ADVISORY COMMITTEE, ACCREDITATION APPLICATION ARE HIGHLIGHTS; MUSEUM DIRECTOR FEELS FIRST YEAR SUCCESSFUL

In her first year as director of the Southeast Missouri State University Museum, Pat Reagan-Woodard sought to forge a kinship between the museum and the community.

She shared her insights recently, when reflecting on highlights of the University Museum's 1990-1991 annual report.

Reagan-Woodard said the seed for a successful year was planted by first establishing an 11-member University Museum Advisory Committee composed of both university and community representatives. The benefits reaped by pulling together these interests soon became evident.

According to the museum's 1991 annual report, instructional usage increased 16 percent; overall visitor attendance, including students, was up 67 percent and monthly walk-in visitors averaged about 1,200. To Reagan-Woodard, success grew from identifying opportunities within the culture in which the museum operates.

"The advisory committee was my most significant adaptation this last year, for it gave us an understanding of the campus' and the community's needs. Since I am not a native of this area, I could not solely generate those perspectives. The board's view broadened our insights," she said.

For example, linking the museum to various university departments as part of the University Studies Program provided an outlet for aesthetic study and observation of the area's cultural heritage. The department of art held four exhibitions and several art-class projects.

The department of archaeology accessioned the Thomas Beckwith Collection of Mississippian ceramic vessels and helped reinstate the annual Beckwith Lectures. A department of mass communication student produced a promotional video, and students from the department of history and museum studies created "A Call to Arms," a permanent exhibit of military history artifacts from the Robert Young Collection.

"A highlight of the year was seeing, for example, 16 historic preservation majors in the museum studies class cooperating and creating their project. They produced a top museum quality display, and the students gained hands-on, career-applicable experience," she said.

According to the museum's 1991 annual report, 12 exhibits and five receptions were held and included a visit from Gov. John Ashcroft and community concerts.

In addition, Reagan-Woodard has been planning a community outreach, network system. For example, networking with regional museums could generate tourism from special-interest groups and lessen exhibit costs. Integrating the museum into area elementary school curriculums could strengthen community ties, she said.

"We have many Native American Indian artifacts here. The children can actually see and read information about their regional history and archaeology," she said.

One of the cornerstones of her endeavors has been to attain accreditation from the American Association of Museums. A self-study questionnaire, submitted last October to the Institute of Museum Services, laid the groundwork for accreditation. The questionnaire, Reagan-Woodard said, resulted in a $1,400 grant from the institute for an outside museum appraiser to objectively assess the museum and recommend operation or mission improvements.

"By this fall, we should hear the results. It isn't a pass or fail system, but rather a mapping of our aims toward accreditation," she said.

Expanding museum affiliations have been part of those objectives. In the last year, the museum joined with the Association of College and University Museums and Galleries, the Missouri Museums Association, the Midwest Museums conference and the American Association of Museums.

Other achieved objectives have included what Reagan-Woodard calls "unseen" aspects of the museum. For example, student workers have been inputting inventories and accession records into a new computer system. As part of a long-range conservation plan, she said, student interns and workers have converted displays and storage compartments into acid-free archival systems. Other projects have included signage for museum displays and volunteer recruitment.

"The volunteer program was implemented to help with research, receptions and mailing lists," she said. "The faculty of the Historic Preservation Program are encouraging student volunteers. I would also like to bring in volunteers from the community, such as our retired people."

According to the museum's 1991 annual report, financial support totaled $1,931 in donations from receptions and cash gifts. These monies were deposited into a special fund for future acquisitions. During the past year, donations for the museum collections included historical objects in memory of Hazel Harrison, lithograph prints of Central American Indian ruins from Aleen Wehking, a painting by Ron Clayton, and a cast paper piece by Thomas Lang.

"The museum can be a showcase for what the people on campus, in the town and in the region can do," she said. "I see our job as that of facilitating and increasing awareness that the museum is a neat place to visit frequently."

Reagan-Woodard moved to Southeast Missouri from St. Louis, where she taught in the Department of Art at nearby Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville. She also served as an adult program coordinator for the St. Louis Art Museum. In addition to her administrative responsibilities as museum director, Reagan-Woodard teaches two classes in the department of art.