Oral History Project Broadens

Thanks to a positive response from Cecil County veterans asked to share the stories of their service, their lives and their communities, the Historical Society of Cecil County is broadening the focus of its oral history project. In 2005, the Society will begin interviewing other long-time residents of the County who have unique insights on local history. The Cecil County Oral History Project is made possible through the support of local veterans and fraternal groups.

Since late 2003, the Society has been collecting the stories of veterans who lived in Cecil County at the time of service. The more than twenty interviews conducted so far will be transcribed and preserved, along with related documents and photographs, to create a record of these Cecil County residents’ lives. In the fall of 2005, the Society plans to open an exhibition focusing on the World War II-era veterans interviewed. “We quickly discovered that our veterans not only told us stories about war, but also wonderful stories about people and places in Cecil County, the kinds of stories you will never find in history books or old newspapers,” notes Jenifer Grindle Dolde, coordinator of the project. “There are so many other people who can tell us stories of what life was like growing up and living in Cecil County and we want to interview as many as possible.”

With new digital technology for voice recording and copying photographs, the process of collecting oral histories has become easier than ever before. “For a very reasonable cost, we can transfer audio files and scan original images onto computer, where they can be made accessible to students and researchers,” says Ms. Dolde. The Historical Society plans to offer a workshop on conducting oral history interviews later this year. Any individuals who are willing to be interviewed about their life in Cecil County are encouraged to contact the Historical Society at (410) 398-1790 or e-mail at history@cchistory.org and to provide contact information.