The Smithsonian

If you are a regular reader of this newspaper, or just bought today’s, no doubt you have seen “Crossroads: Change in Rural America” and “The Smithsonian Is Coming.”

Do you know what it’s talking about? It’s quite exciting. The Smithsonian Institute has a traveling exhibit which will visit six cities in Georgia, and one of them is Monticello. It will be here December 7 through January 11, 2020 and, we are adding to the exhibit.

Numerous interviews have been conducted, and if you haven’t done yours yet, you better hurry; time is running out. To complete an interview segment, go to Flipgrid.com/monticellocrossroads, and tell about a memory or any number of things. You can do it from your mobile phone, and you are prompted to answer a few questions. Several elders in the community have been interviewed by Tyson Harty and his film class as well.

When Michelle Celani presented at First Friday breakfast in September, I realized that The Monticello News really needed to be a part of the exhibit. But, I couldn’t see myself talking into my phone like that.

So, I scheduled an interview, and Tyson filmed me, and prompted me, and hopefully will cut all my uhs and ahs, and make me sound halfway intelligent. Mostly, I want people to know about The Monticello News. After all, we’ve been in business…not me, but the newspaper…since 1881. I believe we are the oldest business in Jasper County.

The committee that is working to bring the Smithsonian exhibit here is now kicking off a photo contest to go with it as well. I don’t know much about it so you’ll have to see the ad elsewhere in today’s paper, and a press release will offer more information next week.

But back to the interviews. A number of people have been interviewed, and their interviews, or pieces of interviews, will run continuously, as I understand it, as you walk through and view the exhibit.

A gala is planned in November where the interviews will be previewed before the actual exhibit comes here. It will be held at Thomas Persons Hall.

The committee includes historian Michele Celani, COC president Mandi Tanner, Sandra Carter, Mr. Harty, Linda Aldridge, Pam Mayer, Judy Hunsucker and Cissy Benton.

The exhibit has already arrived in Thomaston, and they went there to learn how to set it up and what all is involved in the exhibit. They will erect the exhibit here for the December 7 opening.

When the exhibit moves on to the next location, our interviews…our story….will go with it. And, after it travels around the state, it will be a permanent display at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. Pretty exciting stuff, heh?

I feel like The News has promoted the exhibit well thus far with old photos and historical facts running almost weekly for the last several months. But, I’m not sure everyone realizes just what it means. Like I didn’t care about being interviewed until I thought about the newspaper, and its need to be included in the history of our town…in Our Story.

So, it’s late, but if you have a story to tell. If you have an old toy, farm implement, kitchen utensil, or other old items, got to Flipgrid and tell the story about it. We have a rich history here…I hope it will be portrayed thoroughly in the exhibit. The best way is to have as many different outlooks as possible.

So, if you have a story to tell, or a business that needs to go down in history, seize the moment…tell it now. As I said the interviews are winding down and they are gearing up for the exhibit. And keep watching the space, usually on page 2, where we are promoting the exhibit and see some of the photos that are submitted focusing on our rural landscape and lifestyle.

Plan to visit the Visitors Center so you can see the history of Jasper County!