----------
> From: John Leeke, Preservation Consultant >
> Kathy wites:
> >>>>>>><< At least one example of mid- to late-20th
>  century poor construction should be saved so we remember the lessons it
can
>  teach. >>
>
> But if it's preserved as built, won't it have to be re-preserved over and
over
> again?
> Sort of like stuffing a bad-tempered pet after it's dead, and then
spending
> the rest of your life keeping the moths from eating it.<<<<<<<
>
> If preservation was easy everyone would be in it.
> Out of sight, out of mind, but do we really want to forget? Well, we
could
> write articles or books about these buildings, but nothing carries the
message
> like the real thing.

Why preserve it. Why not just reproduce it in composite resin? Or make a
holograph of it?

 Perhaps the struggle to maintain an unmaintainable
> building will have many extant examples. Isn't this what is happening
with all
> the F.L. Wright buildings?

OK! So this guy moved up to near Strong, Maine and he discovered that his
neighbors were none too friendly. He'd greet them with a smile and a brief
word or two about the weather, but all he'd every get was a nod and a
suspicious glance.

Determined to do something about this, he noticed one day that his nearest
neighbor was out splitting his winter's supply of firewood and he decided
that this was a great opportunity to break the ice. He walked up the road
and greeted ol' Erland and got the expected nod and suspicious glance.
Determined not to be rebuffed, he stood his ground and opened with what he
thought was the most appropriate conversational ploy;

"That's quite a pile of stove wood you've got to split there."

Erland looked across at him, surprise that the flatlander hadn't taken the
meaning of his response to the greeting written across his face;

"Ayup." He returned to his splitting.

"I've got a lot of wood to split too, and I wish I was as good at it as
you."

"Might would be some day, if'n you get to it, instead of standin' around
jawing."

"Tell me something. Do you recommend any particular brand of splitting ax?"

"Well", says Erland, laying down his ax and walking toward the flatlander,
making a great show of friendliness, "It ain't so much what brand you use,
as how well you take care of it."

"You don't say?"

"I do say. I'll tell you something, mister man, this ax has been in my
family for at least eight generations."

"That's amazing! How'd it manage to survive so long?"

"Real simple. Never let anything run down, but if'n a part wear out, don't
be a tight pocket. Replace it.
 Why, in 150 years this ax has had six handles... and four heads!"

Some things, like good Maine axes, and Frank Lloyd Wright buildings, are
just worth maintaining.

Bruce