Digging Through the Past

Savannah Saesan

More stories from Savannah Saesan

Digging Through the Past

Have you ever wondered what was happening in your town in the past?

My dad has been putting a new floor in, and he found newspapers from 1983. They are local newspapers for Waynesburg and are quite interesting to see. The prices were very different from the prices today. Dresses were $10, plus there were shoes for $5. One of the newspapers also has the scores from a rifle match between Jefferson- Morgan and West Greene.

Looking into the past and seeing how different the world was is a very fun experience. I ask my grandparents very frequently about their childhood and how different things were. Wondering about the past is something everyone does. Sometimes, people question about their own lives, while others question their great grandparents origin. My family originated in Russia. Like many immigrants, they came to America on a boat and started on Ellis Island.

Some people believe, knowing their past will help them through their future. People look to their past for advice as well. If people do not know what to do, they will look to see what their ancestors did. Maybe then, they will find their way.

Looking back, even to when someone’s parents were young, can show how much the world has changed. Then someone can learn new things, and why the world is the way it is now. The world is different in every generation, and people have much to learn from the past.

I feel lucky to know I am able to see when my house was built and why it was built where it was. It was the first house on the street, and then the town grew from there.

The past is very interesting especially if you can relate to it on a personal level. “If you want to understand today, you have to search yesterday,” Pearl S Buck.