Whenever you reminisced about the things you experienced years before, did you ever say, “Those were the Good old Days” or something like that? I have, and have wondered who decides which days those are?  My grandchild didn’t seem to know anything about those days. Her “good old days” were recent history to me. News Flash! “Good old Days” change about every 18-20 years, in other words, with every new generation. 

So, what are “The Good Old Days?” In reality, everyone alive today, makes “The Good Old Days” for someone else. We think of the “Good old Days” as the past, or history, but we are living those days right now. Have you ever heard someone refer to “The Good Old Days” and they weren’t the ones you thought about? I’ve seen family members argue over what those days were and what happened “Back Then.” How do we settle those arguments?  Sometimes we try to find proof that our memory of an event is right in books, newspapers, the internet, or diaries. 

In Chillicothe, we have two outstanding sources that specialize in keeping track of everyone’s “Good Old Days.” They are chock full of “Good Old Days” materials like photographs, books, family histories, and actual objects that you can see, and if you’re careful, sometimes you can touch part of your “Good Old Days.” Many people donate the most important parts of their memories to the Historical Society, which collects, categorize and preserves proof of our existence for anyone. As a member of the Society, I get to help keep everyone’s “Good Old Days” from being lost. I get to see and learn what virtually everyone’s “Good Old Days” are. Pick a year or event and see what has been recorded or gathered.

We are facing a severe challenge to continue to preserve and care for what we gather, not just because of political movements, but because our memberships are lagging, and many of us are getting old. We need the energy of younger members. As a member, you can have a direct impact on what you believe is important to pass on to those who follow us. You get to decide what is confirmed as “The Good Old Days” for thousands of people of the future. If you are between teenage and seventy years old, please consider becoming a member and help us continue to build “The Good Old Days.”