My burrowing into old archives, both offline and in ancient computer files, continues. This spring cleaning is creating huge clouds of real and virtual dust.
Today I found an edition of Upsy Daisy Daily, an e-newsletter I published many years ago. UDD's style is too cutesy for my taste today, but I enjoyed this edition because I had forgotten the story of some letters to the future . . .
Dusty, Shining Wishes
The new minister at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis decided to take a trip up into the church’s dusty attic. He found cobwebs and the congregation’s archives. And a leather-bound book entitled Book of Remembrance. The red book was brimming with photographs and letters.
Ten boys of the “Sabbath School” of 1901 had wielded their fountain pens and written messages and wishes to those who would follow them in 2001, 100 years later. In the letters, the 10-, 11- and 12-year-old boys also described their lives and what their faith meant to them.
Over the years, they added to their stories and wishes. In 1912, the boys were grown
and they placed in the book a stack of letters sealed with wax to be read by the last survivor of the group.
A Vow Realized
Reverend Timothy Hart-Anderson took this treasure of a book back to his office and was nearly “leaping around with the discovery.” He made two vows; one of the vows was that a project centered around this cherished book would involve the youth of his church.
Today five tenth-grade girls are seeking to find out what happened to the 10 boys. A member of the congregation who is an historian is guiding the girls in their research. The girls are very excited about learning about the boys, how they lived, and what they thought. That stack of letters to the last survivor had been opened (no one knows by whom). The girls read the aged letters and were impressed by their contents.
More Wishes from the Past
Still unread is a message from the class of 1901 to the class of 2001. It was placed inside two pages of the book, sewn together with a ribbon of red. This message will be opened and read at the church on May 19.
My father sent me a newspaper article out of the Minneapolis Star Tribune about the book, the boys of 1901, and the girls of 2002. One of the 10 boys was his father, my grandfather.
Messages spanning one hundred years from boys born in the 1800s to girls of this new century. Messages that are valuable to the girls and have introduced them to 10 strangers -- strangers now becoming friends . Messages that have resulted in the girls’ learning about another time in history through the lives, dreams, and words of young boys of long ago. The years have not erased or muted the boys’ messages to the girls.
Daisy Daily Plan
Write a letter to someone in your life with your good wishes for them. Put it in the mail or deliver it today. Don’t wait. Doing so will make your day one of treasure and gold. When we send good wishes out, they expand, not only benefiting the one to whom you send them. They amplify and grow and generate all sorts of marvelous and miraculous good for the sender -- you. All will be the better for your letter. Start writing now. I can already hear the wishes traveling on wings of goodwill.
And please have an Upsy Daisy Day!
Yours in the spirit of laughter, flowing fountain pens, and the joy of learning,
Stephanie West Allen
May 6, 2002
This morning, I've been looking in many files, piles, and rooms to find hard copies of the letters my grandfather Edgar Marion Allen wrote to the future, but with no success. Years ago, they were on the church's Web site but I can't locate them there either. In another attempt to find the letters, I e-mailed the church historian. I do hope he knows where I can read them. If my grandfather's letters show up somewhere, I will add them to this post.
Note: Click to read excerpts from letters written by young Karl Browne Raymond, another of the Westminster boys.
This idea is too gorgeous, Writing letter is really enjoyable thing!
A great honor to visit your article.
Posted by: Inquiry Letters | April 18, 2011 at 10:16 PM