I remember

by Mary Ducharme  (February 2015)

Doris
Doris Cookman, 101 years old!

There is an old African saying that when an elder passes away it is like a library burning to the ground. Every senior carries uniquely personal memories of the past that are rarely found in conventional history books. It is the lament of many that “I wish I had listened more to grandma and grandpa when I had the chance.” But people are busy, time passes, and opportunity is lost. One of the missions of the Hemmingford Archives is to preserve the memories of seniors, not only within each family unit, but shared as local heritage.

Last year the Archives was successful in securing a federal grant from New Horizons for Seniors. Specialized skills from a collaboration of many volunteers and paid experts contributed to a successful outcome for this project which is nearing completion. The Oral History Project with the working title of “Voices of Hemmingford” aimed to produce digital recordings of twenty- five seniors living in Hemmingford and neighbouring communities. The seniors determined the subject material and photographs to accompany their stories. The end product is a book published with selected portions of the twenty-five voice recordings, printed in both French and English. The book is combined with a DVD containing the actual voice of each senior and additional photographs.

This book and DVD will be launched on March 28, 2015, 2-4 pm at the Annual General Meeting of the Archives, which is open to the public at the Elementary School Gym.

fred lg
Fred Orr with his prize-winning vegetables

The project exceeded expectations. Foremost, it is a privilege to know people who have contributed so much to Hemmingford’s identity as it emerged through the 20th century. After each interview, there was a sense of having shared something meaningful, of both discovery and re-discovery. We saw glimpses of these seniors as children, young adults, parents, in their work, in their community life. Their stories are sometimes familiar, sometimes surprising: from being war refugees to picking thimbleberries on the old farm; from the gamble of growing apples to the negative impact of border smuggling for local business.

Most of the seniors involved in the project renewed interest in their own old documents and photos stored away for decades – with an eye towards how these things will be passed on to the next generation. They have come to realize that the old tintypes or deeds in the attic can be historically significant artifacts, and should not be tossed away by the younger generation. Interest in family history is on the rise, and can be a profound experience, often resulting in families ties that are stronger, and individuals better grounded when they know the stories of their ancestors. A community Archives is a secure repository for family histories, a beginning point for researchers on a quest to learn more about their ancestral roots.

Of course, there are far more than twenty-five seniors in Hemmingford and surrounding areas who have experiences that should be remembered. We have in our collection a number of vintage interviews done in the 1970-80’s which are now transcribed and available for listening or reading. We will plan a future project around this collection. The present book project is limited by the funds available, but the Archives intends to continue the Oral History Project as a permanent feature of its programming. We will be contacting more seniors for interviews, and would appreciate suggestions from the community about seniors willing to share their memories.

All interviews will be preserved in the permanent collections of the Archives and whenever opportunity is available, we will continue to publish oral history material so that the personal stories can be shared and enjoyed as a collective treasure.

For more information contact us by phone: 514 778-2845 on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday from 9am to 3pm. Or email us at: hfordarchives@gmail.com. Or you can drop in during our regular hours in Room 111 at the Elementary School, 548 Champlain.