Favorite Object: National Constitution Center

Grace Cable's Girl Scouts Registration Card

1919

Pen on Paper

Unknown/ Grace Cable

During this week's visit to the Constitution Center, I finally got to see the 100 Years of Girl Scouting Exhibit that I had on my "to do" list since moving here in May. In my first post on this blog, I wrote about my bear scare bracelet, an object I acquired from my many years of attending Girl Scout Camp. Girl Scouting has been a large part of who I am and has made me the individual I am today. I joined a Girl Scout troop when I was in the third grade, and stayed in a troop until I started high school. Although I quit troop camping, I still stayed a registered Girl Scout and continued to volunteer for council and work for summer camps as an adult Girl Scout. When I was 18 I was an assistant troop leader for a brownie troop. From ages 19-21 I was a camp counselor. While most women are considered to be former Girl Scouts, it was a part of their youth, Girl Scouting for me was something I continued as an adult, and it continues to have some sort of role in my life, even though I currently am not a registered Girl Scout anymore. 

This being said, I definitely had an emotional connection with the exhibit and found it very interesting. All the objects on display were things I can relate to and had sense of familiarity with. All the objects dealing with summer camp had the most impact on me, therefore the case "Summer Camp Memories" was my favorite. The registration card is something I had never seen before and found the most interesting. I believe it is an overall Girl Scout registration card, and not a summer camp registration card. The document was filled out in 1919. It included information about the Girl Scout: name, address, school, date of birth, and religion. Religion was unusual to me, but for the time period, and the history of the Girl Scouting stating God in the law and promise, it then made sense to me. What is really interesting about this document are the types of badges being earned. Some of them are subjects that are associated with women, and roles that women held in that time period, such as cook, gardener, home nursing, housekeeper, laundress, and needlewoman. What is more surprising is the amount of activities that are not ones that are always associated with women in the household. Automobiling, boatswain, clerk, farmer, workmanship, and woodcraft, are all activities that I at least find unexpected for the time period for women to be achieving. However, this is why I like this object so much. Girl Scouting is a very proactive and pro-woman organization, and from the very beginning did not adhere to women stereotypes. Some of the more amusing activities on the list include telegraphist, ambulance and laundress. Not sure if girls today would want to earn their badges in "laundry skills". 

Zoomed in image of Registration Card to Show Badges

This object was acquired by a private lender. I presume it is someone who knew Grace Cable. The record at one time had belonged to her. The object is on display in a case with other objects from Ms. Cable, including a camp smock from 1921 with two years of signatures from fellow campers and a box of feathers. The sign board explains that she left no indication of what the feathers were or what their meaning was, but I can relate all too well as to what significance they must have held to her. My bear scare bracelet being a key example, and the boxes of random things I have held from camp are also kept in my closet. I shared with my friend, a fellow camper and co-worker with me at camp about this exhibit and the mention about the unexplained feathers, and we both agreed "That's just what you do at camp". Everything has some sort of significance, no matter how small. Also nearby on the wall are pictures of girls at camp. 

To learn more about this object, I could learn more in depth about the history of Girl Scouts, especially during the early 1920's. I am familiar with some of the terminology being used on the document, however some words are unfamiliar to me such as Tenderfoot Test and how progression through some of the ranks had worked back then in comparison to how it works today. 

Individuals who would not be interested in this object are those who are not interested in Girl Scouting, or their messages. Also those who have not experienced Girl Scout camp or Scouting in general and have little understanding of how badges and Scouting works. 

Opposing views would argue that this document showed a much more rigid Girl Scouting regimen and that it was taken far more seriously. They could argue that the activities being done in the past were done more as life skills rather than for interest and pursuing new fields of study. Also some, such as one particular Indiana State Representative, may argue that Girl Scouts are radical feminists and are secretly plotting to destroy the youth of America.

Other objects in this exhibit did a great job of engaging viewers with this object. There was a camping tent, uniforms, songbooks, and other memorabilia throughout the decades to gather an understanding of what Girl Scouting has been about throughout the last 100 years. Experiences one can partake in to gain more knowledge and interest in this object is attending a troop meeting, going to summer camp, partake in Thinking Day, or attending the annual GirlScout Rock the Mall in Washington DC. 

Happy 100th Anniversary Girl Scouts!

Favorite Object- Philadelphia Museum of Art

Sleeping Girl

1964 

Oil and Magna on canvas

Roy Lichtenstein

I chose one of Roy Lichtenstein pieces as my favorite objects this week. I am a fan of the artist and his pieces and recognized it immediately when I spotted it. During our trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art (PMA) I did not have a lot of time to explore and go to different areas of the museum. The area I wanted to visit was the modern and contemporary art. I returned to the PMA on Friday to get a better experience there and to see more of the exhibits since our trip was the first time I had been there and to visit the modern and contemporary art gallery. Modern art provides me with more recent and familiar themes and it seems more open ended for interpretation, and it was my favorite gallery when I walked around. Especially the Pop Art Style pieces since I find them to be fun and exciting, which is something I look for in art pieces. 

This piece is important to me because it shows the interesting style of comic book artwork. I have always been fascinated with inkjet and ben-day printing and how lots of circles over lapping can create a picture or color, and I especially like how this looks under a microscope. The fact that every dot is precisely placed based on the spacing and overlapping, and usually only cyan, yellow, magenta, or black can be used is interesting to me since it so calculated in technical. I enjoy how Roy Lichtenstein takes this interesting process and uses it in his work, and his pieces allow you to focus on this technique, not so much the story being told. I also like how the "Sleeping Girl" does not really appear as though she is sleeping, but her facial expression reads as something else. She seems distraught or upset, and it could be keeping her from actually sleeping peacefully. 

According to the accompanying text panel, this piece is on loan from a private collection. It is also not found in the online collection. 

This object is on display in the Modern and Contemporary Art Galleries. It is displayed on a plain white wall.  It was on a wall near an entry into the gallery, so no pieces were hung directly next to it. In the space however, there were a few Pop Art style pieces including Andy Warhol's "Jackie" and "Brillo Boxes". Here is a photo I took showing how it is displayed, and what I like about this photo is that a girl in a polka-dot dress was working on a school project about the piece in front of it, and the polka-dots compliment the piece. 

I think expanding my knowledge on Pop Art and its role in art history would enrich my understanding and enjoyment of this piece. I also think knowing more about comic books would also further my knowledge about this piece, since this piece was inspired by a comic panel called "Girls Romances". I think reading this comic as well would also give me more understanding of the subject Lichtenstein was painting. Additionally, I am hoping to attend the Roy Lichenstein in his Studio exhibit going on at the Gershman Y sometime this Fall and expanding my knowledge on Roy Lichenstein more and it looks like an interesting exhibit to check out, and something I would enjoy. 

People who would not be interested in this piece would be those with little to no interest in modern art and in Pop Art. Some may find this piece to lack technical skill and to be too simplistic. While the girl is conveying emotion and is distraught, it may lack a story that some may wish to find in an art piece. 

Opposing views would tell you that the girl is a symbol for something else entirely and that her facial expression is calm and peaceful. 

I think more pieces to this collection would engage me and viewers with this object. I enjoy how Lichtensteins pieces only show one part of a comic panel, while most comic media is a series of many panels that tells a story. It’s a different approach that allows viewers to think more about the piece and what might actually be occurring in the picture. It also allows viewers to appreciate the style being used and think about the ben-day printing pattern, which is what I like so much about his pieces. 

Favorite Object- Eastern State Penitentiary

States of Security/ Security States

Installed March 2012

Painting on Mesh; ESP Outer Wall

Ryan Legassicke

I chose Ryan Legassicke's installation on the Eastern State Penitentiary's outer security wall. It was best visable from the baseball diamond while walking outside around the grounds of the penitentiary. It models and shows the actual sizes of other walls and boundaries around the world. From left to right there is the security wall used at the 2010 G20 summit in Toronto, The Berlin Wall. The USA/Mexico border fence, The Peace Line Wall in Northern Ireland, and the Israeli West Bank Separation Barrier. The installation uses the Penitentiary's wall to display it, thus using another wall in its example. 

This object is important to me for two reasons: 1- I liked the Eastern State Penitentiary wall and was interested in how it was used in an installation. 2- It conveys a powerful message about borders and how they are used around the world, and it gave me a visual reference that I have always been curious about. 

I immediately impressed by the sheer magnitude of the size of the wall from the moment we had arrived and as we were walking around during our tour. It was what my eyes kept coming back to and what I was usually looking at. I have a background in geology, so all the rocks were interesting to me even though they weren't in a natural formation for me to try and guess the geological history as I tend to do out of habit. But I will admit I did  immediately try to identify what type of rock was used to build the wall. Pretty sure it's granite. Full of shimmery micas that I love so much, which was probably another reason why I was so distracted by the wall. 

Being a visual learner, having a visual model of the walls side by side to compare was fascinating to me and I finally had something to relate what my mind had pictured these walls to look like. Everytime I read an article about any of these places, the Israeli- Palestine division, I try picture what this wall and separation must look like. Google and usually the articles I'm reading can provide an image, but having the comparison to other walls right there in front of me was unlike any photo I've ever seen. And having the actual penitentiary wall there as the largest representation made an even bigger impact to what these walls were like. I stood there and imagined how it would feel to be standing by these other walls. And as they became bigger, the political significance grew as well. The penitentiary wall was built to keep prisoners from escaping to keep them in. These barriers around the world are built to keep others out. The artist statement about how significant the fall of the Berlin Wall was for society and moving forward but yet new walls are being built around the world. And they are bigger and bigger. As I reflected on it, it made me wonder what the future holds. Rising tensions across the globe and the imminent threat of more war on the horizon makes me feel as though some of these walls won't be coming down as symbolic representations of freedom like the Berlin Wall, but rather to exploding hostility. The longer I stood near the wall thinking about what social barriers and dividers mean to a country, the smaller I felt. Legassicke's piece portrays a powerful message, and is part of the reason why I liked it so much. 

It is on display on the Eastern State Penitentiary's outer wall, on the inside of the penitentiary. The mesh is hung by supports from the top of the wall. The mesh is a great material for this installation since it moves with the wind, and its transparency allows to you see the wall through it. Other things nearby is the baseball field and the tower cam. The open courtyard of the baseball field allows for full viewing of the installation. Viewing the installion both up close and afar is beneficial to the viewer. 

Fields of study that would increase my understanding would be sociology and cultural geography. A more in depth history of the countries and territories of where these walls were built and a more detailed explaination of why they were built. 

Someone who might not be intersted in this installation could be someone with little understanding of these barriers or geography and can not make a content connection to what they are looking at. Someone who also doesn't care about these barriers and has no interest in them because they find them to be a waste of space. Or someone who wishes to appreciate the beautiful architechture of the Eastern State Penitentiary and finds the large full scale installion in the baseball field courtyard space to be jarring and out of place to the historical feel of the penitentiary. 

Opposing views of this object could describe that the piece has more to do with the shapes of the silohettes rather than the size of the walls. Along with that, the types of barriers being built and how they have changed in appearance over time. 

Other experiences that would engage the viewer could be personal stories about people living in areas where there are these dividers and how it had or is currently impacting their lives. A narrative on what the barriers mean to them. If they are supportive of them and feel they are neccessary or if there needs to be a social change to bring them down. Also, a narrative on how people get around barriers. At the Eastern State Penitentiary, more than a hundred inmates managed or attempted to escape and some of their stories are told. Additional stories on escaping the penitentiary can be told along with how people have gotten around these global walls. 

Bonus geological picture I took... check out these sweet stalactites growing inside of building! So cool!! 

Favorite Object- Personal History

My Bear Scare Bracelet

Received in 2009- Made in 2009

Leather and Plastic Pony Beads

Made by myself and my dear friend Ruby

This is my Bear Scare Bracelet. It's a camp tradition to receive one every year you attend my beloved summer camp growing up. If you count the number of beads, you will know how many years I went to (and worked at) camp. Eight! That also means I have owned 7 more of these. Some are packed away in storage somewhere or lost forever in my childhood. 

I started attending Camp Mosey Wood when I was nine years old. Mosey Wood is an overnight, residential  Girl Scout camp in the beautiful Pocono Mountains. For a week as a camper you lived in a tent with three other girls in a unit and did a fun program that included daily activities such as swimming, boating, and eating (lots of eating, camp food was delicious). S'mores, campfires, hiking, blueberry picking, singing songs, making new friends. The true summer camp experience. It was a wonderful part of my childhood. My first year there and I loved it and wanted to come back the next year, and the next, and the next. 

I was nontraditional in that I didn't go to camp every summer in a row. Sometimes things like family vacations, or not being able to afford sending me to camp, or having a full summer already kept me from going back as a kid. When I was 16 however, I got to spend over 5 weeks at camp, working as the arts and craft aide. It was the best summer of my life. Some of my closest friends were made that summer (including my current roommate!! ) and I really felt connected as a part of the camp. 

Later on when I was 19, I returned to camp as a camp counselor and spent the entire summer living and breathing the camp life style. And continued to do so the next year, and the next. Camp made me the person I am today. I am full of songs, I can build a fire in the rain, and I can be flexible in any unpredictable situation life throws my way. 

The bear scare bracelet is a symbol of who I am and how I came to be the person I am today. It holds its very own story as well. On every Thursday night, the last night of camp for the week, a farewell ceremony is held to say goodbye to your friends you made and to reflect on your week at camp. At this ceremony, the bear scare story is always told. The story has had many variations, depending on who is sharing the story that week. The general story goes along the lines of two campers were walking in the woods. The campers became seperated and were on their own. One camper encounters a bear and is terrified and doesn't know what to do. The other camper, realizing they have lost their friend goes to find them and finds them with the bear and scares away the bear. The bracelet symbolized this simple tale with the knots. When you recieve the bracelet, there are three knots. The middle knot represents the" bear". Now the "bear" can be more than an actual bear... it can be a homework assignment or a issue with your mom or an obstcal to overcome. The two other knots on either side of the "bear" are your friends. When you tie your bracelet on your wrist, a fourth knot is created and it represents you. When you wear the bracelet, you are reminded that your friends are there, and they will always be there between you and the bear. 

The bracelet also represents how many years you have been attending camp. Each color bead represent another year. After eight years, the colors repeat again, so brown is the last color bead that is recieved.  The color order is significant to the bracelet and are not randomly chosen. The number of beads are always divded equally on each side of the center knot. If you are a first year camper, you get two red beads, so you always have a buddy, one bead for each side. 

The bracelet also is significant to me since I was an arts and crafts aide when I was 16. As the arts and crafts aide, I was responsible for making most of the bear scare bracelets for all the campers every week for the camp. Some weeks I made over 100 bear scare bracelets, each unique for the amount of years for each camper. For campers, the braclets are more simpler than the one pictured about. It consisted of simple overhand knots. Staff member bracelets were made with friendship knots, hence the double stranded look to the bracelet pictured. When I became a camp counselor, it was no longer my responsibility to make bear scare bracelets. For my eighth summer, Ruby, the arts and crafts director let me make my own since I knew how to, and I wanted to because I knew I would be using all of the colored beads since it was my eighth summer, and it was something that I was looking forward to since I was an aide. 

During my last summer working at camp, I wore this bracelet everyday. You can see how worn out the leather is and how dirty and scratched the beads are. Currently, my bracelet is kept in a metal Girl Scouting tin I labeled "camping". With it are some carabiners, and my headlamp, other things that are always with me at camp. It's not on display, but I know exactly where it is. Past bracelets are kept in my labeled boxes of camp memories in my closet. 

To understand this object more, one should attend overnight summer camp for themselves. Not necessarily Camp Mosey Wood, or Girl Scouts of America camp, but any overnight summer camp. As a child, being away from home in a new environment has such a great impact on character development. As a teenager, it helped me to find my social identity and the real meaning of friendship, something many adolescence struggle to find. As an adult, it has taught me valuable teaching and life experience that can never and will never be replaced. It was a home away from home, and it holds a very special place near and dear in my heart. 

People who would not be interested in this object may be those who did not attend summer camp or have any sort of summer tradition. Or maybe people who do not care about my experience at camp because they may of held their own traditions at camp and do not wish to accept mine. Or those who do not care for summer camp or jewelry. 

Opposing views may say its just a simple braclet made by randomly selecting beads and putting it on a string, just for aesthetic  looks. No meaningful signifigance to it except to be made as a piece of jewelry. Or that it did not come from a young girl at summer camp, but is in fact a piece of native american jewerly, found in a strange place called Nawakwa. 

I could tell hours of stories about my personal experiences at summer camp. From the time I chased a bear out of my tent, to the time I won second place in a camp themed beauty pagent run by the campers. I could tell viewers about camp traditions and what others ones were held at my camp such as wishing candles and all-camp games. I can tell anyone about what my job position entailed and how crazy life at camp really got to be and the interesting people from all over the world that I met. And I can without a doubt, sing my favorite camp songs, both fast and slow, if anyone would dare to listen to me sing. 

Oh Mosey Wood we love to wander....