These radio shows just gave “old school” a whole new meaning
Professor Catharine A. Wilson’s MA history class is collaborating with Chris Currie from CFRU—the University of Guelph’s radio station—to create half-hour shows that will air weekly this summer. These radio shows feature 19th century diarists from the Rural Diary Archive website, which Wilson launched last fall with the support of the library. Some of the diaries feature people who lived in or near Guelph, while other diaries feature people who are similar in age to the student population. Dramatic readings, interviews, sound effects, music, and more will accompany the stories about the diarists.
The diaries are truly eventful. For example, they helped Karley McLinden uncover that Samson Howell’s ancestor was kidnapped by pirates, and allowed Marissa Gareau to read about the devastation caused by lightning striking John Phenix’s barn and burning it to the ground.
“What’s most interesting about these diaries is not necessarily what’s in them, but what’s not in them,” said McLinden.
Joanne Ryan shared a similar sentiment.
“My diarist is James Carpenter and he’s a temperance man—a Methodist guy […] Because my interest is in medicine, I decided I would look up this medicine that he was often buying […] and it turns out the patent medicine is mostly alcohol,” said Ryan.
The diaries also reveal some big personalities.
“My diarist is Matilda Hill, […] she’s the town gossip and she throws a lot of insults in there. She’s not trying to insult people but at one point she records a wedding that happens and just along the margins she’s like, ‘Who would have thought that Lizzy Lightbody would ever need a wedding dress?’ […] She’s very snarky. She’s very fun,” said Katrina Gale.
The Ontarion also asked Wilson’s class what parallels they had noticed between the diarists and present-day students.
“[Gordon C. Eby] was 21 when he started writing the diary. And the parallel […] with young people now is the amount of money he [was] spending on technology and electronics. At a time, when he was earning approximately $30 a month […] he spent $110 on a gramophone or a phonograph,” said Janice Harper.
“And the surprising thing is he’s a Mennonite,” added Wilson.
Similarly, Gale explained that Matilda Hill was “very much in active courting mode, so she gossips about relationships a lot,” and shares concerns about what everyone in church thinks of her and her family following an embarrassing family incident.
Brent Kopfensteiner then added the parallel of partying all night long.
“My diarist was John Ferguson. [He was] 21, 22 at the time he was writing […] He’s out all night […] until 5 a.m., he spends his days in recovery, these are his weekends—these are his Tuesdays. What’s interesting is that he’s also a temperance man, so there’s no drinking; he’s also a really strict Methodist, so there’s no dancing. [Present-day] students [ might go] out partying until 5 a.m., […] but John Ferguson was reading Bible passages and playing cards and talking,” said Kopfensteiner.
Wilson’s students have found it very beneficial to be able to adapt their diaries for the radio.
“[I]t really gives a new perspective on popular history […] By doing this radio program [ we are] able to tell the same history we’ve been doing in an academic field to a wider audience,” said Nicholas VanExan.
“I’ve learned a lot more from this radio show than I’ve learned through a lot of my history courses in regards to how to portray, in a very effective way, history,” said McLinden.
Listen for Professor Wilson’s MA History students on CFRU this summer to get all the up-to-date dirt on these nineteenth-century diarists. Kickin’ it old school just got taken to the next level.