As part of its commitment to collect family histories, local folklore, and the stories of Princeton citizens, the Princeton Historical Society (PHS) and Princeton Public Library invite residents to share their experiences at several events. These sharing sessions will be recorded for posterity. Participants are encouraged to bring written notes and photos. PHS President Mike Goulet said, “The goal is to capture the stories of the people and the community while the stories are still around to be collected.” PHS member Vickie Wielgosh added, “It’s like saving lives by saving people’s stories. So many families that I’ve spoken with in the last ten years don’t believe that their family story is relevant. That’s off the mark. Our stories are our roots and history as a community.”
“Interest is increasing again,” continued Wielgosh. “DNA tests provided by places like Ancestry.com have started opening people’s eyes. Now everyone wants to know more
about their ancestors because they believe their descendants will want to know.”
The stories will be collected with video and audio equipment. A series of more than thirty prompts will be provided with questions like “What were your favorite stories as a child?” or “How did your parents pick your name?” or contributors can just tell the stories they want to tell. All information collected will be securely stored on the PHS computer system.
Families are encouraged to come in together and chat. Organization members, even those not still in existence, are encouraged to come in together and share the history of the
group. Sessions can last as long as two hours and no reservations are necessary but if you would like to reserve a spot contact the Princeton Public Library at 920-295-6777.
The stories collected will not be used to make money and will be accessible to the public at the Folklore Museum. Wielgosh said, “We are looking for folklore stories and giving credence to a life lived. We are collecting memories, not fact checking.”
Library Director Laura Skalitzky said, “For some people stories are the best access to history. Some people keep artifacts, history presents us with a list of dates, and personal stories fill in the blanks and add emotion.”
