Forgive us, we were trained to think that the building was the work of
art.  We were taught that our work was the the form and we, the form
giver.  We were not taught that there would be clients who insisted on
being listened to, let alone have their thoughts incorporated into the
design!  We were not taught to watch craftsmen work...we may even have
been discouraged from looking at real builings.

Now, somewhere along the way, most of us architects did learn to
listen.  We did learn to appreciate and observe.  And while we learned
it from many sources, most of us learned it from older wiser
architects.  Of course we didn't learn much about older wiser architects
in school either!

I've been thinking a lot about learning and preservation lately.  Maybe
because of these discussions.  Maybe because it seems that learning
opportunities are being missed.  Each of us preservationeers has an
obligation to teach...and to learn.  We are creating a profession out of
many professions...we've been seperate too long.  Its time to appreciate
each other, and give each other the benefit of the doubt.

Help!  I've been possessed by that NICE john again!  Eeeuccch!