At the Canadian War Museum, we had a very varied program on Remembrance Day.
We had veterans in our WWI, WWII and Korean War galleries, including nursing
sisters, who were some of the most popular volunteers. All were veterans of
those particular wars, though it was becoming very difficult to find a WWI
veteran willing to spend the better part of a day in the gallery, despite
lots of care from the staff, frequent rests and refreshments, etc. I can
remember one old gentleman who, somewhere along the way, had lost his WWI
medals. One of my staff, on his own initiative and at his own expense,
purchased a set of miniatures and mounted them. We presented them to the
veteran when he was greeting visitors and it made everyone's day.

We had a full crew of volunteers and staff in period uniforms. Those of our
staff entitled to wear medals/decorations did so and our then-director, an
Honourary Captain (navy) wore his uniform.

There were special speakers and musicians, as well as refreshments provided
by our Friends organization.

The climax was a Sunset Ceremony, featuring an "old guard" of veterans, a
"new guard" from the local reserve army brigade, the band of my old
regiment, the Governor General's Foot Guards (in scarlets and bearskins),
pipers and a moving inter-denominational service of remembrance. The last
year it was run, it was one of two ceremonies covered on national
television. The 11 AM national service from the National War Memorial began
the day and our sunset ceremony ended it.

It was quite a day.

A year later, we had a new director who didn't believe in that stuff and the
ceremony disappeared and, with it, a magnificent opportunity to play a
national part on what for us, as a military museum, was the most important
day of the year. Shortly after that, the ceremony's organizer was also
dispensed with - someone who, for several years, had organized all kinds of
such events which gave the museum its best publicity ever.

Harry

"Those who play with cats must expect to get scratched"

               -  Cervantes, "Don Quixote"

Harry Needham, M.A., CFE, etc.
President
Harry Needham Consulting Services Inc.
Training & consulting services for heritage institutions - and others!
74 Abbeyhill Drive
Kanata, Ontario K2L 1H1
Canada
email: [log in to unmask]
(Voice) +1.613.831-1068
(Fax) +1.613.831-9412
----- Original Message -----
From: Indianapolis Art Center <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2000 12:22 PM
Subject: Re: rememberance day programming


> Addresses by those who have participated in combat is always very
effective.
> As an art museum we don't generally present programming for either
Memorial
> Day or Veteran's Day, but this year we will have a Veteran's Day program
> because the exhibition on view will be one of artwork by Vietnam veterans.
> We plan to have a Congressional Medal of Honor winner speak about his
> Vietnam experiences and connect them to the artwork on view.
>
> Julia Moore
> Director of Exhibitions and Artist Services
> Indianapolis Art Center
>
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