Abbey Newsletter interns

Three developments have more or less run together here at the Newsletter
office: a) the need to start preparing for succession in the editor's
position, b) my experiencing of moderate burnout, and c) realization on
my part of how educational this work really is.  Having never had
interns before, I am not quite sure of the best way to organize and
finance the position, or how to recruit applicants.  Until now, I have
hired only women, because I have worked and lived in the same apartment,
but the landlord is selling the house and eventually this will force a
separation of functions for the space and open it up for men as well.

When I had my bindery in Dexter and Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1969- 1978, I
trained an apprentice and a number of employees--not as well as they
wanted to be trained, but other bindery managers will testify about how
taxes, payroll, inventory, orders and other chores keep interfering.
Over Christmas vacation I visited the successor to my bindery, the one
that bought the most equipment and acquired most of the methods and
personnel.  After a few years of floundering (don't tell them I said
so), they now seem to be doing quite good work, and I am supporting them
by sending relevant news and information.  I expect similar success with
editorial interns.

I had in mind a summer internship connected with one of the conservation
schools, but am open to suggestion.  The work would be very much like
writing papers for school, but more of the information would be gathered
by telephone or from the files. Since it would be for publication, I
would have to go over it pretty thoroughly first.  There would be other
editorial and information work, so it wouldn't be all writing papers.
That can be pretty stressful.  The applicant would have to be able to
write clearly before coming on board, because that can't be taught
overnight, but my editorial assistance would help them become even
better.

I would be grateful for reactions to this idea.

    **** Moderator's comments:   To send mail to Ellen McCrady, put
    FORWARD: Ellen McCrady
    at the top of your message and mail it to whenry [at] lindy__stanford__edu

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 4:37
                  Distributed: Sunday, January 6, 1991
                        Message Id: cdl-4-37-001
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