Town's Oral History project shaping up
Herald Progress (by Bill Doran) - March 6, 2008
Activities for the Town's sesquicentennial are growing week by week. The oral history committee is made up of some of the Town's top historians and researchers. Dale Talley, committee chair, is an author of many publications and books dealing with Ashland's history.
The committee is concentrating on doing just an audio, oral history, with the possibility of a video later in the project. The ambition is to create a Web site that would have the oral history with a searchable engine.
Citizens, and historians alike would be able to search for subjects, themes, names, etc., then listen to or read a transcript on the subject they are interested in. Talley brought an example of a Web site that is doing just this sort of thing, www.newdeal.feri.org.
A very good title that was suggested was, One Ashland, Many Stories. Another suggestion, tying into the anniversary theme was One Ashland 150 Stories.
As is the case with such an undertaking the committee is still looking for resources for funding. They are in the process of reaching out to some bigger corporations to find this funding. They can always use some volunteers who have experience in fund-raising and grant proposals.
Fortunately, one of the committee members is Alva Hughes a professor at Randolph Macon College. Hughes teaches a psychology course called "Remembering." According to the course description, "This course will explore the psychology of memory. Our discussions will include a focus on the physiology of memory, the reconstructive nature of memory and the role of memory in the creation of identity and self."
One requirement of the course is a final project. The interviewing of people in town of their memories of Ashland ties perfectly into the work of the oral history committee. The students will work on getting the audio interviews with citizens with the aid of committee members.
The committee is in the process of putting together lists of questions and themes that they want to include in the project. They are encouraging anyone and everyone to reach out to the older generation of Ashlander's both whom currently live here and those that have moved out of town. Some citizen's may not want to talk on tape, but may know someone who should be talked to.
Any suggestions as to who might make for good subjects should be sent to Talley. Her e-mail is dptalley@comcast.net. "The more people we get the better and more in depth our project is going to be," said Talley.