"More than $3 worth"

Last week a group of visitors enjoyed their tour and commented at the end, "We got more than our $3 worth. Thank you so much! You know so much about the building and the history." The additional money dropped in the donation box was nice, too, but satisfied visitors was the real reward.

Just a few more weeks until the Study Restoration Project begins, and then there will REALLY be something to see!

Serving Others

The final day of the Lew Wallace Youth Academy was filled with the sounds and sights of war! Students spent the morning with Mid-States Living History Association, Inc. at stations portraying a period telegraph, medical care, embalmer, cooking, and finally an interview with the General himself. The day ended with a family filled graduation ceremony where we retired an Indiana flag.

Students trained with the signal corps to send messages across camp.

New this year was a visit to the embalmer.

Several students prepare to assist the surgeon in "amputating" their classmate's leg. They seem VERY pleased to be helping with this task...

Drilling with reproduction "Woodfield" rifles was another highlight of the day.

General Wallace sought information from the students based on what they had learned throughout the camp.

During the graduation ceremony, the students retired a flag by cutting it into strips (so it is no longer a flag) and then placing the strips on a soldier's bayonet to be laid in the fire. They were composed and respectful through the entire ceremony.

After graduation we celebrated the students' accomplishments with a display of their work, cookies and punch. Congratulations, 2010 Academy graduates!

Solving Problems

The fourth day of the Lew Wallace Youth Academy focused on Solving Problems - inventing, altering landscapes, and designing buildings.

Intern Kasey Greer (Indiana Univerisity Class of 2013) gave a behind-the-scenes tour of the Study basement (shown here under the back porch). This was a special treat because the basement is not open to the public.

Volunteer Sharon Kenny led a scavenger hunt with students locating features in the Study's interior. Just how DO you get into the tower?

Dr. James Norton, a scholar of Wallace's inventions, discusses the fishing poles of the 19th century and the improvements that Lew Wallace tried to make with his design.

Surveyor Jim Swift worked with small groups of students to find Lew Wallace's reflecting pool from historic photos of the grounds. Each group consistently found the same place! Plans are in the works to excavate the remains of the reflecting pool in the fall.

Architect Judith Kleine led students in assembling a 3D model of the Study building.

The students' personal studies ranged from sprawling estates to tall towers.

Just as in real life, some buildings could not be built without teamwork! Several students commented that designing a stable structure and taping it together were big challenges - but that also made it fun.

Sharing Stories

The Museum is known as the Home of Ben-Hur, and the grounds once again served as a writing studio. Dr. Helen Hudson led the Academy students through several different activities: outlining a biography of a fictional character named Robin Snow (whose gender and life details each small group determined for themselves), writing an autobiographical anecdote, and interviewing a fellow Academy participant who might someday hit the campaign trail.

Pencils kept moving as students used both their imaginations and memories to write biographies and autobiographies.

Students paired up to interview each other as if they were running for president. Based on some of their professed goals - helping the poor, keeping libraries open, solving environmental problems - we have a few politicians and activists in the group!

The day started and ended with active games that emphasized clear communication. The students clamored to repeat the game "Never Have I Ever", a combination of musical chairs and personal triva.

Creating Art

Following in the tradition of Lew Wallace, Academy students spent the morning painting en plein air. Have you ever noticed that trees are not a solid shade of green or brown? Using acrylic paint, artist Karen Patton instructed the kids on color values and ways to add details that make their artwork more realistic.

Several students worked in groups, sharing ideas and occasionally paint. Getting the right color when mixing the paint proved a challenge for some!

All the budding artists sketched out their paintings before putting brush to canvas.

At the end of the day, Karen Patton held up each student's painting for all to provide their feedback . The kids supported one another's artistic endeavors with compliments and suggestions.

Exploring Other Cultures

The 2010 Lew Wallace Youth Academy had a successful first day of Exploring Other Cultures. Dr. James Makubuya and Sr. Stella Sabina lead activities in speaking Luganda and Swahili, as well as dancing, singing, and playing instruments traditional to the African country of Uganda.

The first day of the Academy ends with a performance of singing and playing instruments.

Students concentrate on learning the bow harp, a new addtion to this year's Academy.

Sr. Stella Sabina demonstrates some fancy footwork from her native Uganda.

Dr. Makubuya from Wabash College instructs students on how to play traditional Ugandan drums. Even students in percussion sections of the school band learned a few things!

Former Messala Recalls Ben-Hur Stage Play

In his autobiography (My Life East and West), William S. Hart (Messala) related some of his memories of the stage production of Ben-Hur. Hart remembered that at one of the final rehearsals prior to the opening of the show, Charles Frohman, a renowned actor at the turn of the century known as the “Napoleon of Drama” announced to Klaw and Erlanger, the producers of the Broadway version of Ben-Hur. “Boys, I’m afraid you’re up against it—the American public will never stand for Christ and a horse race in the same show.” (Frohman was killed years later in the sinking of the Lusitania.)

Hart gained fame in Hollywood after his stage career faded playing in Westerns. His ability with horses in the movies was no act. He was a gifted horseman and raced Messala’s team on stage over 400 times. He said he always felt bad that his four horses (Tom, Jerry, Rosie and Topsy) raced Ben-Hur’s team of four bays every night and lost. His horses tried with all their might every night to win. No matter how hard they tried, the result was always the same—just at the moment it looked like they would win, Hur’s treadmill would speed up and the bays would draw away—winning the race.

Hart described the night that the race was reaching its climax. The eight horses racing for all they were worth. Hart’s (Messala’s) horses raced faster and faster, stretching until their bellies were almost on the treadmill—and then Hart realized that his team was going to win. He crawled out on the chariot tongue; put his hands on their backs imploring them, urging them to slow so Ben-Hur could win but “. . . They ran like creatures possessed—their veins stood out like ropes—they were out in front—they were gaining! They strained every muscle to the breaking point, then they lunged ahead in a deathlike dash! And—they won! They Won!” After 400 tries, his team finally out-raced the treadmill.

Hart was always proud that after the first performance, he was sent for and Lew Wallace singled him out telling Hart: “Young man, I want to thank you for giving me the Messala that I drew in my book.”

William S. Hart was one of the most successful early film stars. Hart passed away in 1946 and left his estate to the people of Los Angeles because the community had treated him so well. His Spanish Revival mansion with its outstanding collection of western art, Hollywood memorabilia, and Native American artifacts and its surrounding 260 acres are now part of the Natural History of Museum of Los Angeles.