Usually, when a discussion with as many replies as this one comes
through my e-mail, I begin deleting them after the first few.  This argument,
however, has aroused my and others interest.  The following is a response to
this string of messages.
        I, and a fellow museum studies grad, agree with what Elizabeth said
about the attitude on this list.  Wages in a museum for a beginning professional
are rather low when compared to wages received by other arts and sciences degree
holders.  Not that this has anything to do with why I want to work in this
field.  I knew that I could be paid more working as a tradesman on a
construction site, but that is not what gives me a sense of fulfillment.  I am
willing to sacrifice a lot of money to work in this field.
        We realize that there are a lot of graduates out there competing for a
handful of jobs, but this is not what really upsets us.  Our program emphasized
volunteering and interning at area museums, historical societies, archives, etc.
 We were told beforehand that experience like this would aid in acquiring a job
and that we should expect a tough time landing that first job.  What really
upsets us is the fact that there are a number of people on this list that
believe a degree is not needed to work as a museum professional.
        Many of the jobs advertised in museums, galleries, archives, societies,
etc. all require at the minimum a Bachelor's.  Some require a Master's and a few
even prefer a Ph.D..  This is why, in our opinion, so many universities are
offering advanced degrees in museum studies or equivalent programs.  If you
follow the argument that an advanced degree is not needed, then natural history
museums shouldn't hire all those anthropologists and archaeologists.
        As museum visitors and volunteers, we have seen many mistakes made in
exhibit designs, collections care, and ethics.  While some of these were made by
people with advanced degrees, the majority of the mistakes existed because of
the lack of professional education and training.  Any museum that accepts
donations does so with the idea that they would care for these collections for
perpetuity.  If the people in the museum do not have the education or training
to accomplish this, then the integrity of the museum will be lost and donations
as well as support will diminish.  At a time of limited funding, can any type of
museum afford this?  Does it have to reflect on the lack of training and
education in order to keep up with the budget?  Yes, I know some museums are
lacking in funds, especially smaller ones, but would you rather have trained
professionals running your museum or have ones who proclaim they know what they
are doing, while diminishing those of us who actually have a advanced degree and
are still proud, creative, imaginative, and passionate about their career?  Let
me leave you with a small quote from a local museum that was displayed for the
public.  A small display giving details of a particular area in prehistoric time
had a picture of a dinosaur with the label reading, "Dinosaur a Greek word for
dinosaur!"
        Now that we have vented our frustrations, please do not black ball us
from your hiring list.
        Joseph M. Reed and Jennifer Flint
        Fire Protection Publications Archives

______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: seeking: ENTRY-LEVEL JOB (fwd)
Author:  Elizabeth Anne Hanson <[log in to unmask]> at IMA
Date:    6/18/98 3:21 PM


Dear Mr. Morris,

Thanks for the note.  At first I was nervous about being so blunt, but I
decided I had to be.  I have not given up on a museum job, but I am
willing to look other places.  I am forcing myself to be realistic.  The
attitude on museum-l bothers me for
several reasons.

First, just because something exists, its existence is not justified.  For
example, expecting people to work for poverty wages and require them to
have a graduate education is ridiculous. How many jobs have you seen
that pay $19,000 and require at least a MA?  Now I am not asking that I
make
million of dollars, but it is NOT unreasonable for me to expect to make
enough money to pay my loans, feed and cloth myself, and provide a roof
over my head.  Women, and most museum professionals are women, no longer
have the luxury of marrying rich and have their husbands provide for
themselves so they can go off and pursue their interests.

Second, I think that universities are graduating too many people.  I think
graduate programs should be harder and accept less people.

Third, museums might as well stop collecting things if they cannot afford
to pay for people to take care of them.  As part of their non-profit
status they have an obligation to properly care for the items bestowed
upon them.

Fourth, so many of these unpaid internships only allow limited learning.
For example, so many students spend their time at the copy machine instead
of putting their educations into use.  I am one of the fortune ones.  I
was handed a collection of over 1000 objects and told to finish all of the
collections management.  In return I have unlimited access to the
collection to use for my MA thesis. I am truly treated like a staff member
and not an intern.


You are right "deserve" is a shakey word.  But I know that I will get paid
better and maybe even treated better in other fields.  There is a much
lower work standard in the musuem field than other places.

I think that many people on this list think that a number of us
recent grads or current grads think we are all a bunch of babies who want
free carrots.  This, I repeat, is not the case.  But getting paid for work
is not a CRAZY concept.  Work in exchange for money is a NORMAL
expectation.  But the road to museum employment is a crazy balancing act.
You have to have experience, but you can't get
experience without an education and vice versa.

Things will never change if voices are never concerned.  But we can't just
complain.  We have to be very clear about our ideas and goals. No one
likes a wishy washy person.

I am learning that so much of life is chance.  By chance I got a part-time
job at a Foundation that supports grass roots groups dealing with poverty,
welfare and the like. We are living in a world that believes that if you
work hard you succeed and if
you did not succeed you must not have worked hard.  Some people work hard
their whole lives and never achieve success due to circumstances beyond
their control.  But I know that giving up is not the answer, but a healthy
dose of realism is required.


Elizabeth


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