Booth figure at ALPLM

[davg2000]

At ALPLM the figure of John Wilkes Booth, which has, since 2005, been staring malevolently at the Lincoln family in the museum's Plaza, is being removed, maybe to a less prominent location or maybe for good. This may be good news for some forum members: a few years ago someone said to imagine a figure of Lee Harvey Oswald at the Texas Book Depository.

[L Verge]

(04-07-2017 01:45 PM)davg2000 Wrote:  At ALPLM the figure of John Wilkes Booth, which has, since 2005, been staring malevolently at the Lincoln family in the museum's Plaza, is being removed, maybe to a less prominent location or maybe for good. This may be good news for some forum members: a few years ago someone said to imagine a figure of Lee Harvey Oswald at the Texas Book Depository.

I am definitely a top nut on the Lincoln assassination story tree, but when I saw that figure of Booth lurking behind the Lincolns in photos when the ALPLM opened, I was shocked and thought it was in poor taste.

I have not visited the museum, and I definitely think that the story of the assassination (and a factual account of the conspiracy and motives) needs to be included for a complete portrayal of Lincoln. However, this lurking figure seemed more Disney-like than dignified to me. Hopefully, it can be moved to a more appropriate location.

[davg2000]

Hi, Laurie--

ALPLM, at its opening in 2005, received very little criticism. But one negative point of view came from John Y. Simon, who did liken the place to Disneyland. Everything in that museum is specific to its place. It's difficult to think of another area where the statue could go. I usually work in the Ford's Theater section, and I can't think of any place there where the statue could go. I think it will go away.

[L Verge]

A single statue does not tell the whole story, so if the assassination is scholastically touched on in other ways, it may not be needed. Hopefully, Booth could be/is graphically portrayed via panels or touchscreens? To eliminate him completely would harm history, IMO.

I do recall that the original director received some criticism from John Y. and others regarding his methods of appealing to the masses. History has been pushed farther and farther back in curricula today, so it might be wise to find gimmicks to hook students, but there can be tasteful gimmicks and then there can be ones that go a bit too far.

P.S. I taught secondary history for nearly a decade and then spent about thirty years working with school groups who toured the Surratt House (and also went into their classrooms to teach). I received the shock of my life about ten years ago when I had 20 sixth graders sitting in front of me in our visitors' center and not one hand went up when I asked who Abraham Lincoln was! These were not special needs children.

The only way that I finally got an answer out of them was to show them a penny and then a $5 bill. One gent finally said, "Oh yeah - he's that dude on the money." Sad commentary. If I had been that teacher, I would have died of mortification. However, as soon as we got into the topic of the conspiracy (i.e. gangs in modern language), they became very interested, and I had them eating out of my hand by the end of a twenty-minute session. Maybe we do need that statue in ALPLM...

[davg2000]

(04-07-2017 06:51 PM)L Verge Wrote:  A single statue does not tell the whole story, so if the assassination is scholastically touched on in other ways, it may not be needed. Hopefully, Booth could be/is graphically portrayed via panels or touchscreens? To eliminate him completely would harm history, IMO.

I do recall that the original director received some criticism from John Y. and others regarding his methods of appealing to the masses. History has been pushed farther and farther back in curricula today, so it might be wise to find gimmicks to hook students, but there can be tasteful gimmicks and then there can be ones that go a bit too far.

P.S. I taught secondary history for nearly a decade and then spent about thirty years working with school groups who toured the Surratt House (and also went into their classrooms to teach). I received the shock of my life about ten years ago when I had 20 sixth graders sitting in front of me in our visitors' center and not one hand went up when I asked who Abraham Lincoln was! These were not special needs children.

The only way that I finally got an answer out of them was to show them a penny and then a $5 bill. One gent finally said, "Oh yeah - he's that dude on the money." Sad commentary. If I had been that teacher, I would have died of mortification. However, as soon as we got into the topic of the conspiracy (i.e. gangs in modern language), they became very interested, and I had them eating out of my hand by the end of a twenty-minute session. Maybe we do need that statue in ALPLM...

I taught both English and history in high school, and I saw much good and bad teaching. I learned that kids retain information that they are required to use creatively. If all they do is memorize to be able to pass an objective test, the class is worthless, and the teacher is either terribly lazy or merely terrible. Pity the kids. ALPLM tries to present Lincoln's story in a way that patrons are engaged, just as a good teacher engages his pupils. Thus, the figures, which are truly life-like, invite inspection. (We are told, though, not to let people touch them.) And the only figure which I thought was in questionable taste was the one of Booth which has been removed. I don't think it will be missed.

We are into our busy time. Lots of school trips. Quite often, but not always, good teachers have prepared their pupils. Kids go through searching for answers and information to be able to write a report or do something else which a teacher will require of them other than pass a test. And they learn about Lincoln and the Civil War.

I will occasionally find someone who doesn't know who John Wilkes Booth was, although this person is seldom a teenager. Usually people know some stuff, but you would not be surprised how many people are proud of the fact that they've read O'Reilly's Killing Lincoln and then think they are informed. Although the Museum provides little about either the conspiracy to kidnap or the conspiracy to assassinate Lincoln, Booth's presence is certainly there, despite the figure's removal.

[Gene C]

I enjoy my visits to the ALPLM, it is a difficult task to portray the entire life of one person and keep it interesting for all ages. It's a challenging task that becomes more difficult as time pushes the past further and further away from us so that to many people, especially our younger people, no longer find the past relevant.

That's why I like Surratt House, New Salem, etc. and appreciate all you who work and volunteer as docents and guides to help keep the past alive and present a "living" past. What you do is important. You're telling about real people, with real feelings and emotions, dealing with real issues, who have experiences and stories to tell. That for me is why I enjoy history.

Back to Booth, I am glad they will be moving him out of the Plaza, and hope they can find a suitable place to use him to share an important lesson from the past.

[RJNorton]

There is a story and brief video on this topic here:

http://www.wandtv.com/story/35137305/alp...oth-figure

[L Verge]

(04-13-2017 09:25 AM)RJNorton Wrote:  There is a story and brief video on this topic here:

http://www.wandtv.com/story/35137305/alp...oth-figure

I am glad to see that a place has been found in the assassination section for Mr. Booth. Thanks to a loan from Dave Taylor several years ago, we have a life-size, cardboard figure of him included in our special exhibit room at the historic house. The exhibit is entitled The Full Story and tells about Maryland in the Civil War, the Surratt family, and their role in the assassination story.

Mr. Booth is a draw, especially with the children and especially as a photo op. Good or evil, there is history to be learned via JWB - and it should be learned in an appropriate setting.

[LincolnMan]

I agree also that it needs to be moved. The story of Booth needs to be told but not sure if that particular statue would be suitable in a display.

[Eva Elisabeth]

IMO the ALPLM argumentation is spot on.

[JMadonna]

Tonight's the night, JWB received the worst critical reviews of his life.

[L Verge]

Jerry's right, and I doubt that any other actor has had such bad reviews last for 152 years and have so many followers and authors trying to figure him out. He has certainly gotten attention, just not the kind he wanted.

[Thomas Kearney]

(04-14-2017 06:19 AM)LincolnMan Wrote:  I agree also that it needs to be moved. The story of Booth needs to be told but not sure if that particular statue would be suitable in a display.

I haven't been there since I was 10, but JWB is shown entering the Presidential Box in the assassination display

[Donna McCreary]

I agree with the ALPLM on this topic. Booth lurking behind Lincoln and his family was creepy. His figure is in the assassination diorama, and that is the only place he needs to be viewed in a museum dedicated to Lincoln's life.

[Gene C]

I was going to offer to let him stay at our house until he could find a new place to live, but the wife said NO!

.