elgin public museum

Learning Through AdventureCOLLECTIONSElgin Public Museum

Of Natural History & Anthropolog y

Summer 2012 Newsletter

MISSION STATEMENTThe mission of the Elgin Public

Museum is to enhance understanding of the Natural

Sciences and Anthropology through exhibits and interactive

experiences.

Our Next Exhibit

For additional information or to register in advance for an event or program please call : 847-741-6655

Visit our website for more information at www.elginpublicmuseum.org

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EPM Hours

Labor Day to Memorial DaySaturday & Sunday 12 - 4 p.m..

Memorial Day to Labor DayTuesday through Sunday 12 - 4 p.m.

Closed Mondays

Special Hours for Touching on Traditions

The Green ScaleWeighing in on the Green Movement

July & August 2012

couple of months ago I was scratching my head trying to come up with an idea of what we might have in the Museum collection that could supplement the next exhibition: The Green Scale. Maybe a gull lying on its side with a plastic six-pack ring around its neck? Or I could gerri-rig a raccoon holding its nose next to a pile of trash? Funny the way things work out sometimes. It so happens that Peggie Stromberg, our director, and Sigi Psimenos, the co-chair of ECCO, our gener-ous sponsors for this exhibition, were at an art show in Rockford a little over a month ago. They were looking at a sculpture of a waterfall made of plastic water bottles and started talking to a gentleman also looking at the same piece. That person was Joe Eddy Brown, a local artist who creates artwork using material that other people discard. He and 4 others artists work together and are known as 5ive Outside. If you were wearing special glasses you would have been able to see a light bulb above Peggie’s and Sigi’s heads at that moment. There might be a promising relationship here. At the time 5ive Outside was displaying their works at the Addison Center for the Arts and the next week Peggie and Sigi headed over there to take a look. All parties agreed that each could benefit from a summer collaboration at the Museum.

GARBAGE INTO ARTA

Some samples of the artwork you might be seeing from 5ive Outside during our Green Scale exhibition.

by Mike McGrath

At the beginning of July the Lords Park Zoo exhibition will be coming down and The Green Scale: Weighing in on the Green Movement will beinstalled on our red walls in the north wing. This exhibition created by students of Northern Illinois University Museum Studies program examines

A special THANKS to all those who support our mission.

We couldn’t do it without you!

New and Renewed Membership

Donald Quillman (since 1986)Mark & Jeanette Weinert (since 2011)

Gil & Mary Nore (since 1986)Joseph & Darlene Steffen (since 1995)

Bob & Anne Bedard (NEW)Paul & Amy Andresen (since 2003)

Dorothea Poulos (since 2001)Elroy & Barbara Greenwald (since 2010)

William Schmoldt (since 1991)Renate & Lorin Schab (NEW)

Joan Berna (since 2002)

David & Irene Wedemeyer (since 1987)

Dwight & Betsy Armistead (since 1999)

Donald QuillmanJoseph & Darlene Steffen

Paul & Amy AndresenGill & Mary Nore

David & Irene WedemeyerTopnotch Tattoo

Toom Toom Thai RestaurantDwight & Betsy Armistead

Donors

The Elgin Public Museum is a public institution whose purpose is to

enrich the lives of the people within our community. Your membership and donations are vital ingredients

in the success of our mission. Because of your support and generosity we are able to present programming either free or at reasonable rates for all, in

the hopes all our citizens can greater understand and appreciate the

complexity of the world around them. THANK YOU!

From the Director - Margaret “Peggie” Stromberg

ummer is shaping up to be a busy, fun time. Kick off was Bubblefest on June 2. Over 80 parents and kids had a great time playing in the bubbles.

Pietro Verone is hosting a fund raiser at Villa Verone on June 21. The annual members’ picnic and hot dog roast is June 28. A new exhibit opens in July, and that is just the beginning. More information about these events will be found elsewhere. We are doing well with membership and donations, but can always use more of both! Please talk to your friends and neighbors about being part of the Elgin Public Museum family. Membership is as low as $35 per family. Membership includes invitations to member only events, free admission to some programs (including Family Science Night), interesting newsletters emailed directly to you via computer, and other fun things to do. You also get the satisfaction of knowing you are helping the museum survive and move forward. The Museum’s audit was recently completed and I am happy to report that we have made it through another year. Our financial situation is precarious, but we are so happy to be able to continue to bring quality programming for at least another year. Family Science Night has turned out to be a great program for us, much enjoyed by all who attend. Sara Russell and the volunteers really go the extra mile to make this a wonderful program. Our donors also have been instrumental in keeping this program alive. Native American Cultural Day Thanks to an incredibly generous dona-tion from BMO Harris Bank, Native American Cultural Days will once again take place this fall at the Elgin Public Museum. Saturday, October 6, is the tentative date and the performers are still being contacted. Please save the date for this event and when the plans are firmed up, we will send an email blast. We are thrilled to be able to bring this popular program once again. We will have activities for everyone, including a wigwam, teepee, dancers and other musicians, games for the kids and hands on activities. Fund Raiser at Villa Verone Pietro Verone is hosting a fund raiser for the Museum at his restaurant at 13 Douglas Street, Elgin. The museum will be honored as Elgin non-profit of the month. For the admission price of $5, or another donation, people get free appetizers, karaoke and lots of fun. Drinks are available in the bar and several baskets will be raffled off. All of the pro-ceeds go to the Museum. Pietro has helped a lot of agencies fund raise in the community.

EPM Staff

Margaret “Peggie” StrombergExecutive Director

Michael McGrathMuseum Coordinator

Sara RussellEducation Coordinator

Marge FoxEducator

Amanda Wolf Ines Cintora

Museum Attendant

EPM Board MembersMartha Yochum

Gilbert Nore

Dwight Armistead

Mark Havemann

Clare Ollayos

Diane Ramsay Shedd

Don Quillman

Michael Curtin

Janine Kirkland

Steve Knight

MuseuM Gold

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he museum is fortunate to have three new people join the board of directors. Over the past few months Michael Curtin, Janine Kirkland and Steve Knight have agreed to serve on the board, each one bringing their own special interests to the group. Each of the three comes from an interesting background and all share a love for the museum and the services it provides. Mike Curtin and his wife Erin bring their young son Theo to the museum often. Mike has a background in science, having taught biology labs and conducted research at St. Cloud State University. He has presented original research at the North American Paleontological Conference, the North American Diatom Symposium and the Great Lakes Research Symposium. Mike is currently taking care of Theo during the day and making plans to go back to school to study software engineering. His family is also active in the Southwest Area Neighborhood (SWAN) Mike points out that the museum has historical value and many residents have been going since they were kids. He also likes that the museum provides cultural events and exhibits for the ethnic populations. His favorite activity is Family Science Night and he would like to see more enduring programs. “For the small museum to sustain itself, it must find ways to create programs that will energize a cohort of loyal enthusiasts” he said, “and I would like the museum to organize existing online resources to develop long term

Elgin Public Museum Welcomes New Board Members

educational programs for individuals interested in science and natural history.” Graphic Designer Janine Kirkland is almost a professional board member and community volunteer. Over the past 20 years, she has been involved with the United Way of Elgin, Sherman Hospital, Sherman Health Systems, Community Crisis Center, Easter Seals, Junior Service Board, YWCA Leader Luncheon, Children’s Theater, Fideliters Club, Boys and Girls Club and many other groups. We are very grateful that she made some time for the Elgin Public Museum. She was also a Hiawatha dancer, which we hope to explore further. “I love to see young children excited about things in the museum,” she said,” and I like how the museum makes learning fun, exciting and educational.” Her goals while on the board are to make all of the citizens of Elgin aware of the museum and to make it a better place than it already is. “Education makes all of us better people,” she said, “and the museum has so much to offer everyone. It is open to all of the citizens of Elgin.” We are hoping to get some help with our graphic arts projects from Janine. Stephen D. (Steve) Knight was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and moved to Elgin in 2000. Steve and his wife Linda live in the Eagle Heights Neighborhood. Steve worked for 31 years in the Automotive Computer Systems Industry, the last 21 years with Automatic Data Processing, (ADP). He currently works part time for The Home

Depot, Merchandise Execution Team. He covers a five store region and is responsible for setting up and maintaining seasonal and manufacture displays, as well as assisting customers with their shopping needs. Steve’s wife Linda is a native Elginite, and he became more interested in the museum after retiring from ADP and spending more time enjoying Elgin. He said he found the museum to be of interest due to the various wildlife exhibits as well as the history of the peoples of the area. “What I would hope to accomplish while on the board, is to increase the budget and the public’s awareness of what the museum has to offer by increasing marketing efforts,” Steve said. He would also like to reach out to young people by offering more interactive exhibits and programs. Steve is also active with the City of Elgin and various groups. He hopes this work with the city and the museum will benefit both, keep-ing the city’s historical artifacts available for the people of Elgin to enjoy for decades to come. All three of these new board members are welcome additions. This will also allow some board members who have served 20 years or more to take a rest and graduate up to Emeritus status. Please come to the members’ picnic June 27 and welcome our new board members.

This past year, the Elgin Public Museum has added three community minded individuals to its board of directors.

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FRamadan begins on July 20th in celebration for Muslim people around the world. In Egypt the cultural tradi-tion is light up the night with beautiful lanterns during the month of Rama-dan. Join us to learn a little about the tradition and try your hand at creating your own lantern.

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Up Coming Events and Programs

Continue to check our website for the latest in

Learning Through Adventure.F - Family Program A - Adult Program

this month Fl ightFriday, Sept 14th, 6-8 p.m.

FIn Our Own Backyard

R a c i n g R a cco o n sSaturday, July 21st, 10-11:30 a.m.

Fee $10 per child and caregiver. EPM Members $8

Registration required 1 week in advance

Science NightOur monthly hands-on science

experiences for the kids

The Green ScaleMembers Preview

Bison FeedingSaturday, July 28th, 7 a.m.

$2 per adult, $1 per childEPM members FREE

Reservations Required

Friday, July 13th, 7 - 9 p.m.

FRamadan’s LanternsSaturday, July 28th, 12 - 1 p.m.

It’s a FREE drop-in program

Geodes and Gems

Saturday, August 18th, 12 - 2 p.m.

Geodes are one of the coolest phe-nomena of geology; deceptively like a regular rock at first glance, but when cracked open, geodes reveal beauti-ful quartz formations. Discover how they formed and even have a chance to crack open one for yourself.

It’s a FREE drop-in program

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In Our Own BackyardOutrageous OwlsSaturday, August 18th,

10 - 11:30 a.m.

Fee $10 per child and caregiver. EPM Members $8

Registration required 1 week in advance

The Green ScaleOpening Reception

Saturday, July 14th, 2 - 4 p.m.See July 28th event for details

Bison FeedingSaturday, August 25th, 7 a.m.

$2 per adult, $1 per childEPM members FREE

Reservations Required

For EPM members and donors we’re having a preview of our new exhibition The Green Scale. Stop by and take a look at what we’re presenting for the next 2 months. Meet some of the art-ists who have loaned us their works to supplement the exhibition. Mingle with our sponsors (ECCO) and staff, while enjoying some refreshments. If you can join us, give a call to let us know how many will be attending.

Our new exhibition The Green Scale will officially be opened by Elgin’s mayor, David Kaptain, at 2:00 p.m. This exhibition, created by students of Northern Illinois University, examines both sides of the green movement. The exhibit is supplemented by art-work from the group 5ive Outside. Come enjoy the exhibit, mingle with the artists and our sponsor ECCO and enjoy some refreshments.

Science Nights are a drop-in program. No need to register. There is a fee of $2 per person to help cover costs. For EPM members the event is FREE.

You have no idea how big and im-pressive these creatures are until you’re nose to nose with them. Join us and assist the zookeeper in feeding these animals.

Bandit-masked raccoons are a familiar sight just about everywhere, because they will eat just about anything. This pre-school program is for children ages 3 to 5 years old. Stories, games, songs, and crafts stimulate a child’s curiosity about the natural world around them.

Is what you heard while camping dur-ing the night a Great Horned Owl (hoo, hoo-oo, hoo, hoo) or the Barred Owl (hoohoo-hoohoo, hoohoohoohooaw) ? Marge Fox will show the difference in this month’s PAWS program. This pre-school program is for children ages 3 to 5 years old. Stories, games, songs, and crafts stimulate a child’s curiosity about the natural world around them.

FCheck out the science of flight! Dis-cover human made modes of flight from airplanes to rockets. We’ll also look to the natural world where we humans were inspired to soar through the skies. Investigate the mechanics of endurance required for bird migration and monarch gliding.

EPM AGAIN HAS A PRESENCE AT THEElgin Harvest Market

f you happen to stop by the Elgin Harvest Market on the 3rd Thursday of the month, be sure to drop by and see what’s going on at the Elgin Pub-lic Museum. Sara Russell or Marge Fox from our Education department will be there to answer any questions you might have. Not only that, they will have a fun and educational activ-ity for the kids and adults. Here’s our schedule:July 19th - Bubble Science. Play with bubbles while learning bubble science.August 16th - Inked with Henna. Learn about the cultural significance, natural history and practical used of this body art. September 20th - Woodland Indian Foodways. Gardening techniques, plants used for food and medicine, hunting and cooking of some Woodland Indinans.

Sara Russell working the crowd

the successes, shortcomings, and impact of the green movement on our global village. The exhibition allows viewers to examine both sides of the scale through the evidence provided. There will be several pieces of artwork on loan from 5ive Outside supplementing the exhibition, all of which are available for purchase. We’re also getting some bales of trash, disinfected of course, from Waste Management, to help bring home the visual realization of how much trash is generated by each of us every year. Two opening receptions are scheduled. On Friday, July 13th, we are having a Member Only preview of the exhibition. Get a peek of what will be displayed for our community during its 2 month stay, meet the artists who created the sculptures, mingle with our sponsors and your fellow members, enjoy some refresh-ments and have a good time in general. The next day there will be an opening for the general public starting at 2 pm. Our mayor, Dave Kaptain, will be here to officially open the exhibition to the public. If you can’t join us on Friday night try to stop by on Saturday afternoon.

Finally a few of quotes from the artists of 5ive Outside.

“Using objects that are not commonly used for art, we present an array of eye capturing work that

compliments any environment.” Kip Pasta

“Artists? We are alchemists! For we recycle.” Tom Mahady

“We do not paint portraits, landscapes or bowls of fruit. We

break new ground. We take things and put them into new context.”

Joe Eddy Brown“We see possibilities and potential every where and in every thing,

even in people.”Charles Heinrich

Garbage Continued fromPage 1

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LIGH TS!

It ’s our new Hydroponic Garden

The incredible plant. A little water, the right light, and some nutrients and what do you get? The source of food, (translated energy) for all the creatures roaming the earth, including us omnivores. We’re working on the development of educational materials to get the message across to our visitors. More to come.

Native Cultures of North America As a little preview of what is in-store for this fall, we are pleased to an-nounce that after the Green Scale exhibition, we will be getting a poster set from the Schingoethe Museum of Aurora University. Depicted are ten broad geographical groupings of Native Americans. It shows how the natural envi-ronment in each region influenced the customs, values, political institutions, and religious beliefs of the people inhabiting it. Schengoethe has an extensive collection of videos available for rental. What would you think of a movie night every other week in the fall? Let us know!

WAT ER !FAN S!

he City of Elgin has many fascinating individuals liv-ing here whom we constantly pass by on the street daily, and yet have no idea who they are or what they might have contributed to our community. In our last newsletter I men-tioned our upcoming exhibition on Lords Park Zoo. Shortly after its release we received an email from one of our members, Mr. Terry Gabel. In it he mentioned that he had some postcards of Lords Park and the Zoo from past decades and wondered if we would like to display them during our exhibition. Not knowing what to expect, we invited him into the museum to see what he had to offer. What he brought was much more than a picture or two of the park. Here’s his story. Terry moved to Elgin in 1970 and has lived at his current ad-dress, right in the park’s back yard, since 1982. He retired 8 years ago after working for the Illinois Prison System for 30 years. His last four years as an Assistant Superintendent of Schools and was responsible for all the 18 juvenile, adult and work release educational programs in the northern part of Illinois. Besides being a member of the Elgin Public Museum, Terry is on the board of the Elgin Area Historical Society and an active member of the Friends of Lords Park Zoo. An interest in local history drew Terry into the world of postcards. In his younger days, like most boys, he col-lected baseball cards. And like most of us reflecting on our childhood collections declare: “If only I kept that Roger Maris rookie card.” But Terry collected more than base-ball cards in his youth. He also collected, stamps, coins and even some fossils. The world of postcards turned into perfect match for any idle time he might have after retire-ment. He turned into an avid deltiologist.

The Collection.Most of his postcards are of Elgin’s historic past dating to the early 20th century. Terry possesses approximately 3,700 postcards recording the history of Elgin, of which about 300 are of the Elgin Road Races in the early 1900’s. The Illinois Prison System comprises an additional 600 cards of his collection. Yes, you could buy a postcard at the prison while visiting an incarcerated loved one. The

1892-1893 Colombian Exposition was one more giant postcard genera-tor. Almost all of the collection was bought from local collectors, as well as at garage sales and some on Ebay.Postcard History Today, when most of us think of postcards, what comes to mind are the stands in a National Park store. Mass printing of tens of thousands of the same majestic images for the millions of visitors. This was not the postcard of the early 1900’s. In 1903 Kodak introduced the No. 3A Folding Pocket Kodak which was the first camera specifically designed for postcard sized film and allowed the general public to take photo-graphs which could be placed on postcard backs. Now a family living in Elgin could send Aunt Myrtle, in Hoboken NJ, a postcard of their va-cation that summer in Yellowstone. What we have here is the birth of that social media phenomenon, Facebook, just a little slower. So how does an exhibit on postcards fit into the realm of an anthropology museum? Cultural anthropology is interested in the

study of how a society transmits information about the day-to-day behavior, thought, ideas, feelings and emotion-al patterns of the members. Just as Facebook and Twitter are part of our culture today, postcards had a significant place in our past. Do you have something interesting that fits into the purpose and mission of the Elgin Public Museum that you would like to share with our visitors? If you do, give Peggie Stromberg or myself a call. Remember this is your Museum, we’re just here taking care of it for you.

The Postcards of Terry GabelSOMEONE YOU SHOULD KNOW

by Mike McGrath

Terry Gabel and 18 of his 4,300 postcards that were displayed during the Lords Pard Zoo exhibition.

This postcard is dated 1909 from Pierre, SD and has etched into the negative: Crating the buffalo to be

shipped to Lord’s Park, Elgin, Ill.

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ave you seen many baby animals in your yard or neighborhood this spring? Each month marks the arrival of new life. With some species it seems that there are young around for months, like rabbits, while others we see the young for only a short specific time, like the Canada goose. Several factors regulate how many young are born and when during the year. The two most important are the availability of food and how fast they can mature. Here is a little checklist about the normal life cycles of some of the common mammals and birds in the Fox River Valley area.

Wild l i fe YoungstersH

Raccoons1 litter a year between Apr and Aug

Up to 5 babies in a litter. They live for 2-4 years.

Opossums1-3 litters a year between Mar and June

Up to 13 babies in each litter. They live for 4 years.

Eastern CottontailUp to 7 litters a year between Apr and Sept

As many as 7 babies in each litter. They live for 2-3 years.

Squirrels2 litters a year during Mar and July

2-6 babies in each litter. They live for 6 years.

Chipmunks2 litters a year in Apr and June

Up to 8 babies in a litter. They live for 3 years.

Fox1 litter a year during Mar or Apr

6 babies in a litter. They live from 2-4 years.

Woodchucks1 litter a year in Apr

Up to 2-6 babies in each litter. They live for about 6 years.

Coyotes1 litter a year in May

As many as 6 babies in each litter. They live for 10 years.

Canada Geese1 brood a year in May3-8 eggs per nesting.

They can live up to 25 years.

American Robin2-3 broods a year between Apr and July

3-5 eggs per nesting.They live for about 14 years.

Mallard Duck1 brood per year between Apr and May

3-8 eggs per nesting.Average lifespan is 10-15 years.

House Sparrows1 brood per year between Apr and Aug.

4-5 eggs per nesting.They can live up to 15 years.

Don’t forget about Marge Fox’s monthly P.A.W.S programfor Preschoolers and Caregivers. The In Our Backyard series schedule:

July 21st - Racing RaccoonsAugust 18th - Outrageous Owls

September22nd - Awesome ApplesC ALL US FO R MO R E IN FO R MATIO N AT 8 47-741- 6 655

elgin public museum

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