I worked for the Ridley School District during the summer while going to college, right after the merger with Eddystone and Ridley Park. We were cleaning out the office of the old Junior High School and these were going into the trash. I grabbed a few of the programs. My friends thought I was crazy
Saving and Protecting family and local history
As they say, "One man's trash is another man's treasure!" You see it everywhere from what people collect, family heirlooms and local history. Some people preserve, others toss. You never know.
I always look around on trash days it amazes me what people toss out. Years ago I kept seeing boxes of trash at the end of my street, the original owner had died and his son was cleaning the house out. I knew his dad had been active in the local civic association, so I stopped to have a look. There were parade pictures, meetings groups etc. As I was loading the stuff into my car the son came out. He was surprised that I wanted that "junk". He invited me in his house to show me some other stuff. What he had were all the booklets for the Leedom Civic Association from 1944 thru 1968 complete. I was thrilled to get them! so was the son. He was happy to have another set of arms to carry the "trash" out.
A friend of mine came over last year with his "find". On trash night he had seen these metal storage boxes in nice shape and wanted them for his garage. The boxes were loaded with family pictures. The father had died and the son was throwing out everything. I could not believe all the family pictures of father and son that were in the trash. But what I was happy to get were all the building pictures. The father had been a building contractor and had taken tons of before and after building pictures, I loved them. His family had no interest.
No one likes everything of course. But instead of trashing the stuff, ask around. Is there another family member who would like them? Someone interested in them? Have a yard sale! Or if the items are local history, give them to your local historical society. Make a call!
I interviewed a lady on local history. Her father had been a bartender at the Colonial Tavern in Crum Lynne. She had pictures of the place inside and out, plus a picture of boxer, Jack Dempsey who had trained there on his way to the heavyweight championship. I asked her if I could copy them but her answer was No. After she died I asked a friend of the family if I could make copies of them. The family no longer had them, they had gone in the trash.
So make sure what is important to you gets saved and preserved. Give it to the right family member or organization. One mother I know took no chances. She had all the family stuff, scanned and copied and all of her children got copies of everything! Take no chances!
Preserve! and don't forget to write on those pictures, who they are and where they are!!
I always look around on trash days it amazes me what people toss out. Years ago I kept seeing boxes of trash at the end of my street, the original owner had died and his son was cleaning the house out. I knew his dad had been active in the local civic association, so I stopped to have a look. There were parade pictures, meetings groups etc. As I was loading the stuff into my car the son came out. He was surprised that I wanted that "junk". He invited me in his house to show me some other stuff. What he had were all the booklets for the Leedom Civic Association from 1944 thru 1968 complete. I was thrilled to get them! so was the son. He was happy to have another set of arms to carry the "trash" out.
A friend of mine came over last year with his "find". On trash night he had seen these metal storage boxes in nice shape and wanted them for his garage. The boxes were loaded with family pictures. The father had died and the son was throwing out everything. I could not believe all the family pictures of father and son that were in the trash. But what I was happy to get were all the building pictures. The father had been a building contractor and had taken tons of before and after building pictures, I loved them. His family had no interest.
No one likes everything of course. But instead of trashing the stuff, ask around. Is there another family member who would like them? Someone interested in them? Have a yard sale! Or if the items are local history, give them to your local historical society. Make a call!
I interviewed a lady on local history. Her father had been a bartender at the Colonial Tavern in Crum Lynne. She had pictures of the place inside and out, plus a picture of boxer, Jack Dempsey who had trained there on his way to the heavyweight championship. I asked her if I could copy them but her answer was No. After she died I asked a friend of the family if I could make copies of them. The family no longer had them, they had gone in the trash.
So make sure what is important to you gets saved and preserved. Give it to the right family member or organization. One mother I know took no chances. She had all the family stuff, scanned and copied and all of her children got copies of everything! Take no chances!
Preserve! and don't forget to write on those pictures, who they are and where they are!!
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