REMARKS: HISTORY HAS BEEN A LIFE-LONG LOVE

Exactly when history entered my life, I am not certain. I believe it was somewhere around the age of 7 or 8 when the history bug first sank its teeth into me. By third grade I could name every President of the United States (I'm sure today's teens would take great delight in pointing out that there weren't nearly as many to memorize back then!) and tell their years in office. I often drew portraits of the presidents and hung them in the hallway at home.

Before reaching adolescence I had also developed an interest in local history. Somewhere along the line I saw Robert M. Blackwell's history of Bonne Terre at the Bonne Terre Public Library and read it. I also got a chance to meet Mr. Blackwell, then the mayor. From that time forward I had a sound knowledge of the town's history and an awareness of a few of the town's most historic structures. As I grew up I was alarmed to see many of the properties grow derelict and dilapidated. I was later relieved to see most of these restored. (I will touch on historic preservation another time.)

How some can see history as boring, I have never been able to comprehend. To me, mathematics or science is boring. I guess it takes all kinds. (Sadly, only the math- and science-oriented students get to choose from a ton of college-weighted classes at most schools. This was true in my day and is still here, a prickly burr from the Space Race days.) History, naturally was always my favorite class and wound up being my undergraduate major. Now I am embarking on my Master's degree in history with an emphasis in research -- unless I should decide to switch to historic preservation. History has always been alive and brimming with fascinating personalities, perplexing controversies and inexplicable decisions which forever changed the world.

Yet there is so much history of which I am ignorant. I find this out readily enough in on-line trivia rooms. Put me in pre-20th century Europe or Asia and I might as well be answering trigonometry questions. I definitely need to brush up on my non-American history -- at least in Europe.

U.S. history has really been my specific love. One of my earliest memories is having my Webster's New World Dictionary, which included snapshots of oil paintings of all 37 (then) presidents. From them it seemed natural to turn to the World Book Encyclopedia and read all I could about them. This has continued to be a favorite specialty; I have to admit that The American Presidency was my favorite undergrad class.

It seems history is less in vogue today than ever -- at least with the last generation or two. Young Major League baseball players don't want to hear about the old-timers whose records they break (with some notable exceptions); young musicians are slow to give kudos to those whose work made today's music possible; kids and younger adults in general don't want to be bogged down with "ancient history" -- even if that "ancient" history is the Depression, Vietnam, or even the Reagan era.

It seems like a little forethought on their part would make them stop and ponder a big question: If this generation is neither interested nor willing to pay attention to achievements of the recent past, who do they think is going to pay heed to their accomplishments of today? And if no one out there will care to look back at today's work, what is the point in seeking achievement?

Generally speaking, though, appreciation for history tends to come with age. I have met numerous people -- especially during my time in Ste. Genevieve when I was working on a book on the town's history -- in their thirties and older who said "You know, I never liked history as a kid. But now I find myself drawn to it."

I guess that makes me -- and hopefully a few of our readers -- one of the lucky ones. I don't have to say "Gee, I wish I'd have paid attention during

Watergate (or whatever local or national event in question)" or "I wish I'd have paid attention to the old buildings downtown while they were still standing." Obviously I would love to go back to the age of 7 or 8 with an adult's mind and experience and ask a batch of NEW questions and make new observations. Still, I was fortunate enough to appreciate what I saw -- even if I was too young to appreciate all the subtleties involved. I hope that at least a few of our young generation find that same appreciation for history before they outlive it.