Mary Mitchell - The 2006-2007 Gatekeepers of History

Mary Mitchell
Gerontologist and Oral Historian
Simsbury, Connecticut and Vero Beach, Florida

Encouraging Families to Record Life Stories for Future Generations

Mary Mitchell

Preserving the history of my own family has always been a priority, My Dad was a Scottish immigrant who came to America with little in his pocket but hope in his heart, He settled in the Town of Simsbury, Connecticut where he began my family's automobile business in a cow shed. From that humble beginning in 1922, the business has grown to become a large company that spans three generations.

Several years ago I decided to go back to college after having worked many years in the family business and it was a major decision that changed my life in many ways. I received my BA degree in 1990 and my MA in Human Development/Gerontology in 1994 at the age of 70. My studies and personal experiences made me particularly interested in the process of life review and in encouraging others to record their life stories. Oral history, family stories, reminiscences, and genealogy intertwine and retell the story of a person's life. Everyone has a story, a biography, or a family history worth telling, and the recording of them benefits not only the "teller" (by way of reflecting on his/her life), but also future generations who can learn from the shared personal and social history that comes out of reminiscences.

My own memoirs include My Life Is Like a River, which looks back on my life that has been like the river that winds through the Town of Simsbury in Connecticut’s Farmington Valley, and a more recent book called Shifting Gears. I've also penned my husband's family's history of life on an Illinois farm, published as The Tales of My Life.

My desire to encourage others to tell their stories has taken the form of many projects and activities. I produced and hosted a community television program called "The Prime of Your Life" in which I interviewed many interesting older residents of Simsbury. I've also conducted workshops at numerous senior centers and for various gerontology organizations in California, Maryland, Louisiana, Florida, and Tennessee. Many people who attended my workshops suggested I write a workbook on the subject of oral history, and the result was my book entitled Life Is Like a Patchwork Quilt: The Art of Recording Life Stories.

As some institutions of higher education now teach courses that deal with assessing and chronicling life journeys, I've had the good fortune to lecture at St. Joseph College, the University of Connecticut, Trinity College, the University of Hartford, and Capital Community College.

Over the years I’ve been affiliated with and served on the boards of many nonprofit organizations, including the Association of Personal Historians. In 1995 my work took me to Beijing to attend the United National Women’s Conference as a representative of the American Society on Aging. While in China I visited many hospitals and nursing homes and saw, due to the fact that many villagers can’t write, the value of oral history as the means people used to communicate family stories. Other related trips have taken me to South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Peru, where I’ve produced television programs based on interviews I conducted in each country.

I encourage young people everywhere to interview the elders in their families and communities. This intergenerational exchange will encourage reminiscences and will keep stories alive for future generations to cherish. I believe you have to live your life in the present, but that the past has a tremendous effect on how you think and react to the present. One of my favorite quotes sums up much of what guides me, "There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children. One of these is roots, and the other, wings." (Author unknown)