celebrate Native
Americans. In December the annual Holiday Traditions
around the World offered glimpses into the seasonal
celebrations of Jews, Swedes, African Americans,
Germans, Mexicans, and Native Americans. In April
the Institute honored former Gov. John Connally,
who was instrumental in the creation of the Institute,
and Mrs. Connally with a reception and commemorative
slide show during the HemisFair 25th Anniversary
celebration. Then we joined with Texans everywhere
in mourning his death only a few weeks later.
The Institute helped kick off Fiesta week with its
second annual Texas Children's Festival. Through the
generous support of over 70 individuals, organizations,
donors, and performers, more than 7,000 visitors
explored traditional and contemporary aspects of
cultures through interdisciplinary experiences in
history, fine arts, language, science, and technology­all
in a setting of fun-filled excitement and
imagination. Just a week later, the pace slowed down
Texas Folklife Festival 1993
with Bowie Street Blues, an afternoon concert by
four masters of the Texas blues piano held on the
grounds of the Institute.
In August carne the biggest event of all, the 22nd
Annual Texas Folklife Festival, which drew more than
70,000 visitors to savor the traditions and cultural
experiences of over 30 different ethnic groups: our
mission statement in action at its best.
The Exhibit Floor
RECOGNIZING THE NEED for a well-researched
and -developed plan for renovations to the main
exhibit floor, Rex Ball directed a newly created task
group to establish benchmarks by studying other
institutions and to form a philosophy for the exhibit
floor. That process is an ongoing one and will require
considerable time and funds . In the meantime,
however, other work continues.
On the Back 40, construction of the log house was
completed, and it quickly became a primary tool for
the educational programs that the Institute creates for
schoolchildren and other visitors. The log house was
dedicated in October to George Houston Ensley in
grateful recognition of his efforts in advancing
multicultural understanding.
Rex Ball and George Houston Ensley
4
The Special Exhibit
VISITORS TO THE INSTITUTE'S Lower Gallery
witnessed a series of visual art exhibits. Duty to the
Saints: Photographs of Jesse Herrera documented and
compared the religious traditions and ceremonies of a
remote mountain village in Mexico and a Mexican­American
neighborhood in Austin. On display during
Bowie Street Blues was The Photography of Benny
Joseph: The Early Years of Rhythm and Blues. In
conjunction with UTSA's Women's History Week, the
Institute presented a photographic exhibit documenting
the contributions of women in World War II, entitled
Quiet Shadows: Women in the Pacific War. Mystical
Elements/Lyrical Imagery: Consuela Gonzalez
Amezcua, 1903-1975 offered a sampling of the Del
Rio artist's elaborate images of Aztec poets and
rulers, muses, and mythological figures.
Two exhibits inaugurated a new gallery created to
showcase the Institute's some two million photographic
images. The HemisFair 25th Anniversary exhibit
evoked memories of the event that changed San
Antonio forever and gave birth to the Institute. It
was followed by another poignant glimpse into San
Antonio's past which explored Alamo Plaza: Heart of
the City. The Institute's annual Day of the Dead altar
in the Mexican area of the exhibit floor commemorated
this important Mexican holiday honoring those who
have passed away.
@J i
John and Nellie Connally, Mary Pat Stumberg, and
Rex Ball at the HemisFair 25th Anniversary celebration
The final exhibit of the fiscal year was just the
beginning of an incredibly exciting schedule of related
programming in FY94. Opening barely two days after
the Texas Folklife Festival closed, The Walter O.
Evans Collection of African-American Art beckoned
conventioning members of the National Medical
Association to a special reception for past presidents,
the first of hundreds to admire this outstanding
collection of art. The exhibit was generously
sponsored by Texas Bank, N.A., of San Antonio.
----------The Symposium
A SERIES OF THREE SYMPOSIA celebrating the
1992 Quincentenary dealt with the issues of origin,
continuity, and change in Tejano/Mexican-American
identity from 1718 to the present. The symposia were
supported by the Texas Committee for the Humanities.
In November the focus turned to American Indians,
when speakers representing various Texas tribal
groups discussed issues relating to their own cultural
identity and interethnic relations. This symposium
was part of our Celebrate Native Americans weekend.
Celebrate Native Americans
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The Special Program
INSTITUTE PROGRAMS OFFERED other avenues for
the exploration of history and culture, as well. A second
Archaeological Field School, cosponsored with the
Southern Texas Archaeological Association, continued
the investigations already begun at the Medina
County site near Castroville.
Our annual Summer Camp on the Back 40 offered
a unique, interactive learning experience for young
students, while "Texans - A Legend of Diversity and
Drama" enlightened senior students enrolled in
Elderhostel. The Institute's newest creative vehicle,
the gallery theater, was employed again for "Isabel's
Story," which offered insight into Hispanic frontier life.
Summer Camp on the Back 40
-----------The Product
The Institute Store
PRODUCTS AND SERVICES offered by the Institute
have made a difference both in Texas and beyond.
The long-anticipated publication of The Texas
Rangers: Images and Incidents, by John L. Davis,
prompted sales from all over the country, as well as
in Texas. The Institute released the third in a series of
video documentaries on the contemporary Indians of
Texas, entitled People of the Sun: The Tiguas of
Ys1eta. In addition to being added to our product list,
the program was accepted for broadcast on 130 public
television stations in 26 states, Washington, D.C.,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A previously produced
video, E1 Dia de los Muertos: The Day of the Dead,
was the recipient of a 1992 San Antonio Conservation
6
Society citation and was honored with a 1993
American Association of Museums Muse Award.
The Institute was contracted by the Kickapoo
Traditional Tribe of Texas to produce Noki Pematedieni
(To Have a New Life), an anti-inhalant abuse video.
Having produced the first film or video entirely in the
Kickapoo language, the Institute was invited to
screen and discuss the video at the 1993 Society of
Applied Anthropology annual meeting.
After months of planning, the Institute Store
received a much-needed facelift in the fall of 1992.
Built from readily available local materials, the new
Store features enhanced lighting and shelf space, a
separate library area, and greatly improved traffic
flow and handicapped access. Total project cost was
$80,835, with the Institute receiving valuable advice
and service from H.B. Zachry, Alamo Architects, and
Pape Construction. Store income for the fiscal year
stands at $227,399.
Traveling exhibits provide an important means of
supporting the Institute's mission statewide and
beyond and offer an additional source of revenue.
During the year 163 locations - from Boca Raton,
Florida, and Altus, Oklahoma, to Harlingen and El
Paso - rented Institute traveling exhibits, trunks, and
mini trunks, for a total income of $21,788. Closer to
home, the Heritage Tour program accommodated 350
people on 10 trips to interesting Texas destinations
and resulted in a $7,400 income. Rental of Institute
facilities is also a critical source of revenue. In FY93,
90,000 people generated $121,800 in rental income.
Reaching In and Out--------@J I
AS REFLECTED IN THIS REPORT, the Institute
uses a variety of means to touch lives, both in the
Institute building and throughout the state. In FY93,
265,980 tourists, school groups, and clients visited the
Institute to tour the exhibit floor, view a special
exhibit, attend a function, or participate in a special
event. In addition to that figure are the 72,547 adults,
plus an estimated 5,000 non-paying children, who
came to enjoy the Texas Folklife Festival in August.
The Institute's educational programs provide a means
for reaching out to the public. Tex-Kits, which
incorporate a wide range of historical and cultural
topics, help bring the heritage of Texas to life
through demonstrations by staff members and
docents. More than 69,600 schoolchildren enjoyed
Tex-Kit presentations during FY93, an increase of
19% over FY92. Tex-Kits were also presented to
17, 900 people in various community groups, an
increase of 39 %. Some of these presentations were
offered by Institute Ambassadors, now numbering
more than 250 across the state, who take our
message to people in their own hometowns.
In addition, Speakers Bureau members made
presentations to more than 700 people during the year.
Schoolchildren arriving at the Institute
"Lifetimes: The Texas Experience," the Institute's
statewide radio program, was picked up by radio
stations in Taylor, Seguin, Alpine, Lampasas,
Ballinger, Mesquite, Floresville, Odessa, Nacogdoches,
Gonzales, Huntsville, Marshall, and San Antonio.
This program provides another means of sharing the
story of Texas with Texans across the state. I@J----The Business of Service
Public and Private Giving (4.4%) State Appropriations (41.9%) THE TEXAS LEGISLATURE recognized the value
of the Institute this year by providing an increase in
appropriations for the first time since 1985. During
that period the Institute suffered an absolute dollar
loss of 12 % and a real dollar loss of 47 %, not
including unfunded mandated salary increases.
TFF, Store, and Parking (33.6%) ,
Endowment Income (0.8%)
Interest Income (0.8%)
ANNUAL REPORT DATA
FOR FISCAL YEAR 1993
State Appropriations
Local Income
Sales and Services
TFF, Store, and Parking
Public and Private Giving
Interest Income
Endowment Income
Total Income
Expenditures Greater than Revenue
This recognition was assisted by the diligent
leadership of our Development Board and the
thousands of letters written to Institute supporters
from Chairman Bob Buschman's office.
A complete financial summary for FY93 is
presented below.
REVENUE EXPENDITURES
$1,832,478 41.93% $2,181,911 49.79%
349,433 7.99%
458,161 10.48% 459,070 10.48%
1,468,215 33.58% 1,594,534 36.39%
192,407 4.40% 125,792 2.87%
34,517 0.79% 0
36,936 0.83% 20,798 0.47%
$4,372,147 100% $4,382,105 100%
($9,958)
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Development Board 1993
The Institute gratefully acknowledges the time,
treasure, and talent so generously given by our
Development Board members during 1993.
Robert Buschman, Chairman, San Antonio
Lynn Ashby, Houston
Charles Andrews, San Antonio
Claudia Ball, Comstock
Ann Brinkerhoff, Houston
Janey Briscoe (Emeritus), Uvalde
Clifton Caldwell, Albany
Frank Calhoun, Houston
Tony Chauveaux, Beaumont
John and Nellie Connally (Emeritus), Houston
John De La Garza, Dallas
James Doyle, Fredericksburg
John Eckel, Galveston
George Ensley, San Antonio
Brian Greig, Austin
Henry Guerra, San Antonio
Alex Halff, San Antonio
F. Reter Herff II, San Antonio
Joll
Chris Parsons, Houston
Dan Peavy, San Antonio
O. Scott Petty (Emeritus), San Antonio
Scott Petty Jr., San Antonio
Richard Potter, Gilmer
Josephine Sparks, Corpus Christi
Rhoda Stefan, Fredericksburg
Ruth Sterling, Houston
Marshall Steves Jr., San Antonio
Patrick Welder, Victoria
Irene Wischer, San Antonio
William Wright, Abilene
Nancy Young, Houston