something bothering me.

[graveleye]

I have a very elderly relative (my grandma) who is in her late 90s. She was a school teacher, but has been retired almost as long as I can remember. Some where way back one of her students gave her a small about 7" stalactite or stalagmite. She gave it to my mom a few years ago. My mom, who is also a school teacher, actually takes it to school to show her students (5th graders). My mom knows how much I am into caving and wants to give it to me, as long as I let her use it occasionally for her classes. I'll be flat out honest in saying that I want it. I dont want to sell it. I dont want to flaunt it... if we knew where it came from exactly, I would try to restore it, but there is no telling where it came from given that its been in the family for over 50 years and is sort of an heirloom in a way.
You folks know me, and know how into cave conservation that I am. At no point in my life would I ever consider taking a cave formation. I've even complained to eBay about the formations for sale, so I feel like a hypocrite. This thing is going to be in my possession one day soon. I feel guilty about it, but at the same time, its been in the family so long now, and I would assume that it stay in the family at least for now. I did tell my mom that when she shows it to her science class to EMPHASIZE that taking cave formations is ILLEGAL. (so now my mom is feeling bad about having it too).
Please dont crucify me. My grandma probably didnt think a thing about owning it, and my mom always saw it as an educational tool. Vandalism never occured to either of them. It probably didnt occur to the unknown person who actually removed it, as it was so long ago.. long before conservation was an issue. I'm just being honest and upfront. I do not at this time have it in my possession anyway, so far I'm guilty of nothing. But one of these days it will be mine. Your thoughts?

[Phil Winkler]

I think you are on the right track. Ethically neither you, your mother or grandmother are responsible for the initial act or even receiving the stal. However, if you are going to display it to others then ethics require you to supply the correct conservation message so the stal becomes a learning experience in what not to do and why.

It actually makes quite a good story and an easy segue into delivering a strong conservation message.

Interesting story, too.

[cob]

Why are you beating yourself up for something you didn't do? Or your Grandmother for having played a part in something perfectly acceptable for her time?

Here in the Ozarks, many of the small family cemeteries have more than a few graves that have as their only marker a stal... I should replace these markers with rocks in a self-righteous attempt at rewriting history in the name of "cave conservation"?

It was what it was, and now it is what it is... and you are what you are...

You know how and what best to do with it, and you certainly don't need our approval.

tom

[graveleye]

Thanks for your responses... my intentions would always be to use it for educational purposes, and to promote cave conservation, although it is likely never to leave my house. I think when I complained to eBay the other day about the speleotherms for sale, I got a real twinge of guilt knowing that there was one in my families possession. But like I said, its from another era when no one really thought about the subject much.
Its quite handsome actually, pure white calcite, with a clear tube up the middle seen from where the break occurred. Its excellent for demonstrating how these formations grow.
I collect rocks, and have a fairly large collection of arrowheads too, which I picked up form my families fields as a boy. I dont feel weird about owning them, but this is something different of course. I sure wouldnt want a caver to come visit my house and think poorly of me for having it, which is why I issued a confession in advance.

Tom, that is really interesting about folks using formations for grave markers in the old days. Do you have any pictures you could show us of them? I sure would like to see that.

[cob]

Tom, that is really interesting about folks using formations for grave markers in the old days. Do you have any pictures you could show us of them? I sure would like to see that.

No I don't, never thought about it much, tho now that you mention it, it could be interesting.

tom

[graveleye]

heck yea its interesting! I would love to see that for myself. I've never heard anything like that.

[Illinois Caver]

I am also a science teacher and had a student give me a set of stalagmite book ends and a stalactite a few years back. The book ends were purchased at a cave souvenier shop in Missouri 40+ years ago and the stalactite was also from that area and same age.

It was common for caves to sell formations in their shop before conservation efforts became common practice.

The family felt that the formations were best in my hands as display pieces for my classroom. It allows me to share th importance of conservation efforts and highlight some of the changes that have taken place over the last several years. I don't see anything ethically wrong with having the pieces, due to the fact they were collected legally initially.

Just my two sense on the matter.

-Troy