michael h schneider
04-28-2001, 12:50 PM
WILLARD HOUSE: On April 26, the trustees of the Willard House Museum
voted to terminate their formal
affiliation with the NAWCC. Treasurer David Woods and I were present at
the meeting. The separation was friendly and based upon three main
considerations:
1. Anxiety about the long term future of the Museum has lessened, as
local leadership emerges to join the Willard Board.
2. NAWCC acknowledges that managing the Willard staff from our Columbia
headquarters is not a practical proposition. Willard House has approved
the immediate hiring of the current staff. Further, they had already
expressed the intent that any Museum Director should be a resident of
central Massachusetts. To clarify, Willard House had always paid the
employee salaries and benefits for their people, but these were nominally
NAWCC employees until now.
3. Willard House finances are healthy, and even if they were not, the
NAWCC can not currently be of much financial help to them.
Net, the affiliation agreement made sense when it was put into effect in
1994. It no longer does. Many NAWCC appointed Willard House Trustees will
be asked to stay on, and we agreed that a policy of mutual cooperation
and friendship will prevail. David Wood and I expressed the affection and
admiration that so many NAWCC members have for that national horological
treasure, and wished them success on behalf of all NAWCC members. I
should also
congratulate NAWCC Chapter 8 for their long term interest and assistance
to Willard House. I'm sure that will continue.
Sincerely, Doug Cowan 1VP
dcclock@juno.com
voted to terminate their formal
affiliation with the NAWCC. Treasurer David Woods and I were present at
the meeting. The separation was friendly and based upon three main
considerations:
1. Anxiety about the long term future of the Museum has lessened, as
local leadership emerges to join the Willard Board.
2. NAWCC acknowledges that managing the Willard staff from our Columbia
headquarters is not a practical proposition. Willard House has approved
the immediate hiring of the current staff. Further, they had already
expressed the intent that any Museum Director should be a resident of
central Massachusetts. To clarify, Willard House had always paid the
employee salaries and benefits for their people, but these were nominally
NAWCC employees until now.
3. Willard House finances are healthy, and even if they were not, the
NAWCC can not currently be of much financial help to them.
Net, the affiliation agreement made sense when it was put into effect in
1994. It no longer does. Many NAWCC appointed Willard House Trustees will
be asked to stay on, and we agreed that a policy of mutual cooperation
and friendship will prevail. David Wood and I expressed the affection and
admiration that so many NAWCC members have for that national horological
treasure, and wished them success on behalf of all NAWCC members. I
should also
congratulate NAWCC Chapter 8 for their long term interest and assistance
to Willard House. I'm sure that will continue.
Sincerely, Doug Cowan 1VP
dcclock@juno.com