BRINGING NEW LIFE TO THE TSONGAS INDUSTRIAL HISTORY CENTER

Project Proposal
Prepared for: Diana Archibald, Ph.D., Associate Professor of English
Prepared by: Stephanie Santos, Student and Community Team Member
September 18, 2015

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BRINGING NEW LIFE TO THE TSONGAS INDUSTRIAL HISTORY CENTER

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Tsongas Industrial History Center (TIHC) has been struggling with a decline in enrollment in
their program titled Change in the Making (CIM). The TIHC faces additional issues with a lacking
online presence and low readability in some of their data sheets. If allowed, I will work toward
solutions through small writing projects throughout the academic semester. In order to effectively complete the tasks, I must develop the format, audience, and purpose of each written
project, receive feedback from classmates on my work, and seek out help from Dr. Archibald
and TIHC staff when essential. Furthermore, if this proposal passes, I would conduct research
through the library, online databases, and archival documents in order to decipher needs for
CIM improvement. I hope to stage focus group interviews with third-grade teachers and museum educators in order to better understand school curriculum. Finally, I would edit and rewrite
older versions of informational text for online production and general public readability. In
achieving these tasks, I hope to help increase CIM visitation, improve online presence, and
raise readability of educational material for audiences with varying levels of literacy.

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ORGANIZATIONAL PROFILE
Superintendent of Lowell National Historical Park Chrysandra Walter and UMass Lowell
Chancellor William Hogan sought to create an experiential education center, based on Lowell
City Counselor Paul E. Tsongass vision of Lowell as an historical classroom for students in the
city and beyond. Walter and Hogan garnered enough funding and opened the center in the fall
of 1991. Later, the center was named to honor Tsongass contributions to Lowell.
The TIHC employs the following mission statement: The mission of the Tsongas Industrial
History Center is to inspire connections with and understandings about America's industrial
past, present, and future through experiential learning using Lowell's unique resources. In all of
their work, the center values and prioritizes the following: authenticity (they use Lowell to study
the causes and effects of the American Industrial Revolution [example: students may attend
tours of historical sites]); collaboration (they work as a team of learners, classroom teachers,
staff, and community partners to share diverse input); customer service (they place audiences
needs as priority and are flexible to necessary changes or additions to their programming);
engagement (they present historical and scientific material in interactive and fascinating
simulated activities [example: students may work on an assembly line or vote in a town
meeting]); inquiry learning (they further critical thinking and analytical skills in order to provoke
students interest in history and science/engineering [example: students may test water wheels
or measure water quality]); and relevance (they connect the fabric of Lowells history with their
audiences own lives).
The 2014-2015 annual budget report states that the TIHC received internal funding from the
UML GSE Operating Support ($30,000) and UML full-time staff salaries and benefits
($194,557.40). The TIHC received external funding from the Lowell National Historical Park
(Education Division) ($438,266), LNHP support for UML Grants and Contracts positions
($137,000, however possibly $162,000, depending on when NPS Education Specialist is
hired), Education Program fees ($273,485.13), Lowell Public Schools visits ($31,450), Grants &
Special Projects ($71,313.35), and miscellaneous funds, such as camp fees, rental/sales items,
overhead, etc. ($224,971.32).
They received new funding the 2014-2015 year from the 2014 National Park Foundation Ticket
to Ride Grant ($8000) for transportation and TIHC program fees for students from Nashua, NH,
to do water-quality programs on the Merrimack River and at the UML Bellegarde Boathouse;
the 2015 National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Teacher Workshops ($160,286); the

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2015 National Park Service Centennial Challenge Grant ($17,000 one-to-one match) to
fabricate high-quality, durable manipulatives for the Tsongas Industrial History Centers Power
to Production program; educational materials from Lowell National Historical Park ($13,761);
and National Park Service (PMIS) Competitive Project Funds ($30,000) to develop and
prototype digital data collection/visualization app for use in science program.
The Graduate School of Education provides $30,000 a year in operating support. Two
permanent full-time positions are funded by the University. The University provides all usual
mailing services, publications design, IT support, duplicating services, and grants and human
resources support.
The TIHC partners with the University of Massachusetts Lowell Graduate School of Education
and National Park Service atLowell National Historical Park. The center predominantly serves
the Lowell population, specifically third and fourth grade students, teachers, and their schools,
as well as other Massachusetts schools.
In terms of organizational structure, Sheila Kirschbaum serves as TIHCs Director; Assistant
Director of Education Operations is Becky Warren; Manager for Administration and
Engagement is Ellen Anstey; Project Manager of Education Development is Kristin Gallas; Cindy
Vengroff serves as Museum Education Supervisor; Senior Staff includes Frank Clark, MaryBeth
Clark, Rebecca Lofgren, William Morton, and Sheli Turocy; Senior Museum Teacher is Seth
Cooper; Carole Meehan is TIHCs Logistics Coordinator; Mike Curran serves as Lead
Reservationist; and Marketing/Reservations falls under Carol Liasson.
Those interested in the Tsongas Industrial History Center can visit their offices at the Boott
Cotton Mills Museum at 115 John Street, Lowell, MA 01852. The TIHC can also be contacted
by phone at 978-970-5080.

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NEEDS ASSESSMENT
The TIHC is struggling with low attendance in one of their programs, titled Change in the
Making (CIM). Director Sheila Kirschbaum stated that there has been a noticeable decline in
sign-ups over the years, and she hypothesizes that this is due to adjustments in Massachusetts
schools curriculum. In the past, they have conducted surveys that address educators who
have attended CIM; however, they have never received feedback on these surveys. This issue
is mainly due to failure in receiving proper contacts, as well as not having an incentive for
completion of the survey (such as, submit your opinions by [specific date] to win a chance to
attend a program for free).
Furthermore, the TIHC houses binders full of feedback on their programsdifferent from the
surveybut no one has gotten around to sifting through them to pinpoint areas of interest for
CIM. The TIHC needs help attaining feedback not just from local teachers but also their own
museum staff, in order to decipher what needs to get done with CIMwhether it is revamping
the program, making curriculum additions, or scrapping it altogether. Thus, in order for the
TIHC to understand what kinds of questions to ask in their survey, they need someone to
decipher their audiences point of view better.
Arguably, the TIHCs greatest strength lies in its educational excellence. Their programs tackle
tricky historical and scientific concepts in a fun and hands-on experience for children. However,
they face a readability challenge with their written communication. The TIHC has found that
some information is inaccessible to their audienceyoung studentsas well as audiences they
are trying to reach out to morespecifically, citizens whose second language is English. Thus,
they seek a mode of communication that is as historically accurate as it is compelling, and may
be quickly read and understood by audiences of varying literacy.
In the past, they have had volunteers and intern students write Did You Know talking points
that cite significant historical and scientific data. They need more of these talking points in userfriendly format, with accompanying images and catchy titles. The TIHC would love to
incorporate these fact snippets into their social media, such as Facebook, Twitter, and their
website, in order to increase their web presence. However, as with the survey, they havent had
enough staff on hand to complete this project.
Continuing with the readability and web presence needs, the TIHC lacks web articles that
solidify their standing online as an Industrial History mecca. In their offices, they have archives

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of long-winded data sheets that are far too wordy and academic for the general public. The
TIHC needs this valuable information translated into short, compelling articles, in order to
increase readership and online presence, as well as to prompt local teachers involvement with
the TIHC, Park, and University. The center would use these articles to link to CIM in some way
in the interest of increasing audience interest and, hopefully, program attendance. Furthermore,
the articles could be used as curriculum for museum teachers, as the staff are always in need
of more educational resources.
As with almost any nonprofit, the TIHC toils with funding issues. This past year, they were
denied a grant from the National Park Service Northeast Region 2014 Youth/School Tran
sportation ($3000), and they have other endowments still pending. In order to ensure program
effectiveness and support education project development (such as with CIM), the TIHC has
continued to seek additional external funding.

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PROJECT COMPONENTS
SURVEY
1. This writing task will take the format of a survey, with fill in the dot rating system as well as
open-ended questions with space for personal comments. My audience is three-pronged:
school educators, museum teachers, and the general public. The purpose is to find holes in the
CIM programming.
2. To accomplish this task, I must conduct focus group interviews with museum staff and local
third-grade educators. I must conduct research into third-grade social studies curriculum in
order to target gaps in CIM programming. Project Manager Kristin Gallass original survey will
be used as a model for my updated one. On a broad level, I need to understand what the TIHC
wants done with CIM programming increased attendance, program adaptations, or
scrapping the program altogether.
3. This piece of writing will lead to help feedback on the CIM program, and may provide
answers (or clues to answers) in how to increase attendance to the CIM program.
TALKING POINTS
1. This writing task will take the format of brief scientific and historical fact snippets (~120
words). The audience is predominantly young students and ESL students; however, the general
public should be put into account if talking points are added to the TIHC web page. The
purpose of this task is to create a mode of communication that is as historically accurate as it is
compelling, and may be quickly read and understood by audiences of varying literacy. If added
to the web page, several talking points will link to CIM in order to increase audience interest and
prompt program enrollment.2. To accomplish this task, I must use existing historical documents
as a foundation for the talking points, as well as conduct any additional library research that is
needed. This may include curation of historically relevant images. I must also look to older
examples of talking points for guidance. Throughout this process, I must keep in mind the thirdgrade social studies curriculum, opportunities that may be applicable to CIM, and inspiration for
linkage to a longer online article.
3. It is of the utmost importance that the general public appreciates and utilizes the array of
educational opportunities the TIHC provides, specifically in their CIM program. This meets a
need TIHC has for increased attendance in CIM, as well as increased visitation overall and
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BRINGING NEW LIFE TO THE TSONGAS INDUSTRIAL HISTORY CENTER

INFORMATIONAL SHEETS
1. This writing task will take the format of brief articles and handouts (~5-10 paragraphs) of
historical and scientific significance and relevance. The audience is the general public, as well
as possibly the museum teachers. The purpose is to increase online presence, generate
possible curriculum resources, and prompt audience interest in CIM.
2. To accomplish this task, I must use existing documents as base for the updated and
shortened version, as well as conduct any additional library research that is needed. This may
include curation of historically relevant images. Throughout this process, I must keep in mind
the third-grade social studies curriculum as well as any opportunities that may be applicable to
CIM. I must also try to make connection to talking points.
3. This piece of writing will meet TIHC needs for increased CIM enrollment and greater online
presence.

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ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
Date

Description

Thursday, 9/17

research 2011-2015 CIM evaluations, make notes of what seems to work and
what doesnt

Monday, 9/21

review CIM program outline, make notes

Tuesday, 9/22

research 2011-2015 CIM evaluations, make notes of what seems to work and
what doesnt

Wednesday, 9/23

workshop research findings

Thursday, 9/24

finish up evaluation research and begin constructing survey questions

Monday, 9/28

brainstorm interview questions to ask staff

Tuesday, 9/29

interview staff in groups, research 3rd grade social studies curriculum, and
continue constructing survey

Wednesday, 9/30

workshop interview responses and progress of survey

Thursday, 10/1

interview more staff and continue curriculum research and constructing survey

Monday, 10/5

research how to get in contact with educators who have not attended the CIM

Tuesday, 10/6

final draft of survey

Wednesday, 10/7

workshop survey

Thursday, 10/8

have Sheli and Dr. Archibald look over survey

Tuesday, 10/13

research historical facts to make talking points

Wednesday, 10/14

workshop research and collaborate on ideas for first talking point

Thursday, 10/15

make first talking point and send out survey

Monday, 10/19

talking points

Tuesday, 10/20

talking points

Wednesday, 10/21

workshop talking points

Thursday, 10/22

attend and observe CIM workshops, take notes

Monday, 10/26

talking points, read over CIM workshop notes

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Date

Description

Tuesday, 10/27

attend and observe CIM workshops, take notes

Wednesday, 10/28

talking points and share notes on CIM workshop observations

Thursday, 10/29

talking points, research and create informational sheets

Monday, 11/2

research and create informational sheets

Tuesday, 11/3

talking points, research and create informational sheets, possible survey results

Wednesday, 11/4

workshop informational sheets, discuss possible survey results

Thursday, 11/5

talking points and informational sheets, meeting over survey results

Monday, 11/9

talking points and informational sheets

Tuesday, 11/10

talking points and informational sheets

Thursday, 11/12

talking points and informational sheets

Monday, 11/16

discuss ideas for different research methods

Tuesday, 11/17

talking points and informational sheets

Wednesday, 11/18

workshop talking points and informational sheets

Thursday, 11/19

talking points and informational sheets

Monday, 11/23

discuss ideas for production of talking points (Twitter, on site, etc.)

Tuesday, 11/24

talking points and informational sheets

Wednesday, 11/25

workshop talking points and informational sheets, ask Dr. Archibald if she can
make edits

Monday, 11/30

discuss possible use of talking points during next years centennial celebrations

Tuesday, 12/1

talking points and informational sheets

Wednesday, 12/2

workshop talking points and informational sheets

Thursday, 12/3

talking points and informational sheets

Monday, 12/7

talking points and informational sheets

Tuesday, 12/8

talking points and informational sheets

Wednesday, 12/9

workshop talking points and informational sheets

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