Everyone has a story and every story matters! Story Catchers records and preserves personal stories by people from every corner of our community.
Story Catchers has finished recording stories for the Eugene150-Story Catchers Project. The month of February will be spent organizing the data in a way that is accessible to the public. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, please contact me if you have any personal history projects or recording needs in mind. We will be launching all of our offerings on this site sometime in March. Thank you for your interest in what we are doing. The Eugene project was a wonderful experience…and we look forward to doing more of this work! Thank you, Marsha Barr 541-689-4346 storycatchers.marsha@gmail.com
Eugene@150-Story Catchers
Throughout 2012, in honor of Eugene’s 150th birthday celebration, Story Catchers has partnered with the City of Eugene to offer 150 Eugene residents the opportunity to record and preserve their stories, memories, and reflections. We are capturing an audio archive of the essence of this city in 2012 and the essence of Eugene is YOU! We invite you to share a personal story, or the story of someone that you would like to honor. Share stories about your business, organization or your community. We will assist you in recording it on CD for present and future generations to enjoy.
Record a story that might otherwise be lost . . . here’s how:
It is our belief that the best stories are those that are shared between trusted friends, family or community members. Stories are born out of respect, curiosity and a willingness to inquire, to listen, and to share. So consider . . . who is that special person that you would like to honor by asking them to join with you in capturing and preserving a valuable story?
1. Choose a person who you would like to honor by asking them to share some part of their story with you in a conversation or casual interview session. Or choose a person to listen and ask you questions about your story. Another option is for two people to share memories about a loved one, an event, or an organization that has had a profound effect on you. One of our Story Catcher staff is also available to act as interviewer.
2. Schedule an appointment Schedule a one-hour appointment to record your audio CD. We are scheduling appointments through January 11th, 2013 on a first-come first-serve basis.
3. Prepare Although you may know what you would like to talk about, it is best to prepare a general outline or list of questions to refer to. There is no need to work out all of the details in advance. Leave room for curiosity, discovery, and the unexpected. You can craft your own questions or choose from our list. The session could take the form of simply sharing memories and stories rather than an interview.
4. Record Join us in our office at the Atrium Building at 10th and Olive, where we will facilitate a recording session that will last a little over an hour, resulting in a 10- to 40-minute, unedited audio CD for you to share with family and friends.
5. Because Eugene@150-Story Catchers is a project for the City of Eugene’s 150th birthday celebration, you will need to sign a release form for the City.
6. Donations of $10 to $50 are requested. As part of the Eugene@150-Story Catchers Project, we have been provided with an office. We are volunteering our time for recording and production. Donations of any amount would gladly be accepted. We value your stories and are happy to record them regardless of money.
To be part of the Eugene@150-Story Catchers project, please contact StoryCatchers.Marsha@gmail.com or call Marsha Barr at 541-686-2454
Story Catchers is privileged to assist in recording your story and preserving it for present and future generations.
You can find out more about Eugene’s 150th celebration at http://www.eugene-or.gov/Index.aspx?NID=1977
Why not a register for people living in Eugene today who are descendants of Eugene ‘s 150 years ago Pioneers?
A REGISTER FOR DESCENDANTS OF EUGENE’S PIONEERS IS A WONDERFUL IDEA.
I invite you all to leave information about your Eugene ancestors here. I will see if I can find a way to compile it. I may need the assistance of some of you genealogists out there!
Thank you Gary….are you a descendant of said pioneers? If so, I hope we can record your story…if not you are a descendant of someone and that makes your story unique…let’s record that!
I delivered the Eugene Register Guard from 1942 to 1948. My route started at 13th and Alder and ended at 15th and Agate. In 1943 I built the route to 186 customers in University area and
in 1948 when I graduated from University High School the route was about 30 customers. I saw
many large homes moved from the campus on large solid wheels that caused the considerable loss of customers. I remember going downtown to Willamette street to get our papers and sometimes watching linotype operaters preparing pages for current newspaper. Also we were amazed to watch Dick Strite type very fast with two fingers about current sports news.
We lived at 1542 Columbia St. and our back yard would now go into new law building.
Many friends parked in our long driveway to attend football games at Hayward Field.
Condon grade school was across the street and I went to Roosevelt Junior High School when it was on Agate street.
Roger Ness
3079 Stapp Dr.
Eugene, OR 97408
ph. 541-683-3359
Great story Roger…
As a paperboy…you were no doubt intimate with the landscape, with each repeated toss of a paper. It is amazing how our landscape is changed over time, and how we are surprised at some point to consider the impact of the bulk of change.
I have a faint memory of seeing typesetters arranging individual letters in trays at our local newspaper in the 50′s…and I ask myself now as I push the keys of my computer…was it possible that the whole paper was set in this way? Do you know?
Thank you for sharing your story. I hope that you will consider letting us record it and other memories for you to preserve and share.
I’m sorry that it took me so long to reply…I’m just getting the hang of this social media thing…
Back in 1942 all of paper was done by typesetters. Computers sure changed this. If my story is worthy I give you permission to publish it. I chose Eugene to retire many years ago because it has all we have wanted. We are season ticket holders to VLT and enjoy the many great productions. My son has purchased football season tickets since I retired twenty years ago. 12 of us friends and family sit together at all home games.
Roger Ness
Roger, Thank you for pushing some of my memory buttons. My first grade teacher at Fall Creek Grade School, Opal Doty, lived on Onyx St and her son Steve also had a paper route near Edison School. Mrs Doty lived with my grandparents in Crow while she attended the University of Oregon. My first name, Alva, was taken from my grandfather. So, on my first day of school in 1942 Mrs. Doty asked me what my grandfather’s name was and I answered ‘Grandpa’.
Thanks for memory. One family reunion in Washington with the Ness clan. One of the cousins asked one of our daughters which one was her Grandpa. Out of 12 in my dads family she pointed out hers was Grandpa Ness.