Museum should embrace factories, workers

Is it possible that Monica Vernon and the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library's board have lost touch with the city's basic cultural heritage? The Stuarts, Sinclairs and Douglases had grand visions for the future of Cedar Rapids not limited to personal prosperity. These job creators were certainly aware of how essential that stable employment was to the community in which they lived. A good paying job may well be the best of community values.

The Czech museum should embrace its heritage with pride. I suggest it feature a Quaker, Sinclair Packing and Penford Products display inside the museum. Old photos, model structures, bygone product containers, print advertising and time period clothing of a typical Czech factory worker would enhance the experience of any museum visitor.

We will always need good workers for a solid community. The city should sell Penford a seldom used park for the benefit of the community and its future.

David Holmes

Cedar Rapids