So we did it again. We did another conference. It was awesome.
This year was such a vast improvement compared to 2017! And although I thought we did well in 2017, we did fantastically better. Maybe it was the better communication. Maybe it was the added signs (a few arrows pointing the wrong way that we fixed....I did that...). Maybe it was the improved menu. Maybe it was the addition of extra workshops. Maybe it was the in-depth look at originals with accompanying 19th century images. Maybe maybe maybe maybe.
Whatever it was, we had fun.
(The following photos are a mix from Andy Assenmacher, Jennifer Long, Matthew Music, Eric Smallwood, Sara Gonzalez and myself. They have taken pity on me and let me use their photos!)
Soiree
On Friday we mingled at The Historic Sawyer House in downtown Monroe. This included copious amounts of food and punch. We had a real southerner make the punch, so you know it was legitimate punch. Seriously, I ate more than my corset could handle! Some settled into conversations with friends, while others had their likeness taken by Robert Beech.
Rocking Horse Toys and games also brought a selections of period toys and games for people to enjoy throughout the night. There's nothing more satisfying than playing with toys!
Keynote Speakers
As a high school teacher, five days a week you can find me giving a lecture to a group of teenagers. I enjoy my job immensely, and it's part of the reason I adore offering educational opportunities to the reenacting community.
However...
I actually enjoying learning from others WAY more than speaking. Is it a needed break from my day job? Perhaps. Or maybe I know to learn from the best! In any case, here is the line-up of our seminar speakers, and their presentations. They were absolutely fantastic in every way! They prompted deep conversations about how we look at and talk about history.
Elizabeth Stewart Clark
An Eye for Detail: Examining Period Imagery
and
Our Latest Issue: Original Publications and What We Can Glean From Them
Robert Beech
19th Century Photography
Elizabeth Aldridge
Removing Roadblocks from Research
Jillian Drapala
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly; Female Anomalies of the Civil War
Workshops
Another addition to this conference: more workshops! Based on the surveys from the previous year, people wanted more hands-on opportunities to learn.
We also decided to add "drop in" to our Sunday schedule. Perhaps someone couldn't make their Friday class, or originally thought they had to leave earlier. Or maybe they spotted a near-complete project across the room on Saturday afternoon and were instantly smitten...whatever the case, these classes were full of happy, hardworking individuals ready to learn!
Collars~Sara Gonzalez
Cravats~Eric Smallwood
Textile Identification~Glenna Jo Christen
Fitting from Patterns
and
Draping~Elizabeth Stewart Clark
A Beaded Bracelet~Kristen Mrozek
Originals Area
This year we took a slightly different approach to displaying our original, 19th century items. You'll notice quite a few little signs with images and explanations. Possibly an excessive amount, upon reflection. That's because this year Glenna Jo and I set a ridiculous goal:
EVERY ORIGINAL MUST HAVE AN IMAGE.
Let's briefly recall our theme this year:
"How does imagery inform our historical representations?"
What does that mean? If we display a dress with a gathered bodice, a CDV of a woman with a gathered bodice will be featured below. That crazy men's plaid pattern of pants? Got it! Children's shoes? We found an advertisement in a 19th century magazine that is identical! Jewelry? Check. Cool perforated paper? There's the original instructions for that exact project in Godey's Lady's Book.
Learning from speakers is fantastic (especially those with images and wit). But many people are visual learners too. Last year we did have a display of original items, though it was difficult to compare those originals to images Glenna Jo and I know we've seen. Having an image right there helped everyone better understand what they were looking at. An amazing teaching tool!
It was one of the most difficult but rewarding things we've ever done.
(Glenna worked much harder on this than I did-she's awesome!)
Now let your eyeballs soak it in!
Vendor Area
I always find the vendors to be an essential part of what we do. Here we have a group of talented, research-driven individuals who reproduce many of the items we use in our impressions today. They are a valuable part of the reenacting community, and should be supported in every way. Needless to say, I spent a bit of money, as did many other eager conference attendees!
I must add that all of these hard-working individuals are very nice, and love to answer your questions. Feel free to message them from the links I've provided here.
They are two separate businesses, but shared a table!
*I will do a post about her conference coming soon!
Mrs. Christen's Miscellanea
Youth Workshop
We explored different topics in our youth workshop this year. With ages ranging from 8-30 (haha-me!), eleven young people congregated to discuss a variety of issues, from making their voices heard to implementing their own ideas within their reenacting units. It was fascinating to hear their hopes and struggles within the historical community as a whole. At dinner, a young person addressed the main conference with many of these thoughts...
And the lady speaking into the microphone? Miss Ava. She is an amazing young woman who did generally anything that was asked throughout the weekend. She manned the front door, participated in the youth workshop, and helped hand out prizes. In the future, I plan to continue utilizing young peoples' talents in every way. They are certainly awesome and are the future of reenacting.
Positivity Board
What is a "positivity board"?
Good Question.
As a society, we can sometimes focus on the negative. I battle with this in my classroom every day, and I know it doesn't necessarily stop in adulthood. I've created a "positivity board" to remind ourselves and others that YES! someone does care about you, and is grateful for your contributions to our community. It was basically a board with markers, sticky notes, and that warm fuzzy feeling in your chest when you see something that makes you happy.
While many of the notes were "thank yous," I saw beautiful writing. The best were written anonymously to speakers and fellow conference goers, offering their support in many ways. It gives me hope that we are going in the right direction, one filled with thoughtfulness and learning.
Conclusion
I do have a few more blog posts planned. As an event organizer, I feel compelled to share what worked, what didn't, and how we plan to improve each year. People read my blog for different reasons; you might be my Mom showing this post to friends, a curious future attendee, or an even more curious event planner, wondering just how in the heck we managed to pull this off again!
(Mom, I can help you download these pics later, just remind me...)
To me, the best part of the conference is watching groups of people come together in pursuit of knowledge. I witnessed at least one friendship bloom! I'm glad we can create a safe, welcoming environment where everyone can learn, share, and grow together. We left feeling a bit like a family; I know I said goodbye to many people that I wished would stay.
So here we are again. I've had a few weeks to clean out my car, cuddle with some kittens, and pretend that I live a normal life. But here's the burning question...are we doing another conference?
2019 Conference!
Here we come!
Details coming just as soon as I catch another breath.
Take care friends, and have another safe and fun reenacting season!
~Kristen
