Interview with Tom Kelleher, August 6, 2016

Partial Transcript: Okay, this is an unrehearsed interview for the Living History Oral History Project, uh, from the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History. My name is JD Carruthers.

Segment Synopsis: Tom Kelleher, the president of the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums discusses the history of ALHFAM. He describes the topical organization of professional interest groups (or PIGS) which compose the umbrella organization. He describes publications, meetings, conferences and workshops conducted by PIGS. He talks about the regional organizational structure and central organization for conferences.

Keywords: Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (AHLFAM); Costumes; Farming; First person voice; Foodways; Historic machinery; Historic trades; Historical farms; John T. Schlebecker; Sturbridge (Mass.); Textiles; The Bulletin

Subjects: Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums; Living History Farms (Museum); Old Sturbridge Village.; Old Sturbridge Village. Research Library; Old Sturbridge Village. Research Library. Bullard Manuscript Collection; Reenactment history

Partial Transcript: You mentioned the first person techniques, the workshops, uh--

Segment Synopsis: Kelleher talks about the published proceedings of ALHFAM conferences. He says the Association is a volunteer organization. He talks about the publication of a quarterly magazine, and "skill clips" such as how to how to harness a horse which are available online. He says he thinks there is not as much support of academic based history. He adds that along the east coast there is not as much public money for museums. He says elsewhere in the world history is supported more by public funds, but in the U.S. there is a cultural view that education should be free or at least cheap and supported by philanthropy. He points out that admission prices for museums do not cover the cost of running a museum in most cases. He points out that competition for leisure time has intensified with sports, internet, shopping and other distractions cutting into museum visitation. He also notes deregulation of airlines made travel more affordable, also diffusing interest in museums like Old Sturbridge. He mentions the U.S. Bicentennial as a peak in interest in history.

Keywords: Disney; Leisure time; Proceedings; United States Bicentennial; Volunteerism

Subjects: Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums; Living History Association; Living History Farms (Museum); Old Sturbridge Village.; Reenactment history; Sturbridge (Mass. : Town); Sturbridge (Mass.)

Partial Transcript: So, I mean, it's really sort of a cultural e-e-experience almost that, uh, it, it seems like.

Segment Synopsis: Kelleher talks about the excitement for history in the 1960s and 1970s, during which more living history and cultural tourism sites opened. He talks about Conner Prairie as a copy of Old Sturbridge Village, which was founded by Eli Lilly. He talks about an expose book entitled "Twilight on the Prairie" written by a former board member about litigation which left Conner Prairie with a large endowment.

Keywords: Cultural destinations; Cultural tourism; Eli Lilly; Endowments; Twilight at Conner Prairie (Book)

Subjects: Conner Prairie (Museum); Living History Farms (Museum); Old Sturbridge Village.; Sturbridge (Mass. : Town); Sturbridge (Mass.)

Partial Transcript: So, I, I've talked with a lot of reenactors today, uh, trying to understand the--their organization, and I've been referred to a couple of different, uh, organizations--

Segment Synopsis: Kelleher talks about different organizational structures in living history. He says ALHFAM involves more professional and academic historians, and organizations such as Brigade of the American Revolution serve reenactors. He discusses the differences between first person voice theatrical performances and third person voice interactive interpretation. He says some first person living history interpreters essentially weaponize their place in the past and make interactions with observers seem obtuse. He emphasizes how he trains his staff to be professional communicators in their interactions and to develop a wide range of communication skills. He introduces the concept of second person, where he would ask an observer, "What would you do or think in the circumstances of the past?"

Keywords: Blacksmithing; Brigade of the American Revolution (BAR); British Brigade; Coopering; Costume historians; Costumes; Deborah Arenz; Dialogue; Experiential learning; Farming; First person voice; Fourth wall; Hearth cooking; Interactive interpretation; Lectures; Monologues; Professor Debra Reid; Role play; Second person voice; Theater; Third person voice; Trades

Subjects: Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums; Brigade of the American Revolution; Living History Association; Living History Farms (Museum); Old Sturbridge Village.; Sturbridge (Mass. : Town); Sturbridge (Mass.)

Partial Transcript: Well, it's interesting how that it--how that might relate to--I, I've heard the expression 'FARBs' in relation to--

Segment Synopsis: Kelleher refers to reenactment as a hobby, and talks about the polar extreme views on authenticity from "farbs" to "stitch Nazis." He observes that some of those who are most critical of authenticity in details are quick to ignore the details of their own presentations. He talks about authenticity in personal grooming, such as keeping period incorrect facial whiskers. He talks about how living history museums must develop their own policies on personal appearance, and that Old Sturbridge Village has a "five o'clock rule." He talks about museum policies for living history costumed employees regarding things like tattoos or dyed hair. He lists a number of anachronisms, including age, which may detract from authentic portrayals, but are yet not easily avoided. He says the military reenactment hobby may be aging and on the wane, but that living history in general probably remains robust. He cites expense as a major factor in retention in living history.

Keywords: "Farbs"; "Stitch Nazis"; Affordability; Age authenticity; Authenticity; Camp pasta; Costumes; Experiential learning; Facial hair; Five o'clock rule; Hair coloring; Handlebar mustache; Hessian soldiers; Hobbies; Hobby; Material culture; Tattoos; Transgender

Subjects: Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums; Living History Association; Living History Farms (Museum); Old Sturbridge Village.; Reenactment history; Sturbridge (Mass. : Town); Sturbridge (Mass.)

Partial Transcript: I was interested in S--Old Sturbridge Village as the birthplace of ALHFAM.

Segment Synopsis: Kelleher says that the museum has been open for eighty years, and seventy of those years as Old Sturbridge Village. He says the exhibit in the next room highlights the history of the museum. He says that in 1926, an industrialist named Albert Wells became interested in antiques and began an eclectic collection of primitive tools and miscellaneous "stuff." Kelleher says that Wells' approach to buying antiques was shrewd but undisciplined. He says Wells incorporated the Wells Historical Museum to house his collection of antiques, and later he introduced the concept of living history to make the collection more engaging. He talks about Colonial Williamsburg, Henry Ford's Greenfield Village, and Skansen, which were similar museums from the same era. He says these other museums were architectural and did not feature costumed interpreters. He talks about the drive to focus the living history narrative of the architecture, costume staff, and interpretation for a period of the 1830s. He says the costume staff are compensated professionals.

Keywords: Albert B. Wells; Antiques; Architectural collection; Authenticity; Colonial Williamsburg; Costumes; George Wells; Greenfield Village; Henry Ford; Israel Sack; King Oscar II of Norway; Living history museum; Living villages; Material culture; Methodology; Museums; Periodization; Ruth Wells; Skansen; Wells Historical Museum

Subjects: Living History Farms (Museum); Old Sturbridge Village.; Sturbridge (Mass. : Town); Sturbridge (Mass.)

Partial Transcript: Now the staff--the, the, the costume staff, are they, they volunteers, or are they compensated at all?

Segment Synopsis: Kelleher says that the staff at Old Sturbridge Village is composed of paid professionals, volunteers, and interns. He says some staff members work in costume, but others work as curators, developing and marketing, education, and mixed roles. He makes the distinction between reenactors and interpreters, and between costume and clothes. He discusses how living history and academic history would benefit from synergy, but that funding cuts have contributed to a gulf. He talks about how declining funds have cut the research and curation staff at Old Sturbridge Village. He discusses the value of study of the humanities to society, and how the process of capitalism drives efficiency.

Keywords: Administration; Costumes; Curators; Education; Interns; Living history; Reenactments; Salaried work; Stipends; Volunteers

Subjects: Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums; Old Sturbridge Village.; Sturbridge (Mass. : Town); Sturbridge (Mass.)

Partial Transcript: When you do costume reenacting, what, what kind of time frames do you--interest you? What do you portray?

Segment Synopsis: Kelleher talks about the range of first person portrayals in his repertoire that he interprets at Old Sturbridge Village, and the importance of having fun while taking it seriously. He discusses interpreting a phrenologist based on research of a memoir. He distinguishes between entertainment for shtick and interpretation for education. He discusses the nuance of the range of first person personas, which might include a real person from different periods, or a composite fictional persona. He relates an amusing story of how he portrayed Stephen Douglas for an event featuring the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and a woman mistook him for Frederick Douglass. He emphasizes the importance for living history interpreters not to argue with patrons. He says his favorite living history memory is the recurring experience of helping someone learn history through "guided discovery," and seeing a visitor achieve a look of recognition and realization.

Keywords: Abraham Lincoln; Clergy; Education; Entertainment; Farmers; First person voice; Forty Years in Phrenology; Frederick Douglass; Generic characters; George Cheevers; George Washington; Nelson Sizer; Original sources; Peddlers; Phrenology; Research; Ron Carnegie; Stephen Douglas; Thomas Jefferson

Subjects: Living History Farms (Museum); Old Sturbridge Village.; Sturbridge (Mass. : Town); Sturbridge (Mass.)