Life During Wartime commemorates the 100th anniversary of the armistice ending the hostilities of World War I. The exhibit explores the varied experiences, both positive and negative, of University of Pennsylvania students, faculty and alumni during the years of the war, 1914 through 1918. As an institution of higher learning and a stronghold of the Republican eastern establishment, Penn's leadership demonstrated a strong sense of loyalty to historical class structures and free market economics. It was a time of personal courage for men and women, of active dedication to strongly held beliefs, and a community will to succeed. But it was also a difficult time, perhaps not unique in our country, to be in favor of peace—that is to resist the calls to demonstrate patriotism through taking up arms, to advocate for alternative political or economic structures, or to exist outside of the established white majority population. These local and national contexts illuminate the significance of the artifacts presented in this exhibit and reflect movements in contemporary material culture, the political and governmental response to war, and changes taking place within society.
A soft-cover, fully-illustrated, 132 page, color catalogue accompanies this exhibition. It includes and illustrated exhibition checklist and the essays: "Life During Wartime: Penn at Home and Abroad During the Great War," by Nick Okrent; "Who Belongs? Life in Philadelphia During the First World War," by Rebecca Stuhr; "'Nioc!! Nioc-Nioc!': Paul Philippe Cret, Penn's Poilu-Professor, and World War I," by Alisa Chiles; and "R. Tait McKenzie and the Science of Preparing and Reclaiming World War I Soldiers," by John F. Ditunno, Jr. The catalogue is available for purchase here.
Thursday, April 5, 2018, time 3-5:00pm
Conference
Class of 1978 Orrery Pavilion, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library, sixth floor
3420 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA
Reception will follow at 5:15-6:30 in the Kamin Gallery, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library, first floor
The exhibit will open with a brief symposium featuring presentations relevant to the exhibit's content and themes. Alisa Chiles, Penn PhD candidate in the History of Art, will speak about Paul Cret—Penn professor, architect, and French citizen; Dr. John Ditunno, Professor of Rehabilitation Medicine at Jefferson Medical College, will discuss R. Tait McKenzie—sculptor and physical therapist—who pioneered many important innovations for rehabilitation of the wounded; Mark Frazier Lloyd, Penn University archivist, will talk about the University and the war; and Vanessa Williams, PhD candidate in Musicology, will speak on the performance and circulation of music during the war on both sides of the Atlantic.
