The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 47, November 19, 2006, Article 4

THE ANA AND THE BROTHERHOOD AND SISTERHOOD OF NUMISMATICS

Howard A. Daniel III writes: "One of the primary factors for me in
numismatics is the brotherhood and sisterhood that is prevalent in it.
It used to be the same in the American Numismatic Association
headquarters but I am seeing less and less of it on almost a monthly
basis.  I still have a couple of "brothers" and "sisters" at the
headquarters but the ranks are quickly thinning out.  Why?

I went to the ANA Representative Program meeting at the recent Denver
ANA to pick up an award for the editor of The E-Sylum, if someone else
did not show up.  The other person showed up to accept the award and
he passed it on to me to bring back to Virginia.  But I stayed at the
meeting and listened to the head table at the meeting telling the
audience how they misunderstood or did not correctly interpret the
changes in the program.  Person after person spoke to the head table
that they completely understand but the head table over and over again
said that they did not.  The disconnect was VERY profound!!

It was so bad that I also spoke, even though I am not part of the
program.  I went into my standard talk about my finding the great
majority of numismatists to be great people.  Not good, but great!
And that I volunteer at the conventions and shows because I want to
find young and new numismatists to bring into our ranks.  And that
the people in the program know what is going right and wrong and did
not need a lawyer and lawyer-written forms to define it for them.
And if the brotherhood and sisterhood in numismatics is replaced
with legal relationships, we have lost the ANA to the lawyers.

I think the ANA Board of Directors should privately interview all
of the staffers, one by one, to find the source(s) of the problems
plaguing the headquarters.  I believe ALL employees, including the
Executive Director, should be numismatists, historians, librarians
or related fields, or show a strong interest in the fields BEFORE
they are hired, like the recently dismissed librarian and historian,
David Sklow.

I will strongly support and campaign for anyone who will run for
any ANA office who will bring the ANA back into the brotherhood and
sisterhood of numismatics.  Maybe I should run myself.  Hmmmmm."

NBS Board member Joel Orosz writes: I'm utterly appalled by the
implosion of the ANA.  I don't know what is more ghastly, the
Nixonian paranoia and utter flouting of nonprofit good practice of
the Executive Director, or the Board of Governors' inaction in
response.  If DeLorey is right, and the Board is contemplating a
five year contract extension, there may be little left before that
time is up.  It's sad -- I can hear the shade of George Heath
weeping all the way over on the other side of the state, in Monroe.

[We embarked on this topic with the news of the ANA Librarian's
dismissal.  To keep our focus on numismatics itself, we should
veer away from organization politics, keeping in mind our many
readers beyond the U.S. borders and others with little interest
in the organization.

However, our common interest in numismatics, history and research
can and probably should color the votes of the ANA members among
our number.  While I wouldn't go as far as Howard in requiring a
hobby interest or background for all employees, I do think his
proposal will resonate with many of us here, and would encourage
E-Sylum readers with strong convictions to consider running for
a board position or applying for an open headquarters position.

I do know of at least two E-Sylumites planning to run: Wendell
Wolka and John Eshbach.  Both are solid numismatists and hard
workers for the hobby, as is Howard.

ANA members who wish to contact the present board can do so
directly via email - their addresses (and some phone numbers)
are listed on the ANA web site:

William H. Horton Jr.     William H. Horton Jr.
Barry Stuppler               Barry Stuppler
M. Remy Bourne           M. Remy Bourne
Brian E. Fanton              Brian E. Fanton
Michael Fey                  Michael Fey 
Patricia Jagger Finner  Patricia Jagger Finner
Prue Morgan Fitts         Prue Morgan Fitts
Alan Herbert                 Alan Herbert
Donald H. Kagin          Donald H. Kagin

Now back to our regular programming. -Editor]

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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