At 03:47 PM 1/20/97 +0200, Jo Zias wrote:

>According to Websters 1928 a curator is a person responsible for the care
>of a minor or a lunatic- as we work in museums, this should give us
>something to think about :-)

Here is what the Electronic American Heritage Dictionary says.  See
especially the usage note.  (I have removed the unreproducible
pronunciation diacritical characters.)

 cu·rate(1) (kyoor'it) n. 1. A cleric, especially one who has charge of a
parish. 2. A cleric who assists a rector or vicar. [Middle English curat,
from Medieval Latin curatus, from Late Latin cura, spiritual charge, from
Latin, care. See CURE.]
 cu·rate(2) (kyoor'at) tr.v. Usage Problem. To act as curator of; organize
and oversee. [Back-formation from curator.]
———————————————————— 
USAGE NOTE: The verb curate is widely used in art circles to mean “arrange
or supervise (an exhibition of art),” as in She has curated two exhibitions
for the Modern Museum. This usage is rejected by 81 percent of the Usage Panel.