RHODE ISLAND HISTORY - Rhode Island Historical Society

18 ANNUAL REPORT
Annual R~port of th~ Director
~ Public Hi5tory" is a term of recem origin usoed to describe
the work of historians in museums. historical socieues.
archivts. research libraries, prewrvation agencies and
publications peojecta. Wh ilt the ttml i' new , the tmploymem
of the historians' skills in thew area.s is not. The
Rhode Island HIStorical Society has been providing historical
socitty services to the public for over a cen t ury and a
half. One poMoibie nuance imph«i by the C\I"tnt use of tht
term i$ that thiS work is done for the direct benefit of the
public. Expanded public programming in the humamues
has become Oil major recem develepmem among cultural
organizations. The nineteemh-century lecture institutions
of the Lyceum and the Cbataequa movement have become
today's "adult edcceoco.' "Con tinuing Education," or
" Lifetime Learning' project. There is not yet agreement
among the historians working in public places that they
should spend It'SoS time in their traditional scholarly
research roles and more time learning the tec h nology and
psychology of being story-tellers. Being the "bionic his torian"
or a television personality is both a challenging and
unsettling prospect. None theless. there are compelling
arguments in favor of using every modem technique 10
transmit the meaning and significance of our his torical
collecncns to even larger audiencK. There art those who
complain that tOO many museums have put all, or all tOO
much. alttntion to piling up eolleences without a thought
or a care as to how or ....hen the coIltctKlns are to be used,
Othen SlJggtst that as much thought. entrgy and resou.rcn
ought to be employ«i in information distribution
as are expended in tht enthusiastic chase afttT acquisitions.
I beheve there is much to be said for taking are that the
excellence. important insights. and best inttntions that
originate at the highest levels of any institution art nat
dilut«i or diminished ....hen they reach the final point of
delivery to the person for whose ultimate use they Wtrt
intended. This is the kind of equilibrium the Rhode Island
Histori ca l Society has sought to achieve; we think ou r
report for the year 1979 provides concrete examples of that
achievement.
The opening of the Museum of Rhode Island History at
Aldrich House was not only a highpoint of the past twel ve
months. but th e Fulfillment of nearly five years of planning
and hard work. T he inaugural exhibition, "The Lay of the
Land:' accomplished ou r goal of providing visitors with a
visually dramatic and imelltctually comprehensive displa y.
The reepcn se to il has been very encouraging: not on ly
A