Gillies History
HISTORY OF THE GILLIES
Although The Gillies was founded in 1967, two prior events should be mentioned. In 1957,
the Junior League initiated a docent program at Gilcrease as a community service project.
Almost 10 years later, Jean Devlin, a Gilcrease Association board member recruited a
group to volunteer in the Gilcrease information booth at the International Petroleum
Exposition.
Then on a March morning in 1967, 13 women, recruited by Devlin, gathered to discuss
possibilities of a Women’s Service League for the museum. The Charter Members were
Marjorie Blocksom, Marian Bovaird, Janice Daniel, Jean Devlin, Beeb Gannaway, Kay
Hardy, Patsy Lyon, Judi Mallory, Mildred Ladner, Nancy Patton, Ann Phaenacie, Ellie
Shaughnessy and Joan Stauffer. The initial name chosen was the Gilcrease Service
Organization, but first president Jean Devlin, coined the word Gillies – a term used in
Scotland to designate a Guide. It was adopted sometime before the September meeting of
1968.
In the beginning there were no Bylaws, no dues, and no minutes. They decided that the
emphasis would not be social, and that membership requirements would be a love of
Gilcrease and a willingness to work. The first year they focused on promoting the museum
and acting as hostesses for museum visitors. At the Sept. 6, 1968, meeting of Gillies in the
Auditorium there were 17 of the 25 members present. At this meeting the formation of the
following committees was announced: Membership, Rotunda Furnishings, Fundraising, Art
Show, and Gift Shop. As there was as yet no restaurant, all Gillies were on the Hospitality
Committee and served at all openings, lectures, meetings, etc. Dues were set at $2.50.
Sometime afterwards the Gilcrease Museum Association took over all the fundraising
duties.
They projected a need for the following year (1969) of 30 docents who would be willing to
work two days a month to lead school tours, and that these docents be trained. They would
be leading tours for school children along with members of the Junior League. Also
recommended was the formation of three additional committees: Library Liaison,
Speaker’s Committee, and Educational Committee, the latter to plan a summer program
for children.
In 1968-69 there were 30 members. In the fall of 1969, the first official Intern Class was
recruited. This was the first group to receive official training before becoming full
members. Requirements for membership included Museum membership, completion of
orientation classes, and giving 15 hours of service per year.
In the fall of 1969, the Gillies took their first trip together – to the Cowboy Hall of Fame in
Oklahoma City.
After two years, the Gillies took full responsibility for all tours at the museum, and the
Junior League withdrew.
By 1971-72 Bylaws had been written, and committees had been expanded to include
Docent, History Book, Hours, Interns, Investigation(research), Public Relations and Special
Events.
In 1971 the Gillies Library was established by donations from members.
When a fifth birthday celebration was held in May 1972, the Gillies had grown to 100
members including sixty docents who led tours for school children and adults that year.
A proposed bylaw amendment was passed in September 1972 to specify that a new
member must be recommended by an active Gillie, and this requirement stood until about
2000 when it was recognized that this requirement clashed with the fact the museum was
owned by the taxpayers of Tulsa and should be open to all who qualified.
Beginning in 1973 the hours requirement increased to 30 hours per year as it remains, and
dues were increased to $5.00.
In May 1974 the Gilcrease House was opened as the Belle Harlow Gilcrease Special
Exhibitions Gallery and was manned by Gilles during museum hours. With the completion
of a new roof to the house in 2021 there are hopes and dreams that one day it will serve as
a living exhibit of the Gilcrease home.
Until 1978 all Gillies were women. In that year the first male member, Dr. Fritz Popken,
joined. The following year five more men were added to the roles.
Two founding members made notable contributions:
Millie Ladner Thompson made a significant contribution to the study of western art
in July of 1979 with the publication of her book – O.C. Seltzer: Painter of the Old West.
Joan Stauffer, after doing first person portrayals of Nancy Russell, published a
fictional account of Nancy in 1981 entitled Behind Every Man: The Story of Nancy Russell.
In 1980 the first issue of the Smoke Signals, a monthly newsletter, was published.
During the intervening years 1972 and 1992 other service areas were established: Art,
Anthropology, Greeters, Registration, Speakers Bureau, School Slides and Garden
Docents. Of course, there have been others including Archives, Development Office,
Digitization, Gilcrease Goes to School, Student Art Shows, IT, and Travel.
In 1978 Patricia Wheeler Langholz was appointed chair of the newly formed Gilcrease
Grounds Committee and with her leadership the Gilcrease Gardens were developed.
Beginning in 1983, the University of Tulsa allowed Gillies to audit classes in certain fields of
study.
In 1999 a major revision and expansion of the Gillies Manual was published. Written by
Gillies with assistance and advice from then Art Curator Anne Morand, and Archivist Sarah
Erwin, it is still being used with updates and artist additions in 2016 and 2020. This 3-inch
binder, given to every Gillie at the beginning of training, devotes numerous pages to the
following categories: History of the Gilcrease Museum, American History, Anthropology,
Art Elements and Principles, and Maps. At least one page is dedicated to each of the more
than 275 artists represented in the museum collection.
In 2003-2004 the Gillies elected their first male president, Harland Hoffman.
In 2004 Kravis Discovery Center opened and Gillies began volunteering in yet another
service area.
A momentous change occurred when The University of Tulsa and the City of Tulsa reached
an agreement in 2008. Going forward TU would manage the museum. In 2010 TU named a
former Gillie, Mark Dolph, as the first Volunteer Services Coordinator. He assisted the
Gillies president and board members in managing the ever-expanding service areas of the
museum and acted as a liaison between Gillies and museum staff. Being a former Gillie, he
was the right individual for the new position.
Deanna Storm represented The Gillies and the Docents of Philbrook Museum while serving
on the Board of Directors of the National Docent Symposium Council from 2011 to 2022.
The first six years were spent as a Regional Director and the latter five as Treasurer of the
organization. The NDSC, dating from 1981, promotes docent education, encourages
ongoing enhancement of docent practices, and facilitates a biennial docent symposium,
held at the location of each successive host institution, and open to docents/guides from
museums and cultural institutions across the United States, Canada, and beyond.
In 2013 the museum erected a plaque near the entrance recognizing the Gillies Founders
and their service to the museum. A worthy recognition.
A milestone occurred in the fall of 2017 when the Gillies, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization,
celebrated their Golden Anniversary. Fifty Years of service to the Thomas Gilcrease
Museum of American History and Art with the Gillies looking forward to future milestones
ahead.
In 2018 and 2019, Gillies revised the “Any Given Child” program and the Greeters Manual.
Many participated in monthly “Funday Sundays” for families and contributed to projects in
Archives, Development, Digitization, the Kravis Discovery Center, and “Speaking of
Gilcrease.” The Volgistics software program was introduced to track membership and post
service hours. On average, Gillies volunteered 28,000 hours per year, continuing our
founders’ legacy.
In March 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic forced the museum to close, prompting the Gillies
to adapt by launching a “Friday Footprints” newsletter and offering virtual classes and
virtual tours for continuing education. Gillies provided monthly family art activity packets
throughout the community and assembled thousands of educational bags for students.
Gillies learned that the current museum will be demolished and rebuilt, but a community
presence will be maintained with pop-up art at partner sites.
In 2021, the museum reopened briefly and the Gillies resumed previous activities. A team
of Gillies taught classes about the Gilcrease Museum collection for OLLI (Osher Lifelong
Learning Institute) once a week on Zoom. “Speaking of Gilcrease” volunteers presented at
sites where all participants were vaccinated against COVID-19.
The Gillies proudly purchased two of Shan Goshorn’s magnificent baskets “Gold ‘N
Values” and “Illumination,” for Gilcrease Museum. Tom Pendergraft (a Gillie and husband
of Shan) donated his wife’s research and notes for these baskets.
On July 6th, the Gillies Farewell Fete was held for a final viewing of the galleries and favorite works of art before the museum closed for demolition and new construction.
On October 22nd, after the Gillie Library was carefully packed and sealed, Gillies left the building for the last time!
In 2022, City of Tulsa officials requested volunteers for various city venues, including Route
66 Historical Village and the Historic Hotel Crawl. The Gillies responded by actively
participating. A committee created an updated website for Gillies, designed to offer
resources that further the mission and activities both now and in the future.
The Gillies participated in the “Gilcrease in Your Neighborhood” initiative, a citywide popup
art exhibition featuring framed reproductions of Gilcrease Museum artworks.
Four docents attended the National Docent Symposium in Kansas City.
Throughout 2023, the Gillies engaged in cataloguing, indexing, and digitizing segments of
the Museum’s collection; organizing a biannual Forum; scanning past Gilcrease Journals
for preservation purposes; delivering ongoing education and arranging educational trips for
members; and fostering community engagement through programs such as “Speaking of
Gilcrease” and “Gilcrease in Your Neighborhood.”
In 2024, the Gillies funded a pottery commission to honor retiring Museum Director Susan
Neal. They worked with Union Public Schools on workshops for 70 Indian Education
Program students, expanding to over 800 in Tulsa Public Schools. Several docents
represented the Gillies at the National Docent Symposium in Atlanta; Kathe Crapster and
Becky Hatchett gave a presentation about the “Gilcrease in Your Neighborhood” project. In
November, the Gillies assisted with Mayor G.T. Bynum’s ribbon-cutting for the new
Gilcrease Museum building.
In 2025, the “Speaking of Gilcrease” initiative expanded with eight new programs. To
update the Gillie membership list, a survey was distributed, inviting members to share
what activities they’d like to participate in going forward. Outfitted in hard hats and safety
gear, Gillies led tours of the new facility for museum members before its official opening.
They also operated a booth at Mayfest, hosted a Family Festival Day at the Greenwood
Cultural Center, and helped at both the “Scrollathon” event and the Gilcrease Family
Festival.
At the beginning of 2026, the Gillies look forward to welcoming new members, restarting
Intern and Docent training, and preparing for new roles with the museum’s opening in early
2027.
Credits: Pat Davidson, Debbie Glass, Beverly Wilcox and Sharon Patch using original
documents written by Margie Theriot, Vallee Kidd, and Eunice Myall and the Gillies
scrapbooks. Additional history was added by Deanna Storm and by Cathy Luccock and
Nancy Hammond using the Footprints newsletters.