| Greetings from the National Docent Symposium Council! As Council Chair, 2001, and on behalf of all NDSC Directors, you are invited to share this current information to generate a better understanding of who the council is, and what we do to further the education and exchange of ideas at National Docent Symposia held biennially at host institutions in the United States and Canada.
Sue Whitaker Chair, National Docent Symposium Council |
 Council Group at Annual Meeting, October 2000, McNay Art Museum |
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 Sue Whitaker, Council Chair, presenting Peacock Award to San Antonio Committee |
Sue Whitaker
"The best experiences of symposia always involve some of the great personalities I've encountered … and my amazement at docents as a group, their talents, intelligence and generosity." |
Creighton E. (Bud) Johnson
(Southeastern Region)
Birmingham Museum of Art
NDSC Vice Chair
"What's new in touring is team teaching using two docents for a group and trying to conduct a tour with few/no declarative sentences.
"My most rewarding docent experience was when a very small fourth grader slipped a dollar bill in my hand for the greatest tour he ever had!"
Carol Allen Smith
(Western Region)
Phoenix Art Museum
NDSC Secretary
"We have two outstanding Outreach programs:
"1) Art All Around Us for senior centers hosted by docents along with Speakers Bureau Docents giving slide talks once a week for 6-8 weeks. Over 200 seniors attended a special even tour held at our museum for all participants.
"2) Art Masterpiece Program is a training program that teaches parents how to present art to children in their own schools. The docents do it all … from art history lectures to hands-on ideas, and even act as 'Masterpiece Moms.'"
Mary Ellen Davie
(Northeastern Region)
Rochester Museum and Science Center
NDSC Chief Financial Officer
"I have been involved in the development, writing and execution of a science program called 'A River Runs Through Us,' which takes place on a replica Erie Canal boat, the 'Sam Patch.' It involves a two hour trip on a river for grades 4 through 6. They learn about navigation, history, biology, chemistry and meteorology with hands-on experiments and observations.
"At the Los Angeles Symposium my staff person and I were equally impressed by docents at the William S. Hart House Museum on a pre-symposium tour which opened up to us the possibilities for museum theater, role playing and storytelling techniques for touring."
Paddy Batchelder
(Western Region)
Oakland Museum of California
"My most challenging docent experience was with a group of home-schooled students of various ages who wanted to grandstand and have the tour revolve around them individually. With encouragement and guidance they learned how to become a team, much to the amazement and delight of their mothers!"
Betty Collins
(Mountain Plains Region)
McNay Art Museum
Co-Chair, NDS San Antonio 2001
"The McNay pays for all school bus programs both public and private in the San Antonio area and schools return every year.
"A child on one of my tours shared with me that before he came to the museum he was told by his father that it would be boring. I commented that we would wait and see how he felt about it after the tour. At the end I asked the boy what he would tell his dad. He replied, 'He made a big mistake and now he will have to come.'"
Jean Cooperberg
(Canadian-Western Region)
Vancouver Art Gallery
"My fondest memory of a previous symposium was being famous or infamous for a few days as a participant in a presentation in Seattle. Our group was approached and questioned in restaurants, showers and ferries!"
Susan S. Carr
(Midwestern Region)
Toledo Museum of Art
"My most rewarding docent experience was witn an inner city child (part of a multi-visit program) who could not understand why he couldn't find me when he brought his family to the museum!"
Martha (Marty) Clark
(Southeastern Region)
The Mint Museum of Art, Mint Museum of Craft and Design, Charlotte, NC
"After leading a curriculum based tour on the ancient societies of Aztec, Maya and Inca, a student announced that when he grew up he wanted to be an archaeologist!"
Arlene De Conti
(Southeastern Region)
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
"Especially rewarding are the many under-privileged children we tour. When the faces of these children light up with discoveries that connect their personal life situation to the universal human experience, I feel as a docent, I have dynamically touched the future by successfully assisting the art to speak."
Susan Dillon
(Northeastern Region)
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Co-Chair, NDS Philadelphia 1999
"My most rewarding docent experience was co-chairing the 1999 NDS in Philadelphia because of the people I worked with and the guides from the other two programs whom I got to know better."
Margaret M. Doole
(Northeastern Region)
National Gallery of Art
"I have served for two years as a guest panelist on the national AAUW Educational Foundation Career Development Grants Panel which has awarded 60 grants for almost $400,000.
"My fondest memories of previous symposia include the ferry trip to Blake Island in Seattle and the presentation on Handicapped Outreach given by the Philadelphia Museum of Art."
Janice Dunlop
(Canadian-Eastern Region)
Art Gallery of Ontario
"My most unusual docent experience was hosting an exhibition of memorabilia (including clothing) belonging to the late Andy Warhol. In a group of 30 men and women, all the men were dressed in drag. What broke the ice was my introduction of the conservation rules that included not touching the objects. A voice from the back of the group assured me they would not try on any of the clothes in the exhibition!
"At the 1999 Philadelphia Symposium, the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens from Del Ray Beach, Florida shared a docent training program based on a similar organizational structure as 'The Way of Zen.' It was a clear, concise and practical way of dealing with docent training and we have adopted this model for our museum."
Anne L. Eller
(Mountain Plains Region)
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center
"Our docent organization is 50 years old in 2001 and we are celebrating with 'A Few of our Favorite Things' gallery exhibition from the permanent collection. This event also includes 'Docents Do Art,' an art exhibition done by docents. A formal tea is planned for all present and past docents."
Raye Foster
(Mountain Plains Region)
McNay Art Museum
Co-Chair, NDS San Antonio 2001
"My fondest memory of other symposia I have attended was seeing the major cultural institutions of our country after hours."
Deborah Fuller
(New England Region)
Wadsworth Anthaneum Museum of Art
"At the moment our docents are brainstorming about how best to deal with home-schooled children who join forces to have tours at the museum. Many of them don't know each other and are really shy about answering questions or becoming involved in the tour. Parents often don't want the childred exposed to any nudity or controversial art. These youngsters are often very polite, bright and knowledgeable, but not the easiest tour groups to lead."
Kay Heizer
(Mountain Plains Region)
McNay Art Museum
Co-Chair, NDS San Antonio 2001
"My most memorable docent experience is happening now. Planning the 2001 NDS in San Antonio has become my life. The bonding, teamwork and friendships of our 35 Steering Committee members has been a wonderful by-product of the symposium process. Our docent theme this year has been 'Flexibility, Go With the Flow' since much of our museum has been under renovation."
Sally Hirst
(Western Region)
Seattle Art Museum
Co-Chair, NDS Seattle 1997
Advisor
"My most unusual docent experience was giving a private tour for Ted Turner and Jane Fonda during the Goodwill Games in Seattle at the special exhibition, 'Moscow Treasures and Traditions.' That same week I toured a group of Russian Cosmonauts who fortunately had an interpreter.
"My most rewarding docent experience was the 5 year commitment to planning and executing the 1997 NDS in Seattle. With a group of dedicated volunteer docents it is possible to accomplish anything!"
Helga Keller
(Midwestern Region)
Indiana University Art Museum
"At present the docents of the Indiana University Art Museum undergo special training to develop a writing and art program. Professors from all disciplines spend several class meetings at the museum to focus the students' attention on art for writing assignments and we are now touring these students."
Carole Kramer
(Western Region)
Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Co-Chair, NDS Los Angeles 1995
Special Advisor
"Our Outreach Programs have been our most successful part of the Education Division for 15 years. The docents started three programs. Moveable Museum docents teach in the classroom, Special Education docents teach at hospitals, mental health institutions, etc. and Do You Remember When? docents teach at retirement facilities. Because of the success, the Education Staff received grants to enlarge and staff these programs.
"I think nothing I ever tried to do as a volunteer compares to chairing the 1995 Symposium. The knowledge, experience and satisfaction gained from those years will stay with me forever."
Phyllis Neiman
(Midwestern Region)
Art Institute of Chicago
Co-Chair, NDS Chicago 2003
The theme for NDS Chicago 2003 is "Building Connections … Docents Making a Difference," Sept. 10-14, 2003.
"Celebrating 30 years as a docent!"
Judy O'Brien
(Western Region)
Bellevue Art Museum, Bellevue, WA
"What's new for Bellevue Art Museum is an entire new building designed by award-winning architect Steven Hall. In addition to having three travelling exhibitions on view, BAM offers tours in seven languages, operates a teen docent program, partners in an Arts Immersion program in local middle schools and joins with Seattle's Pacific Science Center in art/science camps for kids."
Cynthia Stewart
(Northeastern Region)
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Co-Chair, NDS Philadelphia 1999
"A special docent accomplishment has been successfully completing the Philadelphia Symposium. I also enjoy tutoring inner city children in an after school program."
Jane Stewart
(Northeastern Region)
Philadelphia Museum of Art
Co-Chair, NDS Philadelphia 1999
"Our Outreach programs include touch tours for the visually impaired."
Marilyn Taylor
(Western Region)
Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley
Past Chair, NDSC
"Two of our Outreach programs are: 1) Intergenerational. This program pairs docents with individual students in inner city schools. Experiments involve learning biology and include live animals. 2) Computer Classes for Seniors are held at the Lawrence Hall of Science. Docents develop the classes including the teaching manuals and individual docents work one on one with the seniors.
"Two memories that are truly outstanding of previous symposia are the result of social events in host cities. One was seeing the sunset from the Regency Club in Los Angeles on a perfect Southern California evening. The other occurred when delegates were returning from Blake Island near Seattle. The moon was rising over the water and there shooting across the sky was the Hale-Bopp Comet!"
| About the Kaleidoscope Logo | |||
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| Like the multi-colored pieces of glass in a kaleidoscope, docents from art museums, natural history and science museums, botanical gardens, children's museums and historical sites, come together at the symposium to participate in a dialogue about the role and mission of docents. |  |
Many of these issues and others may be addressed at future symposia.
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|
 McNay Art Museum |
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Docents of the Marion Koogler McNay Art Museum invite you to attend the National Docent Symposium in San Antonio, Texas from October 6-10, 2001 at The Hilton, Palacio del Rio on the River Walk.
The program in five parts will begin officially Sunday evening, as "Our Journey Together Begins" … featuring a dinner reception at the McNay Art Museum. The theme for Monday is "Our Journey Leads Us Into Our World and Its Challenges." Keynote speakers, professional presenters and workshops led by docents will be featured. On Tuesday delegates will visit different venues as "Our Journey Continues in Our Community" … sharing ideas at a Poster Session and a farewell luncheom as "Our 2001 River Odyssey Creates Memories to Inspire Us for Future Journeys." |
Registration forms found at: www.mcnayart.org/nds2001/
| Print and mail forms with your registration fees to: | McNay Art Museum/NDS 2001 |
| P.O. Box 6069 | |
| San Antonio, Texas 78209-0069 |
| Symposium registration questions: | Joann Neal: (830) 980-9779 |
| Fax: (830) 980-4948 |
| Hotel registration questions: | Peggy Stickle: (210) 822-7622 |
| or email: pgstickle@aol.com |
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A new Docent Handbook will be available for purchase at the 2001 Symposium. It is a practical guide for docents at all levels of expertise and applicable to every type of institution. Council members Carole Kramer and Helga Keller have been hard at work for three years compiling this excellent resource for docents. You will want to take one home to your docent group or library, as well as one for your personal use. It would be a great gift for a fellow docent. |
| National Docent Symposium Council
2342 Shattuck Avenue, #412 Berkeley, CA 94704 Email: NDSC@columbus.rr.com |
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Richard Parker, a Narragansett artist and former NDSC Director, working on his mural of Main Street, USA, Wakefield |
A grand finale of the 2001 program in San Antonio features docents from many corners of North America sharing innovative ideas at a Poster Session dealing with challenges that face us all. Never before has so much valuable information in a person-to-person format been offered at a National Docent Symposium. Look forward to taking home a wealth of education ideas.
Some of the many participants include:
| 1981 | Indianapolis Museum of Art, Indiana |
|---|---|
| 1983 | Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin |
| 1985 | Oakland Museum of California |
| 1987 | Toledo Museum of Art, Ohio |
| 1989 | National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C. |
| 1991 | Denver Art Museum, Colorado |
| 1993 | High Museum of Art, Atlanta, Georgia |
| 1995 | Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, California |
| 1997 | Seattle Art Museum, Washington |
| 1999 | Philadelphia Art Museum, Pennsylvania |
| 2001 | McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, Texas |
| 2003 | Art Institute of Chicago, Illinois |
| 2005 | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Massachusetts |
| 2007 | Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona |
©2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 National Docent Symposium Council. All rights reserved.