A bridge across generations

I got an e-mail the other day that I found interesting. It was from Morley Swingle, suggesting an idea that I am using in this very column.

While he was at the Common Pleas Courthouse, he did some measuring. He said that the distance between the court reporter's desk and the defendant's seat was about 39 inches. OK, I know this doesn't mean anything to most people. Here's the catch for me -- my grandmother used to be that court reporter.

She's been retired many years now, but her memory of her work as a court reporter is still vivid. My grandmother has told me stories about a defendant that turned over the table in front of him and wreaked havoc on the courtroom, and how she just kept typing, never missing a word.

It just amazes me that my grandmother was so close to all these people who were accused of such a vast range of crimes, everything from first-degree murder to petty burglary.

Why am I telling you this? I'm trying to alert you to something. What exactly do YOU know about your grandparents' lives? I know it sounds cliched, but they haven't been old and retired forever!

It amazes me that so many people have forgotten about family history. I don't know as much as I want to about my family, but I know the basics. I know that my paternal grandparents started a bookstore. I know that my maternal grandfather worked for the railroad and that he got a good conduct medal in the army. Here's the sad thing: Most of the things I've learned about his life I learned at his funeral.

I have a challenge for everyone out there. I want you to pick one person in your family and start talking to them. Go find a grandparent, a great-aunt or great-uncle. Find someone who can give you a glimpse of what life used to be like. This way, you can learn about your family's history and maybe get some insight into what made them what they are!

Emily Hendricks is a junior at Central High School. Contact her at ehendricks@semissourian.com.