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Archiver > OH-NW-HERITAGE > 2004-05 > 1085366393


From: Bill <>
Subject: Black Swamp Heritage, 23 May 2004, Vol 3 #20
Date: Sun, 23 May 2004 22:40:40 -0400


Black Swamp Heritage Articles
(c) Bill Oliver

23 May 2004
Vol 3 Issue: #20
ISBN: 1542-9474

Good Evening from the Black Swamp of NWoHIo,

Daniel Radcliffe [Harry Potter] recently was interviewed and is
attributed as saying that he wasn't a reader before reading the first
Harry Potter book but has now gone on to reading other books. Our
youngest grandchild, about to turn six years, is constantly asking what
this or that word is. She reads every printed word she finds. Her
reading curiosity is insatiable. Reading is probably the greatest thing
to do, next to maybe writing. I fully admit that I learn something when
I pick up a book, or a newspaper, or open a letter.

In fact, last week I was reading an article by my favorite columnist,
Roberta DeBoer, in The Blade, Toledo's daily newspaper. She was writing
about the dismantling of a backyard swing set long used by her
daughter. Ms DeBoer was describing an event in her family that would
[or at least should] become a recording of treasure. A story that will
live on into future generations. It is one of life's small details that
characterizes our existence. It belongs in a family "scrapbook" or history.

My wife began a notebook many years ago containing the cute and riotous
sayings of our children. These bring back many fond memories.
Following that, we began memory books for our grandchildren. They
contain the trips and events that we, the grandparents, and those
children shared. They contain such pictures and accounts, such as the
great salt flats when they looked like a great sea ... the surface was
covered with a couple inches of water. The pictures show two
grandchildren wading.

Memories like these are the very first things to slip away and time
flies by so quickly in the hectic days we all live. These books serve
as "scrapbooks" of memories. Scrapbook is a modern operative word which
has turned into a huge craft industry. Today, scrapbooks are a
throwback to past generations. That industry would convince us that
they must be made of "acid-free" paper and that pages must be fashioned
ever so artistically. Well, the acid-free sheets are OK, but too much
artistic endeavor really does take most of the fun out of it in addition
to detracting from the memory it preserves.

It could well be that this modern craze is a type of resistence of our
high-speed/high-tech world of computers, palm-pilots, pagers and
cell-phones. It is wonderful to turn pages of memory books and reminisce.

Our family made a scrapbook for my Mother-in-Law for her 80th birthday
celebration. We put many pictures in it and each relative and friend
wrote something to place in it. Today, our Son-in-Law handed me a two
page written essay that our daughter had written for that occasion. He
had found her copy and thought that I would appreciate having it for our
family history. It did bring some lumps to my throat.

Archivists, those professionals that preserve our famous historical
documents, advise us to file our documents away in dust-free, archival
paper and never let it see the light of day. They are concerned with
exposure to temperature, light, dust, and the acid contained in our
former ways to preserve documents. However, what good is Grandma's
picture if her great grandchildren never see it?

With our modern tech equipment we can scan our pictures and documents
and print them. We can then store the originals in such archival
materials as we wish and still display them out where they can be
appreciated.

Scrapbooks can be purchased and usually come in sizes like 12 X 12
inches, even 14 X 18 inches. However, they also come in 8 ½ X 11
inches. This size is easier for older folks to handle and also
convenient for copying.

Old black and white photos can be arranged on pages of muted color and
soft design to enhance their attractiveness. However, it is not the
best of ideas to use complicated backgrounds, they tend to detract from
the heritage being preserved.

It is Graduation time. We have two grandchildren graduating in the next
couple of weeks. Yesterday we had a picnic party to celebrate one's
graduation and birthday. I took some pictures and when I got home
yesterday I edited them and put them on a CD. Today, on her real
birthday, at her choir concert, I gave this disk to her to help build
her scrapbook.

e-la-Di-e-das-Di ha-WI nv-wa-do-hi-ya nv-wa-to-hi-ya-da. (May you walk
in peace and harmony)

Wado,


Bill
-=-

PostScript:

Other sites worth visiting:

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/index/OH-NW-HERITAGE/
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ne/state/BillsArticles/BlackSwamp/intro.htm


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