GDG- Save The Electric Map

[Alan D. Brunelle]

Kevin Thomas wrote:
> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
> Why does everything that's elegant and antiquated have to be replaced with
> state of the art BLING BLING the map should be preserved in the new visitor
> center as part of the parks history regardless of the family ties to the
> Rosensteels. I think that old map is worth saving and displayed even if not
> in working condition. 

Is the primary purpose of the VC to help provide some background and 
context of the history of the battle of Gettysburg, or the history /of 
the history/ of the battle of Gettysburg? I'm sure there is some ratio 
between the two that makes sense - but the primary (and overwhelming) 
priority should be the former. There is only so much:

o  space - to display stuff

o  money - to pay for the up-keep of stuff

o  time - there is a relation between space & time when viewed from a 
visitor's perspective: To have something that large would require a 
significant amount of space which would need to be justified in terms of 
the amount of time the visitor was expected to understand what it was 
displaying. It would be redundant to expect someone to view the new 
BLING BLING and then have a non-working older version as well.

One, perhaps, could argue that there could (should?) be some display 
concerning the old VC - it has its own history - and within that context 
one /could/ argue that information regarding the map could be displayed. 
I just don't see where the sheer size of the map warrants re-display. [I 
/believe/ that the new VC is about 1/6th larger than the old one, with 
shifts in emphasis in the new VC, I just don't see them being able to 
justify the addition of this large item.]

I do not know about you, but the wonderful old 19" TV we had when my 
kids were young, and we sat around it watching Disney tapes, has 
long-gone to the dump. We replaced it w/ a shiny new 52" rear-projection 
HD TV. While I remember fondly the time spent watching the 19" TV & 
singing "Under the Sea" w/ my kids - they sang well, I sang 
"enthusiastically" - I don't see the need to keep the 19" TV around for 
antiquities sake...

Alan