Re: educational materials

[MKIRKALDY@aol.com]

In a message dated 9/1/98 4:52:04 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
dmschmidt@sprint.ca writes:

>  Unfortunately, it seems that the only sarcastic comments that I have
>  recieved from any of the three lists that I posted to came from this one. 
>  That really is too bad.
I think that the history of the "child paleontologist" on this list has to be
taken into consideration.  We have had teenagers who won't go to
school, but want to concentrate exclusively on dinosaurs, a seven year
old "paleontologist" naming a new species, and now a three year old.
Juxtapose that with the current discussion on costs of publishing, 
inability because of 0$$ to travel to see the fossil collections, scrambling 
to find money for research, and the endangered Dinosaur Society which
has lost its corporate funding.  

>  I submitted the request because I thought the people on this list would, as
>  professionals, appreciate the knowledgability and interest level of this
>  little guy, and maybe admire the fact that he is so sure of what he wants
>  to do with his life.  
But what does he want to do at three?  He loves his dinosaur toys, but didn't 
we all, and many still do.  Which leads to my long-held platform that 
dinosaurs are >not< just for children.  Marketing them as such is the surest
way to ensure minimum funding for serious research.  If I had a choice of 
whether to send the three year old to the AMNH to see the dinosaurs or to
send Jim Farlow to see the Bolivian footprints, there is no question that
Dr. Farlow would be packing.  

Mary
mkirkaldy@aol.com