Voice 3126 W. Cary St., #447 | Richmond, Virginia 23221-3504 | 804. 358.3170 | www.vamuseums.org | Fall 2015

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Professional cyclists ride around the Robert E. Lee monument on Richmond’s Monument Avenue during the UCI Road World Champi-onships, held in Richmond September 19 - 27, 2015. Photo credit: Heather Widener.

Virginia Museums and Confederate Symbols in 2015

Revisions to Virginia’s History and Social Sciences Standards of Learning Member Profile: The Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jail

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by Heather Widener

On June 17, 2015, Dylann Roof en-tered the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in

Charleston, South Carolina, and gunned down nine members of a Bible study group. As has become common in these horrendous spectacles, it took only hours for the media to begin dissecting the motives and background of the killer. Prominent was the young man’s racist views, and soon images of him displaying various symbols used by white suprema-cist groups, including Confederate battle flags, dominated newspapers, magazines, and the internet worldwide.

The tragedy reignited a longstanding controversy over the Confederate battle flag, a flag with a century and a half old history rife with conflicting meanings and disputed understandings, uses and misuses. While some see the banner as a sacred one that signifies pride in heri-tage, others see it as a banner of racism, harkening back to a time when slavery was a core southern institution. Of course, as with many hot button issues, it is the noise at the fringes that gets am-plified by the media. So while some used the moment to wave their flags, others desecrated Confederate monuments.

Taking the Pulse of the Museum CommunityBecause VAM has been fielding questions from member museums on the issue, we conducted a survey of members to gauge the extent to which the most recent controversy surrounding Confederate symbols – particularly the Confederate battle flag – has affected Virginia’s mu-seums. Nearly 150 people responded to our survey. Over 65% of them interpret or display items from the Civil War. Fifty-two respondents indicated that their visitors have expressed opinions or questions about Confederate symbols as a result of recent events. The visiting public has expressed a wide range of emotions and opinions, and all areas of museum oper-ations at some sites have been affected. However, according to our respondents, front-line staff, interpreters, and museum gift shop personnel are most likely to be faced with questions or comments.

Many visitors are very supportive of muse-ums’ educational efforts and have simply expressed curiosity. One respondent explains, “The “line in the sand” appears to be use of the flag as an object of interpre-tation or of glorification. Are we to help visitors understand our ancestors in the context of their times, or honor them as a memorial to their efforts? Should we have it in an exhibit only or put it on our flag-pole with the US flag? We must proceed with cool objectivity in the face of passion-ate resolve on both sides of the issue.”

Responses indicate that a handful of museums are adding historical context or clarification to help visitors understand certain artifacts. Over half of respondents, however, indicate that they are offering (or plan to offer) additional training to docents and front line staff on dealing effectively with difficult questions or confrontations if they do occur. Fortunate-ly, responses indicate that most visitors understand that museums’ missions are to interpret and educate with objectivity, “[People] who have expressed concern negatively about the flag understand that it is our museum’s job to interpret symbols and educate the public, so they don’t have any problem with our exhibit of Civil War artifacts or flags.”

However, artifacts on display with inter-pretation and gift shop merchandise are two different things. Says one respondent, “Most guests are ok with the artifacts that represent both sides of the war, but we’ve had a very mixed reaction to the Confed-erate flags in the shop.” Of the 37 respon-dents that answered a question asking whether they currently offer Confeder-ate-related memorabilia in their museum shops, 22 indicated that they do. Many museums are already sensitive about the context, quality, and mission-appropri-ateness of the items they do carry. For example, one respondent indicated, “We do not carry items such as key chains, belt buckles… items [we sell] include historical books, post cards, pamphlets etc. that are in a historical context.” A few museums have looked anew at gift shop offerings and discontinued items that were not historically relevant; others haven’t made changes yet but are watching the issue. Says one respondent, “In the future any tasteful Confederate items in our store will

directly relate to an artifact in our muse-um, so the educational value of the object is transferred to the souvenir.”

The American Civil War MuseumFew museum professionals have more experience dealing with controversy, misunderstanding, and emotion over Con-federate symbolism than those working at The American Civil War Museum (ACWM), located in Richmond and Appomattox. Af-ter all, as their mission states, the ACWM is “the preeminent center for the exploration of the American Civil War and its legacies from multiple perspectives: Union and Confederate, enslaved and free African Americans, soldiers and civilians.” In the wake of the Charleston massacre, the issue has affected all areas of museum op-erations. As Eric App, who directs museum operations at the ACWM points out, “The national conversation included commen-tary about how these symbols belong in a museum. The ACWM was named, early on, as that sort of place.”

In fact, the museum holds 650 flags, 510 of which were used during the war (includ-ing those with a large variety of designs – many not controversial or recognizable by most people). The staff at the museum, when asked about a Confederate battle flag, are trained to asking the follow-up question, “which one?” This summer, according to App, “Our front line staff were inundated with calls and walk-ins [by visitors] who wanted to discuss [the flag] and espouse their opinions and attitudes.” Luckily, these professionals are well-versed not only in Civil War history, but also in the array of opinions surrounding Confeder-ate symbolism that have evolved in the last 150+ years. The ACWM’s historian, John Coski (author of The Confederate Bat-tle Flag: America’s Most Embattled Emblem) was hit with over 70 requests for inter-views from media outlets from all over the country, including the Boston Globe and New York Times.

As with many museums that respond-ed to our survey, the ACWM shop saw immediate effects of the renewed controversy over Confederate symbols, especially considering that many private retail and manufacturing companies have opted to discontinue battle flag merchandise. “While some flag-related

Virginia Museums and Confederate Symbols in 2015merchandise was pulled from the shelves, all flag sales increased overnight and remained steady and high for about a month,” explains App. As it was at many museums that interpret the Civil War, shop workers had to be ready for a variety of questions and requests, and had to make decisions about the mission-appro-priateness of certain merchandise.

Because such a large portion of the muse-um’s staff has been affected by the most re-cent events surrounding Confederate sym-bolism, VAM is working with leaders at the ACWM to develop a workshop centered on museums that find themselves at the nexus of crisis and controversy. The workshop will be held at their site in Appomattox, and will use the experiences of the ACWM as a case study. Coski, along with Co-CEOs Christy Coleman and S. Waite Rawls III, are among those slated to speak at the workshop. Additionally, internally at the American Civil War Museum, leaders are discussing how else they might address these current events in the museum experience.

Lee Chapel and MuseumThe Lee Chapel and Museum (owned by Washington & Lee University) has been grappling with controversy over the dis-play of the Confederate battle flag since before the incident in Charleston. In fact, in 2014, the Chapel removed several dec-orative reproduction flags. The move was prompted by complaints from a commit-tee of students from their law school who objected to the flags’ presence and to taking the school honor pledge in view of the flags. The university president closely examined the history and role of the flags prior to making his decision:

“In 1930, several original and historic battle flags - “colors” that had been cap-tured or surrendered to the Union army - were placed near the statue of Lee. The University did not own them. They were the property of the Museum of the Con-federacy, now part of the American Civil War Museum, which asked us to return them in the 1990s … [due to] deteriora-tion. They were replaced with reproduc-tions, which are not historic and are not genuine artifacts.

The purpose of historic flags in a univer-sity setting is to educate. They are not

to be displayed for decoration, which would diminish their significance, or for glorification, or to make a statement about past conflicts. The reproductions are not genuinely historic; nor are they displayed with any information or background about what they are. The absence of such explanation allows those who either “oppose” or “support” them to assert their own subjective and frequently incorrect interpretations.

Consequently, we will remove these repro-ductions from their current location and will … [display original flags] on a rotating basis in the Lee Chapel Museum….and the stories behind them can be properly told.” (Excerpt from Washington & Lee University President Kenneth P. Ruscio’s Message to the Community, July 8, 2014)

According to Lucy Wilkins, director of University Collections and Lee Chapel & Museum, even though the removal of the decorative flags restored the 1883 feeling and original intent of the Chapel, there was still a lot of opposition to the move. “So much of what we had to deal with was rooted in misunderstanding,” says Wilkins. To confront the continuing con-troversy, the organization took a couple of steps. A key goal was to educate and take pressure off of the front-line staff. Docents were provided with additional education, and with business card-sized handouts with images of the flags and links to a website explaining the history of the flags and the President’s decision, and an additional link to the university

communications department (for those who felt they needed to vent further). The Lee Chapel and Museum also increased security. Despite these steps, President Ruscio, as well as the students who originally opposed the reproduction flag display, received threatening messag-es – even death threats. Throughout the ordeal, according to Wilkins, the museum had complete support and backup of the administration. She emphasizes the importance of museum board support of decisions they make, and support of the organization’s staff members. This sentiment was echoed by one of our sur-vey respondents, who indicated “I asked my Board of Trustees to go on record (minutes) as to what they wanted the staff to do about ordering more Confederate flags... they did so.”

For a number of years, a chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans used the Lee Chapel for a commemoration of Lee-Jackson Day in January. However, because of threats and inflammatory mes-sages sent by people identifying them-selves as members of the group, the Uni-versity this year will not allow the group to use the Chapel. The university decided that, in light of the threats, hosting the program was not an appropriate use of the Lee Chapel. Says Wilkins, although the controversy has subsided of late, “It’s been emotionally wearing on the staff, and just sad to see people still splitting up over this same issue 150 years after the fact.”

Manassas Museum SystemAccording to Mary Helen Dellinger, the curator for the Manassas Museum System, the organization recently held their annual Civil War Weekend. It is a family-oriented living history event featuring costumed interpreters – many of them volunteers – portraying figures from both the Union and Confederate armies. Because the Confederate battle flag and other confed-erate symbols would be on display, and anticipating public sensitivity following the incident in Charleston, the museum decid-ed to be proactive and provide training to the front line interpreters. Staff created a two page sheet explaining the history of the battle flag and the differences between it and the various Confederate national flags. Says Ms. Dellinger, “We distributed it

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Re-enactors on horseback during this summer’s Civil War Weekend in Manassas. Courtesy of the

Manassas Museum System.

Continued on page 11.

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i 2015 Revisions to Virginia’s History and Social Sciences Standards of Learning

compiled by Heather Widener

In 1995, the Virginia Board of Education first published K-12 Standards of Learning (SOL) in English, mathematics, science, and history and social science. The SOLs provide a framework for instructional programs designed to raise the academic achievement of all Virginia students and have remained a primary driver of curricu-lum throughout the state.

Pursuant to legislation from the 2000 Virginia General Assembly, the Board of Education established a seven-year cycle for review of the Standards of Learning. Thus, the 1995 History and Social Science Standards of Learning were scheduled for review in 2001, 2008, and 2015. In January of 2014, the Department of Education (DOE) presented the schedule for the most recent review of the History and Social Science SOLs to the Board of Education.

The 2015 History and Social Science Standards of LearningAccording to the Virginia DOE, the History and Social Science SOLs were developed with the assistance of educators, parents, business leaders, and others who have an interest in public education and a civil so-ciety. Museum educators, as well as VAM and VFH representatives, were welcomed in to the review phase to address the specific needs of our audience. The 2015 SOLs are designed to:

• develop the knowledge and skills of history, geography, civics, and economics that enable students to place the people, ideas, and events that have shaped our state and our nation in perspective;

• instill in students a thoughtful pride in the history of America through an under-standing that what “We the People of the United States” launched more than two centuries ago was not a perfect union, but a continual effort to build a “more perfect” union, one which has become the world’s most successful example of

constitutional self-government;

• enable students to understand the basic values, principles, and operation of Ameri-can constitutional democracy;

• prepare students for informed, responsi-ble, and participatory citizenship;

• develop students’ skills in debate, discus-sion, and writing; and

• provide students with a framework for continuing education in history and the social sciences.

Because teachers and schools are held accountable for student success as mea-sured by SOL assessments, everything they do – including planning school field trips and outreach experiences for their students – must be in support of student mastery of those standards. This is why it is imperative for museums throughout the Commonwealth to understand the SOLs and demonstrate to their public school audience that field trips meet SOL goals. To that end, museum educators and leaders must be aware of the content and implications of recent changes in the History and Social Sciences SOLs.

Digging into the RevisionsWith the rollout of the 2015 version of the History and Social Science SOLs, educa-tors will notice that some standards are only changed insofar as wording has been clarified. Other standards read exactly like the 2008 version, and still others reflect more global revisions to focus areas and topics. To be sure that your museum is using the most recent standards in your program planning, download the 2015 History and Social Science SOLs at http://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/sol/stan-dards_docs/history_socialscience/2015/stds_history_social_science.pdf.

To illustrate the types of changes you’ll see in the new standards, the side-by-side examples on the opposite page compare a few 2008 standards with their 2015 coun-terparts. To see how the revisions will affect specific SOL programming at your muse-um, refer directly to the 2015 standards.

Coming Soon: Updated Instructional Tools Technical assistance documents to support and align with the 2015 History and Social Science Standards of Learn-ing and a Curriculum Framework will be developed in 2016. In the meantime, the resources that your museum already uses and the unique features at your museum can be adapted for use in supporting the revised standards.

The anticipated schedule for the review of the Curriculum Framework is:

Late Fall 2015: The DOE will present the draft of the Curriculum Framework to the Board for first review. Additionally, the DOE will post on its web site the History and Social Science Standards of Learning Curriculum Framework for review. The page will be active for 30 days.

Winter 2016: The Superintendent of Public Instruction will present the proposed Curric-ulum Framework to the Board of Education for final review and adoption. The final document will be posted on the DOE web site for educators and others to access.

In the end, your site and collection are unique. They exist as a testament to either a time in history, a facet of culture, or a cross section of the natural world. So, a student field trip to your site is inherently a valuable experience that cannot be du-plicated in a classroom or anywhere else. This experience is, more than anything else, the essence of what you have to offer your audiences. When you tie those unique features to Virginia’s learning standards, you make it easy for teachers to bridge the experiential field trip back to what’s going on in the classroom. You’ll also ensure that those teachers bring their classes year after year.

Special thanks to Betsy Barton, specialist for history and so-cial science (K-5), Office of Humanities and Early Childhood, Virginia Department of Education, for providing us with the latest DOE information for the purposes of this article. Ms. Barton can be reached by e-mail at Betsy.Barton@doe.virginia.gov.

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2015 Revisions to Virginia’s History and Social Sciences Standards of Learning

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Examples: 2015 History and Social Sciences Standards

Fourth Grade Virginia Studies

VS.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical thinking, geographi-cal analysis, economic decision making, and responsible citizenship by:a) analyzing and interpreting artifacts and primary and secondary sources to understand events in Virginia history;b) analyzing the impact of geographic features on people, places, and events to support an understanding of events in Virginia history;c) interpreting charts, graphs, and pictures to determine characteris-tics of people, places, or events in VA history; d) recognizing points of view and historical perspectives;e) comparing / contrasting ideas and cultural perspectives in VA history;f) determining relationships with multiple causes or effects in VA history; g) explaining connections across time and place;h) using a decision-making model to identify costs and benefits of a specific choice made;i) practicing good citizenship skills and respect for rules and laws while collaborating, compromising, and participating in classroom activities; andj) investigating and researching to develop products orally and in writing.

VS.5 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the role of Virginia in the American Revolution by:a) identifying the reasons why the colonies went to war with Great Britain, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence;b) identifying the various roles of American Indians, whites, enslaved African Americans, and free African Americans in the Revolutionary War era, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, the Marquis de Lafayette, and James Lafayette;c) identifying the importance of the American victory at Yorktown; andd) examining the reasons for the relocation of Virginia’s capital from Williamsburg to Richmond.

Eleventh Grade Virginia and United States History

Early America: Settlement and ColonizationVUS.2 The student will apply social science skills to understand the impact of the Age of Exploration by:a) describing the characteristics of early exploration and evaluating the impact of European settlement in the Americas; andb) analyzing the cultural interactions among American Indians, Euro-peans, and Africans.

VUS.3 The student will apply social science skills to understand early European colonization by:a) evaluating the economic characteristics of the colonies;b) analyzing how social and political factors impacted the culture of the colonies; andc) explaining the impact of the development of indentured servitude and slavery in the colonies.

Examples: 2008 History and Social Sciences Standards

Fourth Grade Virginia Studies

VS.1 The student will demonstrate skills for historical and geographical analysis and responsible citizenship, including the ability to:a) identify and interpret artifacts and primary and secondary source documents to understand events in history;b) determine cause-and-effect relationships;c) compare and contrast historical events;d) draw conclusions and make generalizations;e) make connections between past and present;f ) sequence events in Virginia history;g) interpret ideas and events from different historical perspectives;h) evaluate and discuss issues orally and in writing;i) analyze and interpret maps to explain relationships among landforms, water features, climatic characteristics, and historical events.

VS.5 The student will demonstrate knowledge of the role of Virginia in the American Revolution by:a) identifying the reasons why the colonies went to war with Great Britain, as expressed in the Declaration of Independence;b) identifying the various roles played by whites, enslaved African Amer-icans, free African Americans, and American Indians in the Revolutionary War era, including George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, and James Lafayette;c) identifying the importance of the Battle of Great Bridge, the ride of Jack Jouett, and the American victory at Yorktown.

Eleventh Grade Virginia and United States History

Early America: Early Claims, Early ConflictsVUS.2 The student will describe how early European exploration and colonization resulted in cultural interactions among Europeans, Africans, and American Indians.

VUS.3 The student will describe how the values and institutions of Euro-pean economic and political life took root in the colonies and how slavery reshaped European and African life in the Americas.

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GAH! GOVERNANCE, AUDITS, AND HEALTHCARE REFORMTuesday, October 27, 2015National Sporting Library & MuseumMiddleburg, Virginia What are the 5 most important things to know about nonprof-it management? Are you confused about the latest healthcare reform? Did you know that the Form 990 is an important fundraising tool as well as required IRS document? Learn how to tackle these issues, and more at our opening workshop!

Speakers: Melanie Mathewes, Executive Director, National Sporting Library & Museum; Olivia Hutton, Steve Spitzer, Chris Frye of Yount, Hyde & Barbour

VAM Certificate in Museum Management Credit: Internal Affairs

ARCHAEOLOGY IN ACTION Monday, November 9, 2015Historic JamestowneJamestown, Virginia

Learn about recent discoveries by Historic Jamestowne’s archaeological team and how their educational team has transformed that research into programming using mapping, 3D modeling and printing.

Speakers: Staff of Historic Jamestowne

VAM Certificate in Museum Management Credit: Exhibitions

MUSEUMS AT THE NEXUS OF CRISISMonday, November 16, 2015The American Civil War MuseumAppomattox, Virginia

Staff from the American Civil War Museum will speak on managing crisis and sensitive issues using the topic of the Confederate emblem/flag as a case study.

Speakers: Staff from American Civil War Museum

VAM Certificate in Museum Management Credit: Internal Affairs/External Affairs

BUILDING THE FRONT LINE TEAM YOU WANT Tuesday, December 8, 2015Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library Staunton, Virginia

Front line staff are your best advocates and often the face of your museum. Learn the differences and intricacies of training and maintaining paid and unpaid staff to craft a top notch team behind-the-scenes and out front.

Speakers: Linnea Grim, Director of Education & Visitor Programs, Thomas Jefferson Foun-dation; Lauren Patton, Docent Coordinator, The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia; Emily Tenhundfeld, Human Resources Coordinator, Thomas Jefferson Foundation; Robin Von Seldeneck, Chief Operating Officer, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library VAM Certificate in Museum Management Credit: Internal Affairs

PHILANTHROPY FORUM *Offered as a 1/2 day option or as a full day workshopApril 2016 TBD Virginia Museum of TransportationRoanoke, Virginia

Join VAM for a full day of fundraising training or select from one of two topics – donor retention and crowdfunding - for a half day focus. Learn help-ful insights and how-to strategies from top development professionals who will help you reach in to improve donor retention and reach out to attract new crowdfunded income.

Speakers: Allan Burrows, President, Capital Development; Jeff Liverman, Executive Di-rector, Jacksonville Center for the Arts; Dr. Jessica Turner, Museum Director, Birthplace of Country Music

VAM Certificate in Museum Management Credit: External Relations

BOTH A BORROWER & LENDER BEFriday, May 20, 2016Science Museum of VirginiaRichmond, Virginia

How to ready a panel exhibition for travel and then what to expect on the receiving end, plus how to work with multiple lenders – both public and private – when borrowing objects for exhibitions. Items covered include: forms, insurance, transportation, responsibilities, and making “the ask.”

Speakers: Barbara Batson, Exhibitions Coordinator, Library of Virginia; Mary Helen Del-linger, Curator, Manassas Museum; Rebecca Rose, Registrar, Virginia Historical Society

VAM Certificate in Museum Management Credit: Collections or Exhibitions

SEEING THE FOREST FOR THE TREES: UNTANGLING YOUR COLLECTIONS MESSMonday, June 6, 2016Hermitage Museum & Gardens Norfolk, Virginia

Did you inherit a collections mess? Are you moving your archive? Maybe you have more cannonballs than you know what to do with? Learn about processes, resources and helpful tools, not to mention “been-there-done-that” advice to help guide your plans for tackling your collection.

Speakers: Beth Austin, Hampton History Museum; Colin Brady, Curator, Hermitage Museum and Gardens; Diane Cripps, Curator, Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum; Harold Jacobson, Petersburg Museums

VAM Certificate in Museum Management Credit: Collections

Workshop Registration: 9:30am - 10:00amWorkshop: 10:00am - 3:00pm

Registration: $80 - non-members$55 - members$30 - student members

Workshop Series 2015 - 2016

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The following are Virginia’s Top 10 En-dangered Artifacts for 2015 (and are pictured from top, left to right):

Jury Drum (Lottery Wheel), 1835Clerk of the Circuit Court, Loudoun CountyLeesburg, VA

Needlepoint Sampler / Griffith Family Register, 1844Eastern Shore of VA Historical SocietyOnancock, VA

POW Journal of James Risque Hutter, 1863/1865 Historic Sandusky FoundationLynchburg, VA

Manuscript Map of Richmond by Richard Young, 1817Library of VirginiaRichmond, VA

Odd Fellow’s Ceremonial Cloth, 1850-1900Loudoun Museum Leesburg, VA

Occoquan Iron Works Collection, 1755 Occoquan Historical Society, Mill House MuseumOccoquan, VA

Confederate Jacket of Capt. Cary F. Grimes, 1861Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum, Portsmouth Museums Portsmouth, VA

Roanoke County Sheriff’s Office Photo Archive, 1937-1942Salem Museum and Historical SocietySalem, VA

Chesapeake Bay Steamer Potomac’s Pilothouse, 1813-1938Steamboat Era Museum Irvington, VA

Hance Store Ledger, 1815Wilderness Road Regional Museum, New River Historical Society Newbern, VA

The nominee that garnered the greatest number of votes during our online voting period is the winner of our People’s Choice Award. That hon-oree in 2015, with a total of 11,820 votes, is the Museum of the Shenan-doah Valley:

Portrait of Reverend Nathan Cook Brackett (1836-1910)Museum of the Shenandoah ValleyWinchester, VA

Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered ArtifactsCongratulations to the 2015 honorees of the Virginia’s Top 10 Endangered Artifacts program. Now in its fifth year, the program has helped dozens of collecting institutions capture public attention and support for con-servation. Learn more about the Top 10 at www.vatop10artifacts.org and consider participating in 2016!

Mem

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eby Teresa Reynolds

The Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jail (FHM), former-ly the Old Jail Museum, is a

small county museum that is filled with surprises. The FHM is housed in Fauquier County’s old jail com-plex, which dates back to 1808. The front building, the county’s sixth jail constructed, was completed in 1808, but poor conditions such as no heat or on-site jailor led to deplorable surroundings for the prisoners. In 1817, the Common-wealth of Virginia sued Fauquier County; the outcome of the suit was that Fauquier County would rectify the issues by building a new jail. The second building in the complex was completed in 1823. Once completed, it held four cells with wood floors and wood burning stoves in each cell. Afterward, attention turned back toward the front building, where a kitchen, four fire places, new floors, doors and windows were added to make a home for the jailor and his family. The jailor’s wife was paid separately as the jail’s cook and the

complex continued in this manner until 1966. This complex is among the oldest continuously used jails in the United States.

The Fauquier Historical Society was revived in 1964 for the sole purpose of saving the old jail. Fauquier County began the process of constructing a new jail and once it was completed the old jail was to be leveled to make way for a new parking lot. The Society was suc-cessful in saving the buildings and Fauquier County placed the build-ings in the care of the Society. It was decided to convert two rooms, one in each building, back to their original state. The 1824 kitchen was taken back to the original floor, ceiling, and walls; at that time the cooking hearth was uncovered. In the 1823 building, one room was stripped down to the original walls and ceiling. These rooms give the visitor a chance to experience the true history of these buildings.

In 2014 the museum went through a rebranding in order to repre-sent more of what is displayed for visitors to experience. Although the museum is housed within what

was once a county jail, it now is host to a plethora of county and state artifacts. Examples of exhib-its which are featured within the museum presently are: Early Inhabi-tants of the Area, a Native American display which contains early period artifacts found within the county borders; Business of Warrenton Past; Guest at the Warren Green, featuring Wallis Simpson and a historic hotel in Fauquier; Medicine on the Battle-field, featuring a cot used during the First Battle of Manassas as well as two amputation kits; Tools of Virginia, which feature various early American tools used in Virginia; Madison Barber Shop, displaying the remnants of the first African American owned business on Main Street in Warrenton; and of course the Maximum Security Cell Block, a look back in time at where the county housed their most danger-ous prisoners. The staff is constant-ly busy creating new exhibits.

The FHM is open six days a week, Wednesday through Monday from 10 AM - 4 PM and is open during most holidays, closing only on New Year’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. The museum hosts

The Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jail

The original cooking hearth, pot crane and some pots, in the 1824 kitchen, were uncovered when the

Society pulled down the walls to make the room more authentic.

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The Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jail is located within the sixth jail of

Fauquier County, which was constructed in 1808.

The Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jaila number of free events for the public, such as: Evening with an Expert for historic lectures, Her-itage Day featuring experiences from the past, and Book Signings from new historic book authors.

Like other small museums, the FHM struggles with budgetary constraints, and is constantly seeking new methods to raise funding for the museum. A few examples of some of our fund-raising endeavors include: the October Ghost Tours, January Lock Ups, and renting the build-ings for small functions. The mu-seum strives to keep things fresh and new in order to keep people returning time and again.

Teresa Reynolds is the director of the Fauquier History Museum at the Old Jail. Contact her at 540-

347-5525 or at fhsoldjailmuseum@gmail.com.

Visit the museum online at:http://www.fauquierhistory.com,

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fau-quierHistory

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Old-Jail-Museum-War-renton-VA-131063473593752/timeline/.

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Save the Date for #VAM2016

March 12 - 15, 2016

Williamsburg, Virginia

The maximum security jail cells were added into the existing cell in 1909. There are two cells

that house 4 people on each side.

Book ReviewThe Confederate Battle Flag: America’s Most Embattled Emblemby John M. Coski

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by Heather Widener

“In order to understand the history of the flag, we must study the whole history of the flag

– not just 1861 – 1865 – and accept that uses of the flag since the end of the

Civil War have created real meanings and perceptions.” – Coski, 304

John M. Coski’s The Confederate Battle Flag: America’s Most Embattled Emblem is an objective, comprehensive history that traces the origin and evolution of the battle flag’s significance from the 1860s to 21st century America (the book was written in 2005). I have to admit – as a layperson, and someone without a personal attachment to the symbol (I grew up in Maryland as a daughter of 20th century European immigrants) – I was not excited to read this history. However, once I delved in, I was compelled to read on. Coski’s careful outlining and explication of events in American history followed the thread that connect-ed the “embattled emblem” through those events.

What exactly does the Confederate battle flag mean? Does it signify southern ideals? White supremacy? Bravery? Slavery? Valor? Racism? Rebelliousness against authority? Good ole’ boy culture? Reverence for the Lost Cause? Heritage? Hate? The Confederate battle flag has, throughout history, represented each of these things in different contexts, and to different peo-ple. Symbols are not endowed with innate meaning. Symbols derive meaning from the contextual interplay with the people and events surrounding them. That is what I found especially striking as I read through Coski’s book. The thing itself means nothing until it mingles with people and events. So if you grew up memorializing Lee-Jackson Day, and participating in cere-monies honoring your Confederate forebears – ceremonies that featured the battle flag – that flag will have a vastly different significance to you than if you protested in favor of civil rights and school integration, and had that flag waved at you as a signal of racism and massive resistance. Even in 2015, this stark difference can be very hard to understand for people on both sides of the issue.

As Coski astutely points out, “It is a fundamental mistake to be-lieve…that one’s own perception of a flag’s meaning is the flag’s only legitimate meaning. Many people believe that the flag is an honorable symbol of heritage, but this does not make the flag an honorable symbol of heritage to everyone. Others have just cause to regard the flag as a symbol of racism, but this does not mean that the flag is a symbol of racism to everyone. People must not impose their interpretation of the flag on others nor project their interpretation of the flag’s meaning onto others’ motives for displaying it. Just because someone views the flag as a symbol of racism does not give him the ethical right to

assume that someone who displays it is a racist. To make such a judgement is an exercise in prejudice.” (Coski, 304)

If your museum includes Confederate symbols – particularly the battle flag – this book is a ‘must read.’ This is particularly true if you are charged with educating the public about this symbol and its meanings. The people that walk through your museum doors are not blank slates. They are coming filled with per-ceptions, assumptions, emotions, and knowledge – correct or incorrect – about the Confederacy and its symbols. Because the battle flag is an important historical symbol, and such a ‘loaded’ symbol today, it is paramount that museum professionals lead the way by objectively helping the public understand its history and meanings. This book will help you understand those varied meanings that have been infused into the battle flag symbol over the last 150+ years.

Coming Soon: Improvements to Your Museum’s Membership!

Beginning in December, your museum’s membership will be better than ever. Most notably, for the first time ever, VAM will include in your museum membership FULL member benefits for ALL staff members, volun-teers, and board members of your museum.

VAM museum member dues will continue to be based on museum budget (see chart).

New Option: Be a Leadership MemberYour museum now has the option to show its dedication to our museum community by joining at the new Leadership Level. Four of our museums already have committed to this level: George Washington’s Mount Vernon, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Historical Society, and the Virginia Museum of Natural History. Thanks to those Leadership members! To learn how to join them, please contact Jennifer Thomas at 804.358.3172.

F a l l 2 0 1 5 11

to all volunteers. Everyone had it in front of them. Volunteers were told to call in a staff member if they got into a discussion where the explanations weren’t enough.” Luckily, that situation didn’t happen. This was clearly a case where the site was both prepared to serve the visiting public and to protect their volunteers through proactive measures.

Additionally, says Dellinger, “We went through our gift store with a critical eye to differentiate between things that were “over the top” and items that speak to our shared history, that are scholarly works. For items like that, the [battle flag] image is still there.”

Dellinger, who in her museum career has worked with exhibits containing inflamma-tory items such as KKK uniforms and Nazi insignia, emphasizes the importance of displaying these items and their education-al value. “We don’t own any [Confederate battle flags] but if we did, they’d be out. These are powerful symbols of history – you have to look at what they represent….Flags are very powerful symbols. You can’t just assign a meaning to [a flag] and say that’s that.” Dellinger also emphasizes the importance of objectivity in interpreting

such items. “You really have to work hard on that label not to take a side.” One survey respondent echoed the importance of interpreting Civil War emblems, “Our mu-seum has displayed and interpreted both sides of the American Civil War through artifacts and flag displays since 1970. We feel that the most appropriate place to in-terpret and think about Civil War emblems is in an exhibit….In this way we are exam-ining it in its historical context and not as a modern symbol from 2015.”

John Coski would agree. Museum profes-sionals should keep in mind the logic in Coski’s analysis of historical interpretations. Coski contends, “Interpreting a monument at a historic site requires a viewer to consid-er as many as three contexts: the event or period commemorated; the period in which the monument was erected; and the viewer’s own time. The same reasoning applies to the interpretation of Confeder-ate flags in historical contexts. Whether or not a flag really symbolizes history in an essentially neutral way depends on the oc-casion and motives that put it there.” (Coski, The Confederate Battle Flag: America’s Most Embattled Emblem, page 290)

In museums that interpret the Confederacy and its symbols, professionals responsible for interpretation and education must be ready to put the symbols in historical con-text to promote understanding. As ACWM Co-CEO Christy Coleman says, “At the muse-um, visitors bring their history, heritage, and memory to our door every day and ask us to make it plain. God bless our staff….How do we find common ground? We stop. We breathe. We listen. And then we educate.”

If you are interested in the results of VAM’s survey on Virginia Museums and Confederate Symbols, contact Heather Widener or call the VAM office at 804.358.3170.

Virginia Museums and Confederate Symbols in 2015Continued from page 3

Membership for Everyone!

VAM is the finest (and largest) state museum association in the nation. Our goal is to meet the needs of our museum members, and

work toward our vision:

A united museum community inspiring the world around us. To more effectively serve our community, including the staff, volunteers, and board members of all Virginia Museums, VAM has redesigned our membership program. Now your museum membership includes full VAM membership benefits for every staff person, volunteer, or board member involved in your museum. As a museum member of VAM, you will be providing professional development, career services, and professional resources for everyone associated with your museum simply by maintaining one membership. All of these benefits are included in one annual museum membership fee, based upon your museum budget. Everyone has free or discounted access to:

Virginia Certificate in Museum Management program

Annual Conference registration Professional development workshops Career support through VAM VAM Voice quarterly museum news magazine Legislative alerts Virginia Museum Advocacy Day and AAM’s

Museums Advocacy Day VAM job board Use of the VAM logo to show that you are a part of this dynamic museum community

Plus, through our affiliates you can also access: Health plans through Optima Health Banking services through Langley Federal Credit Union

Leadership Level Want to demonstrate an even higher level of commitment to your Virginia museum community? Your museum may join at the Leadership museum membership level for $2,500. Your commitment as a Leadership member allows VAM to provide free membership to any student wishing to engage with our museum community. Leadership members are recognized on our website, in our annual report, and at our annual conference. Consider paying it forward today.

Learn more: www.vamuseums.org Questions? Call us at 804.358.3170

or email membership@vamuseums.org

Museum Budget Membership Fee All-volunteer; < $ 25,000 $ 50

$ 25,001 - $ 100,000 $ 150 $ 100,001 - $ 250,000 $ 225 $ 250,001 - $ 500,000 $ 300

$ 500,001 - $ 1,000,000 $ 500 $ 1,000,001 - $ 2,500,000 $ 650 $ 2,500,001 - $ 4,000,000 $ 850

Over $ 4,000,000 $ 1,100

12

Director’s Corner

Dear Members,

This summer, the governing board of VAM met to review and update our strategic priorities and mission. As museums, you have all done this, many times, and we all know that it takes a lot of time and energy on the part of our volunteer boards to make this happen. VAM, and all of our members, are very lucky to have such a committed, engaged board. Their conver-sations throughout this strategic planning process were very much geared to ensuring the best possible future for VAM, and were based on surveys sent to members, best practices from other organizations, and general board resources.

The new strategic priorities were designed to build on the activities and responsibili-ties of VAM’s standing board committees, and most of our members may not even know what those committees are, or what they do. Currently, the board operates a Planning and Resources Committee, which focuses their attention on finances, and the overall health of the organization. The Member Engagement Committee is fo-cused primarily on our members, helping to recruit new members, make sure our pro-grams and services are meeting the needs of members, and growing the involvement and loyalty of our current members. Lastly, the Leadership Development Committee works to ensure the longtime stability of the board, and the organization through advocacy and preparing people to serve in leadership capacities for VAM. If you would like to review the new priorities, you can find them at: http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/

www.vamuseums.org/resource/resmgr/About/Strategic_Goals_and_Mission_.pdf.

Our new mission: The Virginia Association of Museums is a statewide network serving the museum community.

The new mission doesn’t significantly change what we do, or who we are, but it was changed for clarity, and brevity, so that we can more easily share our mission with those outside our immediate community, and outside the field.

Just like our member museums, VAM is always striving to prepare for the future, and look ahead to what may be coming down the road. We welcome any feedback from our members about the priorities that our board have developed. We will always have these priorities posted on our website for you to see, and will provide you with updates as we go through the next three years.

As always, feel free to contact the VAM office or your council representative with questions or suggestions.

Jennifer Thomas

Executive DirectorVirginia Association of Museums

Our Governing CouncilPresident, Al SchweizerVP, Planning & Resources, Gary SandlingVP, Programming, Gretchen BulovaSecretary, Dana PugaTreasurer, Norman BurnsPast President, Tracy J. GillespieEx-Officio Members, Robert C. Vaughan and Jeffrey Allison

Direc torsEric App Lisa MartinJamie Bosket Jeffrey NicholsDr. Mikell Brown Robert OrrisonKaren L. Daly Scott StrohPaige Backus Vanessa Thaxton-WardCharles Grant Sarah WhitingDebi Gray Charlotte WhittedJoe Keiper Eric S. Wilson

Our Staf fExecutive Director, Jennifer ThomasAssistant Director, Christina NewtonCommunications Director, Heather Widener Accountant, Su Thongpan

Our Contac tsPhone: 804. 358.3170 Fax: 804. 358.3174www.vamuseums.org

Our VoiceVAM Voice is a member benefit published quar-terly for museum professionals and volunteers. The editor encourages readers to submit article proposals. Contact the communications director for more information.

Our News Deadl inesSpring: February 15thSummer: May 15th Fall: August 15thWinter: November 1st

Our VisionA united museum community inspiring the world around us.

Our MissionThe Virginia Association of Museums is a state-wide network serving the museum community.