Mary sez:

>In exploring a national perspective on the motives behind preservation, I
>found I couldn't ignore the more personal views, especially as they translate
>to a world view, and to action. Anne brings her perspective on what got her
>into this in the first place, and I know many members of the list who are in
>the crafts have talked about their background and love of materials.
>
>But what else is there?  Genetics?  A mother who did all the repairs around
>the house? Living in an old house? A father who insisted on touring historic
>sites on the weekends? A mentor? An aversion to losing things?
>Obstreperousness?  (I spelled checked it already.) An event? A belief in
>"good" design, quality materials? Political correctness? A need for a "higher
>purpose" in one's life? A penchant for social action? Or (dare I even suggest
>it?) making a living (Gawd, Mary, give us a break -- money???).
>
>My event:

I got into this by osmosis.

I grew up on the banks of the Maumee River, along which ran the Miami and
Erie Canal bed, right behind my house, down the hill.  I believe I have
already related certain cool weather recreational activities.  None of this
impinged particularly upon my consciousness as I was growing up, it was
just a cool place to play.

It was only during college that, as I was floundering around in my 4-year
Bachelor of Environmental Design curriculum trying to figure out if I would
be Buckminster Fuller (I finally woke up after falling asleep and realized
that I couldn't be Bucky) or maybe Antonio Gaudi or perhaps Bruce Goff (the
only one I lament not being), I took an inoccuous elective called
"Environmental Preservation Planning."  If it had been called "Historic
Preservation Planning," one wonders if I would have signed up....

Suddenly all of these values that had been brewing my whole life coalesced
and I realized that this was me.  Meaningful stuff, and fun for a lifetime.
And people would pay me to do it.  Way cool.  From there on out I tailored
my curriculum to preservation.

I still get my history by osmosis.  Folks naturally always think that I
know all the history about all the buildings with which we deal.  That's
not why I do this, I'm into this for urban design.  I just pick up the
history stuff on the side, but I don't study it.  Fortunately, I'm good at
osmosis, having been practicing it all my life, and I seem to have the
answer for the history questions pretty often.

I think this is a cool place to play.

_______________________________________________
Dan Becker,  Executive Director       "Conformists die, but
Raleigh Historic                                 heretics live on forever"
Districts Commission                                   -- Elbert Hubbard

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