the archivist vol 2 issue 3
TRANSCRIPT
8/12/2019 The Archivist Vol 2 Issue 3
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-archivist-vol-2-issue-3 1/7
PRESIDENT’S CORNER
As I sit here at my computer writing this message the
outside temperature is a cold 7 degrees! By the time
you read this, it should be spring and several degrees
warmer. It will be time to give the museum a good
spring cleaning and a much needed change in some of
the items displayed. We have many items in storage in
the upstairs rooms that need to be gone thru and
different items placed on display in the downstairs area
of the museum. Hopefully, this can be accomplished by
the time the museum is reopened this spring. We will
appreciate any help with the project!
The City of Chanute, owners of the museum building,
have replaced the glass in the front door which makes it
more attractive. Also replaced is the thermostat on the
heating and air conditioning system with a modern
digital thermostat that is programmable. Our thanks go
out to the City of Chanute and to Andy Roberts for his
work in getting these things done. Some of you maynot be aware of the fact that the building is owned by
the City of Chanute and they allow us to use it “rent
free.”
Again, we would like to remind you that we are glad to
receive items with a direct historical connection with
Chanute and the surrounding area. This includes old
school annuals, city directories, old photo postcards, old
photos of buildings homes, parks, etc. Dates, location
and other information about the items is very important
and appreciated.
Warren Alford, President,
Chanute Historical Society
IN CHANUTE
There is a commemorative marker at the north edge of
the old Austin Bridge that was moved from the river
crossing at Austin to Santa Fe Park. The stone marker
directs the reader to another stone marker just a few
feet away. In 2006 this second marker was moved from
the banks of the Neosho River for fear that it was in
serious danger of being swept into the river due to
erosion of the river bank. Do you know what this
second marker identifies? The marker was placed on
the river bank in 1922 at that time the river was some
75 feet away. For the answer go to the last page of this
newsletter.
Any suggestions or comments on the newsletter can be
sent to our P O Box or by e-mail to
ATTENTION!
We will make a test run
and send the news-
letter by e-mail to
some members.
Therefore, a few
members may receive
a copy through their
computer and also
receive a paper copy.
Volume 2 issue 3 April 2014
8/12/2019 The Archivist Vol 2 Issue 3
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-archivist-vol-2-issue-3 2/7
CHS is on the GO!
Submitted by Andrew Roberts
The Chanute Historical Society (CHS) like other
Historical Societies is about, well, history, but that
doesn’t mean we have to use historical means to
accomplish our mission. CHS has implemented an
online website (http://www.chanutehistory.org)
with a full set of features to enhance your
experience as a member and admirer.
Among the features you’ll find there are documents
pertaining to board meetings, contact information,
and news. Additionally, we have a full line
shopping cart store with PayPal checkout (accepts
credit/debit cards or bank account numbers —
PayPal does all the secure processing!).
You’ll find any number of the Society’s
publications or t-shirts. You can also pay your dues
online through PayPal!
My interest is bringing technology into the world in
a fruitful variety. I am especially interested in
digital archiving. Recently I have made contact
with a set of volunteers in Italy who are interested
in adapting their archiving/indexing software to
historical archiving needs. In addition to the
already highly-effective text search for documents
like PDF, they will be attempting to allow an
archivist to search for a digital artifact by origin.
For instance a scanned document or picture of 202
S. Lincoln (First United Methodist Church) would
easily have its coordinates located on a map. This
map in turn would be searchable by a combination
of keywords and/or proximity. Searching by an
artifacts date or potential range of dates is also
another desired feature where they have expressed
an interest.
CHS is leading the way in technological
implementation in the local historical society scene.
I have spoken with members from the Kansas
Museum Association about making our
technological advancements available to other
museums. The efforts are, at the present, largely
volunteers. Small donations would be accepted tosend to the Italian software development volunteers
so they stay interested and continue to volunteer
their services.
You can expect digital archived content, like stories
and pictures, to be available soon online at
http://archives.chanutehistory.org. In fact, there are
already a limited number of pictures thanks to CHS
President Warren Alford. Just type a word in the
box, and GO!
Andrew Roberts is a board member of the CHS.
Currently, he operates a technology innovation and
consulting company in the Chanute area.
8/12/2019 The Archivist Vol 2 Issue 3
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-archivist-vol-2-issue-3 3/7
AT THE MUSEUM
One of the displays at the museum is a
collection of ration booklets and OPA tokens. If
you experienced the 1940’s and the rationing that
took place during the war, you know about the
Office of Price Administration. The agency
produced three billion ration stamps every month.
“All RED and Blue stamps in the War Ration Book
are worth 10 point each. RED and BLUE tokens
are worth one point each. The red and blue token
are to be used to make change for Red and Blue
stamps only when a purchase is made. The point
values of Brown and Green stamps are NOT
changed. So said the government information sheet
handed out with the commodity ration booklet,which contained the month’s stamps for a family.
Each family received a quota for ration stamps
doled out by their local ration board. Meat was
purchased with the book of red stamps, while
canned goods required book of blue, green and
brown stamps. When the stamps were used up then
no more of that commodity would be available for
that family for that month.
Red tokens were used for meats and related
products, while blue were used for processed foods
such as canned or packaged goods. Many more Red
tokens were distributed than Blue because of a
shorter time it was in effect and less use.
The grocer, to replenish his stocks, had to turn in
the stamps to the wholesaler who turned the stamps
into the local bank and got credit to buy so much in
commodities. It sounded like a good plan but in
reality they had to deal with 14 billion stamps per
month and handling 3.5 billion tiny stamps. The
government provided gummed sheets to attach the
stamps to and they ran out of the sheets. Some store
owners carried the tiny stamps to the bank in shoe
boxes and bushel baskets. When rations ended in1947 the public was so happy to get rid of the
stamps and tokens that many of them were thrown
in the fire or given to kids to use as play money.
But today they are collected and prized by dealers
Both the red and blue OPA tokens have a two letter
designation on each issue. No one seems to know
what the letters stand for. A collector tries to get a
full set. The “M” is the most rare and difficult to
find. There are many for sale on e-Bay and on
occasion you can find complete sets for sale.
8/12/2019 The Archivist Vol 2 Issue 3
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-archivist-vol-2-issue-3 4/7
ABOVE: RATION STAMP BOOKLETS AND BELOW: RED/BLUE TOKENS
Both the red and blue tokens have a two-letter designation on each issue. No one seems to know
what the letters stand for. A collector tries to get a full set. The “M” is the rarest and is difficult to
find. There are many tokens for sale on e-Bay and on occasion you can find complete sets for sale.
8/12/2019 The Archivist Vol 2 Issue 3
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-archivist-vol-2-issue-3 5/7
ONE OF THE BOOK BAGS SOLD TO HELP SAVE THE DEPOT FROM THE BULLDOZER
PART OF THE COLLECTION OF THE CHANUTE HISTORICAL MUSEUM
8/12/2019 The Archivist Vol 2 Issue 3
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-archivist-vol-2-issue-3 6/7
FIRST AIRSHIP FLIGHT IN CHANUTE, KANSAS
FLIGHT MADE BY BECKWITH HAVENS AT THE FOUR COUNTY FAIR, WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 25, 1911.
Odd Jobs
With the coming of spring the museum will be open on weekends and volunteers will be necessary to greet visitors. If
you can help with this activity please get word to Warren Alford at 431-1294 or e-mail him at [email protected] need volunteers who can work from 1pm to 4 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Your job would be to greet the visitor
and welcome them to the museum. You do not have to know anything about the display, though there will be a cheat-
sheet available for you to look at if someone asks a question. It is acceptable for you to answer “I don’t know.”
So far the names on the volunteer list are Beverly Olson, Joyce Hewitt, Craig Reaves, Sharon Williams, Jackie Ward, Andy
Roberts, Jim Whaley, and Warren Alford. One of these people would be glad to be with you at the museum the first
time or two. We will have a host of odd jobs that need to be completed while you are waiting for someone to visit the
museum.
The jobs would include. Vacuuming, making sure the outside front door way is clean and swept, the windows are clean,
Windex the display cabinets, and dust the large items. Other projects will be listed on a to-do list with directions and the
procedure to be followed. If you can aid in keeping the museum open, during the summer months, please let Warren
know.
8/12/2019 The Archivist Vol 2 Issue 3
http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/the-archivist-vol-2-issue-3 7/7
In Chanute answer: The second marker is identifying Osage City, later changed to Rogers Mills. It was the first post
office established in Neosho County about 1870. The stone marker was due to the efforts of Mrs. C. T. Beaty.