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Barry Schrader
Historian
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Give a gift of history—your story
By Barry Schrader
There is never a better time than during the holidays when
families gather to do an oral history or video history of your
parents or grandparents. This is a wonderful gift to them and
future generations, something each person listening to it will
cherish. If you are 55 or older, then have someone in the family
tape you.
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If you already own a video camera, then use it by
going to a quiet room and inviting the interviewee to share 60
or 90 minutes of family history with you. Try to limit the interview
to just two people—you and the interview subject. Unless
there is a memory problem and it is desirable to have a spouse
or sibling present to help jog a failing mind or toss out anecdotes
that will make the story more interesting (like, do you remember
the time you and grandpa shot that skunk and gram had to bury
your clothes under the outhouse?).
If you want to do an audio history, then borrow or purchase a
cassette tape recorder that has a handheld mike and a tape counter
so you can see how much time is left on the tape. Use a 60 or
90 minute tape, as the longer ones tend to stretch and wear out
sooner. You can always have an extra tape on hand in case your
interview warms up the last 10 minutes of tape and you need to
plop another one into the recorder. Always keep the mike about
2 or 3 feet from the subject who is talking, then turn it around
when you are asking a question. If there is only a built-in mike,
make sure it is placed on the table between you so both of you
are 3 feet or less from it.
To get a generic list of questions, go to the Smithsonian Institution
website at www.folklife.si.edu and print out the Folklife and
Oral History Interviewing Guide. If you don’t have a home
computer, then go to your local library and ask for help in finding
the site on their computer. You may also add questions of your
own, in case there is a famous ancestor, or maybe a World War
II or later veteran in your family. Or you have some ties to
the “old country” that need to be explored. Make sure
the tape recorder is working so run a test message of you both
talking for 30 seconds, then rewind and start for real.
There can be no better gift to your family than an oral history
tape or video that will last for generations. You may want to
have it converted to CD or DVD for longevity.
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