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<DIV><FONT color=#000080>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. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>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 <EM>wrong</EM> right now. Was there much =
really
<EM>wrong</EM> 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. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>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.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>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. </FONT><FONT =
color=#000080>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. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>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?
</FONT><FONT color=#000080>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. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>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 </FONT><FONT color=#000080>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. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>But, good luck.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000080>Del</FONT></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; =
BORDER-LEFT: #000080 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: =
black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Wimblees@AOL.COM =
href="mailto:Wimblees@AOL.COM">Wimblees@AOL.COM</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A =
title=pianotech@ptg.org
href="mailto:pianotech@ptg.org">pianotech@ptg.org</A> ; <A =
title=Board@ptg.org
href="mailto:Board@ptg.org">Board@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Cc:</B> <A title=caut@ptg.org
href="mailto:caut@ptg.org">caut@ptg.org</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> July 24, 2002 12:46 =
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Is there any interest? =
was Re:
no comp. </DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV><FONT face=arial,helvetica><FONT lang=0 =
face=Arial size=2
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR>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. =
<BR><BR>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).
<BR><BR>For the Board, could consideration be given to offer =
instructors
additional compensation to come up with more advanced topics? =
<BR><BR>Below is
the Del's latest comments on the subject. These ideas, hopefully, will =
be
taken into advicement by the Institute Committee. <BR><BR>Wim =
<BR><BR>In a
message dated 7/24/02 12:53:31 PM Central Daylight Time,
pianobuilders@olynet.com writes: <BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px =
solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"
TYPE="CITE"><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Lucida Sans Unicode" =
color=#000080
size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff =
2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"
TYPE="CITE">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?
</FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Lucida Sans Unicode" color=#000000 =
size=3
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 =
face=Arial
color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR></FONT><FONT =
lang=0 face=Arial
color=#000080 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">Well, I don't know =
what could be
offered. I don't know <BR>what other people are interested in. What =
they are
doing in their 'spare' time. <BR>What excites them. What is driving =
them on.
We'll have to search a bit. <BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial =
color=#000000
size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 =
face=Arial
color=#000080 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">As to what to do the =
year
after...let's worry about <BR>that next year. Each year will present =
troubles enough of its own.</FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial =
color=#000000
size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"> <BR><BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff =
2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"
TYPE="CITE"><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Lucida Sans Unicode" =
color=#000080 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">The next question =
is, who is going
to teach <BR>those classes? I know you spend a lot of time =
preparing new
classes, like the <BR>class I just mentioned. But who else is =
willing to
take the time, and present <BR>it, with little or no compensation? =
Are we
gong to run into the same problem? <BR>Are the advanced =
technicians who
have given of their time and talent for all <BR>these many years, =
and felt
"taken advantage of," be willing to step up to the <BR>plate, and =
do it
again? </FONT><FONT lang=0 face="Lucida Sans Unicode" =
color=#000000 size=3
FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR></BLOCKQUOTE><BR></FONT><FONT lang=0 =
face=Arial
color=#000000 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF"><BR></FONT><FONT =
lang=0 face=Arial
color=#000080 size=2 FAMILY="SANSSERIF">And that, of course, =
brings <BR>us
back to where this all started. Yes, eventually we are going to run =
into the
<BR>same problem. With the current policies it will probably be =
impossible.
But <BR>those policies must ultimately change--it is only a matter =
of
time.</FONT><FONT lang=0 face=Arial color=#000000 size=2 =
FAMILY="SANSSERIF">
=
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