Chronicling Somerset Beach
I really enjoyed this assignment. It helped me overcome my procrastination and start my Chronicling Somerset Beach podcast. I have been working on a research project for about 5 years. I’m researching a community that existed in King George County between 1896 and 1930. Today, only remnants on the landscape and a rich historical record in newspaper clippings, court cases, deed books, surveys, oral histories, and more remain. Episode 1 talks about “The Social Column”.
My script is below:
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. THEY WERE
ACCOMPANIED BY THEIR SISTER, MISS ERCELL, WHO EXPECTS TO SECURE EMPLOYMENT
THERE.
FROM NOTES FROM LOWER KING GEORGE SEPTEMBER 22, 1926
JANUARY 22, 1910 – NOTES FROM KING GEORGE
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, IN THE FREE LANCE STAR,
LIFE WAS DOCUMENTED; A HISTORICAL RECORD WAS CREATED. SOMEONE ELSE
POSTED IT, THOUGH. 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.
TODAYS DIGITAL SOCIAL COLUMN, IS PRIVATE, NOT PUBLIC.
BACK THEN THESE SOCIAL COLUMNS WERE A SOURCE OF COMMUNITY.
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
About the process
I found that making this in all caps and double-spaced made it easier to read. I made the first recording, and it was about 3 minutes. I went back, made some edits, and shortened the script slightly. I now know for sure that my space at home isn’t the best choice. Crows in the background and my cat scratching the door- not so good. Headed to the DKC for the final project. I am using my iPhone to make the recording. I used Google to find sound effects I thought would work well with the script. I have a newspaper being folded, a newspaper boy, and a typewriter. I tried to find a steamboat whistle but couldn’t find anything worth using. I considered asking AI to create a sound, but I didn’t go down that rabbit hole.