To the editor:

I disagree with recent criticisms concerning Watkins Community Museum of History. The museum has had many excellent exhibits including “Vietnam: A Self-Inflicted Wound,” the Taiwan government’s traveling exhibit, “Year of the Rooster,” and “Days of the Dead,” a celebration for the Mexican-American community to honor their ancestors. A Mary Watson oil painting was on display in the evolving exhibit titled “A Few of Our Favorite Things” and the architecture of Douglas County was recently featured.

Currently, an exhibit of 33 Currier and Ives prints portraying the history of harness racing is on display. This exhibit is on loan from the Harness Racing Museum in Goshen, N.Y. It complements the history of Bismarck Grove exhibit. A recent outreach exhibit, “La Yarda,” tracing the historical roots of the Lawrence Mexican-American community, was completed.

The museum offers children’s programs and presentations for the preservation of home collections, and hosts the Kansas Humanities Council’s first-person interpretations of historical figures. There is a wonderful gift shop, which the current staff is operating in addition to its other responsibilities.

What the museum needs are volunteers to help catalog years of unprocessed materials inherited by the present staff, funding to purchase shelving and storage facilities, a proactive board to seek those funds, and supporters. Where is the community support? Ms. Helm, as a “history buff,” would be a valuable volunteer. Perhaps the board, which seems to have become stagnant, should include someone from the County Commission and businesspeople and not just members of the historical society.

Jane A. Chamberlain,

Lawrence