“We learn from each other. We learn from others’ mistakes, from their experience, their wisdom. It makes it easier for us to come to better decisions in our own lives.”
– Adrian Grenier, actor
This is my final blog post for this class. Although I plan to keep the site up so I can refer back to it for future reference, I will not be updating it after this point. I may end up recycling its basic format for Dr. Pearson’s digital history class – the reverse of what one student did for this class (either Timothy or Evan – I forgot.) However, since that is a group project, it will probably look nothing like it does now. Regardless of where this site ends up going over the next semester, I would like to spend a few moments thanking my colleagues for their presentations. Hearing about their own experiences in archives, museums, or historic sites was both intriguing and helpful, as it helped give me a brief overview of their internship area and its history. Additionally, it made me want to visit their worksites to learn more about the great men and women of Asheville’s history.
While I believe every student did a great job, my favorite presentations this year were Timothy’s and Cora’s. I appreciated the former because it balanced a serious explanation of tasks with a bit of humor and unexpected insight – I did not know, for instance, that children were generally well-behaved at the Vance Birthplace, while adults were the worst and failed to listen to clear instructions. (Although Timothy did not intend it, his descriptions are also a sobering reflection of the state of our society.) Likewise, Cora’s presentation was memorable because of her vivid descriptions of the piles of documents she was expected to sort and the handwriting she sought to decipher. I only had to interpret 19th-century cursive once in my internship when taking inventory of two unsorted boxes, but – like Cora said – not everyone’s handwriting was neat back then!
As I heard each classmate present their experience, I imagined myself in their shoes. In some cases, I felt a little overwhelmed, like when hearing about Frankie’s “truckloads of documents.” However, in other cases, I could easily envision myself performing their tasks, such as Isaac and Allison’s photography sorting projects. In either situation, could I have done their internships? Theoretically, yes. However, I do not believe the end result would have been the same. Certain positions required different skillsets and personalities I do not possess. Conversely, my own experience at the Swannanoa Valley would not have been a suitable match for some of my colleagues.
Does this mean they are better than me, or that I am better than them? Of course not. Rather, it shows how each of our skills and talents fit into different areas within public history. Those who like engaging with the public through tours and explanations would do well in at the Vance Birthplace. On the other hand, those who dread groups and crowds would find it miserable. Not only did we have to discover ourselves by avoiding incompatible environments, we had to discover and learn how others navigated those very environments in which we could not thrive. Both types of discovery help shape us into better historians and allow us appreciate the contributions others made to the field of public history.
Could I have done my classmates’ internships? Theoretically, yes. However, I do not believe the end result would have been the same. Does this mean they are better than me, or that I am better than them? Of course not. Rather, it shows how each of our skills and talents fit into different areas within public history.
To every one of my colleagues, mentors, and Dr. Pearson: It was a great pleasure to attend class with you this semester and hear about how you all contributed to western North Carolina’s history. Thank you, Katherine, for this opportunity to intern with you. I sincerely appreciated our time together, and enjoyed learning about the Swannanoa Valley’s rich and variegated history. No matter where I end up over the next year or even five years, the memories of both this class and my time at the Swannanoa Valley Museum will remain deep within my heart. Thank you, everyone, for a wonderful semester, and I hope to see you all again soon. If any of you have signed up for Dr. Pearson’s digital history course, I will see you then!
Digital Endeavors (UNCA Digital History 2019) 