Creating an Interpretive Program - Part 6 Alternatives featuring Interpreting for Park Visitors by William J. Lewis

When I first thought of putting together a set that resulted in the Creating a Program series, I had taken a moment to look around at other materials in program creation. There is more than one way to make a program. A book by William J. Lewis was brought to my attention called Interpreting for Park Visitors. It was a case of not judging a book by the cover as it seemed that this book would be superficial and not very helpful. The actual cover had cutesy animals gathered around a plump, pink, baby-thing in a Ranger hat. I admit I dismissed it and went on with the Interpretive Process Model of program creation. With the conclusion of the Creating a Program series, I picked it up for some career enrichment reading on a flight to California I made recently and it turned out to be a worthwhile after all. Rather than being superficial, it was more lighthearted guidance with another era. While Tilden wrote for his time, Lewis wrote for his; Tilden for the 1950s, Lewis for the late 1970s into 1980s. This post was initially going to be a book review but with the end of the Creating a Program and the renewed personal interest in this book, I decided to make it part of the series as an alternative means of program creation to highlight that there is no one way to create a program.

Interpreting for Park Visitors by William Lewis is designed to be an introduction to interpreting for the total beginner. It is likely that in that day and age, that interpretive courses were not available and standards of qualifications for being a National Park Ranger were much lower than they are now. It describes what interpretation is and how it is done without getting too deep into Tilden's books. The first part deals with what an interpreter is and what they do. Part Two explains the basic principles of interpretation discussing the roles of the visitor, the interpreter, and the Park (which you can adjust for your own location, of course). The second chapter lays out the goals of interpretation and third details the primary elements of interpretation. The third part brings specific application of primary elements of interpretation into focus. Chapter 4 explains basics like giving information at an information booth, such as orientation in a Visitor Center or roving out in the area. In Chapter 5 talks are the main idea explored in various settings. The next chapter looks closely at walks, hikes, and tours, which are basically like a talk but with some movement involved. After that came a chapter on "special considerations" that include location considerations, accessibility and ability preparedness, age considerations, language and cultural barriers. A chapter on self-evaluation is included and followed by more resources.

The part that will concern the reader regarding program creation is in Chapter 3 under the subtitle, Organization. This came as a surprise since the opening subtitle was on involvement of the public in a program then the text suddenly went into planning of a program. In this regard, I think the sequence of the book is out of order, since one should plan to involve the visitor but that should be organized first. "Picking a Topic" is the first subheading under organization. The topic is meant to be broad but keeping the audience involved and the significance of the site. It mentions that sometimes the topic will be picked for you by a supervisor or you may be free to make up whatever you would like to explore. The topic is then tempered by the Theme. Again, theme is more like a message or a thesis than a topic. Under Lewis' guidance a theme should:

• be stated in a short, simple, and complete sentence.
• contain only one idea
• reveal the overall purpose of the presentation
• be specific and
• be interesting and as motivational in wording as possible

Having selected a theme, the presentation program becomes about developing that theme. Lewis suggests setting up an outline like a formal paper:
I. Introduction
II. Theme
III. Theme Development
A. Interpretive Main Heading 1
i. Supporting point 1
ii. Supporting point 2
B. Main Heading 2
i. etc.
iii. etc.
C. Main Heading 3
i. etc.
ii. etc.
iii. etc.
IV. Conclusion

The Main Headings will be a major practical part of the program, or the subthemes of the Interpretive Process Model that I describe previously. The supporting points make up the talking points of the program. All of this is the framework or the skeleton of the program that still needs further development. With this framework in place then the decision must be made as to what kind of arrangement the program needs to take place, such as a topical, chronological, climatic, spatial, or process arrangement.

The introduction is important because it will set the tone of your time with the visitors. According to Lewis an introduction consists of creating a favorable atmosphere, an aroused interest in the subject, and a clarified purpose of your presentation. He goes into further details into how these three can be achieved but with some imagination, you can think of a few ideas too. The conclusion can basically be a summary of the main points and theme. He suggests using a strong and memorable last sentence to create a lasting impression on the visitor. On an interesting note, he also recommends not weakening this impact by taking questions, thanking the visitors for coming, or for their attention at the end.

For the main body of program Lewis makes some suggestions for what we would identify as interpretive techniques. This support for the main points comes from accurate and factual information that comes from research and is probably the most important and practical thing that can be done in a program. But how this is done s described in a few ways. He cites using examples and related stories, quotes and citation, compare and contrast, and visual aids to help develop the main points. He also emphasizes the use of language in understanding, especially in transitioning from point to point to form a more cohesive narrative. He defines a good transition as a summary of the preceding idea, an establishment of the relationship of this idea to a new one, and a preview of the new idea. He also wants his readers to think more deeply about the words they use so that they are more understandable by all visitors, using concrete words that evoke imagery, and speaking informally, rather than from a prepared text. Following the use of language naturally arises a need to discuss delivery. This includes verbal and nonverbal cues such as being enthusiastic, physically direct, self-assured, and being friendly and approachable. These and more are important things to consider when creating a program.

Interpreting for Park Visitors is much more than a program creation book as indicated nearly in the beginning. It goes into much greater detail than related here and would be a gentle introduction to interpretation for a person interested in becoming an interpreter. There are many ways to create a program. I have demonstrated two methods in this series and hope that they have been helpful in helping the interpreter create better programs. One of the glaring deficiencies that I have left out of this series are the Interpreter's Toolbox: techniques and methods of interpretation. They are the ways in which the interpreter helps make information useful beyond narrative (and narrative is a interpretive technique!). With the conclusion of the Creating an Interpretive Program series, I am launching a whole new series based on providing the interpreter with more tools to put in the tool box of interpretive technique repertoire and a description on how to use with pros and cons of each method. Look for it next month!