Miguel,
I specifically left out Penn State students for several reasons, but
the main reason is that they are a transient population.  Very few
students get involved in the community while they are in college.  I
can count on one hand the number of students who have visited our
historical society (down the road from the museum) for non-class
visits in the past 1 1/2 years.

> I know a fellow from El Paso who's getting his graduate degree in art
> history at Penn State.  I think his career plans are to work in museums.
>
> Remember the Latino community includes Mexicans, Mexican-Americans
> or Chicanos, Puerto Ricans (which are numerous in Philadelphia), Cuban
> and persons from Central American heritage.  I chance to say, that 1% is an
> underestimation.

Yes, I do remember that.  Puerto Ricans in Philly don't help -- we are
a County historical society in Central Pennsylvania, 3 1/2 hours from
Philly.  Again, if you leave out Penn State students, we have VERY FEW
people of ANY color other than white in our community.  You are right,
though, 1% was an underestimation: the 1980 census (someone has borrowed
my 1990 county figures) gave the minority population as 3%.  "People of
Spanish origin", as the county report called them, were 0.7% of the total
population.  Blacks were the largest minority at 1.3%.

>
> Even if Latinos students couldn't be found, I feel it would behoove those in
> hiring positions to be sensitive to qualified people of color.  From
> personal experience, a certain museum in El Paso actually rewrote the
> curatorial job description to suit a particular candidate who fit all
> those "qualifications," thus everyone else didn't measure up. Incidently
> this person moved to El Paso way before the formal interviews for the
> position even began.  Now was that a setup?  Was it legal?  Yes.  Was it
> ethical?  Well, I don't think so.  Let's not forget how the role of
> favortism, politica (politics) and the rest of the "isms" play into
> hiring "qualified" people.  Been there, lived it, seen it.
>
I didn't dispute any of your ideas.  My point was that of the 1400 people
on Museum-L, we didn't all respond because we're not interested. For
some of us, our experience isn't relevant.  By the way, I am the only
staff person here (and the first ever).  If we ever hire anyone else,
we'll take into account your concerns.  They are valid -- just not
applicable in a small county in central Pennsylvania.
Sara

--
Sara Phinney Kelley, Historic Site Administrator
Centre County Historical Society
State College, PA
(814) 234-4779                  e-mail: [log in to unmask]