Volume 2, Number 5 - Fall 1965
The Editor Speaks
My cupboard for the White River Valley Historical Society stands bare. Like Old Mother Hubbard I know not what to do. The Historical Society belongs to you, some five hundred members, from across the land. The Quarterly magazine, too, belongs to you. You write and publish it and you pay the bills. I am only the editor. I am paid only to edit what you write and send to me. My pay is ‘nary a cent.’ I gladly give of my time as my share of keeping alive the history of the White River Valley.
I am a newcomer to the area. I began fishing here when Lake Taneycomo was two years old. That, as you know, was fifty years ago. Ten years ago we bought a bit of land with a house on it in the Shepherd of the Hills Country. In the meantime we have several times over bought cabin no. 4 at Richart’s in Forsyth. Nigh on to three years ago we moved to our house in Stone County.
It is you with your roots deep into the area, whose fathers and grandfathers were born here that have the material of history which your children for generations to come will love to read.
Every one of you has a family Bible. You can all write, so you can copy the records of the births, deaths, and marriages as listed; bring it down to date and send it in to me.
None of you is a Topsy! Each of you has a family buried in a cemetery. Many of you, in fact most of you, have a member of your family buried in an old country cemetery. Will you take a Sunday and copy the names on all the tombstones n the cemetery, or get only the names of your relatives and make certain to get all dates correct.
Now get out your Bibles and or go to the cemetery.
Then, maybe you have an old book that tells about some part of the White River Valley area. Either copy that part and remember to give the name of the book, date of publication, publisher, and pages, or send the book insured to me, and I will return it.
Perhaps you feel you do not have all the facts concerning some event, you know only what you have heard . . . Just write it down as you have heard it. If you are wrong, some one will write in to correct you. Folks seldom thank us for correct statements, but they always call attention to a mistake. We like that when attempting to write history.
I am wondering if Arkansas has any history, for no one from those White River Counties has sent in even a line. We would like to know our neighbors, for so often they are our relatives.
There, there, that is writing lesson number two. Remember, this magazine is yours, so it is up to you to make it one of the best Historical Society magazines.
Also, I am not a beggar. Begging does not become me as a profession, so I will likely not continue to ask for material. The magazine is yours, you know the history your ancestors have left. It is up to you members of this society to send the material to be kept for posterity. Promises will not fill the pages of a magazine It is unfair to expect others to carry the load, to do the work which is the privilege of each of you.
JEWELL ROSS MEHUS
[Inside Back Cover]
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