Tuesday’s Tip: Posting Clara Shrader’s Autograph Album
Roberts Family (Click for Family Tree)
Tuesday’s Tip: Analyze a process for preserving artifacts and information, then automate repetitive tasks when possible, and group repetitive tasks to increase accuracy and speed.
Clara Shrader’s autograph album has 51 scans plus a word document with transcription. Since the scans were in one pdf, they needed to be converted to an image format, and sized down so that it doesn’t take forever for your blog pages to load. Unfortunately I don’t know how to write a script to automate this process, but that is on my list for one day. In the meantime, in my analysis of how to post these sweet pages, I decided on this process:
- Use a screen capture for each image. I opened the pdf, sized my window to show just one image at a time, so I did not get confused about where I was in the process.
- On a Mac Command-Shift-4 allowed me to clip just the section I wanted with the double spread of pages. This also converted the image to a png, perfect for using with WordPress for the blog. These images show up on my desktop- you can change the folder, I believe, but that works for me.
- I gave the first file a descriptive file name and included the number of the scan:
Clara Shrader Autograph Book_1_sm.png. I cut and pasted the name, changing the number as appropriate as I clipped each image. I also made sure that the numbers matched the chart with the transcriptions. - The ‘sm’ in the file name is for small, as I knew I would need to reduce the file size. After my desktop was full of images, I clicked each and opened in Preview, then used ‘Tools’ to reduce the size. Make sure to save the file after any such changes!
- After all the images on my desktop were reduced, I highlighted them all and pulled into a file folder for Clara’s album that I created right on my desktop. Now the desktop was clean again, and ready for another batch of these images.
- Use cut-and-paste for titles, captions, etc. whenever you can. You can always go back and add detail, but it is important to label as you go. I pulled all the images into WordPress, and captioned them each as I went, using cut and paste but changing the number of the image. Now they are all ready for blog posts and writing, or you can keep them in a folder for maybe a report or book- the enjoyable part after the tedious but necessary work and documentation.
OK, now on to the good part: Clara’s sweet album pages for today:
March {illegible} 1884
Dear Friend
When in some future time,
These lines you chance to see;
Think kindly of the writer,
Who Will always think of thee.
Samuel Bonebrake
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
March 21, 1884
Dear friend Clara,
Remember me when this you see
Though many a mile apart we be.
Yours truly,
L. S. Reeves
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
March 25th 1884
Dear teacher Clara.
Other hearts may love you,
Others Worship at your shrine
But no other heart will love you
With a love so pure as mine.
Miss Laura Noe
Concordia Cloud Kan
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
March The 21 1884
The roses are red and the lilies are blue: honey is sweet
and so are you.
Andrew Noe
Jam town Cloud Co Kns
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
March 21st 1884
Concordia, Cloud County Kansas
To my Clara
I’d twine a wreath my friend for you
A wreath of flowers rare:
Would you accept the simple gift
And ever hold it dear?
ever your friend
Bessie Davis
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
March 21 1884
To Clara dear
On this broad world of action, friends of worth are far and few;
But when one has proved his friendship, cling to him who clings to you.
your friend Bessie
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Left:
| Miss Clara
April the 20th If you fall from grace, You’ll be a reck: If you fall from a ship, You’ll break your neck; You may fall from the realm of Heaven above, But never never fall in love. Mrs. N. J. Maddox |
Right:
April the 25 1884
Dear Teacher:
Remember the writing
Of my hand when I am
In a distant land
And if the grave should
Be my lot Remember me
When I am not.
Ever yours,
Etta ___iley
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Concordia Mar 3rd 1886
Clara
I care not much for gold as _____,
Give me a _____ here and there,
Some good _____ stock – some note of hand,
Or _____ _____ _____
I only ask that _____ send
A little more than I can spend.
Your cousin, F. L. Bennett
Remember my favorite song and don’t you forget it
Salem {illegible}
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
Concordia Kan. March 27 1884
Lines to my dear friend Clara
Much must be born which it is hard to bear
Much given away which it were sweet to keep
God help us all who need indeed His care
And yet I know the Shepherd loves His sheep.
Truly Your Friend
Carrie Snell
Command me always as a friend.
♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥
April the 6 1884
Clara
May your life though short be pleasant
As a warm and _____ ray
as a flower that bloomes at morning
And at evening dies away.
F. M. S.
Notes, Sources, and References:
- Thank you to John Roberts for his labors in scanning and transcribing this sweet autograph book to make it accessible to future generations. If you would like to contact Jon, please use our form through the blog and we will pass it on!
Click to enlarge any image. Please contact us if you would like an image in higher resolution.
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