Creation and Recording
For pretty much anything I work on for my coursework, I hope I can relate the assignment to my research project on Somerset Beach. For this project, I chose to discuss an observation about past social columns. I have been able to discover a lot of information about people in my work. I think a whole study could be done on the language used in 19th-century news stories.
Oh my goodness, was this process tedious! Writing the script was the easy part.
Initially, I recorded on my iPhone. For the final submission, I used Soundtrap on my laptop. I recorded the room sound as required by the assignment, and it really helps the edits disappear. I recorded the paperboy sound myself. The typewriter sound and the newspaper page-turning sound are credited below. I had to edit the time down significantly, as the first pass was 2:30. I edited out some sections of the script, which are crossed out in the transcript below. It was a challenge getting it to 2:00.
I’m excited to have this podcast created. I have wanted to do this for my project for some time. I will embed this on my project website and update as I am able.
Social Column Sources
Click to read a blog about the social pages
Click to read a page about gossip columns
Sound Credits
Paper Flutter .wav by mickdow — Newspaper Flutter Sound Credit Freesound — License: Creative Commons 0
Transcript
ON TODAY’S EPISODE OF CHRONICLING SOMERSET BEACH, I TALK ABOUT THE
SOCIAL COLUMN
TYPEWRITER
NEWSPAPER BOY
DC TRICKERS, WHO HAS BEEN QUITE SICK, IS IMPROVING.
MISS MARY WELCH RETURNED LAST SUNDAY TO WASHINGTON, WHERE SHE IS
ATTENDING SCHOOL
MISSES AUDREY AND DELLA MOTHERSAHEAD HAVE RETURNED TO BALTIMORE AFTER
SPENDING TWO WEEKS WITH THEIR PARENTS NEAR EDGEHILL.
NOTES FROM KING GEORGE
JANUARY 22, 1910
MICHAEL, THE LITTLE SON OF MR GORDON SHELTON, WHO SERIOUSLY INJURED HIS
EYE, WAS TAKEN TO WASHINGTON TO HOSPITAL.
MR C GALLAHAN IS HAVING LUMBER SAWN TO BUILD A HOUSE NEAR HERE
MR G L GRIGSBY SPENT SUNDAY IN FREDERICKSBURG
FEB 26 1908
MR AND MRS ALFRED WILLIAMS ARE ILL AT THEIR HOME NEAR PASSAPATANZY
MR AND MRS G W SHELTON AND SON MICHAEL VISITED FREDERICKSBURG TUESDAY ON
BUSINESS
SMALLPOX AND MUMPS ARE PREVALENT IN KING GEORGE
PAUSE
I THINK YOU GET THE IDEA
THE SOCIAL COLUMN WAS THE LATE 18TH AND EARLY 19TH CENTURY SOCIAL MEDIA
TUCKED IN BETWEEN THE ADS AND STEAMBOAT SCHEDULES,
DAILY LIFE WAS DOCUMENTED; A HISTORICAL RECORD WAS CREATED.
IT WAS PUBLIC, AND NOTHING GOT DELETED.
NEWSPAPER SOUND
TO A READER OF THE TIME PERIOD, IT WAS JUST FRIENDS KEEPING UP WITH FRIENDS.
TO SOMEONE LIKE ME RESEARCHING A LOST, FORGOTTEN COMMUNITY IN KING
GEORGE, IT HAS BECOME A REALLY IMPORTANT PART OF MY RESEARCH. I CAN SEE WHO
KNEW WHO, WHO VISITED THIS WEEK AND WHY, WHERE PEOPLE TRAVELED, WHEN
THEY RETURNED
TYPEWRITER SOUND
ROOM SOUND SILENCE
AND I’VE REALIZED SOMETHING: WE DON’T HAVE THAT ANYMORE. WHO STILL READS A
NEWSPAPER? THE FREE LANCE STAR STILL EXISTS, BUT ONLINE.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS PRIVATE, NOT PUBLIC.
TODAY PEOPLE CHANGE PLATFORMS, CHANGE USERNAMES, DELETE ACCOUNTS, AND
THE TRACES ARE GONE. WE SHARE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT OURSELVES THAN
EVER, BUT THE CONNECTIONS WILL NOT BE VISIBLE TO SOMEONE 100 YEARS FROM
NOW THE RICHNESS FOUND IN THE HISTORICAL RECORD WILL BE A THING OF THE PAST.
SOUND – NEWSPAPER BOY