Where does the story end? : Bancroft this Week : https://www.bancroftthisweek.com

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Where does the story end?

Individuals and groups that have undertaken the daunting task of recording and publishing our local histories, and “herstories,” before they are gone forever have blessed North Hastings in the past few years.

But as one writer Pat Huzak noted, the story never ends once a book is published. “Where do you end a book? … and there will always be someone who has something else to add.”

Kudos to Pat Huzak, Edith McCaw and Wollaston Heritage, author and publisher Paul Kirby, Heather Campbell and others, offering recent publications that have been reviewed by this newspaper.

Kudos to the people who helped them with their work.

There are also several books in the works that I know about.

My own personal library contains several feet of books published in the past 50 years covering this very interesting part of the county.

I would encourage everyone to collect and write your own stories, document your photographs, collect up your documents and give copies (or the originals) to your local historical or Heritage organization …and write a book if you can.

At the least support local researchers and storytellers by purchasing their books at your local bookseller. They make great meaningful Christmas gifts!

So, where am I going with this?

This past month, Limerick Township launched their new book Limerick Township and Area History Bits, created over the past several years by their Digital Memories Program.

This remarkable 270-page book is full of photographs interspersed with short snippets of history written or provided by local folks and edited by Catherine M. Valliers.

Twenty-one chapters cover everything from First Nations and early settlers, the lakes and their impact on development, logging, farming, fishing, mining, transportation to education and early medical care.

The federal government's New Horizons for Seniors Program funded the Digital Memories project which aimed to use digital equipment and record interviews with local residents with stories to tell.

This would provide seniors the opportunity to attend any weekly session at the Limerick Centre to learn more about the use of digital technology.

In addition, their history would be recorded for the benefit of the community, as well as providing copies that they could take home with them for their own family use.

For all of us, the result is the publication of this important book.

“Our book is not meant to capture an all-inclusive history; rather, it strives to preserve some of our heritage,” said Valliers in the introduction to the book.

“Dependent on contributors, it is, therefore, like a potlatch or patchwork quilt. Our book is told by seniors, and written by seniors.”
As the book notes in a quote from the late Ross Reid's famous toast to seniors: “Here's to us. Nothing like us. Darn few!”

Amen. Good for you! Thank you.

- Jim Eadie

Post date: 2015-11-04 13:26:23
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Post modified date GMT: 2015-11-04 18:26:35