In article <[log in to unmask]>, "Mary E. Maher,
editor, Hand to Hand" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> For a future issue of Hand to Hand, quarterly journal of the Association of
> Youth Museums, devoted to the subject of professional advancement in
> children's museums (cm's), I'm interested in hearing from people in response
> to the following:
> Is the children's museum profession paying enough attention to training new
> leaders for the field? A number of cm's have recently hired directors from
> outside the field. Are boards overlooking talent from within the field?

I think your questions regarding the hiring of directors are, sadly,
answered in most of the want ads for directors in AVISO, Hand to Hand,
etc.

When the primary requirement seems to be "proven fund raising ability"
rather than educational background or expertise in the field, it doesn't
really matter whether a candidate is a museum professional or leads the
soap division for Proctor and Gamble.

Who is to blame for this? "We have found the enemy and he is us" to quote
(or misquote) Walt Kelly's Pogo.  When we select boards stacked with
influential (read "rich") representatives, lawyers, and business people
who do we think they will select to lead their respective institutions?

This is not to say that many good directors are not also good fundraisers,
but the emphasis for keeping their jobs most often depends on
grantsmanship rather than scholarship.

--
Paul O.<[log in to unmask]>

Paul Orselli & Lisa Costello