The End part 1
So this is the “official” end of the internship, at least for the collegiate graded portion. I am finishing with a working app on android and Appple, so I feel I have accomplished the goal I set out in May with. Its been an interesting experience, especially after getting on the board of directors. I am living Polk County history full time now.
It is also interesting being 43 now and seeing the way the history world works having done things outside the academic world and now plugging back into it. I have a very clear path as to what I need to do and what I want to do that when I was in my 20s wouldn’t have been there for me. When you are fresh out of highschool and trying to get into this world it seems very concrete and structured and in some ways the traditional movie version of historians, but when you start doing history you see the reality. Everything is done by a few individuals and they are hoping that the vast public engages.
My app won’t bring people into the Polk History Center, not in ways that change anything and warrant a significant increase in funding, but it will keep the center up to date with technology and help it not look so parochial, not that it is. There is a potential for people to use it in the future and get interested in the history of the building and county, which is my hope. I will continue to work on this as I start a new internship at the same place. The next one is focused on helping the visually impaired, which the app can help with some audio stuff.
I still have to work on the exhibits and courtroom experiences but when they are done, they will be a great addition to the museum. The people I have worked with are great people. Myrtice Young, who is the one who oversees the entire center is also on the board of the PCHA and on my history committee for my church so we have a great working relationship. Shannon Graham, who is the historian at the center has taken over as my supervisor and he is extremely helpful, although she is equally as busy. Frankie has been my mvp with finding everything in the library.
When I started this internship, I was thinking I would just spend all my time researching stuff for the history tour but I have merged that into the architectural tour and spent my time making things as best for the museum as I can. I hope that in the future I can see people using it to learn more.
