"Academicians are very good at churning out copies of themselves."  After
all, how many jobs are there to teach history in a college or university
setting? Who wants to be a post-doc forever? What is the point of churning
out 20 or so PhD history majors just to work at MacDonalds?  There aren't
many museum jobs either, but at least it is another option and a great one
for those who love the work.

While we decided not to go the PhD route, both my husband and I have masters
level degrees; mine is in museum studies and his is in the hard sciences.
The above qoute is from him. I think he's a pretty observant and smart
fellow, and I admit I'm biased that way!

Nancy Powell

-----Original Message-----
From: Susan Zickel <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Tuesday, September 05, 2000 10:32 AM
Subject: Re: Academia vs. Museums


I encountered anti-museum academics several years ago, though I would admit
that the scene has changed a bit (thankfully).  I applied to a "top 10"
university for a Ph.D. in History.  I had met and interacted with the
professor with whom I wished to study.  I had already been working in the
museum field both researching and interpreting for 5 years out of college
(as a history major).  My research was very complimentary to the professors.
Long story short, even after recommendations from the professor and several
historian/museum professionals I was told I was not accepted.  Crushed, when
both I and my references asked, we were all told the same thing --- "We want
someone who will teach history, not someone who will go into the museum
field."  I was so shocked and disappointed by this response.  When I was
told to apply again and just write about how I wanted to teach at a
university level, I was horrified.  Not only would that be lying on an
application, why should I hide wanting to work in the museum field?  It took
years to get over that disappointing experience, but I have continued to
rise in the field of history museums and find positions which allow me
greater time to research and take an active roll in instructing not only
university and college students, but students of all ages.

I agree with the statements that academia and museums are "getting along"
better.  Both fields need each other.  As for pursuing a higher degree, it
will have to wait until later now, but not being accepted into an academic
program ended up opening more unexpected and wonderful doors of opportunity.
Every cloud has a silver lining.

Susan

>>> "David E. Haberstich" <[log in to unmask]> 09/05 1:57 AM >>>
I'm not convinced that there is an "unconquerable rift" between academics
and
museum people.  If there is, I'd like to see more evidence than the merely
anecdotal.  Are there any attitude surveys or statistical evidence that
there
is a pervasive prejudice by academics against museum careers?  As
disconcerting as it may be to hear "some" professors make disparaging
remarks
against museums or museum staff, and as unpleasant as it may be to hear such
remarks directed against one's own career choices, is there any solid
evidence that this constitutes a real problem?  On one hand, it is probably
true that many promising historians will have better opportunities to make
their mark in research within an academic setting than at the lower rungs of
a museum career.  It seems to me that a traditional professorial career
simply has more research time built into it than the average traditional
museum job.  What might be construed as a prejudice against museum work may
actually be a simple recognition of the reality that a typical academic
usually has more time for research and scholarship than a museum employee.
A
professor with a bright, talented student may well feel, rightly or wrongly,
that museums offer limited opportunity for the promising scholar to develop.
(I realize, incidentally, that jobs in academia and museums are both hard to
find at the present time.)

I know a psychiatrist who relates that her medical school professors were
upset that she chose to enter the field of psychiatry, apparently because
they felt that she had skills as a surgeon which would be squandered in the
mental health field.  She suspected that they had a prejudice against
psychiatry, but perhaps they simply hated to lose a good surgeon.

On the other hand, it would not surprise me if there are academics who do
not
approve of recent trends in museums, with their emphasis on entertainment
and
what sometimes looks like "dumbing down" to appeal to broader audiences, and
would prefer that their best students remain in what they consider the
higher
strata of education.  They may be suspicious that the apparent glamour of
museum work lures scholars into a less serious enterprise, which sometimes
looks like show business.  This is merely hypothesis on my part, since I
haven't yet encountered any anti-museum academics myself.  If I run into
one,
I'll demand an explanation!

Seriously--anyone who is troubled by this phenomeon should request a cogent
explanation and report back to this list.

David Haberstich

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