Last week a group from my class visited an old people’s home. We were hoping to get some help with a school project on the history of our town. It celebrates its centenary this year.
There is a lot of written information in the library and in the offices of the local newspaper. However, Mrs Rashmi, our history teacher, suggested that it would be a good idea to get some oral material as well. She said that it would be particularly interesting to get information from people who were young when the town was quite new.
Many of the elderly were very happy to reminisce about their youth. Most of them did not mind talking into tape recorders, but one old man refused. He said that he certainly was not going to talk to a machine.
It was amazing how much the old people could remember. One ninety-year old lady, Mrs Khan, said that she could remember much more about events that had happened in her youth than she could remember about events that had taken place last week. That is said to be quite common among elderly people.
Mrs Neelima, who is over ninety, said that she could remember when the town was very small. She said that when she was a child there were only a few houses and one shop. She and her brother had to go to school to the next town. They had to walk there as there were no cars and buses. She said that people were much healthier then because they got more exercise. She certainly seemed very fit.
Some of the old people said that they were lonely and that it was good to chat to young people. We promised to go back and see them shortly.
Vocabulary
Centenary—one hundredth anniversary
Oral—spoken
Amazing—surprising
