Docents are passionate people. And not just about art. The energy, time, and dedication our docents put into what they do extends out into the entire community. Here is a wonderful article/release from the Tulsa Public Schools website about one of these special people.The passion of a late docent at the Philbrook Museum of Art is now housed at a district school so students can experience a celebrated historical period.
Docent Mary Lynn Cornwell, a native of Kansas, dedicated much of her time to furthering the public's appreciation of what the Philbrook offers.
“She was the quintessential teacher and the Renaissance was her love,” said Roselle Tyner, a Philbrook staffer acquainted with Cornwell for years.
The museum honored Cornwell by creating the Renaissance Resource Kit—a treasure trove for collectors containing costumes, books, puzzles and replicas of the Renaissance era. Officials decided to give the kit to Edison Preparatory Middle School since sixth-grade students studying the Renaissance take an annual field trip to the Philbrook to explore what life was like back then. A Philbrook program called Visual Voyage examines Renaissance art, architecture and dance.
“Edison is such a great school and comes every year so we elected to give it to them,” said Cindy Williams, the Philbrook’s museum educator.
“We bring over 300 students to the Philbrook each year so they knew we would use it and put it to great use,” said teacher Elizabeth Humphrey.
The kit will remain in Edison’s library, accessible to everyone.
“Now we will have more resources to use so we can get out of our textbooks and feel like we are a part of the Renaissance period. It will add to the students’ studies. It was such a blessing,” said Humphrey.
