Many are complaining about loss of interest in our field.  This is
happening all over.  Why?  It all started with the Depression-era
generation.  Clothes had patches on patches.  The player piano kept
playing because no one could afford the latest and greatest.  After
the war (WW2) prosperity returned.  Out with the old and in with the
new.  Not only were the music machines scrapped but our whole heritage
was abandoned.  What did we teach?  Less is more and new is better.
Historic buildings bit the dust.  The era of conspicuous consumption
began.

I have found that many adults walk right past our interesting
music machines and do not even bother to investigate.  The first
sign of intelligence is observation.  Children come up and look
and investigate.  This is alarming!  Why are the adults not curious?
No wonder our nation is on the brink of a Depression.  No new ideas,
no new inventions, no future.  The people from China and Japan are
interested and look what is happening in their countries.

It is time to switch off the entertainment and sports and emphasize
technical learning.  Learn from our children -- get out, let them see
these wonderful things and, most importantly, let them experience
them interactively.  They are our future...

Greg Filardo