Museums and Properties
Written by PA Heritage Staff in the News category and the March 1975 issue Topics in this article: Pennsylvania Historical and Museum CommissionHarmonie Associates
A “live-in” experience for a limited number of fifth grade students will be held from April 28 through May [1975]. The program is sponsored by the Harmonie Associates, Old Economy.
Associates Program Held
“Projects and Programs of the Associates” was the subject for a two-day annual Associates meeting of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Mrs. Patricia Black Reibel coordinated the program, held at Landis Valley, Lancaster, last Fall.
Mobile Museum Schedule
Research is currently underway on the new exhibits for the Pennsylvania Mobile Museum. These exhibits, for the Bicentennial period, are concerned with the way in which youth served the struggle for American Independence.
If you have any material you feel would be helpful, either for use in exhibit cases or in research, please contact Ross Grenard, William Penn Memorial Museum, Box 1026, Harrisburg, 17120, or call 717-787-4978.
The Mobile Museum School schedule for Spring follows:
April 1-4, 1975: Northumberland County-Milton Area School District, Joseph S. Kowalski, local chairman;
April 16-17, 1975: Allegheny County-Mt. Lebanon School District. Donald Dunbar, local chairman;
April 18-19, 1975: Allegheny County-Pa. Federation of Jr. Historians, Carl Oblinger, chairman;
April 21, 1975: Mercer County-St. Michael’s Elementary, Greenville, Ronald Green, chairman;
April 22-25, 1975: Mercer County-Lakeview School District, Mrs. Jean Mowry, chairman;
May 5-9, 1975: Venango County-Franklin Area School District, Robert Muse, local chairman;
May 12-16, 1975: Luzerne County-Crestwood Area School District, Mrs. Harry Syak, local chairman.
Inauguration Exhibit
A special exhibit commemorating Inaugural Week and honoring Gov. and Mrs. Milton J. Shapp and former chief executives and their wives was held at the William Penn Memorial Museum. Governor Shapp is the first Pennsylvania governor to serve two consecutive terms in 100 years.
Mrs. Ferne Smith Hetrick, chairman of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, said that the special exhibit included paintings, photographs, antique furniture and other mementoes associated with the Commonwealth’s chief executives and their wives.
One of the items in the exhibit was an oil portrait of former Gov. John F. Hartranft, the last chief executive prior to Governor Shapp to serve two consecutive terms. The Montgomery Countian Civil War general served Pennsylvania as governor from 1873-79, having been first elected under the Constitution of 1838 and re-elected under the Constitution of 1874.
Flagship Niagara
The Flagship Niagara is undergoing extensive renovation. The next issue will include a historical review of the Niagara.
China Service Exhibited
Various historic sites and museums throughout the state are exhibiting a one-place setting of the 143-piece Executive Mansion China service. The service was used for state dinners from 1927 to 1968.
Acquired during the tenure of Gov. John S. Fisher (1927-1931), the dinner set was used for state affairs at Harrisburg’s old executive mansion on Front Street through the administrations of governors: Pinchot, Earle, James, Martin and Bell.
At the request of Mrs. Milton J. Shapp, wife of Pennsylvania’s present governor, it was turned over to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. Mrs. Ferne Smith Hetrick, Commission chairman, made arrangements for the statewide exhibit.
The china, made by the Onandaga Pottery Company, Syracuse, N.Y., was named “Old Ivory” for its glaze. The state Coat-of-Arms adorns it in gold with multiple gold bandings.
Memorial Services Slated
Annual Memorial Day services are scheduled at both Washington Crossing State Park and at the Pennsylvania Military Museum.
On May 18 [1975], at Washington Crossing, the Ninth District, American Legion, will hold services at the soldiers’ graves, some of whom are unknown.
At the Military Museum in Boalsburg, the event will be sponsored by the Twenty-eighth Division Society and the Twenty-eighth Infantry Division in cooperation with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. It too will be held on May 18 [1975], time is 1:00 p.m.
American Black Heritage Observed
A Black art exhibit opened events that were part of the American Black Heritage observance at the William Penn Museum. The Museum events were among a program developed for the Black History Observance during February by the Urban Black Coalition of Harrisburg with the cooperation of the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the Harrisburg School District.
The three-part exhibit featured the Raymond Briola Collection of African Art; five examples of life-size figures from the PUSH (People United to Save Humanity) Black Hall of Fame collection and the judged Artwork Exhibit of students from Harrisburg’s Middle and High Schools.
Commonwealth Secretary C. Delores Tucker was one of the five distinguished blacks represented by life-size figures. She was the only woman and only Pennsylvanian so honored. The Rev. Jesse Jackson of Chicago, president of PUSH, was present to discuss the exhibit at a reception held in the Museum.
Raymond Briola, whose extensive collection covers a five-year period while he lived in Central Africa for twelve years, described his collection as an artistic documentation of the “History of the Continent.”
