A matter of history
Over recent months I have written several lines about the importance of local historical societies. I believe preserving history is a generational job. As we age, we become the custodians of history.
Over recent months I have written several lines about the importance of local historical societies. I believe preserving history is a generational job. As we age, we become the custodians of history.
How much history is personal? I contend all of it. At the same time, I know there is a line between our personal history and some larger catego- Thinkinry. I contend that if we show fidelity to the first the latter will take care of itself, special to your Saturday evening, Granddaughter times
Emily brought us a chicken and some ~~ corn bread muffins. By the time we ate it at Sunday noon, I was thinking of Mothers fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn and boiled okra with my Grandmother Lanes potato rolls. It would be followed by a cobbler or a pie. That is personal history.
Maybe such memories are at the core of the allure of baseball. Settle into a seal, at the ballpark or in my living room, and a lifetime of memories flood in – if you just allow them to. Sitting in the stands of Athletic Park in Muskogee or listening to the game on the radio. I can still visualize the Dr. Pepper sign just over the left field fence. Life was never better than sitting in Oiler Park with Billie and our sons. Grass was never greener.
Playing baseball. On the field at Tamaha, Jim Parker on the other team or playing with Jim at the Stigler fairgrounds. On a throw from left field, Jim cut down a runner at the plate.
I believe some history moves from personal history to public history, to peoples history. We never know which or when. Who knew Hubert Claunts candy case from the Stigler 5 & Up would be meaningful for almost every person of a certain age in Haskell County? I didn’t but I know now that it does.
Keep your trinkets. They will always be meaningful to you and who knows to who else. Your life in a collection of ticket stubs.
I don’t believe Mary Chestnut of South Carolina ever thought that her diary entries would be often quoted by Ken Burns in his documentary The Civil War. But it is. Her words are common yet brilliantly insightful. So, keep a journal, keep a diary, I guarantee your children, your grandchildren, your family yet unborn will appreciate it. I wish just one of my grandparents would have kept a diary. It was suggested that I was their diary. If that is true, I wish I had asked more questions.
But I didn’t. So, I will browse through the Historical Museums that I so value, put together by those who did. I treasure them.
Oh, if I could put some of my reckless spirit into those discreet, cautious, lazy men.
– Mary Chesnut
Hal McBride writes a column, Just Thinkin’, published each week.
