(Morristown, NJ)- The Morris Museum is pleased to announce the fiftieth anniversary of the School Loan Program this fall. Since 1956, the School Loan program has provided exciting and enjoyable learning opportunities to people of all ages by offering portable boxed exhibits that contain handling objects and interpretive materials relating to subjects in the arts, sciences, history and humanities.

The boxes, containing artifacts, dioramas and mounted specimens of mammals, birds and insects, are meant to provide hands-on interaction, as well as to supplement and enhance learning experiences for schools, home school groups, libraries, senior residences, community groups and individuals. 

Chet Newkirk, the first professional director of the Morris Museum created the program in 1956 and modeled the program after the Newark Museum’s Lending Collection. Joan Clarke, former school loan curator, was also instrumental in creating the program and continued as curator for the program until 2005.  Similar to today, the department’s staff consisted of a corps of invaluable volunteers, including student interns.

“The School Loan program remains as valuable to the community today as it did 50 years ago,” said current School Loan Coordinator Ann Marie Cuskley. “We continue to provide the tools that are necessary for enjoyable and effective learning. Teacher evaluations reflect the importance of this hands-on education.”

Today, the program has more than 1,300 exhibit boxes.Although the Woodland Indian boxes and boxes about countries, including Greece, Mexico, Egypt and other countriesare most popular among our members, we offer boxesonmany topics, including atoms and molecules; famous black Americans, World War I, New Jersey sea life, butterflies and more.

Yearly membership in the program offers members unlimited use of the boxes throughout the year, which runs from September through August. A free catalogue lists offerings and provides exhibit descriptions with related New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards to aid teachers in choosing exhibits that fit curriculum needs. To request a catalogue, please call 973.971.3709.

In honor of the School Loan Program’s 50th Anniversary, the Morris Museum is offering a free gift to all members who stop by the School Loan office. The department is open for business Tuesday – Thursday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Founded in 1913, the Morris Museum explores and celebrates the arts, sciences and humanities through exhibitions, educational programs, performing arts and special events. The museum serves over 211,000 adults and children each year.

The Morris Museum, located at 6 Normandy Heights Road (at the corner of Columbia Turnpike) in Morristown, NJ, is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Thursday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Admission to the museum is $7 for adults and $5 for children, students and senior citizens. Admission is always free for museum members and is free to the public every Thursday between 1 and 8 p.m. For more information, call 973-971-3700, or visit www.morrismuseum.org.

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Photo available upon request.