Camille Taylor-July 24, 2015
Remember when a “hit list” was the top 40 songs or the mob’s list of people to bump off? The media has been using this term to refer to Governor Rauner’s proposed budget cuts. The hit list includes cuts from the Department of Transportation, Children and Family Services, Tourism, Agriculture, Natural Resources, Higher Education, Public Health, Alcohol and Substance Abuse programs, and Military Affairs to name a few. You may have heard about the Illinois State Museum’s placement on the list and how it would effect our own McLean County History Museum. Museums share the limited resources they have to maximize their outreach. People outside of “museum world” are unaware of how much sharing of resources occurs as we walk through admiring various exhibits. Sir Winston Churchill once said, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” I thought of my own grandchildren who’ve benefited from various museum trips during their visits. My twin granddaughters, from Italy, have learned a lot about American history and culture to places like New Salem and various museums. My grandson, from Missouri, has learned Illinois history while being introduced to Abe Lincoln. Most tourist resources have nominal or no entry fees, but leave a lasting impression.When my grandchildren saw exhibits on the settlers’ way of life, the extinction of the buffalo and Native Americans, early travel, and other aspects of our culture they were surprised and amazed. Their reaction was either, “I wish I could do that!” or “Ooohh, I’m glad we don’t have to go outside to use the bathroom!” When the value of places like parks, museums, and natural resources are not appreciated their future is jeopardized along with the history they provide. Many museum memberships have reciprocal agreements with other museums across the country giving free or reduced admission. This is an advantage when people travel and encourages you to include it on your “must see” list. Generations to come will be impacted negatively if we shutter the doors to our historical facilities. All learning does not occur at school or at home. We are blessed to have sites, exhibits, museums, and other places we can enjoy with our family and friends. Times like those cannot be measured with a price tag. I pray our Governor and legislators weigh the impact of each item on the “hit list” and the potential damage it will cause to our quality of life. I’m Camille Taylor for the WJBC Forum.
Camille Taylor, a retired Counselor from Normal Community High School, has been an educator in this community for 34 years. She is active in the community currently serving as a church elder and board member for both the Baby Fold and the YWCA. She has been recognized by the YWCA as a Woman of Distinction for education, a Martin Luther King Jr. award winner for the City of Bloomington, a Distinguished Alumni by the College of Education at Illinois State University, a Human and Civil Rights award winner for the Illinois Education Association, and the H.Councill Trenholm Award recipient from the National Education Association for her work with diversity. She lives in Bloomington with her husband, Arthur, and is a mother and grandmother.
The opinions expressed within WJBC’s Forum are solely those of the Forum’s author, and are not necessarily those of WJBC or Cumulus Media, Inc.
