The Almanac, Spring 2016

The

Almanac Museum: 45820 Spadina Avenue Chilliwack, BC, V2P 1T3 604.795.5210

Archives: 9291 Corbould Street Chilliwack, BC, V2P 4A6 604.795.5210

www.chilliwackmuseum.ca info@chilliwackmuseum.ca

SPRING 2016

CONNECTING WITH LOCAL EDUCATORS

CONTENTS

Last February, the Chilliwack Museum and Archives hosted a Professional Development Day workshop at both the Museum and Archives for School District 33 education professionals. The opportunity enabled us to not only share historical knowledge and resources, but also to learn more about the local history needs of teachers and students.

Connecting with Local Teachers Extended Hours Chinese Artifacts Project Upcoming Fall Exhibit Membership Privileges AGM Notice Welcome to New Staff

STAFF Matthew Francis, Executive Director Alison Adamson, Administrative and Volunteer Coordinator Shannon Bettles, Archivist Stephanie Clinton, Education and Engagement Coordinator Jane Lemke, Curator Anna Irwin, Museum Attendant Kelsey Ablitt, Museum Attendant Laurie Benton, Archives Assistant

BOARD OF DIRECTORS Teachers examine a bottle pig at the Archives as part of an artifact ID exercise.

Photo credit: Stephanie Clinton

Recent changes to the BC school curriculum mean that teachers are exploring opportunties to connect with Chilliwack’s history in and outside of their classrooms. Place-based learning immerses students in local heritage and cultural experiences as an entry point into subjects across the curriculum.

Our Education and Engagement Coordinator, Stephanie Clinton, had a chance to meet teachers who have been integrating placebased learning into lessons for years, as well as those that are relatively new to building lessons using local content.

SPRING 2016

Fred Feistmann, President Pauline Heppner, Vice President Robin Lister, Treasurer Charlie Fortin, Director Tia Halstad, Director Esther Harder, Director Bea Mazurenko, Director

suggested using a BCER ticket as a quick math exercise asking: How much money would it have cost in 1920’s to go from Yarrow to ChilliIn the afternoon session, five local wack? history kits were featured, which contained reproductions of care- Our educator Stephanie will be fully selected primary source ma- working to further develop the loterials, each piece playing a part in cal history kits so they are available telling Chilliwack’s story. Topics in- for use by educators. Whether it is cluded the British Columbia Elec- an education object that students tric Railway and the 1948 Flood. can handle, a newspaper article or a railway ticket, using primary Teachers were given a chance to sources in teaching is a great way examine and interpret the material to get students interested and inbefore discussing how various top- volved in a subject. ics and materials could be used in classroom teaching. One teacher

The morning workshop at the Archives was led by Curator Jane Lemke and Archivist Shannon Bettles who introduced educators to the work of our organization, which included a behind-thescenes tour of the Collections storage and research facility. Jane explained that each artifact is unique and tells a story about Chilliwack and the people who lived here.

Meanwhile, Shannon provided an overview of the archival collection, including a tutorial on using the Chilliwack Museum and Archives online collection catalogue and the Chilliwack Progress database.

Following the tours, the teachers

practiced their inquiry skills, working though an artifact ID lesson worksheet to interpret artifacts.

EXTENDED HOURS

CHINESE CANADIAN ARTIFACTS PROJECT

You asked for it! After listening to our community, we have extended the Museum hours to help connect people with Chilliwack’s history. In addition to our regular weekday hours (9:00AM to 4:30PM), the Museum is now open Thursday evenings until 8:30PM and Saturdays 10:00AM to 2:00PM. Extending the Museum operating hours will help new audiences to experience our exhibits and programs in person. Recent studies have shown that one of the best things people enjoy about visiting museums and cultural institutions is that it can be real quality time with the people they like: their friends and family. By extending our hours, we are responding to Chilliwack, and we hope that you will choose the Museum as a destination to enjoy some quality time, experiencing history together with the people that matter to you!

In January 2016, Curator Jane Lemke and Archivist Shannon Bettles launched the Chilliwack Museum and Archives’ collection online as part of the Chinese Canadian Artifacts Project (CCAP).

CCAP is an online database showcasing BC’s Chinese Canadian history through over 6500 digital items ranging from photographs to theatre props from more than a dozen local and regional museums, including Chilliwack Museum and Archives. This database constitutes the second largest such collection in the province, making available items that previously had only been accessible through visits to local museums. A valuable and accessible resource for research on Chinese Canadian history, the database was funded by the Ministry of International Trade and Re-

sponsible for Asia Pacific Strategy and Multiculturalism, as part of the Chinese Historical Legacy Initiatives announced in 2014. The digital collection will be permanently stored at the McPherson Library, University of Victoria. There it will take its place among the Library’s growing selection of multicultural holdings, including First Nations and Asian Canadian collections.

For access to CMA’s holdings, visit: ccap.uvic.ca

Food-storage jar found under 3’ of sand at Minto Landing, Fraser River. Chinese character reads “Big” in English. [CMA 1962.002.001]

*NEW* THE MUSEUM IS NOW OPEN THURSDAY EVENINGS UNTIL 8:30PM AND SATURDAYS 10:00AM TO 2:00PM

UPCOMING FALL EXHIBIT The Chilliwack Museum and Archives is pleased to announce our upcoming annual exhibit, Photography from Obscura to App. The exhibition will show how the developments in photographic processes and techniques have formed how we photograph, what we photograph, and how photography has shaped our perception of the world we live in. Visitors can make acquaintance with the striking processes and technologies across the history of photography that have led it from a toilsome and complicated procedure to contemporary digital images that have made everyone photographers.

photography

THE EXHIBIT WILL OPEN TO THE PUBLIC SEPTEMBER 23, 2016

MEMBERSHIP PRIVILEGES

FROM OBSCURA TO APP

Membership has some great benefits:

Our vision is to “connect people with Chilliwack’s history.” As a Member, you can be a part of that!

Since 1957, members of the Chilliwack Museum and Historical Society have played key roles in our city, sharing memories and momentos with new generations. The Chilliwack Museum and Archives are not just about old things or past events, we are about the moments, objects, and memories that matter. We are engaged in Chilliwack – past, present, and future.

See what type of membership is right for you:

• Unlimited admissions for yourself and your guests visiting with you.

• Participation in all of the activities of the Chilliwack Museum and Historical Society (Such as receiving Quarterly Newsletters, advance notice for Public Programs and Special Events, voting privileges at the Annual General Meeting, and other unique opportunities).

• 15% discount on Event Rentals, Programs, Archival Photo Orders and Workshops.

• 15% discount on select Gift Shop Merchandise We will soon have memberships available for purchase online. In the meantime, please drop into the Museum or Archives, send an email, or give us a call to become a member of the Chilliwack Museum and Historical Society.

Individual $20.00/Year Teachers & Educators $20.00/Year Family $25.00/Year Corporate $100.00/Year Life $200.00/Year

MEMBERS

HIP CARD

Name: ID # Signed: Date: 604-795-52

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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Chilliwack Museum and Historical Society’s annual general meeting and presentation of the Chilliwack Heritage Awards will take place Saturday May 14th starting at 1:00pm, Chilliwack Museum. All are welcome!

THE CHILLIWACK MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES WELCOMES NEW STAFF

Jamie and I, together with our children Mathilda and Heath, moved to Chilliwack in 2013 and are so happy to be surrounded by mountains, family and friends again.

It is also great to be a tourist in my own community again and show my family where I grew up.

This past Spring, we have been delighted to welcome three new part-time staff members to our team. Laurie Benton has joined us as our new Archives Assistant, serving the public and providing much needed help to Archivist Shannon Bettles. Anna Irwin and Kelsey Ablitt also came aboard as Museum Attendants, on duty for our new extended hours, Thursday evenings and Saturdays.

I am enjoying my new role with the Chilliwack Museum and Archives as an Archives Assistant. I am able to engage with the public and learn about what is important to other people regarding their connection to the land and the Chilliwack area. I look forward to seeing some of you at the Archives!

We caught up with Laurie Benton, and she shared a little of her background.

My background lies not within a common historical background that might be anticipated with a museum and archival position, but within Geography. I have had a passion for all things geographical from an early age.

I absolutely love storms and lightning, rock formations and the physical landscape. I am fascinated with change over time and viewing this from a local, regional and global perspective. I received my BA Geography from UFV in 2001, but after travelling across South America for four months, I decided I wasn’t finished with formal learning. I moved to Denmark to attend the Roskilde University for an International Masters Degree course in Environmental Policy and Planning. There I met my British husband Jamie and we lived in London, Sevenoaks and Hastings over a seven year time period. What a perfect place to fall in love with history and the confluence of modernity on tradition and architecture.

Right: Laurie Benton is pictured at the Chilliwack Museum and Archives.

Photo credit: Jane Lemke

(c) Chilliwack Museum and Historical Society.

The Almanac is the official newsletter of the the Chilliwack Museum and Archives.