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 ^^^^^^^^^^*by JACK SUGHRUE, Box
 459, East Douglas, MA 01516*

 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^#8	

     Declining membership in the TI
 world is definitely a real problem
 which has some interesting and real
 solutions.

     The old guard is getting tired
 and its members no longer want to
 (or are too tired to) be presidents
 and newsletter editors and workshop
 demonstrators and librarians and
 bulletin board downloaders and
 whatever.  They can't be blamed for
 this.  Nobody can continue to operate
 well forever, particularly in what
 seems an unappreciative atmosphere.

     Almost every newsletter I read
 has the same common problems:
 basically, too few doing too much for
 too long.  This is true in LA and in
 Boston and in Canada and England and
 Australia.  Large changes are taking
 place within groups, in many cases
 with very bad vibes coming across
 strongly in the newsletter
 pleadings.  Over and over we see such
 things as "This club is dying." and
 "If the members who never contribute
 don't start doing something soon... "
 followed by serious threats.

     Realistically, a group without a
 newsletter is a corpse that hasn't
 yet been identified as such.  There
 are exceptions, of course, but a club
 without a newsletter is a body
 without a brain.  So, first things
 first, keep a newsletter going.  This
 is also the biggest (or only) contact
 with the outside world through
 exchanges.

     Next, a regular monthly meeting
 YEAR ROUND is essential.  Without a
 place to gather (even if it comes to
 homes, as a last resort) there can be
 no club.  A club implies a community,
 a spirit of friendship and
 commonality, a gathering.  Business
 and pleasure must be mingled here and
 can only be done by meeting.

     Those are the two big things.
 Even if your group has only three
 members, but you put out a newsletter
 and you meet regularly, you can still
 have a viable, worthwhile user group.
 Nutmeg 99ers of Connecticut and the
 Lima User Group of Ohio are two fine
 examples of TerIffic TInies.  But,
 believe me, there are many, many
 more, and they are more common than
 the large, flourishing groups.

     There are some other things to
 consider, too, of course.

     Is it worth complaining
 constantly in print and at meetings
 that too many are not doing their
 fair share.  Most of the people who
 sit on their hands and don't take
 leadership roles are not capable and
 know it.  Not everybody is a leader.
 Not everybody is outgoing and
 comfortable performing in public.
 There are lots of insecure (though
 maybe talented) people who just
 cannot put themselves on the line.
 It has nothing to do with laziness or
 meanness or unwillingness or lack of
 responsibility.  Some of these people
 come to every meeting; all continue
 to pay their dues.

     And, in truth, everybody in the
 group has, when allowed and
 encouraged by the leadership,
 probably contributed in some
 continuous, if not significant ways.

     My own group - M.U.N.C.H. of
 Worcester, Mass. - is typical, I
 think, of most.  We went from over
 200 members to about 15 (5 or 6 of
 whom were active) to about 40 (a
 dozen of whom are active in one way
 or another).  There are officers, of
 course.  Our Treasurer (Jim Cox) was
 one of the founders and has continued
 to man that post and perform lots of
 others (including membership and
 newsletter editor at the present).
 Without him there'd be no club. Every
 club has a Jim Cox, someone with
 incredible dedication and common
 sense.  All the rest of us have done
 different things: officers, editors,
 workshop demonstrators.  Some have
 brought in friends; some have written
 programs; some have catalogued our
 libraries; some have repaired
 equipment; some have lugged in
 equipment or materials; some have
 helped with sales and fundraising and
 faires.  All have paid their dues;
 most come to meetings, take part in
 raffles, appear interested in demos
 and workshops.  All enjoy the company
 of fellow TIers, which has to be the
 most important aspect of a group.

     A lot of us lead some incredibly
 busy lives.  One member flies all
 over the country and never knows when
 he'll be able to make a meeting. When
 he comes, though, he brings
 enthusiasm and knowledge which he so
 generously shares.  Our chief BBSer
 who provides the club with many of
 the library and Disk of the Month
 goodies misses most meetings because
 of courses he's taking toward a
 degree.  His sharing doesn't stop,
 though, as the boards, phones, and
 mail demonstrate.  Then there are
 illnesses or family matters or all
 the other obstructions of life in
 this complex age.  But we're still
 linked by newsletter, library, and
 common desire to keep a good thing
 going and growing.

     So our M.U.N.C.H. group is a
 success, as are lots of other groups
 who don't realize they are.

     If you still have an operating
 group; if you still put out a
 newsletter, share materials, meet
 regularly, enjoy some of the friends
 you've made through TI - then you
 have a successful group.  The
 workload may not be equitable, but no
 situation in life ever is.

     For what it's worth, here are
 a few suggestions to get members
 reinvolved, revitalized:
     At the next club meeting find out
 the following:

 ^1) What kinds of newsletter does the
 club want (type-in programs, latest
 hard/software, reviews, club news,
 graphics, whatever)

 ^2) If everyone would be willing to
 contribute something to a raffle
 (blank disks, tapes, cables, non TI
 stuff even)

 ^3) If all members would dig through
 old disks and tapes and locate at
 least THREE programs they like (or
 liked back in the old days) to add to
 a giant club D.O.M. (games,
 utilities, kids' programs, LOGO
 stuff, tutorial text files,
 whatever)

 ^4) And maybe demo at least ONE????

 ^5) Hold a NOVICE NIGHT!  This would
 be to introduce beginners, older
 kids, and definitely long-time TIers
 to the fun of writing in BASIC (or
 XB).  I know there are thousands of
 TI users who became comfortable with
 their machines and have used them
 successfully for years and are now
 ready to learn to program or would
 take a refresher.  All the old
 newsletters contain GREAT little
 tutorials, type-in programs, etc.
 Just what the doctor orders for a new
 boost in attitude.  Maybe this would
 be a continuing thing with EVERYBODY
 who wants to getting involved in
 research, xeroxing, demoing,
 tutoring, whatever.  But mostly
 sharing and helping.  There are more
 of us amateurs out there (probably
 1000 to 1) than wizards.

     In order to get reformed we need
 to remember the three Rs: Review,
 Rethink, Rekindle!

     

 [If you use NEW-AGE/99 please put
 me on your exchange list.]
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