Alden B. Dow Archival Research Project
The
Alden B. Dow Home & Studio has organized a three-day program for high
school humanities classes. This program is timed with their studies of
the 1930's and 1940's. The humanities encompass art, history, music, and
literature. Students are introduced to Alden Dow and Frank Lloyd Wright
prior to their visit.
What
you will find in this section:
Introduction
Drawings
to find information
Text Files
to find information
Publications to find
information
Introduction
The first day is spent touring the complex and discussing the history of
Midland and all aspects of life in the 1930's and 1940's. The group is then
divided into two sections for the second and third days. In the first
drafting room, one group creates original artwork relating to the time
period or work that is inspired by the architecture/artwork of the Home and
Studio. Students focus on the repetition of basic shapes and forms to create
stabiles and mobiles.
The second half of the class is spent in the Archives working on primary
research projects. For many students this is their first chance to do
primary research, using original, one of a kind materials.
Typically, public or educational structures are chosen so that all the
students are familiar with them. The students divide into smaller groups to
research different aspects of the structure, using the different types of
information found in the archives: drawings, textual materials, and
publications. Worksheets to guide the students in their research were
developed by Daria Potts, Director of Archives, and Mary Street, a history
teacher from H.H. Dow High School.
At the end of their time in the archives, the students do a presentation on
each of the structures so everyone learns what the structures were like
originally, how they have been modified, and have an understanding of how
they function today. Below are the worksheets that the students complete,
and photos of the students during their time here.
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Use the Drawings to find the following information.
1. What is the name of the structure?
2. What is the purpose of structure?
3. What is the earliest date on the drawings?
4. What is the most recent date on the drawings?
5. Is there a site plan drawing for this structure?
IF SO
Can you tell the location of the structure and what its location is relative
to other structures, roads, etc.?
6. Trace the development of the structure and LIST the different types of
drawings.
AND
Differentiate between the design, development and construction phases of the
project. Tell why each phase is important.
7. Name three changes made before the completion of the structure.
8. From your own knowledge of this building, name changes or alterations (if
any) made that are not documented in these drawings.
9. How is the primary research you have done today, using these drawings,
different from research you have done using secondary sources?
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Use the Text Files to find the following information.
1. What is the name of the structure?
2. What is the purpose of the structure?
3. What is the date of the specifications?
4. What are the dates of the contracts?
5. Who are the contractors?
6. Using the bids and cost estimates, what are the proposed costs vs. final
costs for this structure?
7. Using change orders, list three changes made to the original structure.
8. Document the additions and/or alterations made.
9. Read the "Correspondence" files for this structure. LIST two interesting
facts you discovered. (Interesting facts may include design or structural
changes, correspondence between architect, builder, building committee, and
city officials, or information about fixtures/furnishings.)
10. How is the primary research you have done today, using these materials,
different from research you have done using secondary sources?
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Use the Publications to answer the following questions.
1. What is the name of the structure?
2. What is the purpose of the structure?
3. What kind of printed materials appear? i.e. newspaper or magazine
articles, brochures, invitations, dedication programs, journal articles.
AND
Name three publications. Site title, author, date and short summary of their
content.
4. What is the earliest publication?
5. What is the most recent publication?
6. Choose the most interesting fact you learned about this structure by
examining these publications.
7. Choose a publication and relate what you learned about life in Midland,
life in the U.S., life in the world when this structure was built. i.e.
current events, other notable structures or notable people in our community.
8. How does research using these publication differ from research using text
books and reference materials such as encyclopedias?
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