TIP #466 - A TOAST TO THE LATE GREAT HISTORICAL SOCIETY What? Now that I've gotten your attention, let me pass on my condolences to the memory of many of the historical societies across the United States. "Wait a minute, " you say, "there are still historical societies!" Ah yes, but how many of them are in the following nearly condition? 1 - Low attendance. Where many used to fill the seats at the monthly historical or genealogical society meeting, now just the faithful few manage to make it to hear the speaker for the evening? 2 - Lackluster meetings. Remember the stimulating and thought provoking meetings of the past? Excellent speakers that had you taking minutes, asking questions and learning techniques? Or no speakers, non-genealogical, non-historical, non-promoted get-togethers? 3 - Arthritis syndrome. What is the average age of our memberships? Over 50? Over 60? Over 70? Where are the historical and genealogical experts of the future in our county? 4 Abundance of monies: dread of spending. How many years have many of our societies been meeting? Over 20 years, maybe 40 or more? Been collecting dues and having fund raisers all these years? What has been done with the money? Is it sitting in a bank account, bored to tears? Why isn't it being used to do something to preserve the past for the future? 5 - Family feuds. We all like to say that our genealogical friends are like family don't we? "Cousins" even. Why then are so many historical societies always in an uproar? Squabbling over little things. Not wanting to change anything because it worked in the past just fine. 6 - Not connected? Not wired? Afraid to venture out into the cyberworld? Still typing your quarterlies on stencils? 7 - Ingrown officers? Same people doing the same thing with the same attitudes year after year? No new officers with progressive ideas? Can't find a president if you paid them? If you saw your historical society in any of the above questions, we might be bidding you adieu in the near future. If your society is vibrant, growing and active, you can skip this tip all together. As I meet and correspond with societies all across the United States, I hear more and more of the above complaints. Many good, solid, old societies are literally imploding. Why? There are several reasons that I have discovered and they are hidden in the questions above. Once upon the time in the dark past, the county or area historical society was one of the most vibrant and well attending meetings in town. Yes, there were some that thought us weird for wanting to go to meetings about dead people, cemeteries and old buildings. But on the whole, the historical society was a trusted organization whose meetings were well covered by the press and brought out many of the finest people. Meetings were varied and active. But we failed to do a few things. We ignored the younger people. We became so in love with ourselves that it started to be "our society", and while guests were always welcome, they were not sought after. Then the school systems on large began to take less interest in history. Where history, ancient and American, was required every year in "grade school" (my generation's term), and at least a year or so in high school; now it isn't always offered, or is an elective. Our younger generation is losing contact with its past. Next came the ever-moving society. Where in older times, if we were born in a town, we grew up in that town, we went to school in that town, we married in that town, we raised our children in that town. We had contact with our parents, grandparents, often great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins by the dozens. Story telling was an evening tradition and we heard tales of our family and how it was in the "good old days." We had roots and they went deep. We knew most everyone in town and likely all about their lives too. We saw the patriotic parades, the honor paid to veterans, heard the church bells ringing and visited over the back fence. Today? We move and move and move. Oh, it's not all bad, my daughters and I have lived in 5 states and 13 houses in the last 29 years. We've made friends, left friends, learned cultures. But at one time we were in one state, my parents in another, cousins and aunts and uncles in another and we hadn't seen some of our family for 20 years! Now many are gone and it's too late to ask them about their memories. We just end up feeling connected to nothing, afraid really to put down those roots because it's hard digging them up again. And finally, came the internet. Instead of reading microfilm and going prematurely into bifocals; driving all over to visit courthouses and try to find a relative in some little town, we log on the internet and let us take us to far away places. Bad? No! But can you speak out loud to your computer? Can you make the connection with your family as closely as sitting across from the couch with a glass of lemonade? Progress is wonderful. But the average historical society has not kept pace. Many are dying and they have no idea they are terminal. How long has it been since you've been to your local historical society meeting? (I understand that some people are homebound and can't attend, or there is no one close; you are excused). How many times have you volunteered for a project - even suggested one? Even if you are not from the area where you live now and have no ties, join in with a society and give them some fresh blood and fresh ideas. Programs are difficult to put together. Sometimes in a smaller community there are not the good speakers that are willing to come out on a rainy or snowy night. Have you thought of maybe paying them to come? Remember all that money in the bank rotting away - we can't take it with us. Investigate some professional genealogical or historical speakers who do charge a fee and dip into the funds a tad. If there's no one that qualifies professionally - what about the older generation? You know the older we get, the more we like to remember (before we can't remember anymore), and we have some wonderful tales of earlier days. Have you thought of asking Granny Jones or Cousin Lum to come and just talk to the society? Tape them, video them, invite the kids! How do you get more members? It is harder now. We have the internet, cable tv, fast moving cars and planes, kids in every organization and sport imaginable and there's little time for anything else in our life. But if you build the field, they will come! Plan something special for your society that can involve the community, young and old. Picnics, homecomings, old-time pictures, old time crafts show with some of the older or more talented people in the community demonstrating how it used to be done. Don't fight the internet, use it! No queries anymore in your quarterly? Most of us are zipping out emails by the hundreds to get (hopefully) instant response. We are a "give it to me and give it to me now" people anymore. We can't wait for snail mail, or waiting until the quarterly comes out with your query. Have you considered articles in your quarterly on "how to do internet genealogy"? Or even a beginning computer course at a library or someplace with other computer access. Bring some of the younger generation in to help the older generation learn. I correspond via email with several individuals in their 90's! You're not too old to learn. And lastly, back to money. There's security in a big bank account but it's not helping anything or anyone. Could your society help restore a historic building? Do a historical survey of old structures? Set up a walking or driving tour of the area? Donate to a society or organization that IS doing something and needing funds of a historical nature - maybe even a humanitarian nature? Build a house with Habitat for Humanity? Put on a genealogical symposium, a genealogical book fair? Put together a video production of the area for local television? Write columns for the local paper? Volunteer at the next meeting even if you are a novice but want to learn? We must start growing and taking our vitamins or we're "out of here" as the youngers say. We will be delegated to the old newspapers our children and grandchildren will be reading in years to come. We serve a useful purpose, or we used to? Do we still? For those reading this tip who are members or officers of a growing and vibrant society, my hat's off to you. Keep it that way! (c) Copyright 6 November 2003, All Rights Reserved. Colonel Sandi Gorin SCKY Links: http://www.public.asu.edu/~moore/Gorin.html SCKY surname registry sites: http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/reg.html http://www.rootsweb.com/~kyclinto/forms/SCKYreg.html Gorin Publishing: http://ggpublishing.tripod.com/