[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] my talk today is about the objects of my
my talk today is about the objects of my
my talk today is about the objects of my obsession how everyday objects connect
obsession how everyday objects connect
obsession how everyday objects connect us to people our community and the world
us to people our community and the world
us to people our community and the world I’ve worked in history museums for 25
I’ve worked in history museums for 25
I’ve worked in history museums for 25 years all across the country from
years all across the country from
years all across the country from Pennsylvania to Maryland Indiana to
Pennsylvania to Maryland Indiana to
Pennsylvania to Maryland Indiana to Illinois and now Arizona I also come
Illinois and now Arizona I also come
Illinois and now Arizona I also come from a place Mieville Pennsylvania that
from a place Mieville Pennsylvania that
from a place Mieville Pennsylvania that I like to call the crossroads of history
I like to call the crossroads of history
I like to call the crossroads of history because so much happened there or at
because so much happened there or at
because so much happened there or at least passed through there
least passed through there
least passed through there the first lieutenant George Washington
the first lieutenant George Washington
the first lieutenant George Washington when he told the French to get out of
when he told the French to get out of
when he told the French to get out of North America because it was English
North America because it was English
North America because it was English land all her Hazard Perry who built a
land all her Hazard Perry who built a
land all her Hazard Perry who built a Armada and met the British in the war of
Armada and met the British in the war of
Armada and met the British in the war of 1812 John Brown who began his career in
1812 John Brown who began his career in
1812 John Brown who began his career in abolition in a small Church where he
abolition in a small Church where he
abolition in a small Church where he signed an abolitionist pledge Edwin
signed an abolitionist pledge Edwin
signed an abolitionist pledge Edwin Drake who drilled well and found oil for
Drake who drilled well and found oil for
Drake who drilled well and found oil for the first time and changed our world
the first time and changed our world
the first time and changed our world Gideon’s son back the man who invented
Gideon’s son back the man who invented
Gideon’s son back the man who invented the hookless fastener or as we know it
the hookless fastener or as we know it
the hookless fastener or as we know it the zipper and even channellocks
the zipper and even channellocks
the zipper and even channellocks something that many of us have in our
something that many of us have in our
something that many of us have in our garage today all of these things come
garage today all of these things come
garage today all of these things come from my hometown all of these things
from my hometown all of these things
from my hometown all of these things would be the things that touch the world
would be the things that touch the world
would be the things that touch the world change who we are but that’s not what my
change who we are but that’s not what my
change who we are but that’s not what my story is about my story is about a
story is about my story is about a
story is about my story is about a little boy who with his dad on a sunny
little boy who with his dad on a sunny
little boy who with his dad on a sunny afternoon in the backyard had quite an
afternoon in the backyard had quite an
afternoon in the backyard had quite an adventure so first you’ll see this photo
adventure so first you’ll see this photo
adventure so first you’ll see this photo yes that’s me standing on top of a large
yes that’s me standing on top of a large
yes that’s me standing on top of a large dirt pile we were planting trees in the
dirt pile we were planting trees in the
dirt pile we were planting trees in the backyard
backyard
backyard my dad had dug down about three foot and
my dad had dug down about three foot and
my dad had dug down about three foot and he came upon this a little car knowing
he came upon this a little car knowing
he came upon this a little car knowing that I was very anxious to help but not
that I was very anxious to help but not
that I was very anxious to help but not being much help through the car up to me
being much help through the car up to me
being much help through the car up to me and said here this is yours and I said
and said here this is yours and I said
and said here this is yours and I said how on earth did this get down three
how on earth did this get down three
how on earth did this get down three foot into the ground
foot into the ground
foot into the ground I asked why why is this car here if we
I asked why why is this car here if we
I asked why why is this car here if we build our house here the first people to
build our house here the first people to
build our house here the first people to build our house my dad being that tire
build our house my dad being that tire
build our house my dad being that tire salesman not knowing any better decided
salesman not knowing any better decided
salesman not knowing any better decided to give the best advice that a husband
to give the best advice that a husband
to give the best advice that a husband could give and he said go ask your mom
could give and he said go ask your mom
could give and he said go ask your mom now I did that went into the house
now I did that went into the house
now I did that went into the house talked to my mom my mom being a nurse
talked to my mom my mom being a nurse
talked to my mom my mom being a nurse didn’t really have the answer either but
didn’t really have the answer either but
didn’t really have the answer either but she knew it was something that she
she knew it was something that she
she knew it was something that she wanted to inspire me to encourage me to
wanted to inspire me to encourage me to
wanted to inspire me to encourage me to find out and so she took me to the one
find out and so she took me to the one
find out and so she took me to the one place she thought would have the answer
place she thought would have the answer
place she thought would have the answer the Crawford County Historical Society
the Crawford County Historical Society
the Crawford County Historical Society they’re a willing staff member listen to
they’re a willing staff member listen to
they’re a willing staff member listen to this little boy and said you know what
this little boy and said you know what
this little boy and said you know what let’s start to look took down books took
let’s start to look took down books took
let’s start to look took down books took down histories eventually finding a land
down histories eventually finding a land
down histories eventually finding a land ownership map and said yes indeed there
ownership map and said yes indeed there
ownership map and said yes indeed there was a property owner there that very
was a property owner there that very
was a property owner there that very quickly led me to this house and what
quickly led me to this house and what
quickly led me to this house and what from that house I discovered a family
from that house I discovered a family
from that house I discovered a family that in 1950 a small little boy lost
that in 1950 a small little boy lost
that in 1950 a small little boy lost this midget toys race car this little
this midget toys race car this little
this midget toys race car this little car when I began to look into the car I
car when I began to look into the car I
car when I began to look into the car I discovered it was from Rockford Illinois
discovered it was from Rockford Illinois
discovered it was from Rockford Illinois by a tool-and-die manufacturer that
by a tool-and-die manufacturer that
by a tool-and-die manufacturer that after world war ii needed to build
after world war ii needed to build
after world war ii needed to build something with aluminum and so they
something with aluminum and so they
something with aluminum and so they chose to go into cars in other toys toys
chose to go into cars in other toys toys
chose to go into cars in other toys toys that cost just simply ten cents this is
that cost just simply ten cents this is
that cost just simply ten cents this is another one of those everyday objects
another one of those everyday objects
another one of those everyday objects that you may look at and think what is
that you may look at and think what is
that you may look at and think what is this insignificant yes you may look at
this insignificant yes you may look at
this insignificant yes you may look at this envelope and say why would someone
this envelope and say why would someone
this envelope and say why would someone save this is it the stamp in the corner
save this is it the stamp in the corner
save this is it the stamp in the corner was someone trying to save the stamp or
was someone trying to save the stamp or
was someone trying to save the stamp or was it just because look it’s from 1943
was it just because look it’s from 1943
was it just because look it’s from 1943 maybe it’s from World War two maybe
maybe it’s from World War two maybe
maybe it’s from World War two maybe that’s the significance well now if you
that’s the significance well now if you
that’s the significance well now if you look a little bit further you’ll see
look a little bit further you’ll see
look a little bit further you’ll see there’s quite a bit more significance
there’s quite a bit more significance
there’s quite a bit more significance first of all it’s addressed to the
first of all it’s addressed to the
first of all it’s addressed to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
University of Southern California bookstore okay that’s interesting
bookstore okay that’s interesting
bookstore okay that’s interesting during the war but also if you look at
during the war but also if you look at
during the war but also if you look at the return address from a place called
the return address from a place called
the return address from a place called rivers Arizona rivers Arizona in a very
rivers Arizona rivers Arizona in a very
rivers Arizona rivers Arizona in a very odd number for an address 58 1 C by a
odd number for an address 58 1 C by a
odd number for an address 58 1 C by a young man by the name of Henry Kondo a
little bit of research will show you
little bit of research will show you that yes Henry Kondo was a Japanese
that yes Henry Kondo was a Japanese
that yes Henry Kondo was a Japanese American from Pasadena attending the
American from Pasadena attending the
American from Pasadena attending the University of Southern California why
University of Southern California why
University of Southern California why would he be writing a letter from rivers
would he be writing a letter from rivers
would he be writing a letter from rivers Arizona well that’s because he happened
Arizona well that’s because he happened
Arizona well that’s because he happened to be at the Gila River internment camp
to be at the Gila River internment camp
to be at the Gila River internment camp block 58 building number one room C he
block 58 building number one room C he
block 58 building number one room C he and his entire family weren’t turd
and his entire family weren’t turd
and his entire family weren’t turd during World War two because they looked
during World War two because they looked
during World War two because they looked like the enemy this young man ultimately
like the enemy this young man ultimately
like the enemy this young man ultimately joined the 442nd the most awarded US
joined the 442nd the most awarded US
joined the 442nd the most awarded US military unit in all of history filled
military unit in all of history filled
military unit in all of history filled with japanese-americans that have been
with japanese-americans that have been
with japanese-americans that have been largely interred due to their ethnicity
largely interred due to their ethnicity
largely interred due to their ethnicity because they looked like the enemy he
because they looked like the enemy he
because they looked like the enemy he bravely joined the military himself
bravely joined the military himself
bravely joined the military himself fought in in France and gave the
fought in in France and gave the
fought in in France and gave the ultimate sacrifice in the famous Battle
ultimate sacrifice in the famous Battle
ultimate sacrifice in the famous Battle of the Lost Texas battalion these are
of the Lost Texas battalion these are
of the Lost Texas battalion these are these significant everyday objects
these significant everyday objects
these significant everyday objects objects that connect us to people to
objects that connect us to people to
objects that connect us to people to places to things they sometimes will
places to things they sometimes will
places to things they sometimes will change your view of the world so the
change your view of the world so the
change your view of the world so the next time you’re looking in your garage
next time you’re looking in your garage
next time you’re looking in your garage or in your attic grandma’s attic trying
or in your attic grandma’s attic trying
or in your attic grandma’s attic trying to clear things out take a moment to
to clear things out take a moment to
to clear things out take a moment to look at those tiny little objects
look at those tiny little objects
look at those tiny little objects because those tiny little objects can
because those tiny little objects can
because those tiny little objects can change your view of the world can change
change your view of the world can change
change your view of the world can change your view of yourself and of the people
your view of yourself and of the people
your view of yourself and of the people around you thank you
around you thank you
around you thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
”
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