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Past Tense
Past Tense,
written by museum registrar, Sharon Buxton, offers historical
background for displayed artifacts.
Lighting
Second
graders marvel as they walk into the darkened Historic Ohio
Gallery. Twenty pairs of wondering eyes reflect the flickering
flames as their guide lights candles while explaining the lack
of natural light in pioneer cabins. Once the children’s eyes
are acclimated to the darkness, the guide asks them what
technology was lacking. In one voice, they respond,
ELECTRICITY!
and magically the lights come on.
We’ve all had to devise
alternative light sources during outages, which unfortunately
cannot be remedied by a magic word.
The
Historic Ohio’s
Lighting Pathways
case presents a chronological history of our ancestors’
ingenuity in dealing with the darkness.
Early examples used candle
power. In the Ohio pioneer era, candles had evolved from
primitive devices like a simple woven rush or even an oily fish
wedged into a forked stick, to upright, self-supporting tallow
or beeswax candlesticks. Lanterns utilized candles protected
from the elements. Pierced lanterns featured tin sheets
punctured from inside out to hinder rain or wind from
extinguishing the flame. Light focused through a glass panel of
a carriage lantern, illuminated the road ahead as well as warned
others of the vehicle’s approach.
Candles
were not the only artificial light-producing source on the
frontier.
Betty lamps,
one
of the earliest metal lamps,
were tallow-filled containers that could be hung on the
fireplace to illuminate the cooking processes. Like any grease
or oil lamp, it had to be carefully regulated, with just enough
fuel to keep the wick burning, but not enough to overflow. The
supply of fuel for lamps came from varied sources, including
plentiful bear grease, whale oil (expensive and scarce in the
Ohio Country), or lard from livestock.
The mid 1800s witnessed the
emergence of several more efficient fuel sources. Kerosene
lamps became prevalent in most homes. Besides the familiar
tubular wick lamps, variations included a lamp for serious
scholars, the globes of which were positioned to eliminate
shadows on the work surface. The displayed angle lamp and
student lamp are two examples.
Additional specialty lamps were
geared specifically towards the invalid. Victorian caregivers
filled the shallow pan of the vapor lamp (forerunner of the
vaporizer) with
cresoline.
The lamp’s heat evaporated this substance to fill the room with
soothing fumes. Another “sickroom lamp” possessed a circular
metal shade positioned to block the light from shining directly
in the patient’s face.
Viewing this timeline gives the
feeling that
though
these lighting devices were sufficient unto the day, the
advantages wrought by the advent of electricity’s magic are much
appreciated.
Volunteer
Highlight—Phyllis Knuth
Every 1St
and 3rd
Wednesday if you enter JHM by way of the front desk, you will be
greeted by Phyllis Knuth. Since 2002, Phyllis has faithfully
volunteered at JHM. She came to us as a Friend of the Museum
who, after filling out a volunteer survey, was called to assist
with preparing invitations for bulk mailing. When we needed a
weekly volunteer, she generously agreed to help us out, and we
have depended on her ever since.
Phyllis
resides in Newcastle Township on an 80-acre farm. She and her
late husband bought the land when her daughter, Sandra, began
her teaching career in the area and needed a residence. While
living in Cleveland where Phyllis worked as a nurse, the
decision was made to build a new house on the property upon
retirement. In 1981 the couple moved to Coshocton County
permanently. Phyllis began volunteering in the community with
the American Cancer Society. She also donates her time to the
Coshocton Public Library and to Nellie United Methodist Church.
She enjoys volunteering at the Museum because she likes meeting
the people who visit JHM and thinks the Museum is a remarkable
community asset. We know she willingly tackles any job we throw
her way, and the staff greatly appreciates her conscientiousness
Donation
Request: Polaroid camera for children’s programs. Please
contact us if you are interested.
JHM’s 75th Anniversary Poster
available in the Gift Shop for $5. FREE for Friends of the
Museum through 2006.
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