Everyday Writing from Adults Before the 2000s
Adults have often had less time or energy to create everyday writing, so much of the artifacts created by non-writers in the 1900s are written for a more specific purpose such as documenting a gift, remembering chores, or recording an event. The two artifacts within this section fill such roles.
The first artifact is a set of three gift inscriptions within a copy of Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson. The inscriptions tell a history of familial gifts, from sister to sister, from aunt to niece, and from mother to daughter. Without the inscriptions, this book would be nothing more than any other copy of Stevenson's book, but they have added meaning and life to a simple bundle of pages. This history, called a book's provenance, is something that can be found in books from just after the printing press was invented all the way until the present. Because of it, books carry a humanity which otherwise might be lost.
The next artifact within this section is of historical interest, as it records the names of the women in the First All-Girl American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps. At first, this piece seems like nothing more than a list of names, but these names carry significance when combined with photographs, sheet music, and notes. The First All-Girl American Legion Drum and Bugle Corps was formed in 1947, two years after the second world war, and allowed female veterans to participate in the many honors and traditions of the American Legion. As can be seen in the photos accompanying this artifact, these women attended training in Stamford, Connecticut, while still attending to their children. This attests to the timeless strength of women, who today still juggle family and their careers.