Samuel M. Plato (1882-1957) is a relatively unknown African-American architect who practiced in Marion, Indiana from 1902-1921. The limited information available concerning Plato has hindered the research and documentation of the architecture produced during this era of his life. The current opinion is that Plato designed and constructed several houses and one church for wealthy white clients, and a single African-American church during his Marion tenure. This project has produced an historical context statement for Marion's African-American community, and a biographical sketch of Samuel M. Plato based primarily on daily newspaper accounts from 1902-1922. This research provided the needed insight to document the role Plato held in black society, and also produced the historical data necessary to document additional Plato structures. The findings of this study will be used to advocate further research and documentation of Plato's work throughout the United States. / Department of Architecture

This thesis describes how components of the British Arts and Crafts Movement crossed the Atlantic and inspired the American Gustav Stickley's Craftsman residential architecture. As part of the Movement's reaction against the Industrial Revolution, Stickley's Craftsman residences emphasized honest and simple design and the use of natural materials. My thesis identifies the expressions of Stickley's ideals in the case study of a surviving Craftsman home located in the suburb of Irvington in Indianapolis, Indiana. The case study examines the house's configuration, construction methods, original materials and ornamental motifs. This study is particularly significant because original plans and documentation are available for research. The residence has had few owners and has therefore retained most of its original features and materials. These factors make the residence an exceptional example of Craftsman architecture. / Department of Architecture

The focus of this creative project is the interior rehabilitation of Renaissance Place, a historic alley-type structure in Downtown Muncie, Indiana, circa. 1895. The emphasis is on the rehabilitation of three of the six units with sensitivity to Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Digital lighting studies of the interior space are completed for different times of the year by using a program called Accurender 3. The techniques and products introduced through this project will be presented to the owner. The final product is also intended to be inspirational for other individuals rehabilitating similar structures with desire to incorporate ADA and LEED guidelines. / Department of Family and Consumer Sciences

This study focuses on the Moore-Youse family in Muncie, Indiana, a medium size city in Delaware County, Indiana, as a microcosm of Victorian ideology and material culture using the methods of historical archaeology and social history. The following thesis examines material conditions among this middle-class, female-centered, lineal family during the Victorian period using gender theory. In this study, archaeological materials and historical documents are used to explore the priorities and choices that influenced Muncie's middle class in making material decisions during the Victorian period.The Victorian Period in America was marked by rapid social change, growing industrialization and the transformation of gender roles. These changes created an expanded middle-class in communities across America. For the middle class the home was a sanctuary and Victorian women were expected to devote themselves to the home and family. Thus began the "cult of domesticity". This thesis explores the influence of gender roles in 19th century Indiana. / Department of Anthropology