I worked for 13 years in a Victorian house museum.  At Christmas we
decorated with the traditional Victorian finery.  This house has 12 foot
ceilings, a central hall, and pocket doors between the parlors.  We had
the central staircase swagged with pine roping and velvet bows, a kissing
ball hung from the hall chandelier and pine roping swags hung from the
tops of the doorways to the floor with large velvet bows at the top. Well,
we were giving the local schools free tours and had booked a group of
headstart students who were all in the 3 - 4 years range.  The staff
dressed in hoop dresses of the period (1850 - 1870 in southern Missouri).
We met the little ones on the porch and gave the usual about not touching
things and asked that they hold hands with a partner and that they help
each other not to touch things with their free hand.  So, in they came,
two by two.  You should get down on your knees sometime and see what your
places look like from a 4 year old's point of view.  As they entered,
their eyes became big as saucers.  And then, I heard a little boy comment
as he passed me in the central hall.  He was looking at all the pine
roping, turned to his little partner and said in a hushed voice . . .
"Look, they have grass growing on the walls."  It made all the time and
work decorating worth the trouble.  I know he didn't know a Victorian
decoration from a pre-Victorian, but, I knew that he would remember this
trip to our site for the rest of his life and obviously, 10 years later, I
still remember the little fellow and smile.

Money is great . . . but . . . the experiences you will have (like this
one) are priceless.

Delecia B. Huitt
Southern Missouri Historic District
2901 Hwy 61
Festus, MO 63028
636-931-5200
fax 636-931-5204




cmonson <[log in to unmask]>
Sent by: "Museum discussion list" <[log in to unmask]>
05/01/2003 10:27 PM
Please respond to "Museum discussion list"


        To:     [log in to unmask]
        cc:     (bcc: Delecia Huitt/DSP/MODNR)
        Subject:        One more student question: the silver lining


The discussion about low salaries has left me curious about the tangible
and
intangible benefits which make museum work rewarding. I would imagine
these
benefits include interesting work and interesting coworkers, but I'd like
to
hear it from the horse's mouth.

Anyone care to share stories or opinions about the uplifting side of
museum
work....the things that keep you going in the face of low salaries and a
tight
job market?

Feel free to reply offlist to [log in to unmask]

Thanks!

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