Primarily Me 7: What's Missing?

The Primarily Me Challenge

How do we know about the past? Most of what we know comes from what people left behind. Everything from what they wrote to what they created is a record of life lived. Each record, or primary source, tells a story about people, how they lived, and the environment they lived in. What will people in the future know about how we live today? That depends on what we leave behind!

You can find each challenge and response by following along on social media using #WMNHSPrimarilyMe!

What's Missing?

What is the most boring part of your day?

Sometimes the things we think are boring don’t make it into the records we create. Things that seem commonplace, things that “everyone does,” aren’t always recorded because it seems like everyone already knows about them. But as those things change over time, that information can be lost.

Can you think of other reasons information might be missing from the primary sources we have?

Sometimes things are recorded in a primary source, but the information is lost anyway. Information can be lost if

• The way it is recorded does not last. For example, something written on paper can be lost if the paper is burned, digital records can be accidentally erased, and the writing on headstones can be worn away by years of rain and changing weather.
• We no longer have a way to understand the record. For example, things can be recorded in a language we don’t know anymore or a technology we don’t use anymore.
• Someone doesn't have the chance to create their own record. Since each primary source tells a story from a certain perspective, we can lose information about different perspectives when people cannot record their story.
• Someone doesn't think it is worth saving.

But there is hope! New technologies can help us take a closer look at the things that do survive and sometimes even rediscover what we thought was lost!

Where are the Buildings?

Many people who visit Whitman Mission have one question: Where are the buildings?

The buildings themselves would be a great primary source for learning about where the missionaries lived and worked. The buildings burned down, so they are no longer there for people to learn from. Without the buildings, some information is lost.

The foundations, the lower support of the buildings, survived though! We can still learn some details about the buildings by looking at the foundations and other primary sources that survived like:

• A floorplan of the main house. A floorplan is like a map of where the rooms were.
• A sketch of the main house by artist Paul Kane.
• Written descriptions of the buildings and how they were used. Written descriptions come from the letters and journals of people who lived, worked, and visited the mission.

The foundations of the main mission house are marked with paving stones. Using other primary sources, we know what each room was, a bit about how they were used, and which rooms had a loft.

NPS Photo

Activity: Filling the Gaps

So what is missing from your own record? This week’s Primarily Me challenge is to record three things that are missing from the records you have created so far. You might want to:

• Take a picture each day
• Write a story
• Or add to the records you've made over the past few weeks!

Are you worried about making sure your primary sources survive? Don't worry! Our last challenge will be all about keeping your records safe.

Ready for the next challenge? Go to Primarily Me 8: Keep it Safe.