On Feb. 24, 1996 John Chadwick wrote:

>I have been enjoying this discussion because I think it really >shows how
much
>the role of museums in society has changed, as well as how >much we really
>haven't changed with time.

>I was really struck by Julia's statement of "inculcation of the
>middle-class
>ideal to the masses" perception, something that really is a >hold over from
the
>19th century. Museums grew and flourished in the 19th >century (at least in
>parts of Europe) because museums were viewed as a way to >give the "unwashed
>masses" a taste of culture. At the risk of sounding cynical, >don't we still
do
>that to some degree even in the 1990's. Maybe not overtly, >but certainly in
our
>desire to serve society. And we are serving a society that >cannot agree on
what
>our cultural stories are or should be.

>I like the idea that museums are moving towards being >venues where all of
>society has a voice, but it seems to me, as others have >mentioned, that
giving
>voice is not the same as outright endorsement. We really >walk a fine line
in
>the preparing exhibits, and it is a fine line separating various >viper
filled
>pits. We must give voice without sacrificing good scholarship, >appease
donors
>who may not like controversy, entertain and educate those >who come through
our
>doors and visit our displays, and continue to justify our >existence and
value
>to legislative bodies. Not an easy task at all.

>This whole discussion has been great!

>--john chadwick
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I think that John Chadwick has it right.  One of the great things which can
occaisionally happen on Museum-L  is that someone like John will come along
and tie-up the elements of a debate into an eloquent summary.  This would
have been a rather nice place for this thread to end.

Instead we have seen Mr. Haberstich wade into the thread today with a mixture
of thoughts, polemics, and personal invectives.  To passionately argue one's
thoughts & feelings in an honest and open debate is one thing, to launch
personal attacks against those who have divergent views is quite another.

On Feb. 27, David Haberstich wrote:

>Enough. I think I've already dignified such blatant nonsense >too much by
bothering to disagree with it.

snip

>Richard Perry, I think you have an attitude problem.

snip

>I'm curious--why would someone with a pessimistic, >deterministic, bigoted
attitude about museums WANT to be >on a museum listserv? --David Haberstich

I look forward to seeing Mr. Haberstich's continued contributions to Museum-L
on a wide variety of topics  - his is a sometimes thoughtful and provocative
voice and such voices are stimulating and can serve the discussion.

I invite him, however, to  "Chill" the personal rhetoric and to keep the
conversation within the realms of discussion and debate.

Dave

David Harvey
Conservator of Metals & Arms
Colonial Williamsburg Foundation
P.O. Box 1776
Williamsburg, VA  23187-1776  USA
voice:     804-220-7039
e-mail:  [log in to unmask]