15th July 2005, 10:15 PM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by Pete M
It just seems to me that it was field archaeologists who had the gumption to set up the IFA, but got hijacked by administrative types.
I remember when the IFA was set up. In those early days most field archaeologists echoed the thoughts of Groucho Marx (I'd rather not join any club that would have me a s member). Believe it or not most of us actually thought that the IFA was a bosses club who had hijacked our professional 'good name'. (Well my boss was in it!!). It was the right thinking Tony Gregory that convinced me otherwise, but sadly he didn't live to see his particular vision of the IFA enacted.
ACT in the mid 80s tried for a brief summer to direct IFA policy towards the lower end of the profession, but I think came at a bad point in most peoples careers. Many of the ACT 'activists' I remember from 1985-86 now seem to have absorbed the full lesson of 'Animal Farm' and have their feet well and truly seated in the trough. But that doesn't necessarilly mean that they shouldn't be reminded that they too once shared many of the aspirations of today's Digger generation
Which brings us to the Diggers Forum. The people, and I suspect the impetus, behind the DF is that of a new generation. I know this because none of them are old enough to have been in the profession when the IFA was set up. This is a good time to think again about the IFA, shuck off some of the baggage that it may have carried for the last 25 years and think again. It may be possible that the current active digging section of the profession have some ideas that us fogies of 25 years plus don't have. They of course have my full support and I would urge Pete and anyone else to at least give the Diggers Forum a chance.
For IFA members who have a vote in the September IFA council elections, I understand that there will be candidates standing as supporters of the Diggers Forum. Maybe this year is the year to vote in the election....