The Washington State Historical Society and the Olympia School District invited classes studying Washington state history to participate in a portrait exhibition about the men and woman who held the highest political office in our state. The students took a close look at Washington's history by producing a biographical labels and portraits of a territorial or state Governor.
The Washington State Historical Society provided a detailed curriculum guide incorporating the Essential Learning Requirements for Washington's schools mandated by the Legislature in 1993 and a source book of information on the life and times of each governor.
This pilot program integrated art history and political history to help students focus on Washington state history. The Olympia students worked with an artist-in-residence to create portraits, while at the same time Olympia District educators helped facilitate their research about the governor's term in office.
The participating classes were part of an on-line exhibition available through the WSHS web site. Twenty-three portraits selected by the WSHM exhibits department were displayed at the Governor's Gallery along with the original portraits.