RED CAR MEMORIES

Complete Pacific Electric Railway Company San Fernando Valley Transfer book - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley by Gary Fredburg - 2008
The "Red Cars" were once so much a part of life in the San Fernando Valley, that they are still part of the romantic memory of our city. Transportation and Transportation history is a major interest of your Museum.

THANKS for the outstanding Board Meeting on February 27th at the Lankershim Arts Center.

ART MAKES US THINK. ART MAKES US LAUGH. ART MAKES US WONDER.

Pickwich Swim School - Gift to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - from Gary Fredburg 2008

A friend of the Museum Community, Linda Moore encourages us to visit this web site. Let your Museum know your opinion of this community-arts experience. Is it a prank? Is it art?
http://www.maniacworld.com/frozen-in-grand-central-station.htm

LOS ANGELES POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL c. 1905

This last weekend, I attended the really interesting Vintage Paper Collectors Show in Glendale, California. Just for fun I bought this post card of Los Angeles Polytechnic High School for the background files of Phyllis Hansen, who is building a biography of the California artist Orpha Klinker. Orpha attended Polytechnic HS sometime in the 1930s.
But, as is typical of historical exploring, the postcard itself created as many questions as it answered.
Phyllis wrote, the postcard "... is fascinating for a lots of reasons. I noticed the postmark is 1905, two years before the U.S. Postal Service sanctioned the message postcard allowing an address and a message on the back side. This was the start of the postcard boom, so cards prior to that are more rare.
Also interesting that this architect also did a building for the Chicago Exposition of 1893--but Daniel Burnham was the architect in charge of the whole fair. Cannot find if they were any relation, but the styles are so similar.
What became of this original campus, and where is the one located
today? Somewhere in the San Fernando Valley, I believe...?"
Gary Fredburg, Vice President of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley, found this information on the Valley's Polytechnic High School website:
"Our school had its beginning in 1897 as a commercial branch of the only high school in our city, the Los Angeles High School, located on the present site of the Board of Education. In 1905, Polytechnic was moved to the corner of Washington Blvd. and Flower St. in what is now downtown Los Angeles. Polytechnic is the second oldest high school in our city.
To commemorate our distinguished founder and first principal, John H. Francis was added to the school's name in 1935. The bust of John H. Francis (which is presently in our school's auditorium lobby) was first unveiled at the original Poly High School in 1931.
In 1955 it was decided to move Polytechnic to a new site where it could best serve the needs of our changing city. In February of 1957 Poly moved to its present site in the San Fernando Valley and opened its doors to new students. Our present campus was built at a cost of over six million dollars and covers forty acres.
Our school is a comprehensive high school, offering courses in all academic fields and several vocational areas, but we are proud of the name Poly as are thousands who have benefited from its educational opportunities in the past."


The San Fernando Valley deserves a great Museum of history and culture.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAN FERNANDO VALLEY POET AND PLAYWRIGHT WILLARD SIMMS FEBRUARY 22

Post card of the Mission San Fernando Rey de España - c 1930s - Gift to the Museum from Gerald Fecht 2008

Three poems by Willard Simms, member of the Board of Directors of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley and Chair of the Museum's Performing Arts Committee.

EVER TOGETHER (For Rania)
The soul can seldom sleep alone.
The body hunts its nest, curls up, and purrs
But the soul must keep perusing the palette of human experience
Searching for its complementary color.


Are we blue - you and I?
The sky at noon, reflecting heat but not absorbing it.
Or are we the soft hued crimson of twilight?
A splash of brief intensity 

Within the silhouette of a darkening sky.
I only know that when I rest with you in the deep Nightness
I feel at home.
Not alone.

No longer separate but joined with all living forms.
Past, present, and future unite 
At one moment in the bed where we commingle, forever.
Willard Simms Copyright ©2008

THE FLY FISHERMAN

I kneel at the bank
 Not - to make a deposit
 But a trout withdrawal.


Dark stones in water
Grow fins, a tail - are darting
To sip their dinner.


They fin the clear water
The nymph dives, stops - is eaten
The magic begins.


The rod lifts and a
Rainbow - too big to be here,
Splashes in frenzy.


Feathers and thread joining
On a hook - became alive
Then were trout eaten.


My fish swims away
The moment frozen by film
His legend begins.
Willard Simms Copyright ©2008


UNTITLED
I look through my window at the blueberry hue

Of the sky outside as the light fades to gray

And the water begins to dissolve the new day

Into a California Fall, where summer flew - away.

Willard Simms Copyright ©2008

FEBRUARY MEETING OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Dick Powell postcard - collection of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley - gift of Gerald Fecht 2008

The February meeting of the Board of Directors and Advisors to The Museum of the San Fernando Valley will take place on:
Wednesday Evening - February 27, 2008
5108 Lankershim Boulevard - North Hollywood
6 pm promptly until 7:30 pm
North Hollywood, CA 916018

CHARLES WILLARD HULETT CAPTURED THE SPIRIT OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY IN THE 1930s.

Country Road San Fernando Valley c. 1934. Collection of the Diane and Guy Weddington McCreary - Weddington Ranch

Charles Willard Hulett was born on the 25th of July 1903 in Fairmount, Indiana. He arrived in Los Angeles in the early 1930s and continued his studies in art in the city. He studied at Otis Art Institute and the Art Center School.
Hulett was a member of the San Fernando Valley Art Association was elected president of the Association on November 4th, 1945. He was instrumental in overseeing the printing of the organization's first news letter, the Paint Rag, in 1946. He was also a member of the California Art Club, the Painters and Sculptors of Los Angeles, and the Water Color Society. He also worked as an illustrator and cartoonist.
Mr. Hulett died on the 13th of May, 1971 in Los Angeles.

THANKS! MARY MALLORY - FOR LA TIMES LETTER SUPPORTING WEDDINGTON HOUSE

Plum Tree in Bloom - Tarzana, California - February 14, 2008
Keep History in Mind
Letter to the Los Angeles Times in Response to an Article Entitled
"They Want This Place to Stay Put" Feb. 8, 2008

The Weddington House belongs in North Hollywood, as one of the last vestiges of the San Fernando Valley/s early farming community. It should form a historic district with the 1895 train station, the North Hollywood Library and the Fire Station, all of which stand on land formerly owned by the Weddingtons.
Guy Weddington McCreary's pledge of $100,000 if it remains in North Hollywood would provide much security, restoration and upkeep, something that Heritage Square can't match. We in North Hollywood, Toluca Lake and Studio City are passionate about preserving our history and buildings where they are, and using the Weddington House as the home for a museum of the San Fernando Valley."
Mary Mallory Studio City Feb. 14, 2008

THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY - HOME OF HARLEYS - OLD AND NEW

Mural at Barger Harley-Davidson in Canoga Park - 2008 - Photo in archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley
Mural at Barger Harley-Davidson in Canoga Park - 2008 - Photo in archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley

Mural at Barger Harley-Davidson in Canoga Park - 2008 - Photo in archives of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley

THE WEDDINGTON PLATE

Diane McCleary holds 99 year old Weddington Plate - Photo by Gerald Fecht for the Museum of the San Fernando Valley 2008

in 1909, the Weddington Brothers General Merchandizing and Farm Products Company presented their customers with this splendid commemorative calendar plate. Want to give the Brothers a telephone call? The number is Glendale 001.
Just ask anybody in Lankershim, California and they will know where the Weddington Brothers General Merchandizing store is located.
The Museum Community, working to make a great Museum of history and culture for the San Fernando Valley a reality, believes that the historic Weddington House should stay right where it belongs in North Hollywood (once Lankershim Toluca) California.

SHEL SHOTS ART AT THE WM. S. HART RANCH

Shel Weisbach of The Museum of the San Fernando Valley wants you to know:

Art at Hart
April 26, 2008
Saturday, 7:00 pm
An exclusive tour of the priceless art and Western artifacts in silent
film star Bill Hart's Spanish Colonial mansion followed by an artist's
quick draw and auction. Western artists create works of art in one
hour's time while you watch. The works of art will be auctioned off
following the quick draw. Petit buffet served.

Tickets are $20 per person. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting

www.cowboyfestival.org or by calling
661-286-4021.

WOODEN XMAS CARD PRINT BY ORPHA KLINKER

Orpha Klinker - Christmas Card Print on Wood - 1941 -
Collection of Phyllis Hansen - 2008

This composite image Christmas card print was done by the amazing Orpha Klinker in 1941. Phyllis Hansen notes that the card has a reference to "black outs", so it must have been done after the outbreak of World War II.
Around 1940, Orpha began doing commemorative images of various States and cities of the USA, on collectible china plates.
Orpha wasn't proud and augmented her income as an artist in many ways. But, she made a living in arts - no small accomplishment.
The work above is a print done on paper. It was printed to look like wood. Fooled me!
When The Museum of the San Fernando Valley lands a headquarters, we'll start searching for Orpha Klinker plates and buy them for you and future generations.

The San Fernando Valley deserves a great Museum of history and culture.

THE STRUGGLE TO KEEP SAN FERNANDO VALLEY HERITAGE - IN THE VALLEY

Tarzana Orange Tree - 2008 - The Museum of the San Fernando Valley
The argument for removal of art, artifacts and even buildings from their original sites is nothing new. The British Museum argues that the Elgin Marbles are SO much safer in London. Powerful organizations, with powerful (and, full time administrative staffs) gain stature by their collections, and too often at the expense of weaker, less funded organizations. In a classic "blaming the victim" scenario, folks who try to keep their local heritage are chastised with barbs like, "why weren't you better organized! Why didn't you see us coming for your art or historic treasures?"

The San Fernando Valley has at yet no great Museum of art and culture, organized and funded to lay preemptive protections from those who would come to demolish our treasures, buy our patrimony, or simply rip us off. Priceless objects from our entertainment industry heritage are simply sold away on E-bay.

HAVING TO FIGHT TO KEEP THE HISTORIC WEDDINGTON HOUSE IN THE VALLEY - AND TO INSURE THAT IT IS SAFEGUARDED FOR HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL PURPOSES IS GOOD FOR US!

We may lose the battle over the Weddington House. Our opponents are powerful, better organized, and well funded. But, this time the Museum Community is determined to fine-tune our organization. We will ask those who wrote emails to Councilman Tom LaBonge, the Cultural Heritage Commission and the Mayor to join with us to build an organization that few will want to "mess with!" The downtown establishment expects that we will fade away after the heat of the moment. But, they are wrong. If the Weddington House ends up in Heritage Square, we will continue to relentlessly fight to see it returned to the San Fernando Valley - if it takes years!

JOIN THE MUSEUM COMMUNITY TODAY. You can help in lots of ways.
1) Support your Museum financially
2) Join one of the Museum's Community Committees
3) Safeguard Valley history by donating your historical objects to the Museum or another local Valley history site.
4) Keep those letters and e-mails going to City Hall and to the media
5) Help us find corporate support
6) Identify historical and cultural places in the Valley - we'll get them included on the city-wide Getty survey
7) Send us your name, address, telephone no and email and become part of the Valley's Museum Community data base.

Thanks for caring.
The San Fernando Valley deserves a great Museum of history and culture.

TEN REASONS TO ATTEND SATURDAY’S VIP FUNDRAISER FOR THE STUDIO FOR SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HISTORY

10. Celebrate CHINESE NEW YEAR in Chinatown amidst DRAGONS & FIRECRACKERS!

9. Check out “PLAYING PLACE: SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SPORTS ACROSS TIME” the Studio’s current exhibit

8. the opportunity to chomp into LOS ANGELES PIZZA KITCHEN SLICES!

7. Experience the Poetry of DOWNTOWN BROKER & POET ED ROSENTHAL who has seen it all!

6. Hear MAX BENAVIDEZ read Maria De Flor / a Day of the Dead Story : Una Historia Del Dia De Los Muertos to the younger set!

5. Chow down on Zagat-rated HOP LI EGG ROLLS!

4. Listen and tap your toes to the sounds spun by DJ WANDA, rockabilly extraordinaire

3. the chance to win DODGERS, KINGS OR REGAL CINEMA TICKETS in our Raffle!

2. See & hear super talented octogenarian LEONARD BLUETT perform songs that he has done for royalty across the globe!

1. Receive COMFORT AND CONFIDENCE IN KNOWING YOU ARE SUPPORTING the preservation of SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HISTORY

Saturday, February 9, 2008
525 Alpine Street, Suite 103
Los Angeles, CA 90012
4 – 9 pm, $20 tickets available at the door!

Special Thanks to Field’s Piano, Los Angeles Pizza Kitchen, the Dodgers, the Kings, Regal Cinemas, Max Benavidez, DJ Wanda, Ed Rosenthal, Hop Li, Los Angeles Pizza Kitchen, Rosa Mazon, Maria Heman, Josh Gill for making this event possible through their generous donations of services and time!

Sharon Sekhon
Director
the Studio for Southern California History

525 Alpine Street, Suite 103
Los Angeles, CA 90012
213-229-8890
http://www.socalstudio.org

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." --Marcel Proust

WEDDINGTON HOUSE ISSUE IN LOS ANGELES TIMES

There is an extensive article about the attempt to save the Weddington House in today's Los Angeles Times.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-house8feb08,1,6059173.story
The goals Weddington House Committee and The Museum of the San Fernando Valley are simple:
1) keep the house in the San Fernando Valley
2) keep the house in North Hollywood
3) move the house to a transportation-friendly site
4) restore the house for the purposes of history and culture, not as
administrative center for other uses.

Tom LaBonge's office got over 50 emails from us! Keep him informed of your wishes.

ORPHA KLINKER'S PASTEL OF CHRISTINE STERLING

Pastel by Orpha Klinker

The amazing Orpha Klinker surrounded herself with the doers and shakers of her era. Here she catches Cristine Sterling, the woman who saved the historic Avila Adobe on Olvera Street from destruction. Mrs. Sterling loved the Latino heritage of our city and joined with others like the artist and illustrator Orpha Klinker to product and increase public awareness for historic buildings.
Often women like Sterling, Klinker and Armitage-Forbes had to act at the spur of the moment to save historic structures from demolition.

The San Fernando Valley deserves a great Museum of history and culture. The San Fernando Valley deserves more great women like Christine Sterling and Orpha Klinker to help us become proactive, rather than last-minute reactive, to historic preservation.

WEDDINGTON CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE HISTORY OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

Just some of what the Weddington family did…..

· Came to North Hollywood in 1880’s as ranch managers for the Lankershim/Van Nuys family
· Bought and begin farming their own land at Lankershim and Chandler
· Wilson Weddington serves as Sheriff of our community
· Begin operation of Weddington Brothers General Store
· 1892 Petition for a U S Post Office and Official recognition as the “Town of Toluca ”. Wilson Weddington is named first Postmaster for the town and the first U S Post Office is set up in the living room of the Weddington House.
· 1892 Fight to bring Southern Pacific Railroad to Valley. While they succeed, the railroad names the new station “Lankershim”. Area farmers, thanks to the Weddingtons – can now ship their crops across the country and beyond.
· Weddington family manage and then purchase the Bonner Packing Company. The largest and most advanced fruit packing and canning company in the region. Agriculture now booms.
· Weddington builds the first theater in the community – the El Portal Theater. They build the theater on the site of their house.
· The Weddington House is moved 300 feet north, just across from the train station and town square.
· Recognizing that farmers need capitol to be successful, the Weddington’s form the first local bank. That bank will become Secuity Bank, and continues to stand on the Weddington’s old homestead property at Lankershim and Chandler . Weddington manages that bank for more than 30 years.
· The Weddington House is moved again (to the present site) to make room for the bank building.
· The Weddington family makes a gift of the first fire station to the community, which still stands today, on Weddington Street – just behind the El Portal Theatre. Later, when that station becomes two small, they build a second larger station, which still stands today as Fire Station Number 60, at the corner of Chandler and Vineland.
· Knowing that a growing community needs open space, the Weddington family leads an effort to build North Hollywood Park . Later, Weddington will fight to build the North Hollywood Library, which still stands in the Park.
· Weddington family later extends their commitment to open space by donating farm land for the creation of both North and South Weddington Parks .
· When Hollywood would “boom” with studios, the Weddington family would argue to change the name of Lankershim to North Hollywood – hoping to encourage studios to expand to the Valley.
· The Weddington family would create the first North Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and the first North Hollywood JayCee’s.
· The Weddington family would help in the fight to bring water from the Owens Valley to Los Angeles , and later argue for the creation of the 101 Freeway, to create a direct transportation link from Los Angeles to the San Fernando Valley

These are just some of the things the Weddington family did for our community. Please help us preserve their heritage.

SAVING THE HISTORIC WEDDINGTON HOUSE FOR THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY

SAVING THE HISTORIC WEDDINGTON HOUSE FOR THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY


Dear concerned residents of the San Fernando Valley.

I am writing to you on an urgent matter. The priceless old Weddington Home, the mother-house of North Hollywood and Toluca Lake is about to be moved miles from the Valley to the Arroyo Seco off of the Pasadena Freeway.
It is our understanding JSM Capital, LLC, a responsible Valley area developer who owns the property on which the house presently stands, plans to pay for its removal, a new foundation and reasonable restoration. The house was moved years ago to its present site, therefore the land on which it stands does not have historic significance. We salute JSM Capital for its respect for our community's heritage. However, moving the Weddington House from the San Fernando Valley is a tragic mistake.
Over 1,800,000 people make their homes and living in the San Fernando Valley. Unfortunately little regard has been demonstrated to the preservation of our history until recent years. The Museum Community believes that with so very few historical homes left in the Los Angeles suburbs in the Valley, that important structures such as the Weddington House must be preserved and left in the places where their historic impact was made.
The Weddington House is the last surviving original farm house, and the last surviving building owned by a great family who contributed so much to the creation and success of our community. The family of Wilson C. Weddington established North Hollywood, Toluca Lake and impacted the development of the entire San
Fernando Valley. They opened our first banks, post office, and helped develop the North Hollywood Fire Department as well as North Hollywood Park.
Valley school children, teachers and other residents should have access to the Weddington house. The structure should be relocated near where the Orange Line Busway and Red Line Subway meet.
The Museum of the San Fernando Valley is prepared to step forward to manage the Weddington House in exchange for the structure's accessibility to the public for cultural and historical exhibits and a headquarters from which to plan and develop a great museum of history and culture to serve the entire San Fernando Valley. However, irrespective of the Museum's possible stewardship of the house, we believe that it should remain where it belongs in the NoHo district of Los Angeles.
We understand the urgency that the developers feel about getting their investment project underway. But, now is a "how to" time, rather than "why we can't do it" time. The house can still be moved in a timely manner, (actually saving the developer money, if it is moved locally) at the unused edge of a local park or other city-owned land.
Thank you for your time and consideration.

Gerald R. Fecht Ph.D.
President The Museum of the San Fernando Valley
21031 Ventura Boulevard
Suite 419
Woodland Hills, CA 91364

March 12, 1928 St. Francis Dam Collapses - Historic Lecture

Shel Weisbach, Contemporary History and Popular Culture Director for The Museum of the San Fernando Valley alerts the Museum Community to an important lecture.

80 Years Later, Dam Still Fascinates Historians
SCVHS sponsors free lecture on St. Francis Dam disaster for students and history buffs March 8; fundraiser tour to be conducted March 9.

The second-worst natural disaster in California history occurred March 12, 1928 when the St. Francis Dam collapsed, sending a wall of water
rushing through San Francisquito Canyon and the Santa Clara River
canyons, killing 450 and laying waste to thousands of acres of land. To

commemorate the 80th anniversaryof the disaster, the Santa Clarita
Valley Historical Society will host two events exploring the dam break
and its aftermath.

At 1 p.m. Saturday, March 8, noted dam lecturer Frank Rock will give a
free 90-minute lecture on the disaster at the Saugus Train Station in
Heritage Junction, which will include a multimedia presentation of
photographs, maps and other memorabilia. Doors will open at noon for
the
lecture; no reservations will be taken, so arrive early for a good
seat.

On Sunday, March 9, Rock will conduct a motorcoach tour and hike of the

dam ruins as a fundraiser for the Society at 1 p.m. Tickets for the
Sunday lecture and tour are $35 per person, which includes water and
snacks. Participants should wear comfortable walking shoes and long
pants for the moderate hike. The tour will last approximately three
hours, when the motor coaches will return to Heritage Junction.

Rock is a historian who has been featured on the History Channel,
Discover and the Learning Channel and is considered the expert on the
disaster. He is currently working with noted geologist J. David Rogers
on a book about the disaster and has lectured on the disaster at the
California Conference of Historical Societies Symposium, College of the

Canyons and other groups of historical interest.

Tour reservations may be made via credit card by calling (661) 254-1275

or by mail by sending check or money order to the Santa Clarita Valley
Historical Society, P.O. Box 221925, Newhall, CA, 91322-1925. Seats are

limited, so make reservations early to guarantee a spot for the tour.
Any remaining seats will be sold the day of the tour on a first-come,
first-served basis. Unforseen road or forest closures may cause
cancellation of the tour.


--
Alan Pollack, MD
President and Program Chairman
Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society
alan@scvhistory.com
www.scvhs.org
www.scvhistory.com

LA OFFICE OF HISTORIC RESOURCES SEEKS INPUT

The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission Seeks Your Input on City's Preservation Ordinance
The Office of Historic Resources and the Cultural Heritage Commission (CHC) invite you to participate in a special Commission policy workshop on February 7, 2008 - a meeting that will provide the first public forum to discuss a significant overhaul of the City's historic preservation ordinance.

The staff of the Office of Historic Resources is proposing important changes aimed at strengthening demolition review procedures, clarifying criteria for historic designation, and enhancing notification of private property owners. The City of Los Angeles' Cultural Heritage Ordinance, originally approved by the City Council in 1962, created the procedures for the designation and protection of significant Los Angeles buildings and sites a Historic-Cultural Monuments. While the Ordinance has undergone several minor, procedural modifications, it has never been comprehensively updated to give our City a state-of-the-art historic preservation program.

OHR staff has conducted considerable research on other cities' ordinances and has utilized guidance publications from the State Office of Historic Preservation to propose ordinance language that reflects "best practices" nationally.

The Cultural Heritage Commission has scheduled an initial public workshop on these ordinance amendments for
February 7, 2008, 10:00 a.m. in Room 1010 of City Hall (200 N. Spring St., in downtown Los Angeles). This meeting will
also include a presentation on the Office of Historic Resources' work program for 2008, and an update on SurveyLA, the Los Angeles Historic Resources Survey. The commission also welcomes your written comments and suggestions on these proposals in the coming weeks as the OHR and Commission finalize a draft ordinance for submission to the City Council later this year.

To review a summary of the ordinance recommendations under review by the Commission, please go to:
http://www.preservationla.org/files/Ordinance%20Update%20Summary%202-07-08.p

THE MUSEUM OF THE SAN FERNANDO VALLEY SALUTES WOMEN'S HITORY MONTH

March is Women's History Month and a special time to honor the achievements of all women across the globe. But NoHo Gallery LA celebrates with ART...highlighting an impressive collection of women artists and woman-inspired art by, yes, a few talented men. Featured artists are:
Melissa Leslie
Margaret Blanchett
Bryan Fair
Irena Jablonski
Daniel Quinones
Milenna Saraiva
Sandra Sarmiento
Lolo Scarpitta
Nicle Waldron
And more
Free, Open-to-all Reception: Thursday, February 28 from 6:30-10:30pm
Exhibit runs: February 23 - March 28, 2008

Lisa Bianconi
Editor
NoHo Communications Group, Inc.
www.nohoartsdistrict.com

DANA GIOLA WILL SPEAK AT BARNSDALL ON Feb. 13th.

Dana Giola
Wednesday, February 13, 7:30 pm at Barnsdall Gallery Theatre

Zócalo and the City of L.A. Department of Cultural Affairs Present

Dana Gioia, “Why the Arts Matter”

Dana Gioia, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, visits Zócalo to discuss the impoverishment of American popular culture and "the need to reopen the conversation between our best minds and the broader public." He argues that the real purpose of arts education isn't to produce more artists but to "create complete human beings capable of leading successful and productive lives in a free society." Something happens, he says, when an individual actively engages in the arts—be it reading a novel at home, attending a concert at a local church, or seeing a dance company perform at a college campus—that awakens both a heightened sense of identity and civic awareness. He warns that America's cultural decline has "huge and alarming economic consequences."