Read This Book!

Theatres and vaudeville stages were the entertainment outlets that Americans sought before the days of movies, television, and the Internet. The University of Minnesota will celebrate that bygone era with a new exhibit, titled "Creating the World for the Stage: 1893-1929 - An Exhibit of Scenic Sketches."

Painted renderings of backdrops, sketches, and other artifacts from the Performing Arts Archives at the University of Minnesota Libraries will be featured in the exhibit that explores the exotic worlds created by the scenic artists for both public theatres and private fraternal spaces of the Freemasons. The exhibit is guest curated by Professor C. Lance Brockman of the University's Department of Theatre Arts and Dance. It runs from Jan. 15 through March 15, 2013 at the Elmer L. Andersen Library and is free and open to the public.

Artifacts include original renderings

The exhibit documents the backstage technical environment of the popular stage during the late-19th and early-20th centuries. The artifacts include original renderings and materials from Twin City Scenic company, Great Western Stage Equipment company, and the Holak collection.

Quick FactsWhat: "Creating the World for the Stage: 1893-1929 - An Exhibit of Scenic Sketches."

Where: Elmer A. Andersen Library, West Bank of the Twin cities Minneapolis campus, 222-21st Ave. S.

When: Jan. 15 - March 15, 2013. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday; and 8:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday.

Who: Professor C. Lance Brockman, University of Minnesota Department of Theatre Arts and Dance.

Admission: Free and open to the public

All images are available online

The companies used these materials to market their painted drop scenery to public theatres across the country and later to fraternal organizations, such as the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. Brockman said that the Freemasons use of theatre and set design in their degree rituals helped them to boost membership.

"What had once been recitation, previously, now becomes a lively and fun theatrical presentation - you can see how attractive this would be to potential members," Brockman said. "And as public theatre became less and less of a market for these scenic studios, the Freemasons became more and more of a market."

Brockman instrumental in acquiring collections for the U

Brockman, who is retiring after 40 years, was instrumental in acquiring the collections for the University of Minnesota, beginning in 1983. His research into this period of set design, he said, was primarily to help him teach theatre students about the nearly lost craft of painted drop scenery, especially for the New Minnesota Centennial Showboat.

"The exhibit shows people that we have the collections and it's also a great resource for scenic artists," said Peter Baker, a recent theatre arts graduate who assisted Brockman with the design and installation of the exhibit. "The art of painting these drops was never really passed down. It sort of died off. But having the sketches and being able to look at the extant work, you can actually pick out how they did it, how they painted it. It becomes a resource, not only for the historical context, but the practice itself - the art, as well as the artifact."

It's also just a lot of fun. "When you see the drops on stage, in full color and in full scale, it's a big 'whee' - it's fun," Brockman said.

Recent Theatre arts graduate Nicky Rodriguez served as assistant curator supporting Brockman with the selection of thematic objects from over 3000 sketches and models.

Gallery Hours

Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Friday; and 8:30 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.

"Booby Trap," "Good Time Girls," and "Smash the Prostitution Racket!" These were a few of the terms used during early- to mid-20th century public health campaigns by the American Social Health Association.

The association used these in education messages, along with research, undercover investigations, and civic action in an effort to eradicate prostitution and human trafficking, while promoting the prevention and proper treatment of STDs.

"One of the things that the American Social Health Association believed in strongly was bringing prostitution, human trafficking, and STDs to light," said Linnea Anderson, a curator with the Social Welfare and History Archives at the University of Minnesota Libraries. "They believed that if you swept it under the rug, kept it secret, that it allowed them to flourish. It's one of the reasons we selected the cartoon, 'If we can get the beast out of his lair...' for the theme of the exhibit."

Today, these terms are outdated, humorous, even offensive. But, in some respects, that makes for a great teaching tool.

"We use this collection to teach classes to graduate students and undergraduates," Anderson said. "And when the student reacts strongly to a document - they think it's hysterical, they think it's ridiculous, they think it's outrageous, or it makes them angry, or it makes them laugh - that's the moment when you're really experiencing the difference between the past and the present."

"It's really a great history lesson when it comes to sexual health," said Darren Terpstra, the exhibit designer. "You're able to see how this all started and where we've come today, because it's very relevant today. But what you get to see is not only how far we've come, but how we actually haven't come very far at all, in some respects."

Undercover investigations

The ASHA sent investigators into communities - sometimes openly, sometimes undercover - in attempts to learn more about how a community may or may not facilitate the functioning of a prostitution racket.

"For example are there particular hotels where you can rent by the hour, are there cabbies, who on the side, will bring you to a house of a ill repute, are the police turning a blind eye?" Anderson said. Investigators also looked into whether communities had illegitimate practitioners offering "quack" or ineffective treatments for syphilis and gonorrhea.

Anderson added that investigators used the information in meetings with community, civic, and religious leaders in efforts to combat prostitution.

"The American Social Health Association called that the American plan," Anderson said. "They were against what they referred to as the European plan or the European model of segregating and tolerating prostitution, and inspecting prostitutes, who we would now call sex workers. They thought that prostitution should be eradicated entirely."

Were the campaigns successful?

In both World War I and World War II, the ASHA worked with the United States military on sexual health campaigns to reduce the rates of sexually transmitted diseases, and Anderson said, there's evidence that each of these campaigns was successful.

"The reason for this, historically, was that looking back on the wars in U.S. history, there had been a spike in STD infections in every war," Anderson said. "And there is evidence in their own files and elsewhere that they were successful in decreasing the rate of infections amongst troops in both wars."

Were the campaigns successful over time? Anderson said that's a potential research project in the offing. But one thing is for certain: There are plenty of materials to draw from in the archives.

Said Anderson: "The reality is that there are still STD infections,

The Land Grant Agricultural College Act — known as the Morrill Act and signed by President Lincoln in 1862 — set aside public lands, the sale of which were used to fund public colleges to "promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes."

The Act and subsequent funds from the land grand helped save the then-struggling University of Minnesota, which for several reasons, including financial debt, closed a few years after it was chartered in 1851.

"The Morrill Act came at a time when the University [of Minnesota] was in dire straits," said University Archivist Erik Moore, co-curator of the exhibit, "For the Common Good," now on display at the U's Elmer L. Andersen Library. "The University had closed after a short opening as a preparatory department."

Moore added that the University was hit hard by the 1857 financial panic and was in debt after the construction of its first building, then called the Main Building.

Morrill Act, Legislature helped save the U

Soon, however, the Morrill Act, coupled with action by the Minnesota Legislature, helped save the University.

"The state Legislature, in 1864, brought together a three-member Board of Regents," said Assistant Archivist Erin George, co-curator of the exhibit. "And their task was to get the University out of its deep indebtedness."

Led by John Sargent Pillsbury, the Board completed its work, and the University, by the late 1860s, prepared to re-open, with the land-grant mission prominent in its plans. By 1869, the University's first president, William Watts Folwell, had been hired, the preparatory department was re-opened, and plans were underway to open University colleges with those in agriculture and mechanic arts garnering special attention along with instruction in military tactics.

This early and turbulent time is documented in the exhibit, "For the Common Good." The exhibit is based on material from the collections of the University of Minnesota Archives, and it examines the ongoing question: How has the University sought to fulfill its role as a "land grant" university.

More information

"For the Common Good" is on display at the Andersen Library's Atrium Gallery through Nov. 30, 2012. For more information, contact the University of Minnesota Archives at 612-624-0562.

* View a map of Andersen location

* U of M Archives and Special Collections

 

The new Natural Resources Library, which opened in June, celebrated Oct. 10 with a grand opening event. The new librarysaves $130,000 annually in operating costs through consolidating collections in the former Forestry and Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife libraries.

The project also responded to changes in how scholars use library resources by tapping digital technologies to enhance the on-site collection and through the popular Get It delivery system. The Natural Resources Library, located in Hodson Hall on the St. Paul campus, also better supports interdisciplinary efforts and meets the demand for more study space on campus through the re-use of the former Forestry Library.

New library a hit with students

"It's got a lot of windows -- it's just a really nice place to study," said Joe Kaser, a graduate student in the entomology program. "And because of the delivery system, I can always find what I'm looking for."

"It fits in well with my program," said Gretchen Wilbrandt, a Ph.D. student in the entomology program. "It has all of the necessary resources, as well as inter-library loan to get everything I need."

"The staff are really helpful," said Hannah Specht, a graduate student in the fisheries, wildlife, and conservation biology program. Specht said she often checks out master's and Ph.D. theses related to her area of study. "I'm in this library a few times a week. I really enjoy having big windows to work next to."

Budget cuts and changes in library use prompted consolidation

Philip Herold, the research and learning director for agricultural, biological, and environmental sciences at the University of Minnesota, said that the new library represents a consolidation of the Forestry Library and the Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife Library.

"One of the main drivers was budgetary," Herold said. "We looked at different areas where we could make reductions. [And] the nature of the use of the library was changing over time. Fewer people were coming in to use the collections. And many of the collections were being made available electronically."

The new Natural Resources Library houses high-use materials from the Forestry and Entomology, Fisheries, and Wildlife collections. Low-use print materials (many of which are available electronically) were transferred to the Magrath Library or other Libraries' facilities. Students and faculty will continue to have access to the same breadth and depth of content as before, either by visiting Magrath Library or using the Get It delivery service.

Herold said that he believes the new library is generating increased use.

"I guess the general word on the street is that it's a nice place to come and to work and to study."

* More about the Natural Resources Library

About Operational Excellence

Colleges, departments, and units around the University are working to reduce costs while enhancing services as part of the U's commitment to Operational Excellence.

Learn more and contribute your ideas at Excellence.umn.edu