Excellent point. I was appalled earlier in my career to hear a PhD historian
in a very high state position  dismiss all material culture.

Apparently for this person, and for many others, what a man or woman wrote
with their hand to express what their ideas was important. What a man or
woman created with their hands to express their ideas and culture was
insignificant, whether it was a tool, a textile, or an artwork.

Not to offend our archival & library colleagues, as I heartily believe in
their importance also, but for this person archives and publications were of
primary importance. (Publish or perish?) Archives are what we learn to use
to do research for academic papers. Not all us of us get the opportunity to
learn to "read" objects (to use a hacknied phrase). I have found the latter
skill enriches my everyday life, and is a skill I think I learned
unconsciously from my mother who had a decorative arts background and
dragged her kids to museums as often as she could.

Nancy Powell


-----Original Message-----
From: k latham <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, September 05, 2000 5:48 PM
Subject: Re: Academia vs. Museums


>Is it possible in all this discussion that we are
>really talking about a difference ("the rift") between
>the written word of history (academic) and the
>material culture of history (museum)? I'm just asking
>the question because several messages have alluded to
>this. I really don't have the answer.
>
>kfl
>
>
>=====
>Kiersten F. Latham
>Curator of Collections & Research
>Smoky Hill Museum
>211 W. Iron
>Salina, KS. 67401
>(785)826-7460
>
>__________________________________________________
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