Preserving Soft History

I called an acquaintance earlier this year with the request to interview her.  I said I wanted to preserve "soft history."  She declined for the moment, but said "maybe later."

In my request, I had to explain what I thought was the definition of soft history.  To me at least, it is the accounts which are not recorded in writing elsewhere.  These memories may be about great people or small incidental events often around a home or work.

Lyman Copeland Draper was born in New York State in 1815.  Beginning while he was yet a teenager, he corresponded with survivors who settled the upper mid-western United States.  In the days before tape or digital recorders, writing letters was one way of preserving soft history.

Over the next five decades he amassed a large collection of correspondence detailing early America's development.  Thanks to his efforts there is excellent understanding of the Battle of King's Mountain.  He also compiled resources documenting the lives of such notable Americans as Daniel Boone and George Rogers Clark.

However, I am convinced that historians such as Draper have been lazy in the past.  They have largely focused on the history of generals and politicians.  Maybe this was because these major players in world events made an effort to preserve their records for historical research.

Bill Bryson, in At Home, wrote "[Everyday things and events] are the sorts of things that fill our lives and thoughts, and yet we treat them as incidental and hardly worthy of serious consideration." 

My efforts to preserve "soft" history include recorded accounts of rabbit hunting where K-Mart stands, uses of outhouses, stories of schools and education, dying, birthing and migration in the area. 

When my acquaintance who declined to be interviewed protested that she had not lived an important life, I agreed.  But that was exactly the point of my requesting an interview.

I am reminded of the three sisters who were preparing a Thanksgiving dinner one year.  One sister argued that the end of the roast needed to be cut off because Mother always removed it.  When they quit arguing and called Mom, they learned that their mother had always cut the end of the roast off because her pan was too small.

I have always enjoyed hearing accounts of everyday living.  For some reason, I have found the details of daily life to be fascinating.  The story about the preparation of a roast is a tale of the power of traditions.   

Parents set an example for their children in many seemingly un-noticed ways.  These daughters were questioning a tradition they learned non-verbally.  Frequently, this is how we learn.

Now let's return to my friend whom I requested permission to conduct an interview.  When I called back later, I found that she had changed her mind about being interviewed. 

This time she was quite willing to share her recollections.  We then spent over an hour without coming close to exhausting her memories.

I have written before on different elements of this topic.  I hope you have a better appreciation of "soft history."  Maybe you will think about your personal history during this holiday season.  And, should someone call with the request to record your recollections, please say "yes."