By Emmet Burke September 23, 2024
When you think about an internship what comes to mind? Maybe it’s the long hours trying to pay your dues and get your foot in the door within an industry. Or is it tedious busy work and getting your boss a cup of coffee every day. Internships can be a grind when entering an industry you have a deep passion for but may know little about. Each internship experience is different and is made through the people you work with. Interning at The Salvation Army Central Territory Museum this past summer has been invaluable and unlike any internship I have had before. Working alongside experienced co-workers guiding me through their world has equipped me with knowledge that will set me up for success for future opportunities.
Before coming to the museum, I graduated from Miami of Ohio University with a degree in History and had two past internship experiences working with museums and collections. Entering this internship, I had somewhat of an idea of what my tasks would be and my ability to execute them given my past experiences. The true value of the internship came from absorbing the wealth of experience from my co-workers while listening to them discuss how to best manage the collection or a given project. Being at the museum for the past five months has really felt like a deep dive into the museum industry and has almost been like a “museum baptism” in collections management.
With the museum being tucked away on the second floor of the Territorial Headquarters, Salvation Army officers and staff may not know the inner workings and the contributions the museum department provides to the Central Territory. My initial steps into the archives were fascinating, to say the least. Just like so many others, coming into the Salvation Army I had only ever known about the thrift stores and the Red Kettles around Christmas time. I had no idea about the vast history the Salvation Army has with different corps, camps, home and hospitals, and disaster services in the Midwest stretching back to the late 19th century. There is always a new story to
find in the archives whether it is a specific officer’s career history or event organized by different divisions and corps. However, it took some time to nail down the nuances and nomenclature of the Salvation Army and I still struggle with it sometimes. Nevertheless, there are many long-standing ties of heritage and culture that really stand out. The museum holds a vital role in connecting the Salvation Army’s past to its present and preserving it for their mission and the future.
My role as the Collections Management Intern dealt mostly with the collections accessioning process. The museum regularly receives generous donations of all types of objects, photographs, and documents from Salvation Army officers, soldiers, and staff that add greatly to the museum collections. Using the collections management system I created temporary custody documents for items recently donated. I then prepared for and lead the collections review committee meetings to determine which items would become a permanent part of the museum’s collection. If any items were deemed not within the scope of the collection or were duplicates, they would either be returned to the donor or disposed of. Next, I prepared Deed of Gift documents which are an essential part of establishing legal ownership. After the signed Deeds were returned, I would catalog the donated items by photographing them and entering their information into the database. Additionally, I was tasked with taking the minutes for the deaccession review committee meetings where items that had already been cataloged are deemed out of the collection’s scope, have no provenance, or are in poor condition and are removed from the permanent collection. When all is said and done, familiarizing myself further with archiving and collections management is immensely beneficial and transferable to similar positions that I will eventually take on.
My favorite experience at The Salvation Army Central Territory Museum was leading the development of the 9/11 Anniversary temporary exhibit. As someone who was born after 9/11 it was an interesting experience researching the lead-up and events of 9/11 and the Salvation Army’s role at Ground Zero. Showcasing items that were donated by volunteers who served at Ground Zero was remarkable. The display gave Salvation Army officers and staff a chance to contemplate on the events of that horrific day and the Salvation Army’s role in providing comfort and spiritual care to first responders and survivors.
My internship experience was highlighted by the phenomenal mentorship from my co-workers. I worked closely with Dan Smaczny, the museum’s Registrar, Jean Crockett, the museum’s Curator, and Nanci Gasiel, the Museum Director. The knowledge they brought to the table truly taught me valuable skills that will transfer into my future positions.
They set up easy to follow workflows to assist me in operating the collections management system and completing various tasks. They were always open to answering my questions and, more importantly, wouldn’t criticize me for mistakes and instead helped me learn from them. On top of that, they included me in on projects they were already working on such as when we took a field trip to Northern Illinois University’s archives, or when we attended meetings with other departments to complete various projects, or even when we had pop-up meetings to discuss future exhibitions and collections projects. I was given the liberty to express my ideas despite only being an intern, which I very much appreciated.
Parlaying my experience at The Salvation Army Central Territory Museum with my past internships will undoubtedly put me on the right path to towards making my mark in the museum world. Despite only being there for a short time, I accomplished a great deal and took in as much as I could from the museum, THQ, and my co-workers. Interning at The Salvation Army Central Territory Museum was a wonderful experience and hopefully I’ll be back soon in a permanent role.
Feature Image: Emmet Burke standing next to the 9/11 display outside the chapel in the Salvation Army Central Territorial Headquarters.
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