A few years before my grandmother died in 2017 we moved her into an assisted-living facility, and sometime in the process of going through the things at her house, I found this:
Oh, these are wonderful. The quaint language, the youthful humor. How great that you're preserving your family artifacts. When my mother died, my brother and I had to sort through a lifetime of such artifacts, including diaries and letters written by my grandmother, who escaped tsarist Russia at age 18 around 1916. Some were in Russian, Yiddish. We don't know what to do with it all. Who will care? Who will want to decipher their handwriting?
Keep them safe. They are only paper but contain an important aspect of your history. If not deciphered now, no matter… however, by kept safe it offers the chance for a family member/historian to continue at a future time.
I have friends who came here from Russia. I bet if you began to ask around you would find folks who could translate them. AI could probably do a reasonable job. That is such a treasure. You could also contact a university where Russian is taught or Russian history. They might lead you to your next step. This is an incredible treasure.
Omg this is so beautiful. 😭❤️ I used to pore over my mother's high school yearbooks as a child, just fascinated by the fact that my mom had this whole entire life before me. I would read all the notes written by her friends and I would do the same thing that you do, I would let my mind wander and wonder about the exact scenarios that might have led to a cryptic piece of scribble in that yearbook. It was precious to me and I wish I had it today.
Oh Paul, I love this so much! Reminds me of the words from Les Mis…”When you're gone, who remembers your name;who keeps your flame, who tells your story?” And you are doing that right here! I hope your daughters cherish this as much as you do! How pleased and proud she must be, looking down as her grandson gives us a peek into her early life. Thank you so much for sharing this… I Only have Bibles listing birth and deaths dates…a sort of ancestral linage to decipher. Great job, my friend! This is such a pleasure to read! 🥰🫶🤗
I JUST posted a note on Substack of a quote from my memory book. I'm 61. Don't know why I was participating in this old timey practice. I have a book called "Remember me when this you see" of these poems. I love it. And it's so poignant the you have your grandmother's memory book. Thanks for this one!!
Wow I have an old autograph book from my great aunt from the 1890s and her mother also wrote “When you are old and cannot see, Put on your specks and think of me.” Must have been a phrase that people used on these occasions.
Thank you for sharing this, Paul. What a beautiful keepsake. The written word seems to hold an essence of the writer. I think of letters I still have from different people and their memory comes alive when I read the letters.
I was just sorting through boxes of family memorabilia and found schoolwork and a graduation program belonging to my grandmother, who was born in 1915. It was fascinating to read her essays and see what she chose to keep throughout her long life (she died at 95.)
A very moving piece. Inspires me to want to write more about the memories buried away among the dusty photo albums and old letters buried in my closet. Thanks.
I love all of this — and I am particularly fond of the last photo. “Janelle of Blythe Barber School.” It sounds like she is being introduced when entering a grand occasion and people would gasp at her beauty.
Oh that's even better: Janelle of Blythe. (I didn't think she went to a barber school although it sounded as if I thought that.) I guess I would be Vince of Puzick. Hard-knock School.
I was not expecting to have my heart blown so open wide this morning, but here I am, letting these words become a link in my memories.
I have my grandmother’s yearbook from 1938 too. The messages were quite different as she was in nursing school by then, but there is one that I’ve carried with me for years now -
“To one who is often misunderstood but one who understands what is difficult for so many to grasp the meaning of”
I felt a different kinship to my grandmother after reading this, and wondered how alike she and I might have been. As I have throughout my 46 years of life so often feel misunderstood.
Anyway, thank you Paul for being a light in these dark days. For making me feel something more. For reminding me that we’re here and we’ll make it because they did too.
Oh, these are wonderful. The quaint language, the youthful humor. How great that you're preserving your family artifacts. When my mother died, my brother and I had to sort through a lifetime of such artifacts, including diaries and letters written by my grandmother, who escaped tsarist Russia at age 18 around 1916. Some were in Russian, Yiddish. We don't know what to do with it all. Who will care? Who will want to decipher their handwriting?
You will care. You will. That’s why <3 Thanks for sharing this with me.
Keep them safe. They are only paper but contain an important aspect of your history. If not deciphered now, no matter… however, by kept safe it offers the chance for a family member/historian to continue at a future time.
* by keeping them safe
Thanks for the comment. My brother might scan them for posterity.
I have friends who came here from Russia. I bet if you began to ask around you would find folks who could translate them. AI could probably do a reasonable job. That is such a treasure. You could also contact a university where Russian is taught or Russian history. They might lead you to your next step. This is an incredible treasure.
Thank you! We have connections among both Russian and Yiddish speakers. We've talked about what to do. We hadn't considered AI. I'll keep you posted.
Omg this is so beautiful. 😭❤️ I used to pore over my mother's high school yearbooks as a child, just fascinated by the fact that my mom had this whole entire life before me. I would read all the notes written by her friends and I would do the same thing that you do, I would let my mind wander and wonder about the exact scenarios that might have led to a cryptic piece of scribble in that yearbook. It was precious to me and I wish I had it today.
Love this—thanks for sharing.
Oh Paul, I love this so much! Reminds me of the words from Les Mis…”When you're gone, who remembers your name;who keeps your flame, who tells your story?” And you are doing that right here! I hope your daughters cherish this as much as you do! How pleased and proud she must be, looking down as her grandson gives us a peek into her early life. Thank you so much for sharing this… I Only have Bibles listing birth and deaths dates…a sort of ancestral linage to decipher. Great job, my friend! This is such a pleasure to read! 🥰🫶🤗
I JUST posted a note on Substack of a quote from my memory book. I'm 61. Don't know why I was participating in this old timey practice. I have a book called "Remember me when this you see" of these poems. I love it. And it's so poignant the you have your grandmother's memory book. Thanks for this one!!
Thanks for reading, and the kind words <3
Same age and we had these in 5th grade!
I remembered reading about them in something old fashioned (maybe the Little House books?). I wonder when they stopped being a “thing.”
We also had Autograph Books and we'd fold down the corners of the pages as they were filled. We'd fold them in opposite directions to make a pattern.
Oh yes!! That sounds very familiar. I think we did that too. Had totally forgotten.
Wow I have an old autograph book from my great aunt from the 1890s and her mother also wrote “When you are old and cannot see, Put on your specks and think of me.” Must have been a phrase that people used on these occasions.
Some of the poems in my grandmother’s book were repeats—I got the feeling this was a traditional way to sign memory books. <3
They had so many different sayings too that weren’t written down, and it’s sad that those will be gone forever once we’re no longer here.
I used to own many items similar to this one, but the fire we experienced destroyed all of them. You are so lucky to still have this.
Oh no—that is terrible! I am so sorry. Thanks for reading, and the kind words <3
Great piece of your family history, and history as a whole. I love old-timey, ornate cursive!
I love this! Thank you for sharing.
These are wonderful. Thanks so much for sharing them!
I have laughed over these for several years—glad others find them fun as well <3
Thank you for sharing this, Paul. What a beautiful keepsake. The written word seems to hold an essence of the writer. I think of letters I still have from different people and their memory comes alive when I read the letters.
I’m planning to publish some of my grandfather’s letters from Korea soon (ish). Thanks for reading and commenting <3
What a wonderful collection to have. This grandmother of yours is a true treasure trove.
I was just sorting through boxes of family memorabilia and found schoolwork and a graduation program belonging to my grandmother, who was born in 1915. It was fascinating to read her essays and see what she chose to keep throughout her long life (she died at 95.)
A very moving piece. Inspires me to want to write more about the memories buried away among the dusty photo albums and old letters buried in my closet. Thanks.
What a wonderful way to start my day! Thank you for sharing these.
I love all of this — and I am particularly fond of the last photo. “Janelle of Blythe Barber School.” It sounds like she is being introduced when entering a grand occasion and people would gasp at her beauty.
Janelle Blythe was her name. The name of the town she grew up in was Barber, not a barber school, but I like the sentiment.
Oh that's even better: Janelle of Blythe. (I didn't think she went to a barber school although it sounded as if I thought that.) I guess I would be Vince of Puzick. Hard-knock School.
I was not expecting to have my heart blown so open wide this morning, but here I am, letting these words become a link in my memories.
I have my grandmother’s yearbook from 1938 too. The messages were quite different as she was in nursing school by then, but there is one that I’ve carried with me for years now -
“To one who is often misunderstood but one who understands what is difficult for so many to grasp the meaning of”
I felt a different kinship to my grandmother after reading this, and wondered how alike she and I might have been. As I have throughout my 46 years of life so often feel misunderstood.
Anyway, thank you Paul for being a light in these dark days. For making me feel something more. For reminding me that we’re here and we’ll make it because they did too.
This: “For making me feel something more.”
Exactly. 💜💜💜