I agree with Lyle. Mark, stay on this list. The broader base we
have on HISTARCH the better. Everyone interested in historical
archaeology should be on the list. I am currently urging all new
historical archaeology students at Penn (undergraduates and graduate
students) to get enrolled as HISTARCH which (along with the SHA NEWSLETTER)
is our primary way of talking with each other.

REMINDER: The SHA will be honoring Anita Cohen-Williams for her
creation and running of HISTARCH at the January 2002 annual meetings
in Mobile, Alabama. We all need to show up to give a cheer for Anita.

                                        RL Schuyler

At 09:37 AM 8/28/2001 -0400, you wrote:
>Well, speaking for myself only, and with the
>bias of having known Mark since the late
>1970's and having read the posts, here are my
>observations and recommendation:
>
>On short posts of less than 2 or so sentences
>where he shoots from the lip, it can
>sometimes be very slightly annoying, but
>those are in the majority. Who amongst us
>hasn't occasionally put out something for
>public discussion that later we wished we'd
>not? It happens, move on.
>
>On long posts, I've read them in their
>entirety and I have always found them to be
>thoughtful and articulate. I may not agree
>with some of the comments, but I'm an
>archaeologist following the truism that where
>10 archaeologists are gathered, there are at
>least 11 opinions.
>
>Archaeology is many things and when I was
>working where Mark now works, and doing part
>of what he does along with a humongous list
>of other tasks, it was really apparent that I
>was not a typical archaeologist, I was more
>of an administrator. It was also very clear
>that I could have far more of a beneficial
>effect on the profession in that capacity
>than by dealing with one survey or site at a
>time and by plugging along in the normal
>fashion. Johnson said something to the effect
>that nothing so much focusses the mind as
>knowing on the morrow one will hang. Well,
>nothing so much focusses the archaeological
>mind on synthesis as having to deal with an
>entire state's worth of road archaeology and
>having to expend limited funds on the sites
>which would produce the most bang for the
>buck. I always figured that if I had half of
>the engineering brigade at VDOT and half of
>the SHPO office bent out of shape, I was
>probably doing it right.
>
>My advice is this: ignore the nasty comments,
>they're part of the background noise and keep
>your eyes on the goal. Above all, do not
>sign-off as I for one value your input.
>
>Lyle
>
>
Robert L. Schuyler
University of Pennsylvania Museum
33rd & Spruce Streets
Philadelphia, PA l9l04-6324

Tel: (215) 898-6965
Fax: (215) 898-0657
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