To the editor:

I write to support maintaining the full operations of the KU Museum of Anthropology. I ask that the fine ethnographic and archaeological collections be actively displayed and interpreted for KU students and the public.

I am a western Kansan by birth, a University of Kansas graduate, and currently am the Peace Corps director in Thailand. I write as a private citizen; the views expressed are my own and do not reflect the position or views of the Peace Corps. In this latter capacity I am keenly interested in the role of the university in building cultural understanding.

I often wonder: What are the processes by which Americans gain and maintain an interest in cultural diversity? How do some gain a keen desire to promote understanding among peoples? How do some find their way to the Peace Corps or other similar kinds of service requiring curiosity about others and a willingness to gain cross-cultural skills and understanding? Surely there are many factors and ways. One of these during my youth and during my university years was visiting museums, especially ones that placed importance on interpretation, showing both cultural differences and similarities, as does the KU Museum of Anthropology in its exhibition program.

Today, the need for avenues to develop cross-cultural awareness and understanding is as great as ever. What KU has achieved over the years through the excellent exhibitions and interpretive events at the Museum of Anthropology has been outstanding, especially given our state’s geographical location and comparatively homogeneous population. This mandate and this KU tradition should not be lost!

Roger E. Harmon,
Bangkok, Thailand