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Early History of Mastodon Art/Science Regional Fair of Jefferson County The Mastodon Park Art/Science Connection Fair Committee under the leadership of Eva Kirkpatrick, recently retired State Director of Missouri Academy of Science, Jr. Division, began in 1991 in order to implement an Art/Science Fair for Jefferson County school children, grades kindergarten to twelfth. The purpose of the fair is to promote natural, prehistoric and environmental projects through the medium of art in its various forms and scientific involvement using physical, biological, chemical, naturalistic and energy concepts. Dorothy Boyer Heinze, the founder of the fair in 1979
and now Director Emeritus, has connections with the Mastodon State
Historic Site in
Jefferson County, Mo. (The original name of the site was Mastodon State
Park. Dorothy Heinze helped raise the money that made the Park possible.
In 1996, the park was renamed Mastodon State Historic Site to reflect
the significance of the facility as (pre) historic rather than recreational.)
In the early years, the site was adequate for the 15-30 students that
participated in the fair. In 1993, the fair outgrew the site as it
only holds 165 exhibits. Though they no longer host the fair, Mastodon
State Historic Site has a new role to play . . . projects winning special
presentation awards are displayed for public viewing at the facility
through May 1. We salute the Mastodon Park Committee for their dedication
to science and art through their continued sponsorship of the fair. (Visit
the place where our fair had its beginnings: Mastodon
State Historic Site. Jefferson College now serves as the host institution. Its field house is the largest building in Jefferson County. By 1997 the Fair filled approximately 90% of the field house. Parking for the 1300 parents and friends that attend the Award Ceremonies at the end of the Fair is adequate. The incorporation of this not-for-profit entity recognizes the formal existence of the Fair Committee. Charter members were Eva Kirkpatrick, Dorothy Heinze, Sharon Tricamo, Glee Heiligtag Naes, Vera McCullough and Deborah Beezley. Lillian Mangelsdorf Hoering has also contributed to the Fair since the beginning. The Mastodon Park Art/Science Fair is a complete success and will be presented on an annual basis in Jefferson County. Academic participants regard the Fair as the finest educational effort made in Jefferson County in many years. The Fair achieves success in interesting the school children in prehistoric and natural environments. Two grants from Missouri Art Council enabled 66 Jefferson County art teachers from public, private, parochial and home schools to improve the quality and quantity of art exhibits sent to the Fair. Workshop instructors paid by grant money taught the use of color and design techniques. The vivid improvement in the pupils' works of the 66 teachers who attended the workshops is evident in the grades given by the 76 judges. Two grants from CPWS District C-1 assisted three Science workshops of 25 teachers each to teach the fundamentals rules and regulations of entering a Science Fair. In 1997 a two-hour instructional video made at Jefferson College, "Science Fair-Be A Winner", was released free to Jefferson County teachers. Public demand for video was unexpected and appreciated. Cost was determined at $19.95. Jefferson College released the rights of the video to the Fair so any profit can go to the support of the Fair. After negotiations with the Greater St. Louis Fair the Mastodon Fair received their Regional charter on August 7,1997. The affiliation with Science Service in Washington D.C. followed on September,1997 allowing the Mastodon Fair now to send every year one Jefferson County science-worthy student from 9-12th grade to the International Science and Engineering Fair. Jefferson Memorial Hospital of Jefferson County committed themselves to sponsor this outstanding opportunity for a student. Since the Mastodon Fair emphasizes the close connection between the artist and the scientist it was necessary to supply an equal opportunity for an art student. There was nothing of the caliber to the science trip in the U.S. for an art student. The Mastodon Fair made history. Under the guidance of Porter Arneill, Regional Art Council of St. Louis, the art teachers that participated in the Fair met and drafted rules and regulations for the Neo-Renaissance Award. The 9-12 grade winner of this prestigious award would be rewarded a 3-4 day trip to Chicago to tour all the art and science museums. By law a chaperone must accompany both the science and art students. The Twin City Kiwanis agreed to undertake the sending of the art student for a trial period of three years. The name evolved to Mastodon Art/Science Regional Fair of Jefferson County sponsored by Jefferson Memorial Hospital and Twin City Kiwanis. The Fair is hosted by Jefferson College. Growth
The Mastodon Park Art/Science Connection Fair now the Mastodon Art/Science Regional Fair of Jefferson County has become a major prestigious Fair in Jefferson County answering a critical need for teachers and students alike. In 1997 we discovered we were the largest Art/Science Fair in the U.S. Last Updated: December 10, 2007 |
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