*things crash in background* Found it!
So research papers have eaten my life, but now I can finally post as to what the heck I did this quarter. Here we go then:
Shift #1: Rather boring. A 6 hour shift out at the warehouse off Broad. This was back in February, and apparently everyone else at this time had gone through most of the Louis stuff, and I was delegated to loose ends. I had a box labeled “horse stuff” that I played around with for the better part of two hours. Taking out, measuring, drawing and describing, and then placing in a box to be dealt with later. Items included multiple pieces from a family in Cambria, half a dozen horse shoes, two VERY LONG horsehair ropes (thank you to the guy that was working there with me that day with their measuring), and an item I had to call my dad up about that turned out to be a hobble.
Then I worked with a set of arrowheads for the next four hours. This set had the distinction of actually having acension #’s already painted on at some point, and were therefore already documented, so I thought I wouldn’t have to do much and could go onto the next thing. But I ended up taking those #’s off with industrial strength nail polish remover, painting them back on with a brush that was small, but not small enough, and then making a nest for them in a pad of foam. And putting the whole thing in a box. It doesn’t sound like much but it really took a lot of effort. I want to know just what the original #’s were painted with that I would have to redo the whole thing. I was really expecting more time with various articles than being stuck with just one project. Although it was fun trying to figure out which arrowhead was made out of what. Most are chert, but I thing one of them may have been close to serpentine. One was probably obsidian.
Shift #2: Was just this past Monday. Four hours at the bottom of the museum because Kim is over there now and not at the warehouse. Equal time spent on both project I did.
The first was putting the acension #’s on a box of Elsie Louis’ belongings. The biggest part of that were the articles pertaining to her involvement with a charity group called World Neighbors, who were getting a U.S. postal stamp made for their anniversary. Mrs. Louis was featured on the stamp. I never found out if the stamp made it to print. Anyone know? My favorite part about her stuff, however, were the two ink-brushed Chinese character poems at the bottom of the box. One had been translated to the side of there characters, although one of the words was ripped and I couldn’t read it. the other was about as long as the short side of the archive room table, and I got really excited about it. Then my steam fizzled out when Kim said that I’d have to roll it back up to put it away. No-one seems to understand the fragility of Chinese calligraphy paper but me.
Then I photocopied photographs from Gin Louis’ box. It was fun stand in for an hour and a half doing that, and I barely got a quarter was through that box.
Shift #3 : The last one was this Wednesday for a couple hours. Majority was spent finishing that box on Gin Louis photos from Monday. And listening in on the round table discussing a lunch for volunteers and a trip to the lighthouse just past Hearst Castle. I almost butted in and asked if I could go, but they were on a roll. The round table consisted of Kim, Mercy, and a group of Society members. There was also discussion about one of the museum’s next exhibits on the Farmers’ Allignence against the railroad companies. included a preview of a pair of bags for the gift/bookstore area. I think that might be neat to see.
The last part of my shift I put more photos in clear sheets. Mostly negatives and proofs. Not real interesting. I felt bad for needing to leave because I wanted to finish that box of stuff.
I’d like to volunteer there on a regular basis, but right now and next quarter I can’t. but I’m going to try to later.
–Shannon Berry
