Once again I am inspired by +James Tanner 's blog Genealogy's Star: Is Genealogy Inclusive or Exclusive
In the above, James makes the analogy of professional genealogists to doctors and lawyers: "Either it is a profession like law or medicine, highly regulated and exclusionary, or it is a broadly available pastime that invites anyone to participate."
I have a slightly different view...take America's pastime, baseball, for example. Sure, we've got the pros, but we also start toddlers off with T-ball. They progress to Little League, maybe some high school or college. It's up to the individual how far they want to go. Everyone should be able to participate at their own level.
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| My husband, 1964 |
All along the way, there are there are mentors, coaches. Thousands attend games to see the pros. Many pros take the time to encourage the younger players, all the way down to the T-ball level. There are also the sandlot games in the neighborhood. If you really want to get down to the basics, you can find games across the world using a board for a bat and a homemade ball.
I think genealogy can and should be that way too. Sure, there are the pros, but then again, there are the kids with heart, trying their best, and getting so much out of the game. A basic knowledge of the rules is gained with experience. If they stick with it, they get better. Maybe the rules are a bit tougher for the pros than they are for the T-ballers, but let's not suck all the fun out of what should be a fun learning experience!
