Notes from a Household Purge: Things not to be purged
Wed, Feb. 28th, 2007 08:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
scarlettinaAs some of you may know, I go through periods of genealogy-mania. As a result, I've become something of a family archivist, especially for my father's family. I try to keep all the material in one place, but every now and then I find items that have strayed from my completely unscientific storage and filing system (which must be improved, really). Among the things I have found is the elaborate, engraved certificate that certifies my grandfather as a Shriner. It reads:
The Imperial Council
of the
Ancient Arabic Order
of the
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
for North America
To all True and Faithful Nobles of the Mystic Shrine:
Know Ye that the Worthy Noble Morris Silverstein
who hath signed his Name in the margin hereof was regularly Received,
Admitted and Constituted A Noble of the Mystic Shrine in
MECCA Temple of New York, NY on the 21st day of Jan. 1919
and that he is duly Enrolled as such upon the Records of the Order.
In testimony Whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names
and affixed the Seal of The Imperial Council for North America
Along the margin is my grandfather's signature with a quote from the Koran that reads, "And if any ... shall demand protection of thee, grant him protection, that he may hear the word of the Prophet, and afterward give him safe conduct, that he may return home again securely. Koran IX" Beneath those words is something calligraphed in Arabic.
This thing is gorgeous but was, for some reason, folded up. I plan to flatten it out, make a copy of it, and then frame it archivally. It must be seen. And I must speak to my friend NW, who has deep associations with the Masons and Shriners. Must learn more.
I've also found a 1927 letter from Eddie Cantor to my grandfather, confirming family stories that they were friends. The letter is a note declining a dinner invitation because he must attend to rehearsals for a play called "Kid Boots" which, according to IMDB, was later filmed and in which he starred.
There's a whole stack of my grandmother's drawings; she was a very good portraitist.
And then there's my grandmother's report card or, as it says here, "Estimate of Graduating Pupil's Attainments" from 1911. She was a solid B+ student. Here are some (in fact, less than half) of the things upon which she was graded, word for word:
* Amount of literature read in class during the term now ending (she read 2000 lines)
* Power to interpret the matter so read
* Amount of literature memorized (she memorized 200 lines)
* Ability to distinguish the language forms—words, phrases, and clauses—to show their use and force in sentences of ordinary difficulty, and to classify them as parts of speech, etc.
* Knowledge of the main causes that have brought our country to its present condition
* Knowledge of the most important provisions of the United States Constitution and of the organization of state and municipal government
* Skill in talking intelligently and grammatically on subjects within the student's knowledge
* Power to arrange his thoughts in order and to write them grammatically
* Skill in freehand perspective drawing
* Ability to make working drawings
* Skill in sewing
* Skill in cooking
* Practical hygiene—evidence of attention to the laws of health and effort to put into practice instructions on personal hygiene
* Posture
* Chinning (for boys)
* Folk dances or rhythmic exercises (for girls)
See what happens when you clean house? :-)
of the
Ancient Arabic Order
of the
Nobles of the Mystic Shrine
for North America
To all True and Faithful Nobles of the Mystic Shrine:
Know Ye that the Worthy Noble Morris Silverstein
who hath signed his Name in the margin hereof was regularly Received,
Admitted and Constituted A Noble of the Mystic Shrine in
MECCA Temple of New York, NY on the 21st day of Jan. 1919
and that he is duly Enrolled as such upon the Records of the Order.
In testimony Whereof We have hereunto subscribed our Names
and affixed the Seal of The Imperial Council for North America
Along the margin is my grandfather's signature with a quote from the Koran that reads, "And if any ... shall demand protection of thee, grant him protection, that he may hear the word of the Prophet, and afterward give him safe conduct, that he may return home again securely. Koran IX" Beneath those words is something calligraphed in Arabic.
This thing is gorgeous but was, for some reason, folded up. I plan to flatten it out, make a copy of it, and then frame it archivally. It must be seen. And I must speak to my friend NW, who has deep associations with the Masons and Shriners. Must learn more.
I've also found a 1927 letter from Eddie Cantor to my grandfather, confirming family stories that they were friends. The letter is a note declining a dinner invitation because he must attend to rehearsals for a play called "Kid Boots" which, according to IMDB, was later filmed and in which he starred.
There's a whole stack of my grandmother's drawings; she was a very good portraitist.
And then there's my grandmother's report card or, as it says here, "Estimate of Graduating Pupil's Attainments" from 1911. She was a solid B+ student. Here are some (in fact, less than half) of the things upon which she was graded, word for word:
* Amount of literature read in class during the term now ending (she read 2000 lines)
* Power to interpret the matter so read
* Amount of literature memorized (she memorized 200 lines)
* Ability to distinguish the language forms—words, phrases, and clauses—to show their use and force in sentences of ordinary difficulty, and to classify them as parts of speech, etc.
* Knowledge of the main causes that have brought our country to its present condition
* Knowledge of the most important provisions of the United States Constitution and of the organization of state and municipal government
* Skill in talking intelligently and grammatically on subjects within the student's knowledge
* Power to arrange his thoughts in order and to write them grammatically
* Skill in freehand perspective drawing
* Ability to make working drawings
* Skill in sewing
* Skill in cooking
* Practical hygiene—evidence of attention to the laws of health and effort to put into practice instructions on personal hygiene
* Posture
* Chinning (for boys)
* Folk dances or rhythmic exercises (for girls)
See what happens when you clean house? :-)
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