Civilian Research Help on the Forum?

[Diochra]

I've been paging through the military forums, and came to a question - could we, meaning the research-driven civilians on the AC, possibly come up with a beginner's research bibliography, articles for the beginning reenactor, &c. for "our side" of the forum?

I've recently decided to do some heavy research into children's clothing, as I'm considering making quality items as a business venture. However, I don't want to do this without amassing at least a solid collection of primary documentation - original garments, photos, patterns, and the like. This caused me to take a look at what I know about the clothing I've made for myself; I'd say that it's primarily based off of other reenactors' research, not my own. Can I prove for myself that cotton bodices were usually gathered instead of darted? No. I don't have a collection of my own yet to turn to and say, "well, my research findings..." It's mainly what I learner from other reenactors in my first days, and though I trust them, I've long been at the point where it's just not enough. I know that other people are getting there as well, and I'd like to be able to make accuracy a little less "scary" and overwhelming!

So I think it'd be helpful to at least compile a list of primary "jumping off points" for the overwhelmed beginner and the continual learner, with high-quality secondary/etc sources as well.

Would this be possible? I'd certainly be willing to help with what I could.

[dusty27]

Ashley,

If you want to start a list, I can help you compile it on this site, so it remains in one list versus throughout the thread. Email me at an address below if you need my help

[KarinTimour]

Dear Ashley:

Are you thinking primarily of a resource for research on clothing? Certainly there is the fun of compliling a list of basic resources -- on the other hand, if someone else has done a lot of the substantive work already, why do it again?

For example, Miss Vicki Betts has a terrific list of clothing research sources covering the years 1840-1865 on-line at www.uttyl.edu/vbetts Once you get there, look under "Bibliographies."

Carolann Schmitt also has a very extensive bibliography that she distributes at the Ladies and Gentlemen of the 1860s Conference.

I wouldn't want to see us "expect" that someone would automatically and without question share a resource that they've gathered over years, but on the other hand, if it's possible to link to lists that have been compiled by reputable researchers and which are already posted on the internet, wouldn't it be better to start there and then add? Perhaps part of this project could be links to "recommended resources"?

I'd also like to suggest that such a list include resources that focus on more than just the clothing aspects of researching a civilian impression, and include diaries, memoirs, collections of letters as well as secondary sources that can give references on things as diverse as transportation, postal information, currency, law enforcement, common issues in occupied areas, slavery, abolition, legal status of women, draft laws, farming, banking, names of elected officials, etc. I'd also like it to include references to books that can help with how to do first person interpretation, like the works of Stacy Roth and Freeman Tilden, and books that can help a beginner gain an understanding of period crafts and housekeeping, such as many of Virginia Mescher's terrific booklets, as well as things like building fires, churning butter, knitting, sewing, crochet, quilting, basketmaking, chopping wood, etc.

Just a few small areas to include!

Sincerely,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting -- Socks, Hats, balaclavas
"The Stories in the Socks" -- Women in the Civil War Conference, Richmond, VA, June 2004
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[Diochra]

Karin, those are precisely the types of things I'd like to see included - as many areas of civilian life as we feel we can cover, NOT just clothing.

Would a perfectly new person know who Vicki Betts is right off the bat or know how to get to her wonderful website, know that <i>Who Wore What?</i> is a great resource, or even know that the Conference exists? I didn't intend for you to think I'd expect everyone to fork over their research to put on this site - I meant just what I said, a "jumping off point": a list of places to go to help with research, places to read others' research (those who have volunteered to share), etc. Books, organizations, websites, the works.

I do think we're on the same page; I'm just not sure I'm completely getting my idea across! ;)

[KarinTimour]

Ashley:

One of the real problems of internet postings is that you totally lose the tone of voice of the person speaking. I think your idea is a really good one (and I probably should have started the last post with that thought). I was trying to tread lightly between saying "some of this work is done already" while not insisting that everyone MUST contribute work that it may have taken them quite a long time (and serious money) to acquire.

I think it's a great idea to post a list of resources, (rather than "answers to questions") because it will help to encourage new folks to get to the library and learn how to use printed matter (and museums) as well as computers to research answers.

In terms of how to structure such a list of resources, I think it's important to have a section that is right at the beginning entitled something like "For the beginner" or "What to read first if you want to get started." Then what about having the rest of the list divided by topics so that people who were only interested in cotton farming could zip over to that section and skip all the information about bonnets.

Hope that helps to clarify a bit,
Karin Timour
Period Knitting - Socks, Hats, balaclavas
"The Stories in the Socks" Women in the Civil War Conference, Richmond, Virginia, June 2004
Atlantic Guard Soldier's Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[Diochra]

In terms of how to structure such a list of resources, I think it's important to have a section that is right at the beginning entitled something like "For the beginner" or "What to read first if you want to get started." Then what about having the rest of the list divided by topics so that people who were only interested in cotton farming could zip over to that section and skip all the information about bonnets.

I think that's a great idea.

Even some of the most obvious bits of information sometimes get skipped over - though I'd been there quite a few times to read through the newspapers, I hadn't even noticed Vicki Betts' bibliography until you pointed it out today! Thanks for the new resource.

[KarinTimour]

Dear Ashley:

You're welcome -- Miss Vicki has really given many of us fantastic resources.

Now, in terms of how we assemble this bibliography -- of course, we can just tell everyone "ok, post your recommendations for a list" -- and then retype it and post it here? I know many of us have recommendations for beginners, but may also have a mixed bag of recommendations including 3 farming resources, a bonnet book, two sewing books and something about currency. Should people just enter what they have and someone else will sort it out into categories?

Karin Timour
"The Stories behind the Socks" Women in the Cvil War Conference, Richmond, VA, June 2004
Period Knitting - Socks, Hats, Balaclavas
Atlantic Guard Soldiers' Aid Society
Email: Ktimour@aol.com

[ElizabethClark]

If everyone would like to send their suggestions to my private mail box here on the forum, I'd be happy to do a sort and sticky post; I'd also have the ability to edit the message sections, rather than end up with four hundred posts on the thread.

A "Beginner's Bibliography" for the citizenry is a good idea--I'll look forward to resource submissions. In order to make it logical, please provide information in a format similar to this:

Topic
Resource Title, Resource Author
ISBN, publication date if known
VERY brief summary or caveats, if any

(Of course, you don't need to do the fancy bold italics--just plain old text--but I wanted the format to stand out a bit.)