Here Here Lucy!
 
I'm new to the net, so excuse improper response techniques.  But, this
issue of displaying items from dead soldiers . . . Civil War museums,
the National Park Museum, and presidential site (those whose president
fought in a war), and countless small to tiny history-style museums
around the world all display in one way shape or form the "dead
soldier".  Sensativety, taste, and accurace should be the guide (in my
humble opinion).  And yes, I do believe that the audience gets a good
sence of "the man", the "war" itself, and "the horror" of war all by
seeing the personal effects of the soldier along with visuals that
depict the events, actions, etc.  Maps, diaries, food stuffs, camp life,
and yes, the personal effects, all help give a complete picture.
 
I for one believe that we, as the audience, learn alot from the museum
experience, especially when we (the professional museum world) have the
guts (and sensativity) to show the complete story.  End of sermon!
 
Lee Langston-Harrison, Curator
James Monroe Museum
Fredericksburg, VA 22401
703-899-4559 (w)
[log in to unmask]
 
 
>
>     Interesting question. There was one similar a few weeks ago, but little
>     discussion ensued on the net. How about a few thoughts...?
>
>     The *way* you display and interpret war booty or in this case things
>     from a dead soldier may be  more important than whether you do or don't
>     ....I think that the items could be used to show what soldiers used,
>     what personal things they carried with them, interpreting this in a
>     human way.  I would *not* exhibit them with the main message being that
>     they were taken from a dead soldier.  If they can help us understand
>     the life, circumstances and human feelings of "any soldier" across the
>     boundaries of whose 'side' he was on, then we may help those visitors
>     who have no personal experience of war understand better what it means
>     to send men to war.
>
>           Some may feel that to use these things at all is inappropriate,
>     but I believe that to the extent those things can be used to help us
>     better understand a reality that we need to understand, even though it
>     is not a pleasant one, then perhaps the dead soldier's life will have
>     had a little more meaning, and be just a little less in vain. And maybe
>     those who see the exhibit will realize just a bit more that "the enemy"
>     was someone a lot like us.
>     Lucy Skjelstad
>     [log in to unmask]
>