[pianotech] Stuff Which Should Really Be on PTG-L

[Dale Probst]

Hi Alan et al,
 
Whoever told you $10-$50 would do it was misinformed. I think dues would
have to double for the convention to be free. With a  large increase we
would lose a significant percentage of the membership that makes a moving
target that is hard to calculate but that's my best guess. Doubling dues
won't have much effect if half the membership resigns
 
I've been reading a lot of posts and have a few comments which I'm sure
won't be received in the spirit they are intended but here they are. First,
participation in this listserve is down because fewer posts are on topic or
piano related. There have been more piano related posts on the new site
that's why some of us have spent more time there. Second, I believe some
workaround compromise will come about to keep the lists going longer. My
question is how many of the people who have complained are ready to serve as
admins or do other thankless jobs to keep these antiquated listserves going?
Don't bother telling me how much you dislike the Higher Logic site and that
these listserves are perfect. I heard complaints for years about these
listserves and their jumbled digests, archives and other issues when I was
on the Board. 
 
On the topic of instructor reimbursements- it's simple math. With
registration prices lower this year, less could be reimbursed to instructors
because the budget of PTG depends upon income from the convention to pay
bills.  I understand that instructors put a lot of time into presentations,
I've taught before. Board members put in a lot of time also, as do examiners
and other volunteer members. Del hit it right on the head when he said PTG
was a volunteer organization that was built by a generous spirit of
volunteerism. I can tell you first hand it still is and we are still
building. How to get from a totally volunteer organization to one where some
folks get reimbursed has been a problem that we have yet to solve. I do know
that it will never be amenable to everyone, no matter what we do.
 
As to "the absence of some of our finest independent instructors" at the
annual PTG convention- these will be the first classes I've have had a
chance to attend to since 1997 and I'm looking forward to them. There are
new classes and new faces and that is not altogether a bad thing. Do I wish
some of my old friends would be there? You bet! I also wish that my friends
could find some value in attending these new classes whether they were
teaching or not. I've been at this 30 years and I've yet to find a class
that didn't make me a better tech for attending. I'll grant that some do
more of that than others but the worst I ever attended was pretty darn good.

 
I wish you all the best and I hope to see some of you in KC. 
 
Dale
 
PS Please keep in mind that these folks some of you are criticizing so
vehemently are volunteers you elected who take time away from their families
and work to serve. In my experience Board service at the RVP level takes a
month out of your year and it don't get better if you move up to the
Executive Committee. If you really feel motivated to make changes, sign up
and get involved. I can tell you from personal experience, one motivated
person can make a difference.
 
Dale Probst RPT
Registered Piano Technician
Ward & Probst, Inc.
www.wardprobst.com <http://www.wardprobst.com/> 
dale at wardprobst.com
 
 
 

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Alan Eder
Sent: Thursday, June 30, 2011 6:01 PM
To: pianotech at ptg.org
Subject: Re: [pianotech] teaching money,(was Irritated )


Hi Mark, 


I am deeply concerned about the absence of some of our finest independent
instructors at this year's national convention.


I would also rather pay higher dues and/or registration than to see the
quality of instruction diminish, but I'm also sensitive to the needs of
beginning technicians who may truly have trouble affording the cost of
attending. 

I recently heard that someone (named Carl Lieberman?) calculated that with a
modest increase in dues (was it $50? or $10? Carl?), convention registration
could be free to all comers.  Sure, everyone would still have to get
themselves there and pay for a room (hey, you have to eat whether you are at
home or on the road), but this would enormously increase the incentive to
attend conventions ('cause it's already paid for--take it, or leave it).
This approach, coupled with the kind of respect, both verbal and monetary,
exemplified by some of our better one-day seminars and regional conventions,
could enable the nationals to not only return to their former glory, but to
surpass it by showing that we truly value excellence in instruction and seek
to promote our own professionalism.

I appreciate your involvement in this issue and thank you for taking the
time to hear me out.

Alan Eder




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