Isn't it wonderful that old people still find a meaning in life when
participating in a museum! Even if they can't quite handle it
professionally, and annoy the young, eager and ambitious personnel. What is
culture all about, if it is only for the successful and the young? What is
culture all about, if it is just fun?

Greetings, from OLD Europe,
Peter

PS: Get old yourself - and then we talk on further.
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-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Wayne and Mary <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
An: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Datum: Montag, 1. Februar 1999 19:53
Betreff: Re: volunteer horror stories


Let me give you a couple of examples:

We have volunteers that have been with the museum for nearly
25 years.  Many of them can no longer negotiate the stairs to
turn on the lights for patrons. So they don't. The curator (also
volunteer) wanted to install a light switch at the bottom of the
stairs that would handle the upstairs lighting. Board members
said no - what you need to do is get younger volunteers and not
allow the older ones that can't go upstairs to sign up for the
season.
We're talking here about folks bordering on 90 years old  - who
never read the guidebook from year to year because they figure
there is nothing new in it etc. etc.

Then you have the volunteer on the board who comes to 1, possibly
2 board meetings a year - which is clearly in contradiction of the by
laws concerning attendance for board members and who can be
ousted for non attendance - but have never been told to vacate the
spot by the President - because  - after all, they ARE volunteering
their time. What has happened here is that there are only 6 or 7
board members who take an active interest in the doings of the board
and in the running of the museum.  The rest only show up for the
annual meeting and the volunteer dinner.

Regards

Mary Haegele