FEBRUARY 19, 1998

PRESERVING FAMILY STORIES
by Myra Vanderpool Gormley, C.G.

"If you're interested in genealogy, there are oodles of books to help,'' says Nancy L. Pengra, author of Family Histories. "But there's very little help on writing the stories down. And the few books there are focus heavily on the literary aspect of writing.... The fact is, most people are intimidated by the writing aspect, including me.''

Did you ever say:

-- "I wish Mom would write down some of her stories for the grandkids.''

-- "I wish I'd taken the time to get Grandpa's stories down.''

-- "I wish I knew who the people in these old photographs are.''

-- "We really should record some of Dad's stories before it is too late.''

If so, you are like many of us who are always going to do this or that, but we never do. We lose our loved ones, and with them the precious stories that we never took the time to preserve.

When Pengra lost her 96-year-old grandfather, she realized the urgency of preserving family stories, and she did something about it. The result has been a how-to, step-by-step guidebook for nonwriters and busy folks and a web page called "Center for Life Stories Preservation'' at http://members.aol.com/Storycntr

The page includes links to:

-- more than 175 sites of individual stories, collections, community memoirs, and military

-- oral history how-tos (interviewing methods and tips)

-- preserving physical treasures (photos, newspaper clippings, etc.)

-- ways to preserve stories (family newsletters, audio, video, CD-ROM, on-line, and traditional publishing)

-- nostalgia/memory-triggering sites

-- old songs, vintage cars, old radio and films.

Family Histories is a 146-page guidebook by Nancy Pengra ($21.95 postpaid) available from Center for Life Stories Preservations, 137 Bates Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55106; (612) 774-5015. It is geared for nonwriters of all ages and deals with such topics as:

-- ideas to jog memories and trigger stories

-- easy ways to add variety (draw the floor plan of the house you grew up in; list your favorites songs, books, recipes)

-- tips for organizing stories and memorabilia, including easy writing techniques and ways to publish the stories

-- lists of historical dates and what's happened in the world since 1900, including songs, events and inventions

-- creative ways to share stories as gifts for anniversaries, holidays, reunions and birthdays.

Some themes that can be used in family stories include:

-- places you have lived -- not just cities and states, but the addresses and descriptions of the houses and apartments

-- favorites (color, smells, season, food, music, holiday, flower)

-- belongings (cars, clothes, heirlooms, toys)

-- pets (their names and what was special about them)

-- holidays and vacations (Where did you go? How did you get there? Who went with you? What did you do?)

-- hobbies and leisure time (Did you play baseball, collect stamps, go to movies, sew, jump rope, or read books?)

-- culture and the arts (What part did music, literature, theater, concerts, radio, movies and television play in your life?)

-- important events in your life (humorous or embarrassing moments)

-- accomplishments and failures

-- people in your life

-- private thoughts and opinions

Family Histories is a wonderful guide to help you capture your family's precious memories before they are lost.