One thing about this document I would like to point out, and I’m not sure how well it comes through on the scanned image, is how we can see the process of the document’s creator. See if you can tell where text was cut out and taped onto the page, the white-out and the actual clip art taped on. This is something we don’t see as much of in more recent collections in our archives. Maybe this doesn’t seem like such a loss to researchers in a collection of newsletters, but think of how much we can learn about an author from their writing process. Imagine if Dickens had composed everything on his MacBook. We wouldn’t have this (a really marvelous interactive look at changes made in A Christmas Carol). I can’t imagine surviving college without a computer, but I do wonder how losing process as evidence will change our reading of history in the future.
For now, you can find me in the pool. Not really. I’m glad it’s not 1843–air conditioning was a grand invention. See you on Friday with some facial hair–on the blog that is, not on me.