URBAN TOUR GROUP: HOW IT HAPPENED
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the
World. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead
In the spring of 1970, a joint project in Environmental Education was undertaken by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the Women’s Architectural League (WAL), the women’s auxiliary for the AIA. The purpose was to encourage the public to really look at the urban environment and to think about the relationship of the man-made environment to the natural and cultural environments and to encourage responsibility toward the urban development.
The members of the Environmental Education Project:
Mrs. Jack Eyerly (Polly) Mr. Richard Norman
David & Virginia Ferriday* Mr. Alex Pierce
Mrs. John Hinchliff (Florence)* Mrs. William Proppe (Jody)
Mrs. Thomas Houha (Rosemary)* Mr. & Mrs. Donald Sheets
Mrs. Lawrence Johnson (Linda) Mrs. C. Wintermute (Marge)*
Mr. Pat Loukes
*Original UTG Guides
WAL members traditionally organized annual house tours showing off architect designed houses. Rosemary Houha didn’t feel that the tours were educational for the attendees and that the tours certainly didn’t increase an appreciation of downtown Portland’s architecture. She suggested that their efforts should instead be on giving urban walking tours for school children. A number of WAL members liked the idea and volunteered to be guides. The initial plan, named Environmental Education, was to offer a combination bus and walking tour for students through a portion of the Portland core area and some outlying districts. A slide presentation in preparation for the tour would be given in the classroom prior to the experience.
In the fall of 1970 a group of architects’ wives decided to take an active role in the Environmental Education project by offering a guided walking tour of downtown Portland to school children. In doing this they hoped to increase awareness, not only of architecture, but also of open spaces, of landscaping, and of all the many city activities. On October 9, a preview of the “City Environmental Tour” was presented at the Portland Art Museum. The flyer for the preview stated that the tour would be ”…available to students and teachers in 1971.” Flyers were sent out to all schools in the district offering tours and inviting the teachers to a sample program on Professional Education Day. David Ferriday, A.I.A., who along with his wife, Virginia, consulted with Dr. James Fenwick of the Portland Public Schools about the project. Additionally, another WAL member Marge Wintermute, who was also an AIA member, oversaw a program for the Portland Public Schools which took architectural hands-on activities into Portland classrooms. She arranged for PPS to cover ongoing expenses for the Environmental Tour. The district at that time was organizing an environmental education program for their teachers and were very enthusiastic about the project. About one hundred and fifty teachers took advantage of this sample tour.
Following the City Environmental sample tour, a training program for the original guides was initiated which included evening sessions at the A.I.A. offices. The course included presentations by a geologist, a lawyer, an economist, a psychologist, a microbiologist, a city planner and an architect. Lecture notes from this series, as well as other pertinent notes on buildings, plazas, urban renewal areas, went into a Guide Training Packet. On-going training sessions continued on a semi-annual basis, drawing in a variety of individuals involved with the urban community.
The tour group also gained the immediate support of the Portland Art Museum (PAM) and the Oregon Historical Society (OHS). The Portland Art Museum, which had been operating a docent program for years, helped with the initial organization, provided administrative assistance in the form of scheduling school tours and gave the group access to its duplicating equipment. Polly Eyerly, Director of Educational Programs for the Museum, served as the “booking agent” for the tours. She scheduled all the tours and notified the guides of the tours. The Oregon Historical Society provided meeting space as well as staff assistance.
In 1972, the small group of initial guides became a separate entity from the W.A.L. and A.I.A. and officially became the Urban Tour Group. During the fall of 1972 one hundred and ninety-six students from five schools participated in the City Environmental Tour. In the winter of 1972, a second lecture series for guides was held at the A.I.A. offices. Regular meetings were started on the first Thursday of the month, and a steering committee was elected. Based upon student and teacher feedback, it was found that too much architectural information was not overly interesting to school age children, so guides tried to develop more ways in which to interpret the city for children.
UTG ORIGINAL GUIDES
Virginia Ferriday Mary Schiewe
Florence Hinchllff Persis Schmeer
Rosemary Houha Bette Sinclair
Joyce Loeb Helen Starr
Maureen Long Kitty Wheeler
Bobbie Loukes Helen Williams
Mary Lou McGoodwin Marge Wintermute
Nancy Rand
In the spring of 1974, a proposal was made to and accepted by the Junior League of Portland to provide funding and placement opportunities to their members. As a result, the Urban Tour Group became a project of the Junior League of Portland who provided the needed financial assistance and tour guides to develop our second tour, the Old Town Walking Tour. UTG’s association with the Junior League lasted for ten years during which time both organizations enjoyed a good working relationship. In 1984 it was decided that this relationship would come to a close. UTG was a successful, professional non-profit organization that was enjoying great popularity in the community and it was time for the Junior League of Portland to help another non-profit organization establish itself in the community. The association with the Junior League did not completely end there. Some Junior League members subsequently joined UTG after their required placement commitment was completed. UTG members later offered mini tours at the Junior League sponsored openings of the New Market Theater and the Yamhill Marketplace.
The Urban Tour Group is forever indebted to the American Institute of Architects, Women’s Architectural League, Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society, Portland Public Schools, and Junior League of Portland for their inspiring and beneficial support.
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
UTG initially operated in a highly informal manner, but it found that with increased membership that it needed to adopt an organizational structure and establish a set of by-laws . In 1975 it applied for and received its certificate of incorporation as an Oregon Non-Profit Organization. At the same time, UTG developed guidelines for Membership Commitment, Finance, Insurance, Guide Reimbursement, Guide and Tour scheduling, Tour evaluation, Board of Directors Job description, and Guide training. Over the years these guidelines, policies and procedures have been updated as needed to enable the organization to function efficiently and effectively.
EARLY FUNDING OF UTG
In the early years of UTG, the funding in support of its tours was much different that today. Today, the UTG financial support comes primarily from membership dues, funds raised at their Holiday Auction (principally from members), and donations. The UTG operated from its creation in 1970 until the spring of 1972 with a small grant from the Women’s Architectural League.
Marge Wintermute a Portland architect and WAL member was instrumental in obtaining funds for UTG. In 1972, she presented a request to Portland Public Schools for funds to cover postage, printing, honorariums, etc. which they granted. In 1974 the Portland School District agreed to pay for the layout, design, and printing of an in-school brochure on both the City Environment Tour and the newly created Old Town Walking Tour. PPS initiated funding support with $600 in 1972 and in the next year the funding was increased to $1,000 annually until the late 1970’s. In the fall of 1974, the Junior League of Portland became a sponsor for the specific purpose of aiding the UTG in the development of the Old Town Tour. The League provided UTG with a $2,000 grant to be used during the initial three-year period.
At the end of the three-year period, UTG submitted a tour enhancement to the Junior League and they agreed to the proposal and provided $2,000 and 8-10 guides for an additional three years. Funding was also augmented by UTG with the money received from guiding out-of-town schools at $.50 per child and adult tours at $2.00 per person. Many of UTG’s early support organizations also provided support in kind such as free printing and office space.
UTG increasingly relied financially on providing adult tours. For example, in 1972, 60 letters were sent to women’s groups offering the walking tour for $1.00 per person. Later, to increase the number of adult tours, UTG joined the Greater Portland Convention and Visitors Association and the Portland Chamber of Commerce. These early adult tours included the Women’s Council of Portland Art Museum (group of 40), Women in Construction (group of 100), Temple Beth Israel Sisterhood (group of 45), and the National Education Association Convention (nine guides each for 4 days). Many of these adult tours were given in afternoons and on Saturdays.
As funding from early support groups were concluded, UTG looked at additional ways to raise funds. In 1983 at a general meeting, a motion passed to establish a yearly $10 membership fee. Also at this time, additional funding sources to help support free student tours were focused on three sources: 1. Adult tours; 2. UTG’s Holiday Auction; 3. Community support from businesses. Community support was important because by 1983, it was reported that expenditures exceeded income. Today, UTG no longer relies on funding from adult tours or donations from business groups.
INITIAL TOURS
Early on, the Urban Tour Group offered two tours. The first tour offered by UTG was the City Environmental Tour which was a two-hour educational walk through downtown Portland for students in elementary, junior, and senior high schools. The tour was designed to create an awareness of the urban environment as a sensuous experience. It was a fun, free way to show students on foot how the urban environment is shaped by ecological, social, and economic forces. A few days prior the actual tour, a trained volunteer guide would visit the classroom and preview, in a half-hour presentation, what the students might see and do on the tour.
The Old Town Walking Tour was introduced in 1974 in response to the growing interest in historic preservation, along with the apparent need to familiarize school children with their local city history. Expansion and further development of this tour was made possible through the help of the Junior League of Portland. An extensive training session including an Old Town Walking Tour Guide Training Packet was developed for this tour as well. Classroom preparation was a part of this tour also.
In 1978, the Mall Tour was introduced to highlight Portland’s unique Transit Mall with its public art and fountains as well as historic buildings reflecting the growth of this financial and business section of downtown. In 2005 the Waterfront Tour was initiated but after a nine year run, it was cancelled. Additional information about UTG tours can be found in the chapter, Tours.
UTG TODAY
Over the years UTG has evolved as an organization. At monthly meetings, members are provided a wealth of interesting speakers including historians, writers, teachers, city planners, government and business leaders, and architects. For example, members learned of the development of department stores in Portland from Gerry Frank of the Meier and Frank family; the President of Portland State University discussed the growth, development, and impact of that urban institution on the city; and there was a lively discussion of the homeless problem in Portland from the Multnomah County Sheriff. Meetings are held in a variety of venues offering an opportunity to go behind the facades of Portland’s unique buildings. A full list of guest speakers and their presentation topics can be found in the chapter, General Meetings
Besides civic and educational opportunities, UTG also provides social activities as well. Fall, Winter, and Spring social events provide members with a chance to enjoy what Portland as well as the Pacific Northwest have to offer. For example, Fall, Winter, and Spring excursions have ranged from The Oregon Garden, Timberline Lodge, Fort Vancouver, Astoria, Ashland, Boise and Puget Sound to Portland theater productions. Members can take the option to enjoy these venues with other UTG members. What better way to enjoy these events while getting to know your UTG family members. A list of travel destinations can be found in the chapter, Fall and Spring Social Events.
As in any organization, members are asked to serve on one of several committees or even on the Board of Directors. Guest speakers, Fall, Winter and Spring activities, as well as Committee and Board participation have provided a fascinating means of self-enrichment for its members. Additional information can be found elsewhere in chapters, The Board, What UTG Means to Me, UTG Celebrations.