Research project for the historical society

Just about finished a little historical project.  A few weeks ago, at the Washington Jewish Historical Society gala event, Howard D, an accomplished historian, brought a gentleman who had a question about his grandfather, Harold Rogers.  He's pictured on the right here in front of his business.  The year is 1939, so he's in his early 50s.

His question: I heard that my grandfather Harold Rogers had one of the first bar mitzvahs at Temple De Hirsch.  Is that true?

So I've prepared a piece for him and the answer is 'maybe.'  There's a card in the archives which indicates a bar mitzvah for him around 1901.  And the newspapers noted many events in the religious community.  But Temple De Hirsch was treated with rather Protestant language.  I can find the event, but it's called a confirmation.  The party given by his family referred to his combination (note that the theme color for his party was pink).  So was it?

Maybe, it was something anyway.

Pacific Northwest Quarterly

My article is finally coming out.  They sent the final proof out for me to review.  They are almost a year behind in publication.  In general, I went along with the editor's suggestions.  And there was a lot of that sort of work to do.

Here's the title that she decided on (and I acquiesced)

Queens of the Booth; Fundraising Fairs and the Ladies' Auxiliary of Temple De Hirsch at the Dawn of the 20th Century

It's published by the Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington.

An illustration that perseverance is key.

Goat cart

I've been working on an event to take place next weekend celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Jewish Archives of the University of Washington.  It's taken many many hours in Special Collections to go through the material picking out items to feature.  A lot of material!

We would like to have more on 'neighborhoods' but it's hard to find.  I did pick out this picture associated with a prominent family. 

Why did I pick it out?

Duh!  The goat cart, of course!  You have to include the picture of the goat cart.

Not everybody agrees with me, I might add.  Picture dates from 1926.  This house in Queen Ann (not known as a Jewish neighborhood) still stands but with much tree and foliage.  In this picture, it looks like all of the woods and forest were removed.  Looks like a brand new house in a new neighborhood.

Shouldn't every family have a goat cart and a goat to pull it?

American Jewish Archives

I've been corresponding (by email and phone) with a senior archivist at the American Jewish Archives.  I am giving them some of my work so others can use it.  Of course, I talk up Maier Zunder's scrapbook, send him some images.  They're interested.  Wanted 'the scans'.  Um, I am realizing that we really indulged in amateur archivism.  There aren't any scans; we took photos.  With my brother's tripod at a table in the center area of the Ethnic Heritage Center.  The images include our gloved fingers and sometimes rulers used to keep the documents flat.  Sometimes took more than one image of a page if articles were folded up or there was some document with more than one page.  Dennis concatenated the images into two big .pdf files which we put on a DVD for Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven.  And then the paper version in a binder with the German translations interspersed.

I called the archivist, he said he would like the paper version (!).  Surprised me.  I can do it, I can make a copy of the binder I have and make a copy for him.

Hmmm, they have some research fellowships and they consider independent scholars. Could be something for the future.  It could happen.

A picture of their reading room in Cincinnati.

Photoessay #2071 - Signing up my brother

So I've got this new plan, how I want to study Maier Zunder's scrapbook as a whole.  What book did he use, what did he include, what did he leave out.  Why did he do it?

I have images of most of it, but I took most of the pictures for content.  The materials and articles started on my comprehensive study of Maier Zunder.  But now, I believe and acknowledge that Maier Zunder kept the scrapbook himself so I want to do a more comprehensive study of it.

So I need better and more.  I want to account for the scrapbook and make sure that I have comprehensive images of all the pages.

That means another trip.  And technical expertise.  I am so fortunate that I have people in my life who are willing to collect this information for me.  This kind of project appeals to those who don't mind a well-defined technical challenge.

There is this detail...this scrapbook is at the Jewish Historical Society in New Haven Connecticut and I'm in Seattle Washington.  But my husband Dennis would do it, he would go and take the pictures.  In fact, I asked him what was his favorite of our trip.  He said the time at the Jewish Historical Society.  You know the corrugated metal building.  I think it's because he had something to do.

My brother Charlie would also do this, the challenge and the important work.  Using a bit better camera equipment than I have.  He lives in the Chicago area.  He's talking about doing it towards the end of January.  He's got fencing and his own travel plans plus he coaches fencing for the local high school.

I sent him some samples and he agrees that many of the images I have are pretty good.  But it's not comprehensive.

This would be a surgical strike.  I know exactly what I want.  In and out.  Bang bang.

Personally I am taking this hurricane seriously, the name and all.

Picture of a page of the scrapbook that I took last year.  We'll start with this.