DIXIT
EDITION 30 21st Sept 2018
The weekly newsletter for the Holyport College family
Lest We Forget This Wednesday, Holyport College became one of the venues around the country to become involved in the Oxford University led initiative, Lest We Forget. The day involved members of the public coming to the school with memorabilia from WW1, ready to be interviewed about their ancestor’s story and have their objects digitized. During the day nearly 40 interviews were conducted, over 100 artefacts were digitized and 500 photos taken. As part of the Centenary commemoration of the end of World War One, a vast archive - including what was recorded this Wednesday - will go live online in November 2018, and will be publically available.
Personally, the highlight of the event was observing how involved and interested everyone was during the day. There was such a happy ambience pervading the event, and a sense that ‘the right thing was being done’. It was an emotional day for some, and I loved how everyone seemed to be moved by the stories we were hearing. Mr McCarey commented at one point that there was a f eeling that visitors were ‘unburdening’ themselves with their family stories, and I feel that rang very true. There was a sense of real relief emanating from some visitors as they told their stories, and ensured their ancestors wouldn’t be forgotten.
I am really pleased that Holyport decided to undertake the project; I strongly feel it is so important for social history. Without what Lest We Forget is doing, so many important stories would be lost to history. By immortalising the WW1 memorabilia, it felt as though we were validating the lives of those who suffered and so often died before they had a chance at life. Furthermore, the preservation of this memorabilia is without a doubt invaluable to future historians studying the Great War. A big thank you to the student and teacher volunteers who helped make the day possible (some on their day off!), to the parents who wrote up the family stories and sent in the memorabilia and to the school, who have shown enthusiasm and support from the start. Juliette Salgado-Smith, Year 13
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