NANFA-- NANFA and the need to record history

Brian Haas (bhaas_at_dubuque.net)
Sat, 09 Jun 2001 23:21:33 -0500

Tonight as I was sitting in my home reading another issue of the Wisconsin
Magazine of History, a NANFA thought occurred to me.

The NANFA conventions are a great thing, but for innumerable reasons, not
everyone is able to go. Chris does an excellent job of writing a summary
article of all the events, but no factual detail is ever really recorded.
The information presented to the attendees by the various speakers is
stored in their memories (hopefully), but is essentially lost for the large
number of members unable to attend the convention.

Yes, the absent people should’ve been there if they really wanted to hear
the talks in the first place, but what about the fish heads of the future?

My suggestion:
With the speaker’s permission, would someone be willing to make an audio
(or video) recording of each talk and send it to me so that I may
transcribe it? Getting copies of the visual aids used would make the
document even better. Also, if a good enough quality video was made, that
too could be archived and offered to members. In some cases, the talk may
be pointless without the use of visual aids; in these the video form may be
especially valuable.

As Chris Scharpf has said, some speakers, such as Chris Sanders, plan to
write an article for AC already. Nonetheless, I still believe he is in the
minority and we continue to allow our fishy heritage to swim away from us.

Besides, who isn't going to want to watch the 2001 convention ten years
from now?

Travis "the historian" Haas
Hazel Green, Wisconsin

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