School census, district court records available at SWNGS

It seems the older I get the more I resist change. This is comfortable; it works doesn’t it; why mess with things? The problem is, if we don’t welcome change, we don’t open ourselves to the opportunities that come with walking down a different path!

Organizations are like that too, especially ones that have limited membership sources. After all, it’s the same 10 people doing the work so why would those people want to try something new?

Being the go-to person for any organization has it benefits but since none of us are guaranteed tomorrow, perhaps being the go-to person has the bigger responsibility of making sure everyone in the organization can become that replacement when they are no longer able to fill that role. It is vital to the continuation of services that as many members as possible can step into the lead when needed. The fact that no one has spoken up to take that role may be more of a reluctance to rock the boat than a lack of interest!

Last month, our tiny little Southwest Nebraska Genealogical Society was instrumental, with the support of Familysearch.org, in saving 90,333 records into searchable digital files. The group amassed over 550 volunteer hours during this period, meaning they handled over 160 records an hour which involved finding the records, organizing them into groups and then once copied filing the originals and returning them to source, which for many was the courthouse. It was a huge undertaking and for the most part it was accomplished by less than 10 people. Among the items saved were School Census records, district court cases from early years, marriage records, naturalization records, etc. An index of everything available is on our web site: www.swngs.org . You do not have to be a member to access the index and should you find something you wish to view, the digital records are available at our library which is, always, open to the public for research.

After accomplishing this massive task, we as a society determined that we need some input from everyone on how we can best serve the people in our corner of the state. We know there are persons interested in either history or genealogy, but we are at a loss as to how to reach them. Hence the following questions which we hope you will help us answer!

Currently our library is open on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons or by appointment. If we added being open in the evening, what hours and days seem more user friendly? Would you take advantage of extended hours?

We need to increase our membership to include beginning genealogists and historians. At this time, our yearly membership fee is $25.00, and we meet one Saturday a month. What would entice you to join us? 1. Meeting on a different day? 2. More classes on genealogy for beginners? 3. More classes on understanding DNA results? 4. Something we haven’t thought of?

You can answer these questions and share any ideas you might have by going to our Facebook page questionnaire, emailing me at sdoak@swnebr.net or by texting 308-340-8221 with your suggestions. You can also stop by our booth in the park this weekend and discuss ideas or concerns with members there. Thank you in advance for helping us out!

Before I close I must mention the gift of research materials that were given to the society by Sharon Lytle who is a founding member of our group. The items are fascinating and include census records of Knox County Ohio which just happens to be were some of my relatives settled before coming to Nebraska. Thank you so much for thinking of us, Sharon, and to those of you who are wondering what to do with old annuals, plat maps, directories or photos, please don’t forget our group as a depository for your precious historical records.

Don’t miss the Heritage Days celebrations and hopefully we will see you in the park!