The History That Should Compel Us

THE HISTORY THAT SHOULD COMPEL US - IF WE ONLY KNEW WHAT IT WAS ALL ABOUT

WHAT IS BEING LOST? GENERALLY THE INTEREST IN HISTORY ITSELF

     I HAVE BEEN BORING PEOPLE FOR MOST OF MY LIFE. I FOUND SOMETHING I'M VERY GOOD AT, AND I MILK IT FOR ALL IT'S WORTH.  ATENDING PARTIES, FOR INSTANCE, THE FEW I GET INVITED TO EACH YEAR, I CAN BRING FESTIVITIES TO AN UNCOMFORTABLE STARING MATCH; WHEN THE LOOKS OF ASTONISHMENT ARE NOT LINKED TO MY FASCINATING STORIES OF LOCAL LORE, BUT INSTEAD, "WHO THE HELL INVITED THIS GUY?" I WAS A MUCH MORE ENTERTAINING PARTY GUEST, WHEN I WAS DRINKING HEAVILY, AND YOU HAPPENED TO HAVE A CHANDELIER FOR SWINGING-ON. TALKING ABOUT HISTORY IS FINE FOR A HERITAGE GATHERING, AND FRANKLY, EVEN THEY DON'T WANT MY SLANT ON LOCAL HISTORY…..WHICH IS OFTEN QUITE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT HAS BEEN ACCEPTED AND PUBLISHED AS FACT. THEY DON'T LIKE TO SHOW IT, BUT TRUTHFULLY, THEY'RE A LITTLE ANXIOUS TO SANITIZE IT ALL, ONCE I LEAVE…..OR MAYBE I WILL GET SHOWN THE DOOR, POLITELY OF COURSE, EARLY IN MY DISSERTATION. I'M JUST KIDDING. I JUST DON'T GET INVITED PERIOD, WHICH WORKS OUT WELL FOR ALL PARTIES.

     IN YESTERDAY'S BLOG, I WROTE ABOUT SMALL TOWN TRADITIONS, AND HOW MUCH IT HAS IMPROVED MY LIFE, WORK, AND RECREATION. THE SAME GOES FOR MY FAMILY, BUT YOU CAN ASK THEM THIS QUESTION YOURSELF. WE ARE FOLKS WHO JUST HAPPEN TO LIKE THE AMBIENCE OF SMALL TOWN LIFE. AND THIS APPRECIATION FOR SUZANNE AND I, AND OUR PARENTS BEFORE US, WAS BASED ON CITY LIVING IN BETWEEN COUNTRY RETREATS. SUZANNE LIVED IN WINDSOR, AND I DWELLED FOR THREE YEARS IN TORONTO. WHILE OUR BOYS HAVE NEVER LIVED IN THE CITY, THEY'VE VISITED FREQUENTLY, AND ALWAYS SEEMED CONTENTED TO BE HOME AGAIN IN MUSKOKA. IN THE ANTIQUE TRADE, OF WHICH WE ARE ALL HEAVILY IMBEDDED, WE ARE AS MUCH, REGIONAL HISTORIANS. THE BOYS A LITTLE LESS SO, BUT FOR SUZANNE AND I, WE CRAVE HISTORICAL CONTENT, AND MUCH OF OUR BUSINESS IS CONNECTED TO THE STUDY AND PRESENTATION OF LOCAL HISTORY. WE COULDN'T DIVORCE THE TWO PRE-OCCUPATIONS IF WE WANTED TO, AT THIS STAGE, AND OF COURSE SOME PATRONS DO FIND OUR KNOW-IT-ALL DEMEANOR A LITTLE PRESUMPTUOUS AND POMPOUS. TOUGH!  WE STILL FIND OURSELVES GLADLY PROMOTING LOCAL HERITAGE WITHOUT ANY NEED TO ESTABLISH AN APPROVAL RATING; OR, FOR THAT MATTER, ANY AUDIENCE WILLING TO HANG AROUND LONG ENOUGH TO HEAR THE WHOLE SPIEL, WHICH CAN GO ON FOR HOURS IF OUR ENGINES ARE TIGHTLY WOUND. WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT LOCAL AND REGIONAL HISTORY, AND I DON'T THINK THE ANTIQUE BUSINESS WOULD BE HALF AS MUCH FUN, AND REWARDING, IF WE DIDN'T BASE IT, IN LARGE PART, ON THE SKELETAL REALITY, OF WHY WE LIVE IN GRAVENHURST IN THE FIRST PLACE.

     I AM ALWAYS PLEASED TO HAVE SOMEONE ASK ABOUT OUR HOMETOWN, WHO GENUINELY WANTS TO KNOW…..FOR EXAMPLE, ABOUT THE CALYDOR PRISONER OF WAR CAMP, ON THE SHORE OF LAKE MUSKOKA, OR ABOUT THE SANATORIUM FOR TUBERCULAR PATIENTS. I'VE GOT A LOT OF OVERVIEWS OF LOCAL HISTORY, DUE TO PROLONGED EXPOSURE, SO IT'S LIKELY, IF THE STORY-LINE HAS LEGS, WE WILL EVEN GET INTO A DISTRICT-WIDE PROFILE QUICKLY, DISCUSSING THE HAMLETS, VILLAGES AND TOWNS OF THE REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY…..OF WHICH WE HAVE WORKABLE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THEY ORIGINATED, IN PIONEER TIMES, FROM CLEARINGS IN THE THICK CANADIAN WOODLANDS.

    I AM A FIRM BELIEVER THAT A KNOWLEDGE IN LOCAL HISTORY IS NECESSARY, IF YOU PLAN ON LIVING AND WORKING HERE. IT MATTERS VERY MUCH TO THE LOCAL FAMILIES, THAT FOR SOME, DATE ALL THE WAY BACK TO THE OPENING OF THE REGION, FROM THE LATE 1850'S. THEY'RE PROUD OF THEIR CONNECTION TO GRAVENHURST AND MUSKOKA. CAN YOU BLAME THEM? YOU CAN'T FUNCTION HERE LONG, BEFORE YOU RUN INTO THESE PEOPLE, AND SHOULD YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, AND GENERALIZE INACCURATELY, GOD HELP YOU. I'VE MADE A LOT OF MISTAKES, AND I'VE PAID A PRICE FOR IGNORANCE. I'VE ALSO WORKED HARD TO MAKE AMENDS, AND EARN THEIR TRUST, THAT I WILL HANDLE THESE HERITAGE MATTERS RESPONSIBLY.

   AS FOR LOCAL MUNICIPAL COUNCILLORS, I'VE GOT A BIGGER PROBLEM HERE. IT'S A NAGGING ONE LIKE A THROBBING TOOTHACHE. I KEEP WANTING TO FIX IT, BUT THEY'RE A LITTLE SET IN THEIR WAYS. RIGHT NOW, THEY'RE POINTING FINGERS BACK AT ME, AFTER READING THIS, MUTTERING, "GEEZ THAT GUY HAS A LOT OF NERVE TO TALK ABOUT BEING STUBBORN!" WELL, THEY WOULD BE HITTING THE PROVERBIAL NAIL ON THE HEAD, BECAUSE I AM STUBBORN. I'M JUST NOT WRONG. THEY NEED TO KNOW MORE THAN THEY DO, AND THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT TAKING HISTORICAL BOAT CRUISES OR PARTICIPATING IN HERITAGE DAYS FOR PUBLIC IMAGE. THEY CAN'T PROPERLY ADMINISTER THIS TOWN WITHOUT KNOWING ITS HERITAGE AS WELL AS……THE HISTORIANS. 

   IT'S ABUNDANTLY CLEAR, THAT HISTORY JUST ISN'T ALL THAT IMPORTANT TO THEM, OR THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN EAGER TO JOIN ME LAST SUMMER, FOR A SPECIAL ANNIVERSARY. IT GALLED ME, HONEST TO GOD, THAT THEY WERE MISSING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NAMING OF THEIR OWN TOWN. IT WAS MORE IMPORTANT FOR THEM TO RECOGNIZE THE 125TH ANNIVERSARY OF MUNICIPAL INCORPORATION, ATTAINING THE RIGHT POPULATION STAT. TO THEN JUSTIFY PROVINCIAL RECOGNITION AS A TOWN. THE FACT WE WERE NAMED AFTER THE WORK OF A WELL RECOGNIZED BRITISH POET, WILLIAM HENRY SMITH, AND NAMED BY ONE OF CANADA'S BEST KNOWN HISTORIANS OF THE TIME, WILLIAM DAWSON LESUEUR, ALSO WITH THE POST OFFICE, DIDN'T RAISE AN AUDIBLE MUTTER, A FLAG, A HASTILY WRITTEN NOTE, OR EVEN A PHONE CALL OF…. "THANKS FOR LETTING US KNOW ABOUT THIS MR. CURRIE." THE TOWN DIDN'T APPRECIATE HAVING SOMEONE LIKE ME, AN ANTIQUE DEALER, OF ALL PROFESSIONS, (WHO WRITES TO MUCH), TELL THEM HOW THEY SHOULD FEEL, ABOUT HAVING A 150TH ANNIVERSARY ASSOCIATED WITH LITERATURE OF ALL THINGS. IF WE HAD BEEN NAMED AFTER A CANADIAN HERO OF THE PERIOD, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN INFINITELY MORE PALATABLE, ME THINKS. A POET /PHILOSOPHER, WHO WASN'T EVEN CANADIAN. SOMEONE WHO HAD NEVER SET FOOT IN THE FLEDGLING NATION?

     I LEARNED ALOT ABOUT OUR TOWN'S ADMINISTRATION, WHILE WORKING ON THIS HISTORICAL RESEARCH, FINDING THAT, IN ALL HONESTY, THEY HAD A NARROW CONTEMPORARY FOCUS, AND CONTEMPORARY-BIASED ADVISORS, AND TO STRAY FROM THAT ZONE OF HISTORICAL COMFORT, WAS TOO MUCH TO DEAL WITH…..AND NOT, AFTER ALL, ONE OF THOSE PRICKLY NECESSITIES OF RUNNING A SMALL TOWN. I HAVE A VERY DIFFERENT OPINION, AND IT IS NOT KINDLY TOWARD ANY ADMINISTRATION THAT HAS ONLY A FUNDAMENTAL APPRECIATION, FOR THE HISTORY OF THE ENTIRE REGION……AND THE PRECEDENTS OF THE PAST, THAT MOST CERTAINLY IMPACT ON THE PRESENT AND FUTURE.

    I SUPPOSE IT'S SEEN AS TOO MUCH WORK, OR TOO BORING TO DELVE INTO;  ALTOGETHER IRRELEVANT TO THE BUSINESS OF THE DAY. THIS IS 2013 AFTER ALL! YET THERE IS SO MUCH TODAY I SEE, DONE IN ERROR, BECAUSE THERE IS GENERAL IGNORANCE ABOUT WHAT HAS HAPPENED, IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCES, IN THE PAST. I WAS ALWAYS TOLD DURING MY SCHOOLING, THAT "WE MUST LEARN FROM THE PAST." JUST NOT HERE! THE CONSENSUS IS, WE'LL MAKE THE HISTORY WE DESIRE. THE PROBLEM WITH RELYING ON THE PRESENT TENSE TO PLATFORM POLICIES FOR THE FUTURE, IS THE SIMPLE REALITY OF CREATING DANGEROUS SHALLOW ROOTING. WE KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THERE'S TURBULENCE, AND SHALLOW ROOTS IN A BED OF SAND. BUT YOU SEE, THE POINT IS, WE DO HAVE VERY DEEP AND SECURE ROOTS, AND THEY ARE FOR ANCHORING WHATEVER IS REQUIRED. THE REALITY THAT MOST ADMINISTRATORS HAVE A WEAK WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THE HISTORY OF THIS TOWN AND REGION, MEANS THAT THOSE PRECEDENTS ARE ALL CONTEMPORARY, AND ABOUT AS SHALLOW AS YOU CAN GET. I HAVE NEVER SEEN SUCH A TURNING AWAY FROM WISDOM, AND IMBEDDED KNOWLEDGE, IN FAVOR OF REACTIVE SOLUTIONS, THAT ARE BUILT ON THE MISTAKEN ASSUMPTION, SOLID FOUNDATIONS ARE TOO HARD TO ATTAIN THESE DAYS. "LET'S JUST DEAL WITH THE 'NOW'!"

FROM THE ANTIQUARIAN'S POINT OF VIEW

     Being involved with the antique business, and having shaped it for decades to be a regionally reflective, and representative business, we feel it is imperative to continue doing what we have always done……when it comes to the pursuit of historical record; and offering it freely to the public, whenever opportunity arises. When we get some particularly interesting documents turned in, for our research work, we almost burst with excitement, over the new revelations we are able to add to our repertoire of knowledge. This happens more frequently than you might think. We are always grateful to talk about local history, and peruse old journals and letters loaned to us, in order to find out some new truths about the old hometown. The same goes for the region. We are receptive to stories told by proud family members, who have had generations of kin in this lakeland region. We find it quite appropriate to the antique business generally, to have this regular infusion of history, into the workplace. We have purchased hundreds of significant local heirloom antiques and collectables, with stories attached, (provenance) and we're in negotiation for another half dozen, to add to the really neat heritage finds; a few dandies regarding a famous Muskoka resort, that we've added to our collection since Christmas. The provenance goes with the pieces, but not before we've made our copious notes, and enjoyed the short but exciting intimacy, with a history many have only read about……while we've had the company of the genuine articles and artifacts, that played a part in this total community heritage.

     As former museum and hall of fame curator, and career antique dealer, it has all been an enhancement to the work and discoveries of the historian. We've benefitted from the whole nine yards, you might say, of historical experience and immersion, and we're just getting into it…..let me tell you. When we get stung by criticism, that we don't know what we're talking about, or bypassed by those who think they know-it-all anyway, we understand how it must appear, and present itself in hearsay, about "those Curries," and their "holier than thou," attitude. Well, it certainly wasn't a holier than thou mission, while working like a madman for over a decade, without a nickel of profit, to help identify the history of Gravenhurst, and its relationship to those two fascinating characters, William Dawson LeSueur and William Henry Smith. The fact that local historians themselves couldn't have cared less, was an eye opener, but definitely not enough to discourage Suzanne and I, from carrying on where that research left off. I feel sorry for all those who decline the opportunity, to delve into the history that created this community, because you simply can't appreciate the full character of what we are, and what we have become, without knowing who we were, from the beginning.

     Sometimes, after reading the opinions expressed, by local politicians, via the media, I can't help but feel they believe history is the proverbial ball and chain to town administration, and something they would like to separate from, to avoid those folks who like to cite precedents, every time something goes wrong. They might even prefer to jam all this nitty gritty of historical stuff, into a tightly sealed archives and leave it there…..without feeling guilty about consulting it ever again. I will sharpen my pencil, to pursue this matter, leading up to the next municipal election, in November 2014, and do my best to put history where it belongs…….in the minds of those candidates who think they can lead us into the future…..because they can't do it, without this reverence to how we have always done it…..and on a lot of occasions, it's been a biographical legacy of courage, and perseverance, from a legion of citizens, who have worked stalwartly over centuries, to make this a good and prosperous home town. No, we must not forget our roots, and how to use them to our advantage. That's right! To our advantage! Something we need to learn more about!

     Thanks for joining today's blog. I'm on an historical rant. I've got my reasons!

Please visit my other blog at http://muskokaaswaldenpond.blogspot.ca