The Glacier reporter. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1953-current, 1954-05-28
MUSEUM WAS BIG
issue THIS week

sssss~sS sSsV0U wv ~
Montana Gov. J. Hugo Aron.
son. thwsrtsd . proposal TO
switch the museum from the
education department 10 the
section on arts and crafts.
Foes Of the move have
commended u would result In
an ovsr-smphasis on the
museums production Of han.
dieraft.
Emmons also told Aronson
that the bureau may b fore.
Cd 10 dismiss some museum
employees after July I be.
cause Of . cut In sppropri.
atoms.
MOntana's Chamber of Com.
merce. the State Historical So.
ciety and state officials acted on
Monday to prevent the transfer
of the Museum of the Plains In.
dian at Browning to the Indian
Service Arts and Crafts Divi.
sion. The museum Is in the Edu.
cation Division.
The U. S. Senate Is to consider
whether to continue the mus.
Gums appropriation under the
Education Division or transfer It
to the arts.crafts board.
X. Ross Toole, State Historical
Society director. Monday wired
Sen. Mansfield (D.MOnt.):
Much agitation in northern
Montana about transferring op.
Grafton Museum of Plains Indi.
ans at Browning :. Museum
curators have been let go and
plan is we'll under way to convert
fine museum into a curio shop
49,. Request you investigate and
postpone action If possible either
on floor or in Appropriations
Committee until we have chance
to give you information to cor.
rect misrcpresenting of J. Ed.
ward Davis. general manager. In.
dian Arts and Crafts Board"
William Browning. chamber
secretary. said he telegraphed
members of M0ntana's congress.
siOnal delegation: U. S. Sen. II.
Styles Bridges GRIND. chairman
Of the Senate Appropriations
Committee and these committee
members:
Sens. Young tR.ND): Gordon
R.Ore): Hayden R.Ariz): Cha.
vcz D.NAD: MagnusOn (D.Wash):
knnwland R.CaD and MeCarran
D.NevD
The kilograms said the prin.
ciplc function of the museum
would not be possible without
Curator Claude Schacffer and his
assistant. both of whom have
been relieved at Browning. A
marketing expert Is to replace
Schaeffer as head of the museum.
Browning said a telegram of
protest was sent also TO Score.
tary of Interior Douglas Mckay.
Mary NJ. Condor. Department
Of Public instruction supcrintcn.
dent. also telcgraphcd protests to
senators.
Somebody in the Eisenhower
administration stirred up q h0r.
nets nest two months ago when
he persuaded Interior Secretary
Douglas Mckay to transfer three
museums from jurisdiction Of the
education branch Of the Indian
Service to the Arts and Crafts
board. Shorn of bureaucratic yer.
biagc. this transfer would. In cf.
feet. mean the end Of the
museums rs such and substitu.
ton of "arts and crafts" shops
for historical exhibits and arch.
ives.
Tho museums are the Museum
Of the Plains Indians here and
smaller institutions at Anadarko.
Okla. and Rapid City. S. u. The
Browning museum Is the only
one with a full.timc curator and
assistant curator.
DR.. Claude Schacffcr has been
curator here for the last seven
years. lie Is n trained cthnOlOgist.
His assistant. Thomas kc0gh. an
anthrOpOlOgist. has been here for
two years.
Browning residents first be.
came alarmed about the future Of
the Museum of tho Plains Indi.
ans about two months ago when
j. Edward Davis. chairman Of the
Arts aud Crafts Board. annOunc.
I'd plans for conversion Of the
museum into an arts and crafts
shop. Considerable concern was
expressed at that time. although
Davis assured tribal leaders and
Browning businessmen that the
change was principally one Of
administration. But when Brown.
Ing residents saw DR.. Schacffcr
and his assistant packing up
some of the rare artifacts for
storage or removal. the alarm
bcramc acute.
Paul Firkingcr. area director
for the Indian service with head
quarters nj Billings. was first
aicrtcd 10 the danger to tho
museum early In April. lie at
once wrote 10 Glenn Emmons