Society Discusses Preserving History

“Preserving Our Heritage Through Correspondence and Artifacts” was the theme of the eleventh annual ELS Historical Society meeting, held on June 16, 2007 at the Ylvisaker Fine Arts building on the campus of Bethany Lutheran College, Mankato, Minnesota.

The first part of the program showed what can be learned from preserved history. Prof. Erling Teigen presented letters of S. C. Ylvisaker that were written to his family when he was a student in Germany before the start of World War I. Rev. Paul Madson showed letters which his father, the Rev. Norman Madson, wrote to servicemen during World War II.

The business meeting was opened by president Robin Ouren. Secretary Marguerite Ylvisaker read the minutes of the 2006 meeting and Treasurer Peter Anthony reported that the society had an ending balance of $4,082.23. Mrs. Rebecca DeGarmeaux and Robin Ouren reported on their trip to the Concordia Historical Society in St. Louis, Missouri to accept an award for the ELS Historical Society’s DVD from the 2004 annual meeting. Prof. Ryan McPherson was re-elected to serve a three year term on the Board and Camilla Dashcund was elected to the Board, replacing Marguerite Ylvisaker who had completed serving eight years on the Board.

The second part of the program was presented by Shelley Harrison of the Blue Earth County Historical Society who spoke about how to preserve artifacts. She described some of the issues involved in preserving papers, photographs, clothing, and art work. Members who showed some of their artifacts were told how to preserve them from light, heat, and dampness.