Jim Sayce

“After we’re gone, who will be left to tell the stories?” Jim Sayce asked me.  That was probably nine or ten years ago in a past dim enough that I have no memory of what prompted his call to me. Nevertheless, it was an intriguing question and we decided to meet to talk it over.

We asked Cate Gable and then Betsy Millard to join us and for the next several years we met, at first here in Oysterville in my library and, ultimately at Betsy’s where Barbara Minard joined the conversation.  Jim investigated using Master Gardeners as an organizational model.  Bet y advised caution about developing a program that looked like a “class” or a “history course.”   Cate and I urged the development of basic objectives and methods and processes that would give some structure to our model.  Barbara suggested ways the museums collections and archives could be utilized – and ways they could not.

Gradually, we hammered out a tentative “program” that we would call “Community Historians.”  The focus would be Pacific County history in all of its aspects – geographic, cultural, economic.  Not all strands every year, but a continuing and eclectic ‘conversation’ among interested residents.

We would begin in January and meet every Wednesday morning through April. We would invite experts in various fields and disciplines to talk with us; we would plan ‘field trips’ to appropriate sites; we would explore the best methods of researching, documenting, and preserving historical data and artifacts.  And, just as we were pulling it all together, Donella Lucero retired from her job at Fort Columbia as a state parks interpreter and agreed to act as facilitator for our new endeavor!

Community Historians – “One Wednesday Morning”

We had no idea how our plan would be received, but… so far, so good.  In fact, great!  Probably beyond our expectations.  Today marks the beginning of our seventh year and I understand that that we have fifteen participants – some new and some repeating, maybe for the third or fourth time!  One of the great serendipities has been the “community OF historians” that has evolved – people with overlapping interests who collaborate throughout the year on various projects and pursuits.

Jim and I haven’t talked for a while but, when we do, I know we’ll revisit his question of so long ago.  And I think we’ll be pleased as we consider the answer!  Community historians are alive and well and working to preserve all manner of “stories” here in Pacific County!