Community Historian Logo
On Wednesday, January 14th, the Community Historian classes will begin again for the third consecutive year! The list of 2015 participants is impressive for a number of reasons, the most obvious being that many are quite young. I imagine that will bring an entirely new and exciting dynamic to the program.
The purpose of the Community Historian Project is “to develop a cohesive group of knowledgeable people, who can be called upon for information and who can become a heritage resource to their communities. We do this by providing participants with unique opportunities to learn Pacific County history, through access and exposure to historical experts, topics, sites and research.”
Community Historians 2013
We (that would be the initial steering committee: Jim Sayce, Cate Gable, Betsy Millard and yours truly) knew that such an undertaking would undoubtedly appeal first and foremost to the retired set. Unlike those who are still working and busy raising families, we gray-heads have the leisure to pursue our interests. And, for the first two years, that prediction proved to be correct.
But, wonder-of-wonders, some of the movers and shakers in the local world of tourism have seen this as an opportunity to better inform themselves and their employees who could then, in turn, spread the good word to visitors to our area. And so, this year for the first time, there will be a different dynamic among us.
Community Historian Class 2014
The entire concept of “history,” of course, is somewhat in the eye of the beholder. It’s hard from me to think of the 1970s or 1980s as ‘historic’ but for those born in the 1990s, the perspective is a bit different. That fact, alone, opens up many opportunities for interaction among the participants. Some of us elders may actually be useful as ‘eye-witness-resources’ for younger members. And, certainly, there will be a fresh dynamic energy-wise.
Our mission statement is “Sustaining a sense of place by teaching residents how to shape tell and retell community stories.” I can’t wait to see what is in store for us this time around!
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