Interviews with Brooke Dearman and Samantha Russell
Below is the full text of the interviews with Brooke Dearman and Samantha Russell.
Brooke Dearman Bids Au Revoir! to Joseph Priestley House Museum
Joseph Priestley House staffer Brooke Dearman resigned her position as of July 17, to take a new job as therapeutic support staff at Laurel Creek Counseling, Lewisburg. The Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 had called for elimination of the custodial assistant position she had filled.
Brooke spent two summers as an intern at the Joseph Priestley House Museum while a college student and then was hired fulltime in the summer of 1999.
Among her projects at the museum, she researched the life of Mary Russell, in order to portray her character for the public. Russell, a young friend of the Priestley family, visited them in Northumberland. Russell also fled England after the Birmingham riots. "A lot of people see me around town and say, 'Hey, you are that lady from the French Revolution.'"
History Camp was also one of Brooke's special responsibilities, and one she had hoped to enjoy one more time, but she was needed at her new job before camp was to begin. She said the camp has been a key factor in young people's later interests as junior volunteers.
Brooke taught volunteers how to answer phones, lead tours, work an often balky cash register. She enjoyed the many public open houses, costumed events, and workshops for children, she said. "I was influenced by many volunteers and never met one I wasn't happy to be working with. I will miss the enthusiasm of junior volunteers and I hope they will go on to be inspired by volunteerism when they are grown," she said.
Meeting Priestley scholars such as Robert Schofield was also intriguing, she said. "It's always interesting to come across those people on a day-to-day basis," she said.
Her seemingly new direction is actually a return to a longtime interest. She majored in psychology at Messiah College and is certified in Early Childhood Education. "It only took me a decade to find my way back. But I would not be able to go on in the field without the confidence in myself" gained from working and learning JPH, she said. "I really enjoyed the work and just loved what we all do together here."
She said she learned from Priestley's example and writings, particularly his forward-looking outlook on life. "Joseph Priestley has always been the invisible person who works here…he often refers to "a kind Providence" working in his life...not all events in his life seemed happy, but he seemed to feel that everything teaches you something, although the actual experience might not have been helpful at the time," she said.
Messiah College is opening a distance learning masters' program in Counseling, which she will also begin. "The economy is in a rough spot and this seemed like a giant neon sign in the sky," not to be ignored, she reflected.
After she settles into her new work and study schedule, Brooke hopes to stay involved at JPH as a volunteer.
Meet Summer Intern Samantha Russell
Q. How did you learn of the Joseph Priestley House internship?
A. "I was looking for an internship and I heard about the commonwealth program from my professor. Looking at the openings, Priestley House was near my home (South Williamsport)."
Q. Where are you a student?
A. "I'm majoring in history at Lock Haven University, midway through my junior year."
Q. What has working at Priestley House been like?
A. "It's been a great experience overall. Priestley House is small enough that I'm getting exposed to just about every aspect of running the place –so it's a great experience for me."
Q. While at JPH, you've been developing a project (to earn college credit)?
A. "Yes, I've been writing a few papers based on what I'm reading. My largest paper is on contemporary trends within the field of house museums, using Priestley House as a case study, and incorporating a lot that I've learned from things I've read. Basically from what I've understood there's been a great growth in house museums and many unfortunately are failing."
Q. What is your favorite aspect of your job?
A. "I have to say my favorite thing is working on the Robert Schofield archives, which surprised me. At first I thought it would be boring, but it's not at all. It's helped me understand the back story of Joseph Priestley, what he was thinking and feeling. I'm surprised how much information the letters hold; it's like a personal connection to his (Priestley’s) life."
Q. What's the most challenging part of your work?
A. "I guess it's going on tours. I have some difficulty relating the Joseph Priestley story to children so they feel intrigued and interested."
Q. What are your future plans or aspirations?
A. "I want to enter the field of public history, Native American history, so it means graduate school, and most likely working for the National Park Service."