A trawl through the archive

[Richard Offen]

--- In bellhistorians at yahoogroups.com, "Giles Blundell" 
<GRBlundell at a...> wrote:
> From: "David Bryant"
> 
> But there is necessarily a limit to how much bell history the 
RW can publish. It doesn't allow for the publication of long articles 
is the way that a journal does. Perhaps the internet is the answer - 
it is certainly widely used for publishing bell history research.
> 
> 
> - if you have a long article, I can think of 2 solutions that might 
make it palatable to the RW:
> 
> 1. Publish it in parts. 
> 2. Publish a summary, pointing those who may be interested in the 
direction of how to get the full text. (I deliberately say summary 
rather than abstract - abstracts do tend to the obscure, and if you 
want a general audience to read the item and be enlightened then what 
is published needs to appeal to them.)
> 

Can I add a third point to your list please:

3. Make it interesting.

Whatever David says, people DO like history as long as it is 
approachable, relevant and informative. Like any subject, history 
is as dull as ditch water if presented in a dull way! 

I work in an industry that is about delivering history in a palatable 
way to the general public. Some places manage to get it right and 
get an enthusiastic response from their audience others don't and get 
low visitor figures and few return visits.

When in New Zealand earlier this year I visited a museum that was 
devoted to the history of the use of one indigenous species of 
timber. It had the potential to be one of the most boring places on 
earth, but, because of slick presentation, very carefully chosen 
words and continual reference back to things that ordinary people 
understand, it turned out to be one of the most enlightening and 
entertaining couple of hours I've spent in a long time.

Make bell history articles like that and you've got a winner!

R