I feel a strong need to address this thread. Your two cents imply that the
need for financial compensation is somehow superficial to the lives of
those of us in the "nobler" professions. You can have a real passion for
what you are doing and the contribution you make, but it is irrelevant if
you cannot support you/your family. For someone lacking a privileged
socioeconomic background, the salaries we are discussing make it very
difficult for someone to pay the bills (including those student loans).
This kind of stress can actually interfere with a person's mission-driven
goals. My MA is in anthropology and I love developing exhibits, but I have
been considering a move into the technical world because as a single woman
over the age of thirty I simply cannot afford to remain dedicated to an
institution simply for the intangibles. (Has anyone noticed the
demographics in our fine institutions?) I am not a materialistic person and
lead a rather humble lifestyle, but I would like to pay those loans off and
maybe someday use vacation time to actually go somewhere. I do not mean to
personalize this, but the economic  inequality in this country is too often
taken for granted by those who have the good fortune to not have to worry
about financial concerns when choosing a profession. I followed my passion
in studying anthropology and am grateful for my world view, but the
mortgage, the student loans, and the daily Ramen noodle lunches are getting
old.

Anamari Golf

At 12:12 PM 06/19/2000 -0400, you wrote:
>I don't want to be rude here, but I just had to add my two cents.  If the
>only reason you enter a profession is for the salary, then you won't make a
>very good employee for that profession.  In order to make your mark and to
>contribute anything worthwhile, you have to really believe in what you
>do,and have a real love for the job.  The museum field is not high-paying,
>but it has a really dynamic workforce, of people who are making a
>difference.  Take a good look at anyone who is really successful in this
>field or any field, and you will see someone who is not payed anything near
>equivalent to the work they do, but also someone who is really passionate,
>and devoted to the work they do.  Those are the people we need in our
>museums, and not people who are in it just for the money.
>
>
>
>>From: Steven Bush <[log in to unmask]>
>>Reply-To: Museum discussion list <[log in to unmask]>
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: MUSEUM-L Digest - 16 Jun 2000 to 17 Jun 2000 (#2000-167)
>>Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 10:05:01 -0500
>>
>>I felt the same way and now I am law school. I am borrowing more money than
>>those salaries a year with most going to tuition. I don't know that I was
>>"depressed" enough to make me go to law school, but the low starting salary
>>affected my decision.
>>
>>Steven Bush
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: lara anne taylor [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
>>Sent: Monday, June 19, 2000 9:56 AM
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: MUSEUM-L Digest - 16 Jun 2000 to 17 Jun 2000 (#2000-167)
>>
>>
>>I don't mean to sound rude, but didn't you realize the lack of currency
>>that an art/art history degree has before you started your graduate
>>program?
>>
>>I agree, it is depressing--enough to make anybody go to law school.
>>
>>On Sat, 17 Jun 2000, penelope kelly wrote:
>>
>> > "Salary in the mid to upper twenties."
>> >
>> > gosh these salary postings are depressing.  here i am, working my way
>> > through college as a custodian at a high school.  now entering graduate
>> > school,i read the job postings on this list only to find that after i
>> > have finished my master's degree i will be able to get a job with the
>> > *same salary* i am now earning as a janitor .. only i will owe thirty
>> > thousand + in financial aid.  wow.  i am eager.
>> >
>> > penelope kelly

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