Monday 28 April 2008

MONTHLY MEETING: 10 MAY 2008

The next branch meeting will be held on 10 May 2008 at the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria and not on the expected third Saturday of the month (17 May) at "home" in Roodepoort.

The rescheduled meeting will coincide with a celebration of a "Heritage Day" fest convened by Isabel Groesbeek to mark 20 years of her work in Genealogy. That will be followed by a visit to the monthly meeting of the Northern Transvaal branch of the GSSA in the art gallery of the monument.. The latter will commence
at 14h00. Their speaker will be Lappe Laubscher talking on "Spoke en Persoonlikhede uit ons Genealogiese Geskiedenis".

It is imperative that we give the Northerners an indication of attendees (as a courtesy) so that they can host us adequately.


We need to know:

  • How many members would like to attend this meeting and/or the preceding fest;
  • How many members would like us to arrange transport to Pretoria so that they can leave their cars at a secure location and be transported there and back and
  • Any other queries you may have.
Please let me know of your intentions by e-mailing me (click below) or any other means should it be more convenient for you so that we can let the hosts know how many visitors to expect. -- Bob Saunders, vice-chairman.

Sunday 27 April 2008

Joubert-boek

'n Joubert-boek met 'n register deur dr PG (Peet) Joubert sal teen die middel van Mei 2008 beskikbaar wees. Dit beslaan 1131 bladsye. Dit sluit in: 18 bladsye met foto's, sy eie Joubert-navorsing asook kol Hennie Joubert se Joubert-inligting. Bestellings kan by Peet geplaas word. Sy telefoonnommers is: 082/825-7585 of 012/809-0664. Laasgenoemde is 'n lid van Noord-Transvaal-tak, GGSA.

Saturday 26 April 2008

Cake Tin Preservation

When one of my great-aunts died (in England) her daughter found a cake tin in her cupboard containing documents from the 1600's down to about 1860 - letters, mostly, and a few certificates.

They were all in perfect condition except for a little yellowing. -- Ivy Trott, via Rootsweb.

Thursday 24 April 2008

"BAPTISING" OF "CHRISTENING": WAT SÊ DIE BRON?

'n Verkorte weergawe van ‘n aanbieding gelewer
deur John Stephens,
Sekretaris van die Wes-Gautengtak van die GGSA,
tydens die tak se maandbyeenkoms op 19 April 2008


1. INLEIDING

Die probleem wat hier aangespreek word, is: wat is die regte woord om te gebruik:

  • Christening of
  • Baptising?
Of ons tydens die doop in water onderdompel word en of ons bloot met water besprinkel word, is nie ter sprake nie, ook nie of ons klein of as volwassenes gedoop word nie.

Vir die genealoog is die gebruik van dié begrippe belangrik, want feitlik alle genealogiese datavasleggingsprogramme is in Engels. Hulle maak voorsiening vir een of die ander of albei, byvoorbeeld:

PAF gebruik net baptising;
Family Historian gebruik net christening;
Legacy en Generations maak voorsiening vir albei.

Dis hier waar die knoop lê. Wat is reg?

2. REAKSIE OP ROOTSWEB

Voortspruitend uit die reklame vir hierdie aanbieding het daar vooraf heelwat bespreking op Rootsweb gevolg. Hieronder is, interessantheidshalwe, 'n paar menings.

Derek Pratt: "As an Anglican Priest I always correct families that come for christening of their child by saying: "Yes we can baptise him/her with pleasure. "I have always presumed that baptism was the theological correct term while christening is a wrong term -- but why I don't know!"

Steve Hayes: " … it is clear that in Anglican usage baptism and christening are synonyms, though baptism is clearly the prefered term."

Hy vervolg: "the genealogy of English-speaking people will probably at some point make use of the baptism registers of the Church of England, and so it should be borne in mind that in the Church of England (and hence other Anglican churches), baptism and christening are synonyms, but the rite is recorded in a baptism register, not in a christening register."

Keith Meintjes: " … I have thought of "christening" as the involuntary (for the person) naming of an infant child, and "baptism" as a more voluntary religious commitment of a grown person."

3. DIE AFRIKAANSE WOORD: DOOP

Doop omvat in Afrikaans albei begrippe. Gevolglik is hier nie ‘n probleem of twyfel nie.

4. WAT SÊ DIE BRONDOKUMENT?

In die Genealogie praat ons deurentyd van bronne of brondokumente. Daarsonder is inligting feitlik waardeloos.

Wat is die bron vir die doop -- in dié geval baptising of christening?

Die doop het ‘n Christelike oorsprong. Daarom kan ons met reg sê dat ons brondokument Die Bybel is. In Mat. 28:19 kry Christene die opdrag van Jesus Christus: "Gaan dan heen, maak dissipels van al die nasies en doop hulle in die Naam van die Vader en die Seun en die Heilige Gees."

En wat sê ons brondokument, Die Bybel, betreffende die Engels?

Cruden's Complete Concordance verwys na Baptism; Baptist; Baptise; Baptised; Baptiseth; Baptising ... maar nêrens in die Bybel word dit in verband met christening gebring nie.

Die afleiding?

As ons brondokument, Die Bybel, sê dat die regte woord baptism is, is daar geen twyfel wat reg is nie.

Genealogieprogramme wat net vir baptism voorsiening maak, is heeltemal reg. Daar behoort nie iewers ‘n veld vir christening te wees nie.

Saturday 19 April 2008

MINDER FRUSTRASIES

Onderstaande kan baie mense se frustrasies op die rekenaar verlig. Dis 'n maklike manier om kappies, deeltekens, ens. op klinkers te plaas pleks van die alewige Alt + nommer (en dan moet Num Lock aan wees).

Dié metode wat Catherine Crouse geruime tyd terug op SAGen genoem het, is 'n gerieflike en maklike manier vir veral Afrikaanssprekendes wat dikwels van kappies, deeltekens ens. gebruik maak.

  • Gaan na Settings > Control Panel > Keyboard> Language > Properties. Kies dan "United States International" en OK jou pad weer uit.
  • In Windows XP werk dit ietwat anders. Gaan na Start > Control Panel > Regional and Language Options > Languages > Details > Settings. Kies dan "English (United States International)". Klik dan OK. As die ou wat jou rekenaar opgestel het, die hele XP CD op jou harde skyf gelaai het, sal alles reg wees. Anders sal jou rekenaar vir die CD vra. Doen wat hy vra. Alles werk nou maklik sonder dat jy enige nommers (soos Alt 136 ) hoef te onthou of te tik.

ê As jy nou ^ (die kappie) tik en 'n klinker, plaas die rekenaar die kappie daarop, byvoorbeeld ê â Ê Ô, ens.

ë As jy die dubbelaanhaling (") en 'n klinker daarna druk, kry jy die deelteken. ë Ë ü, ens.

é As jy die enkelaanhaling druk (') en 'n klinker kry jy é á ó Ú, ens.

è As jy die enkelaanhaling heel bo links (`) gebruik, kry jy è à ò, ens.

Dit werk in alle Windows-programme met kleinletters en hoofletters.

Die enigste, maar klein, nadeel is dat ‘n mens telkens die spasiebalk moet druk, nadat ‘n mens ‘n aanhalingsteken geplaas het. Dit maak deur en deur op vir al die gesukkel met en onthou van alt-kodes vir kappies en deeltekens. As jy 'n aanhaling wil skryf wat met 'n klinker begin, onthou dan net om eers die spasiebalk ná die aanhalingsteken te druk, anders sit die rekenaar die deelteken bo-op die letter.

WENK: Werk versigtig as jy dié metode installeer. Mense het al laat weet dit werk nie. Die hoofrede is omdat hulle oorhaastig was en dit nie reg geïnstalleer het nie. Vir my werk dit en heelwat ander waarvan ek weet. -- Blogredakteur.

Wednesday 16 April 2008

FOR THE FUN OF IT

One tends to believe that there are quite a number of John Smiths or Koos van der Merwes in South Africa. To determine the exact number won't be easy. The website below alleges it can tell how many of them are in the USA. Try your own name or those of your family and friends.

Just for the fun of it.

HowManyOfMe.com
LogoThere are
0
people with my name
in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

Thursday 10 April 2008

JONG MENSE EN GENEALOGIE

Dis al 'n jarelange debat: hoe kry ons jong mense meer geïnteresseerd in die genealogie?

As ons jonk is wil ons weining daarvan weet. As ons ouer is, is ons jammer (lees spyt) ons het nie vroeër begin nie.

Hier is 'n paar uittreksels uit 'n gesprek wat onlangs op SAGenealogie hieroor verskyn het.

Adélle Jerling: Hoekom bemark ons nie die doel en konsep van (familie)navorsing op 'n meer lewendige en "funky" manier om jonger mense te trek nie? Daar is soveel jong mense met wie ek praat wat wil weet hoekom hulle nie van genealogie weet nie. Is dit omdat ons dalk te veel hou by die "old tried and trusted" maniere van bemarking? Moet ons nie dalk dit gaan bemark by skole, universiteite, in tydskrifte of op internetblaaie waar jongmense baie rondswerf nie? Is ons nie dalk in 'n groef nie?

Die doel van ons navorsing is tog nie omdat ons almal elkeen 'n boek wil publiseer nie? Ons wil ons erfenis bewaar. Hoe gaan ons dit regkry as mense om ons dink ons is snaakse karakters wat krap waar dit nie jeuk nie, en navorsing doen "omdat ons nie sosiale lewens het nie"?

Familienavorsing moet 'n nuwe asem kry, ons moet nuwe trekpleisters kry. Skep 'n kompetisie by skole vir die mooiste stamboom (dit kan gekombineer word met kuns).

Wanneer ek met jong mense gesels oor genealogie, is die helfte verstom omdat hulle nog nooit daarvan gehoor het of besef het hoe interessant dit werklik is nie, die ander helfte dink ek is verkramp en oudmodies!

André du Plessis, Centurion: Voorstelle dat ek R10 per maand moet bydra en ek gaan gedagvaar word vir kopiereg skendings en plagiaat, maak dit nou vir my en ander nie meer 'n plesier om deel te wees van hierdie "eksklusiewe" groep nie. Waarvoor het ek skenkings gemaak van foto’s en ander inligting aan eGGSA en ander persone sonder om aan te dring op erkenning of "verering"?

As enige professionele persoon sy geld wil verdien deur sy professie, het ek nie 'n probleem daarmee nie. En as hy sy inligting wil publiseer is dit sy reg. Nou wat verwag julle van die amateurs soos jongmense en skoolkinders? Om 'n professionele genealoog te betaal vir die amateur se stamboom wat hy of sy by die skool wil gaan wys? Of die kind kan dit van die internet aftrek en gedagvaar word vir kopiereg.

Annelie Els: Iewers het ek ‘n brokkie geskiedenis opgespoor wat hulle belangstelling prikkel.

Nou word ek deur die familie gevra om asseblief navorsing te doen omdat hulle hul “ancestoral passport” wil bekom. Dan het ons nou die lekker geleentheid om mooi vir hulle uit te lê waar
hulle vandaan kom. Hoop dat dit vir hulle `n anker gaan wees daar in die vreemde

Daniël Jacobs: Ek het so 'n paar jaar gelede vir 'n klompie lede van die Voortrekker- jeugbeweging wat besig was met 'n genealogie-taak gevra wat -- gemeet op 'n skaal van 1-10 - hulle belangstelling in geskiedenis is. Een outjie het gesê 2, 'n ander 9 ens. Toe vra ek vir hulle wat hulle belangstelling sou wees as ek vir hulle sou kon bewys dat een van hulle voorouers aan die Groot Trek deelgeneem het. Die seun wat gesê het sy belangstelling was 2 het gesê dit sou dan op 'n 4/5 lê (ek kan nie presies onthou nie).

'n Uur later nadat ek vir hulle gewys het op my seun Stefan - wat ook 'n lid was van die Voortrekkerspan - se voorouers se verbintenis met die Groot Trek en ek dieselfde vraag weer vra het die betrokke seun gesê sy belanstelling lê op iets soos 6 (dit kon meer as 6 gewees het, maar was nie minder nie).

Dit is een van die belangrikste sleutels om vir kinders 'n belangstelling in geskiedenis te gee -- wys vir hulle hoe hulle eie vlees en bloed -- en hulle voorouers se naby familie -- daaraan deelgeneem het. Ek het later dieselfde "eksperiment" met nog 'n klompie Voortrekkers gedoen en soortgelyke resultate verkry.

Daan Hamman: Daar was in die verlede al verskeie inisiatiewe om jongmense te betrek, skole is besoek en gevra om genealogieprojekte te begin, die Voortrekkers en Boy Scouts is besoek en gevra of hulle nie 'n kenteken vir genealogie-projekte wil oorweeg nie, landboutydskrifte het kort genealogie artikels ingesluit waar boere versoek is om self en saam met hulle kinders begraafplase op hulle plaas en/of naburige plase te besoek en die grafsteenskrifte aan die GGSA te stuur. Van hierdie inisiatiewe het weinig gekom, Adélle is moontlik reg dat ons bemarking nie goed was nie.

Jong mense het vandag baie aktiwiteite waaraan hulle deelneem en die belangstelling in genealogie kom eers later.

ENIGE VOORSTELLE? STUUR 'N EPOS AAN ONS.
KLIK HIER/CLICK HERE

MONTHLY MEETING: 19 APRIL 2008

Date: Saturday, 19 April 2008.

Time: 14:00 to 16:00.

Venue: Dutch Reformed Church (Ontdekkerskruin),
Phillips Avenue, Discovery, Roodepoort. (Map below.)

Topic: The use of the terms "Baptism" and "Christening" in English Genealogy.

Presenter: John Stephens (left).

John will explain the difference as used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS). The use is not confined to this church only. Other English churches also apply these differences, whereas in Afrikaans churches both terms are referred to as "doop".

Short CV: John's family history studies include the Stephens and Campher families. He is a retired Organisation and Methods Practitioner. Besides his family research he restores old and antique furniture. He is the secretary of the West Gauteng Branch of the Genealogical Society of SA.

Entrance: R5 per person for refreshments.

CLICK ON THE MAP TO ENLARGE IT.

Tuesday 8 April 2008

10 TOP GENEALOGY RESOLUTIONS

No more excuses!Almost all of us can admit to getting wrapped up in the hunt for ancestors and letting other important things slide (and I am not talking about the laundry). Most of us have notes piled on the floor, shoe boxes full of unlabeled photos, classes we have planned to take, relatives we have been meaning to interview and other researchers we have been intending to contact.

If you're like me and want to take your genealogy research to the next level, choose a goal (or two or three) from this genealogy "To Do" list and get started. Let's make this the year that we finally get organized and really work on improving our genealogical or family history research skills.

1. Interview a Relative

One thing many of us postpone until it is too late is talking to our own family members about our shared heritage. Now is the time to get in touch with those relatives you’ve been meaning to contact. If you are fortunate enough to have older members in the family, approach them first. Some of them may have information about the family that can’t be found elsewhere. If you have already spoken to your parents and grandparents, then extend your research net to include extended family such as brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins.

2. Take a Class or Learn a New Research Skill

Whether you are a novice or have been researching your family for over 20 years, there is always something new to learn. Get out of your research rut by taking a genealogy class, attending a conference, reading a new genealogy book or learning about a new research skill online. Maybe you have been intimidated by land or probate records, or have been meaning to tackle your ancestors from Germany. During the next year, make it a point to read and educate yourself about at least one new research technique and then use it to find out something new about your ancestors. There are hundreds of free resources for learning right on the Internet

3. Get Organized

This is the goal most genealogists dread, but which could make our research time so much more effective. Take some time away from your research and organize those genealogy files, clean out your bookmarks and input your scribbled notes into your genealogy program. If you are overwhelmed by the accumulation of family history records and notes that you have stuffed in boxes and drawers, then set aside a regular time each week for organizing a little at a time. Take heart - you will most likely find all sorts of new clues as you sort out the records you have already found and add the data and notes to your genealogy program.

4. Don't Put Off Until Tomorrow ...

Sometimes it seems as if everything else gets in the way of quality genealogy research time. You use a calendar to schedule other important activities, why not genealogy? Whether you use a standard paper calendar or an online version, make it a point to set aside time for personal genealogy research or schedule special events such as genealogy conferences or research trips. Setting aside time for genealogy is only the first step, however. To really make the most of your precious genealogy time, you also need to take time to plan ahead and prioritize your research.

5. Label and Store Your Family Photos

Most of us have piles of precious family photographs sitting in piles or boxes waiting to be labeled, organized, put into scrapbooks, digitized, etc. Don't let another year go by with those photos fading both from light and from people's memories. Get together with relatives and identify as many people as you can and label those pictures. Be sure to use a photo-safe marking pencil or pen! If you have access to a scanner then consider digitizing the photos onto CD-ROM to preserve them indefinitely. Even if you don't have time to create scrapbooks and really get the photos organized right now, make sure you get them out of old envelopes and shoeboxes and into archival quality plastic sleeves or acid-free photo boxes before they are lost forever. Make copies of important photographs and other important documents and share them with another family member. The recipient will no doubt enjoy the gift, and a second copy will help to ensure that these precious photos will not be lost forever in the event of an unforeseen disaster.

6. Two Heads are Better Than One

One of the best ways to further your research is to join forces with other people researching the same surname or in the same area. Join a genealogical or historical society in an area in which you are researching a primary family line and then get involved in some way. You will meet fellow researchers, benefit from members with years of experience with the records and history of the area and have many opportunities to help others by working to preserve historical and genealogical documents, recording cemetery transcriptions and more. If you spend a lot of time online, then join a mailing list for your surname or area or participate in chats and/or forums with other genealogists with similar interests. I belong to several informal groups of researchers who work closely to piece together information on a particular family - all groups of people

7. Keep Track of Correspondence

How many times have you left a question in a genealogy forum and then forgot to go back and check for an answer? How do you find the person you corresponded with last year about your Smith family again now that you have new information to share? Most of us have address books to keep important phone numbers and contact info for family and friends, so why not use it for genealogy contacts? Make sure to add a note to yourself about the person's surnames and research locations! There are also a wide variety of free correspondence records and forms available online which can provide you with a framework for logging your correspondence. Then at a glance you can determine whether you have written to a specific person or place, whether you received a response, whether you need to follow up and the results of your inquiry.

8. More Than Names & Dates

Sometimes in the rush to get our lines as far back as we can we forget to take the time to learn more about the people our ancestors were and the times they lived in. Take time this year to record family stories, either electronically or on paper before this oral history is lost forever. Go out and find at least one additional record on each of your direct ancestors, choosing a record which will hopefully tell you more about them than you already know. Census records include interesting information such as your ancestors' occupation, education level and property value. Wills and probate records can provide you with all sorts of fascinating information including debts, friends and even the bed covers and pots and pans your ancestors owned.

9. Put Your Research To Good Use

The biggest thrill for me in researching my family's history is in sharing the things I find with others. Your family members may be more interested that you realize and would probably love to receive copies of old family photos, printouts of the research you have done or a book of the collected memories and stories of your relatives. It doesn't need to be professional and it doesn't even need to be complete (when is your genealogy research ever complete?). Even a quick email every now and then to update people on new findings will be very much appreciated and may even spark new findings and memories.

10. Volunteer to Help Others

Think back to when you were a beginning genealogist and how difficult it was for you to learn proper research methodology and documentation techniques. Remember also all of the help and expert advice you probably received from other genealogists as you were learning the ropes. Look at this new year as the perfect time to return the favor. Many libraries, including Family History Centers, welcome volunteers to help newcomers in their genealogy departments. There are a lot of online sites where you can volunteer your time to look up records or take photos of tombstones for researchers who can't make the trip to do it themselves. You can also help answer questions by joining a mailing list geared toward "newbies" or by answering questions in forums or chats. No matter how you decide to help, you will be rewarded with that warm and fuzzy feeling that comes from helping others. By introducing newcomers to the kindness which is inherent in most members of the genealogy community, you will be encouraging them, in turn, to become involved. As the popularity of genealogy grows, so will the records made available to us, either online or through preservation initiatives in libraries and archives. Therefore, the help you give to each individual researcher also helps us all.

Sunday 6 April 2008

A Difference of Opinion

A little girl asked her father, ‘How did the human race appear?’

The father answered, ‘God made Adam and Eve and they had children and so was all mankind made.’

Two days later the girl asked her mother the same question.
The mother answered, ‘Many years ago there were monkeys from which the human race evolved.’

The confused girl returned to her father and said, ‘Dad, how is it possible that you told me the human race was created by God, and Mom said they developed from monkeys?’

The father answered, ‘Well, dear, it is very simple. I told you about my side of the family and your mother told you about hers.

Thursday 3 April 2008

SA GESLAGREGISTERS (Wam -Wy) BESKIKBAAR

GISA maak hiermee bekend dat Volume 16 (Wam-Wy) van die Suid-Afrikaanse Geslagregisters so pas verskyn het. Dit kan bestel word by:

GISA, Posbus 3033, Matieland, 7602

Tel: 021-887 5070 Faks: 021-887 5031

of per e-pos by Elbie Endemann (Bestellings): orders@sun.ac.za

Die prys van die boek is R360 plus R50 (vir posgeld, versekering en verpakking), totaal R410. Vir buitelandse bestellings is die posgeld op aanvraag. Volumes 1-15 is ook beskikbaar teen R360 elk; posgeld kwotasie op aanvraag.

Tjeks uitgemaak aan ‘GISA’, of direkte inbetalings in GISA se rekening kan gedoen word : ABSA Bank Stellenbosch, Takkode: 33 44 10, Spaarrekening nr.: 9090 7597 85, Deposito Verwysing: U naam (dit is belangrik om u betaling op ons bankstaat te identifiseer). Faks bewys van betaling, met u bestelling en posadres, aan GISA of stuur per e-pos aan Elbie Endemann. Laat 6 weke toe vir aflewering gedurende spitstye net na ‘n publikasie.

Navorsers word gevra om asseblief hul bydraes t.o.v. alle vanne wat uitgelaat was in vorige volumes, voor einde Mei 2008 te stuur aan GISA by: Posbus 3033, Matieland, 7602 of e-pos aan: gisa@sun.ac.za om vir insluiting in volume 17 (X-Z & Add.) in aanmerking geneem te word. Geen bydraes daarna sal in aanmerking kom nie, maar laat bydraes sal nietemin op lêer gehou word vir insluiting in 'n heruitgawe op 'n later stadium. Let wel dat omvangryke vanne en vanne wat reeds gepubliseer is, net tot om en by 1900 opgeneem word.

NB laat weet as u e–posadres verander. Stuur u naam en huidige plus nuwe e-posadres.

Leon Endemann, GISA

April 2008

__________________

GISA is happy to announce that Volume 16 (Wam-Wy) of the South African Genealogies, is now available and can be ordered from:

GISA, P O Box 3033, Matieland, 7602

Tel: 021-887 5070 Fax: 021-887 5031

or by e-mail from Elbie Endemann (Orders): orders@sun.ac.za

The price of the book is R360 plus R50 (postage, insurance and packing), totalling R410. Postage on request for overseas orders. Volumes 1-15 are also available at R360 each; postage quote on request.

Cheques to be made out to ‘GISA’, or direct deposits can be made into GISA’s account : ABSA Bank Stellenbosch, Branch Code: 33 44 10, Savings Account no.: 9090 7597 85, Deposit Reference: Your name (this is important to identify your payment on our bank statement). Fax proof of payment, with your order and postal address, to GISA or send by e-mail to Elbie Endemann. Allow 6 weeks for delivery during peak times just after a publication.

Researchers are kindly requested to please submit their contributions for all surnames that were omitted in previous volumes to be considered for inclusion in Volume 17 (X-Z & Add.) to GISA at: P O Box 3033, Matieland, 7602 or e-mail to: gisa@sun.ac.za. These contributions must be in before the end of May 2008. Late contributions will be kept on file for inclusion in a reprint at a later stage. Please note that information on extensive families and those that have already been published will only be included up to more or less 1900.

NB let us know if your e-mail address has changed. Send your name and current plus new e-mail address.

Leon Endemann, GISA

April 2008

Wednesday 2 April 2008

GENEALOGY FOR CHILDREN

My interest started too late. By then most of the people I could gather information from had already passed away.”
_______________________

“If only I could speak to my grandfather/-mother today.”
_______________________

“When I asked them for photographs, they said they had thrown them all away, because they
thought it was of no use to anybody anymore.”
_______________________

How often do we hear these word?

Besides the foregoing, family registers are currently part of the social sciences school curriculum in South Africa.

In view of the above, the following was taken from ABOUT.COM. It was written by Kimberly Powell, a professional American genealogist.

While genealogists find family history fascinating, most children just don't see it the same way. What's the point in learning about people who are already dead? It is possible, however, to involve children in your favourite pastime -- they'll likely even find it interesting despite their best efforts to appear bored.

Almost all children like to play detective -- to look for clues and sift through information for answers. This fascina-tion with detective work provides the perfect vehicle to introduce the children in your life to something unique and personal -- their ances-try -- with the child playing the leading role of Ancestor Detector! Whether introduced at home or in the classroom, genealogy is a wonderful hobby for all age groups, including children, and provides an opportunity to:

• develop a stronger sense of family;
• bridge the gap between generations;
• share special time with your loved ones;
• make history come alive;
• encourage organizational, planning, com-munication, logic, problem solving, and presentation skills and
• create an opportunity for lifelong learning.

The genealogical treasure hunt is a search for something more precious than gold or jewels --information that reveals something about your family.

It can be in the form of a document such as a will, a picture of a long-dead ancestor, or a doll that a little girl played with a century ago. Children can have so much fun playing detective that they won't even realise that they are learning along the way. They are stubborn by nature and will find it especially rewarding to uncover pieces of their past that relatives might have said were lost forever. Ask your children or grandchildren to help you unravel the mystery of your family history, and you will be starting them on the journey of a lifetime.
___________________________

Maureen A. Taylor, a contributing editor to Family Tree Magazine and author of "Preserving Your Family Photographs", says:

“Why don't more genealogical societies offer special memberships and programming for children? By educating a younger generation about family history you not only encourage them to become adult members but reach out to their parents as well. The Boy Scouts have a genealogy badge, but once those boys start researching their history, where else can they go? Someday, a genealogical organisation will see that their future is with the children. After all, not only are they potential members, but donors as well.”

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