| THE JOURNAL - Current Editorial |
We Should Celebrate Our Diversity
Whenever members of the Nautical Research Guild assemble together, at model club meetings, symposia, or conferences, any outside observer must be struck immediately by our remarkable homogeneity. Overwhelmingly, the observer will note that we are male, white, and above the current United States median age of 35.3 years. This is not to deny that people from all over the world, men and women, young and old, are members of the Guild, but, generally, our public face does not reflect that diversity.
Where, then, is this diversity we should celebrate? Uncovering it becomes even more difficult when our outside observer gets to know us better, and discovers yet another characteristic of our uniformity: the strength of our convictions. We all—men and women, young and old, from any part of the world—are utterly convinced of the importance of prodigious research, clear and accurate representation, scale fidelity, meticulous craftsmanship, and appropriate presentation. We set high standards of excellence for ourselves, learn from our failures to attain them, strive to live up to them, and encourage those we meet who have similar and related interests to take on the challenge of raising their own standards of excellence. In short, we display the characteristics of members of any guild; we teach, we mentor, we share our techniques, we encourage our fellows, and we hold fast to our principle of expecting only the highest quality of craftsmanship.
With such a mindset, how can the Guild be open to the concept of diversity? There are at least two ways by which it should and, in fact, does open itself. The expectation of quality in craftsmanship is not, in itself, a barrier to acceptance. The Guild, unlike quite a number of individual clubs, does not establish specific criteria for membership, such as production of a certain number of pieces of work, or requirements defining the qualities of such pieces. Instead, it offers a wide-open door to membership for anyone with an interest in nautical research and its application to model making. The Guild believes that any individual with such an interest also has the dedication to progress from apprenticeship to journeyman status and, finally, to mastery, and that the resources available within its membership, accessible through both personal contact and the pages of this journal, will support such individuals as they advance. That openness and that support constitute the essence of the guild system.
The Guild, again unlike quite a few clubs, also is very diverse in that it demands no conformity from its membership to production within specific genres, nor the use of precisely defined materials. Members of the Guild are free to research and build models of vessels from any era and part of the world. They may use whatever materials they choose. They may opt to devote themselves entirely to research and publication, they may elect also to build models on the basis of that work, they may rely on the research of fellow members and just build models from that information. The common thread throughout is mutual support as individuals strive to improve the quality of their work.
Historically, the Nautical Research Guild has not been very effective in advertizing to the world its openness to enthusiasts and to the diversity of their interests. The Guild’s commitment to excellence has obscured its equal commitment to supporting members in advancing their skills. It is important that we, both individually and collectively, spread this message of the Guild’s genuine diversity throughout our community.
Paul E. Fontenoy
Editor
|
|
