Is there any interest? was Re: no comp.

[Delwin D Fandrich]

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It's not that easy, Wim. What I see is a long-term trend and a few quick =
questions polled on the internet is not going to give you any real =
answers. Besides, nothing is immediate and nothing is a crisis. Indeed, =
quite probably nothing ever will be a crisis--we will just go happily =
along until one day we start to wonder what happened to the organization =
we once knew and loved.=20

Actually, I'm wondering what has happened to it right now, but obviously =
many in our midst don't see things the way I do. They don't loss of =
vitality and wisdom that I already see developing. A loss which I =
attribute at least in part to the policies under discussion here. And =
even now, that sense of loss is more for what might have been and for =
what might be than for anything that is really wrong right now. Was =
there much really wrong with our last convention? Not much, actually. It =
was well planned and well run. The staff--both paid and volunteer--did a =
great job. They overcame many problems and pulled it off once again with =
grace and aplomb. What could be better? There were classes of interest =
for everyone--well, almost everyone. And here I have only intangibles to =
offer. The bottom line is that had I not instructing there was very =
little to attract my attendance. So, I went to Chicago primarily to try =
to teach others some of what I have learned over the years. And for this =
you tell me I should re-evaluate my motives for attending. If I do, by =
all logic I should simply decline and stay home. And, of course, that is =
what many have done. They no longer show up.=20

I say I should show up. And I should be willing to share my knowledge =
with others. I think my motives are good ones. I think there are a few =
others should show up as well. And I think some of them would if it =
didn't cost them a sometimes considerable amount of money to do so.=20

PTG, as a matter of policy going back to its formative days, exploits =
those who provide it with technical content. Now this is not altogether =
a bad thing, and is sometimes a necessary thing. Our policies regarding =
instructor compensation were generally formed when the organization was =
much younger and poorer. The policy worked and was supported by most =
everybody--myself included--at considerable personal expense.=20

We are now a somewhat older and more mature organization, but those =
policies haven't changed much. After all, they have worked well for =
better than thirty years (of my knowledge), why change them? =
Because--for at least one reason--PTG and the economic status of its =
membership has changed. In large part for the better and in large part =
due to the sacrifices of those early members.=20

I think it's time to now reconsider: Are those policies still working =
all that well or are we just conveniently closing our eyes and not =
looking? Is it possible we do not see developing problems because we =
don't want to see them? Once we acknowledge that all is not right with =
our little world and that problems are sprouting up now that are going =
to reach full bloom sometime in the future we might then be forced to =
deal with them. It might force us to seriously evaluate where we are and =
where we want to go and it might cost us money. None of that will make =
anyone popular but that is what real leadership is all about. It's =
easier and more comfortable to simply evolve than it is to lead.=20

But, good luck.

Del
  ----- Original Message -----=20
  From: Wimblees@AOL.COM=20
  To: pianotech@ptg.org ; Board@ptg.org=20
  Cc: caut@ptg.org=20
  Sent: July 24, 2002 12:46 PM
  Subject: Is there any interest? was Re: no comp.=20



  Del and I have been discussing what subjects could be offered at the =
convention that would attract more technicians, especially the older, =
more experinced ones who have not been coming to the conventions =
recently, because there just aren't enough interesting topics offered.=20

  The challenge is to come up with topics that might be of interest, and =
an instructor who could present that topic, (or offer to teach it =
yourself).=20

  For the Board, could consideration be given to offer  instructors =
additional compensation to come up with more advanced topics?=20

  Below is the Del's latest comments on the subject. These ideas, =
hopefully, will be taken into advicement by the Institute Committee.=20

  Wim=20

  In a message dated 7/24/02 12:53:31 PM Central Daylight Time, =
pianobuilders@olynet.com writes:=20




      This is where I would like to see some ideas come out. What =
subjects, courses, ideas would attract those who feel the convention =
isn't offering enough? Would there be enough of these kinds of classes =
to fill out a schedule, or are there going to be only a few, like your =
environmental class, that hopefully would attract some of the =
technicians that no longer attend?  The second problem with this is, if =
you have some new classes next year, what will have to be offered the =
following year, and the next? Is there ever going to be enough new =
material to have those technicians you're talking about, coming back =
year after year?=20



    Well, I don't know what could be offered. I don't know=20
    what other people are interested in. What they are doing in their =
'spare' time.=20
    What excites them. What is driving them on. We'll have to search a =
bit.=20


    As to what to do the year after...let's worry about=20
    that next year. Each year will present troubles enough of its own.=20



      The next question is, who is going to teach=20
      those classes? I know you spend a lot of time preparing new =
classes, like the=20
      class I just mentioned. But who else is willing to take the time, =
and present=20
      it, with little or no compensation? Are we gong to run into the =
same problem?=20
      Are the advanced technicians who have given of their time and =
talent for all=20
      these many years, and felt "taken advantage of," be willing to =
step up to the=20
      plate, and do it again?=20



    And that, of course, brings=20
    us back to where this all started. Yes, eventually we are going to =
run into the=20
    same problem. With the current policies it will probably be =
impossible. But=20
    those policies must ultimately change--it is only a matter of time.=20







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