David, I am in agreement.  Thanks  John

-----Original Message-----
From:   David Haberstich [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Monday, February 01, 1999 5:21 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: volunteer horror stories

 I greatly appreciate Hervo Gagnon's down-to-earth, reasonable response
to Peter Rebernik's statement, which I found patronizing as well as
beside the point. I think a volunteer arrangement needs to be a two-way
street. Obviously a volunteer needs to get some satisfaction or
enjoyment out of working for a museum or similar institution, or there's
no point in doing it--regardless of the volunteer's age. But a
volunteer--regardless of age--who is not really contributing anything to
the institution is likely to be a liability. The public has a right to
visit and enjoy its cultural institutions, but no individual has some
innate right to work there, either as a paid or unpaid staff member. To
achieve excellence in institutions, try to field excellence in staff.
--David Haberstich