University of Central Oklahoma's Laboratory of History Museum

It’s International Museum Day and a great day to visit a museum! ❤️

IMD - International Museum Day Every year since 1977, ICOM has organised International Museum Day. On this day, participating museums plan creative events and activities related to the International Museum Day theme, engage with their public and highlight the importance of the role of museums as institutions that serve society an...

Thank you for the shout-out, Edmond History Museum! 😊
Thank you, also, for all the wonderful opportunities you provide for students in our Museum Studies program! We are grateful for you! 💙🐴💛HV

Another great way for us to share our collection and the skills our students are acquiring! 💙🐴💛

Nan Jones and her daughter, Cindy Ash, made the trip up to UCO from Sherman, Texas, today to donate some wonderful items to the museum.

Nan’s father, Clyde Ferguson, was a Central graduate (1934) whose career as an educator involved serving as principal and other administrative roles at several schools in Oklahoma, including Edmond (1950).

During his years at Central, Clyde was a member of the track team. Among the objects donated today are a letterman sweater, blanket, photos of Clyde and his track team members, a cross country medal, and a 1931 Bronze Book.
The textiles are in such wonderful condition. The bronze and blue are so vivid!

During my visit with Nan and Cindy, I found out that Nan’s mother, Agnes Loree (Humphrey) Ferguson also attended Central and later came back to teach at the college in the Education department after earning her PhD.

Also, Nan followed in her father’s footsteps becoming a principal at two schools in Sherman, Texas.

I look forward to preserving these wonderful items and the stories of those connected to them. Thank you to Nan and Cindy for thinking of us! HV

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This semester LHM interns have been gaining experience photographing, cleaning, and storing objects.
They have also assisted several museum studies students with artifact research projects and have been working on two exhibits.
I am so lucky to have such excellent interns! HV

Happy International Museum Day!

International Museum Day - International Council of Museums Each year since 1977, ICOM has organised International Museum Day, which represents a unique moment for the international museum community.

Seldom do museums receive donations of items that together tell almost a complete story without having to perform additional research.
We were so fortunate to accept a collection yesterday that tells the story of the brief life of one of Central’s finest.

Chad Bowen received the Central State Teachers College (former name of UCO) Freshman Scholarship Award in 1939 that recognized excellence among first-year students. The wooden plaque he received for this honor was among the donated objects.

Bowen went on to enlist in the Army Air Force in 1940. He earned his wings on August 5, 1942, and married Betty Young on the same day.
Lieutenant Bowen and Betty spent only 8 months together before he left the U.S. in April of 1943 for England.

Through letters and documents included in the donation, we learn that from his post in England he flew bombing raids into Germany with his loyal crew.
The last entry in his flight journal on July 29, 1943, mentions a successful mission, and also that the group had not suffered any losses during their seven missions.

Less than two weeks later, 24-year old Bowen and his crew lost their lives during a test flight of the B-27 bomber that had been recently refurbished and given to him and his crew. He had been overseas only four months.

The collection of 48 items includes photographs (many taken by Bowen at his post in England), letters, newspaper clippings, a small New Testament carried by Bowen, his flight book and journal, and the plaque he received while at Central. A few pieces from the collection can be seen in the attached photos.

The items had been lovingly kept by Lieutenant Bowen’s brother until his death in 1975 when they were left in the care of a younger cousin. The cousin donated the items to us yesterday.

HV
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Cutting quilt batting (needle-punched, of course!) for tonight’s padded hanger activity in my Museum Theory & Practice class.😊 HV

Check out the most recent episode of the M Files podcast in which our director, Heidi Vaughn, is interviewed. 🎤 💙 💛 💙 🐴

Episode 34 - Heidi Vaughn - University of Central Oklahoma Museum Studies Program - The M Files Podcast On this episode we welcome Heidi Vaughn back to the program. Heidi, in her role at the University of Central Oklahoma, is at the forefront in preparing the next generation of museum professionals. As the Director of the Laboratory of History Museu...

Director, Heidi Vaughn, recently welcomed Delaynna Trim from the Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art and Karen Whitecotton from the Oklahoma History Center as guest presenters for the Museum Theory & Practice class. They presented a workshop on museum disaster planning and salvage.
What a great hands-on experience for our students!

Graduate Student and Museum TA, Marcos Rodriguez and I won for our scrappy museum ornaments! 😃