An apology for the sign

September 13, 2007 12:40 pm

— I respectfully submit the following in response to a letter from Mr. Brian Stouder of Fort Wayne (Pharos-Tribune, Sept. 9).
I am the director of the Cass County Historical Society museum at 1004 E. Market St. in Logansport. I am writing to personally and publicly apologize for your disappointment at not gaining entry to the museum. To quote a line from your letter to the forum: “Usually the place has a sign up that says ‘closed,’ but on two occasions I have driven past and the sign said ‘open.’”
Yes, sir, the sign is supposed to be turned to read “open” on Tuesday through Saturday 1 to 5 p.m. I admit I may have forgotten to turn the sign when I ended my workweek on a Saturday and the sign has, to my horror, been turned to read “open” on a Sunday and even on a Monday. I have stopped my car to run up the steps to turn the sign on my day off.
My museum docents can vouch for the fact that on a windy day if the museum’s storm door is opened that sign blows around. My predecessor, Mr. Looker, told me that on occasion someone would find both doors locked as you did, Mr. Stouder. I don’t recall that anyone ever wrote a public forum to complain; rather they asked him about it in person.
I am in my office at 10 a.m. and most days I am there at 9 a.m. Or I am in the carriage house, or sweeping out the log home, or speaking at the Senior Center or visiting a school, or in the field collecting donations or doing research for the archives. I want you to know that I am, for certain, on the museum grounds between 1 and 5 p.m. while the museum is open. I am very sorry that you were so inconvenienced by a sign that was turned to read “open” when it should not have been. I will see to a simple solution of getting a sign that reads closed on both sides and a sign that reads open on both sides.
The very best part of my job is showing off the Society’s collection in the Jeroloman-Long home. It is what makes all of the other of my responsibilities well worth it. I sincerely hope that you will call the museum the next time you’re in Logansport, because you are right, the museum, with its historical pieces holds the key to unlock the mysteries of Cass County’s past.
Thelma Conrad
Cass County Historical Society director
Logansport