The Scrapbook

Scrapbook It is interesting to see how the paths of people’s lives cross, through the generations, particularly in a small community.

I discussed using the FAN concept for family history research at a beginning genealogy workshop a few weeks ago. FAN is an acronym for friends, associates and neighbors. You can often add information and maybe even overcome some of those brick walls by looking into the lives of the friends, associates and neighbors of your ancestors.

I know for a fact that talking to friends, associates and neighbors of relatives can provide information about them and about the area in which they lived.

At Catherine Miller’s funeral a few weeks ago I visited with some of her family that I had not seen for some time. It was nice to see them again, even under the sad circumstance of Catherine’s passing. Catherine’s sister Dorothy Jean, who lives just a couple miles away, called me a few days later. She knew that I was interested in people and information from the Chatt area and she mentioned that she had a scrapbook I might like to look at. Dorothy Jean attended Zion Chatt while growing up and she and my dad were in the same class in school.

Always eager to learn more about the people and the area in which I grew up, I jumped at the chance to pay her a visit and take a look at her scrapbook.

About a week later I sat with Dorothy Jean at her kitchen table. She pulled out her high school scrapbook and asked if my dad had one of these. No, I don’t think my dad ever had a high school scrapbook. I never saw it if he did.

Dorothy Jean, Willshire High School Commencement, 1943.

Dorothy Jean, Willshire High School Commencement, 1943.

As she showed me her scrapbook, I noticed some dried flowers, her senior prom invitation, her Willshire High School graduation announcement and the tassel she wore at her graduation, plus a lot of photos and newspaper clippings. I think scrap-booking was and is still today more of a “girl” thing. I doubt that my dad ever took the time to save his high school memories in a scrapbook.

But what a treasure Dorothy Jean has kept. By looking at her scrapbook I was able to get a glimpse back in time at my dad’s high school years. I saw a couple photos of my dad that I had never seen before. It makes me wonder how many photos have been taken by others over the years that include my ancestors, my relatives or even me. There are probably many of these photos that I will never see.

The guys, Willshire High School Class of 1943. Front: Dick Cowan, Herb Miller, Junior Linn, Lewis Allmandinger. Back: G.M. Alspaugh, Ivan Wyer, Carl Ripley, Merlin Miller, Dale Caffee.

The guys, Willshire High School Class of 1943. Front: Dick Cowan, Herb Miller, Junior Linn, Lewis Allmandinger. Back: G.M. Alspaugh, Ivan Wyer, Carl Ripley, Merlin Miller, Dale Caffee.

What is most interesting about Dorothy Jean’s scrapbook and photos is that they connect with my family in several ways. Her family lived near Chatt and attended Zion Lutheran, as did my Miller family. Although she attended the Chatt grade school she later attended Willshire High School and was in the same high school class as my dad, the class of 1943. She rode the school bus from Chatt to the Willshire School with my dad and his siblings. She also went to Willshire High School with some of my Schumm relatives.

The gals, Willshire High School Class of 1943. Norma Jean Carr, Twyla Pifer, Helen Schumm, Doris Painter, Mary Daily, Ellen Schumm. (Dorothy Jean Leininger not shown.)

The gals, Willshire High School Class of 1943. Norma Jean Carr, Twyla Pifer, Helen Schumm, Doris Painter, Mary Daily, Ellen Schumm. (Dorothy Jean Leininger not shown.)

So among the photos she loaned me to scan were photos of close relatives, not-so-close relatives, church members and other area people that I knew or whose names were familiar. Her school photos, as well as many other photos that she shared, were not only of her family and friends and classmates, but also contained images of my relatives and their friends.

Dale Caffee on a bike

Dale Caffee riding a bike.

Dorothy Jean was meticulous with her photos. She labeled every single photo. Every person was identified in every photo. In the order they were standing. Even the old school photos. Wow!

Row 1: ?, Robert Bollenbacher, ?, ?, LaVerne Miller, Hamrick, ?, ?, ?, ?. Middle: ?, Catherine Miller, Dorothy Jean Leininger, ?, Dorothy White, Emilene Miller, Marjorie Pfifer, Catherine Leininger, Dorothy Carr, Helen Miller, Herb Miller, Twyla Pfifer. Back: Carl Ripley, Leland Carr, Laverne Stetler, Bob Myers, fern Bollenbacher, Genevieve Baker, Bill Chapman, ?.

1940 Bus from Chatt to Willshire School. Front: ?, Robert Bollenbacher, ?, ?, LaVerne Miller, Hamrick, ?, ?, Trolus Frank, Kenneth Miller. Middle: ?, Catherine Miller, Dorothy Jean Leininger, ?, Dorothy White, Emilene Miller, Marjorie Pifer, Catherine Leininger, Dorothy Carr, Helen Miller, Herb Miller, Twyla Pifer. Back: Carl Ripley, Leland Carr, Laverne Stetler, Bob Myers, Fern Bollenbacher, Genevieve Baker, Bill Chapman, ?.

Today photos are readily visible and easy to share on Facebook and other media, but how many old photos are tucked away in scrapbooks or boxes in attics and closets, never to be seen by those outside the family.

Thank you Dorothy Jean for sharing your scrapbook and photos!

 

4 comments

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    • Kenny on April 20, 2013 at 2:01 pm
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    I must be in the front row on the right end. Trolus Frank is probably next to me.

    1. Thanks! Every little bit helps.

    • Janet Goodwin James on July 29, 2018 at 8:39 pm
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    Hi Karen,, Sister Phyllis Goodwin taught me to scrapbook early on. She made her own album out of orange/black construction paper, maybe varnished to preserve it. I also has an 8th grade small leather album she bought at a class trip to the Ohio Caverns. She probably still has them. ANyway, we learned to scrapbook by our movie star scrap books (which I still own) Norman Jean Schumn’s Variety Store up town in the 50’s sold inexpensive scrap books that we bought and filled. I have scrapbooks from grade school up to now. Who knows who will ever want them but I still enjoy them. Since I had all boys, I scrapbooked their keepsakes until they married and that included many! THeir wives never had many keepsakes and that made me feel bad & glad that I saved all their t hings, even valentines from grade school exchanges! I also scrapbook for my 6 grandkids since today’s mother’s don’t have the time. They are now all out of high school and do enjoy the books I’ve made for them. Guess it’s in my genes. I don’t do fancy books like some do nowadays but at least I get them in books! p.s I also scrapbooked my husbands sports articles, etc. when I started dating him in high school and these have been enjoyed by him and others.

    1. Sounds like you also really enjoy scrapbooking and your movie star scrapbooks sound interesting. You have made a great hobby out of preserving your photos and other items. I enjoy scrapbooking but have gotten so far behind that I now save photos and other items in digital files, but digital just isn’t the same as looking through a traditional scrapbook. I am sure your family will appreciate all the memories you have put together. Thanks for writing about your scrapbooks through the years.

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