Knowles Selects Watson To Fill New Museum Chair

A lifelong love of anthropology inspired Professor Emeritus William W. Howells '30 and Muriel S. Howells to endow the directorship of the Peabody Museum of Archeology and Ethnology earlier this month.

Rubie S. Watson, who had been the museum's acting director, was chosen by Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles this month as the first Howells director, shares the donors' passion for anthropological history and research. Watson is the first social anthropologist and the first woman to be Director of the Peabody.

"[The Howells] have always been very generous in their support of the Peabody and it is wonderful to have their name associated with the museum in this way," Watson said. "I am very honored to be the first Howells Director of the Museum."

The newly-endowed directorship requires the Dean of the Faculty to select the best available individual. The endowment enables the appointment of a director who has not been tenured, or whose experience is not primarily academic.

"With this endowment, we shall be able in perpetuity to attract outstanding scholars to guide the Museum. How fitting that Harvard can thus honor one of its own most distinguished anthropologists, William W. Howells," Knowles said in a recent Gazette article.

According to Ford Professor of the Social Sciences David Pilbeam, currently curator of paleoanthropology at the museum and a former director of the Peabody, Watson is "the ideal museum director."

Watson received her B.A. in archaeology and anthropology from the University of California at Berkeley and her masters in anthropology from Rice University. She earned her doctorate in social anthropology at the London School for Economics for her work on familial and gender relationship in rural Hong Kong villages.

After holding a post at the University of Pittsburgh, Watson joined the anthropology department in 1992, serving as associate curator of the Peabody. Three years later she was promoted to assistant director of the museum and has been its acting director since last fall.

Watson is also the author of Inequality Among Brothers: Class and Kinship in SouthChina and has edited several otherethnographic works as well.

At present she is working with her husbandJames L. Watson, Fairbank professor of Chinesesociety, on a book addressing the recentdecolonization of Hong Kong. Watson conducted muchof her research the past few years during anextended visit to Hong Kong, where she examinedthe ongoing changes in traditional familialrelationships.

Watson said she plans to begin work at thePeabody as director by adapting the traditionalmuseum structure to today's technological changes.

"In the future I hope that the museum can findways to deliver electronically to students andfaculty information about the collections," Watsonsaid.

Watson recently collaborated with CastleMcLaughlin, research associate in the PeabodyMuseum, on the production of an on-line museumexhibit using Peabody material, "The Ethnology ofLewis and Clark: Native American Objects and theAmerican Quest for Commerce and Science."

Watson's goals for the Peabody's future aretwofold.

First, Watson said she hopes to createtemporary exhibits to display museum collectionsthat are not in permanent exhibits. Pottery,baskets and textiles from the American Southwestincluded in the William Wright Collection will bethe first to be shown in the new temporary exhibitspace.

Next, she aims to increase the accessiblity ofthe museum, along with the opportunities it offersfor undergraduate research.

Watson said she believes "it is important formuseums like the Peabody to reach out to theHarvard community, the Boston community and beyondto make people aware of the rich heritage ofcultures and societies that are very differentfrom their own."

Watson noted the success of the Museum'scultural outreach program for K-12 students in thearea, a joint project with several other Harvardmuseums. The new director said to improve theoutreach programs, she has "great hopes for aseries of new, exciting teacher training programsin the future."

Pilbeam emphasized the appropriateness of thegift, noting that William Howells "is anextraordinarily distinguished scholar and has hada major impact on his field."

Pilbeam said Howells "feels very fortunate tobe able [to give this gift]" and to have Watson inthe new position.

Watson said the Peabody is "a great store ofhistory and of memory" whose fundamental goals are"communicating other ways of thinking, of seeing,of believing."

"It is an important place and I am very happyto be attached to it," she said

At present she is working with her husbandJames L. Watson, Fairbank professor of Chinesesociety, on a book addressing the recentdecolonization of Hong Kong. Watson conducted muchof her research the past few years during anextended visit to Hong Kong, where she examinedthe ongoing changes in traditional familialrelationships.

Watson said she plans to begin work at thePeabody as director by adapting the traditionalmuseum structure to today's technological changes.

"In the future I hope that the museum can findways to deliver electronically to students andfaculty information about the collections," Watsonsaid.

Watson recently collaborated with CastleMcLaughlin, research associate in the PeabodyMuseum, on the production of an on-line museumexhibit using Peabody material, "The Ethnology ofLewis and Clark: Native American Objects and theAmerican Quest for Commerce and Science."

Watson's goals for the Peabody's future aretwofold.

First, Watson said she hopes to createtemporary exhibits to display museum collectionsthat are not in permanent exhibits. Pottery,baskets and textiles from the American Southwestincluded in the William Wright Collection will bethe first to be shown in the new temporary exhibitspace.

Next, she aims to increase the accessiblity ofthe museum, along with the opportunities it offersfor undergraduate research.

Watson said she believes "it is important formuseums like the Peabody to reach out to theHarvard community, the Boston community and beyondto make people aware of the rich heritage ofcultures and societies that are very differentfrom their own."

Watson noted the success of the Museum'scultural outreach program for K-12 students in thearea, a joint project with several other Harvardmuseums. The new director said to improve theoutreach programs, she has "great hopes for aseries of new, exciting teacher training programsin the future."

Pilbeam emphasized the appropriateness of thegift, noting that William Howells "is anextraordinarily distinguished scholar and has hada major impact on his field."

Pilbeam said Howells "feels very fortunate tobe able [to give this gift]" and to have Watson inthe new position.

Watson said the Peabody is "a great store ofhistory and of memory" whose fundamental goals are"communicating other ways of thinking, of seeing,of believing."

"It is an important place and I am very happyto be attached to it," she said