2019 Winter Newsletter

ing parachute jumps, or hunting lions with bow and arrow-NO! What he did mean was not always to play safe, but to risk something. If we follow the rule of “ safety first”, we should have a very narrow experience and shall learn precious little from life. I don’t believe in acting a fool, but if I were starting over again with my present knowledge, I could make some decided improvements by cutting a wider swath and getting more experience. Our great advantage of mistakes is that these rude jolts and bumps awaken the mind and help us to “see straight” and think clearly. Raymond, I would be ashamed to tell you how long my mind was asleep- and I am afraid most men are in the same case. A boy or girl graduating from high school is usually pretty sound asleep without knowing it. They do not see things as they are and do not think at all. What they call thinking is just repeating what others have said

and this gets one nowhere. Very few students learn anything-they have been told a great deal-see the dif ference. But when life gives you a stiff uppercut that makes you see stars, you begin to learn the facts as they are. Now I did not intend to make the commencement address but I see I have almost done it. When you get to be “old” like me you will realize how these things go and forgive me for writing such a long letter. With love and again congratulations. Sincerely, Harry Colin Thorpe My father, Raymond, went on to college and be came a very successful salesman. Vincent Thorpe

A new service at the Museum, Photo restoration and video transfer to DVD format This notice in our last issue caused a visitor to inquire if I could transfer her old video tapes to DVDs and the answer was yes. So far we have transfered 18 rolls of video tape onto DVD disks. We can also duplicate printed material like old cookbooks and turn them into digital files that can be viewed on computer screen or printed out in a booklet.. Using a digital process the museum now has the ability to provide the service to restore your precious images. We can fix damaged pictures, add a person to a group photo or take someone out. Faded out prints can be brought back and made to look like new. Old negatives, color or black & white can be copied and made into prints. Those old dark “Tin Type” images can be revealed to show a sharp image that can be printed or saved onto computer files. I can copy all sizes of negatives color or black & white from the small 110, 35 mm, all 120 and up to a 4 x 5 inches. Color slides can be copied and made into color prints or copied onto CDs or USB memory stick to view on your computer. The photo of a couple on the right had been washed in a pair of jeans and it was pulling off the backing. The owner was heartbroken as it was the only photo of her father. I removed the wrinkled image off the card base by soaking it in water. It was stretched and glued down on new backing and copied. Using Photoshop I was able to remove at the customer’s request the stepmother and create a new portrait of her father. Stop by the museum to inquire about your needs or call Roger at 913 259 9219.

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