Staff photo - LeAnne Akin Shadie Thompson and Elaine Dickens greet Summerour when she arrives to participate in the 'Glimpses into Winder's Past' interviews Staff photo - LeAnne Akin Lauren Blais of the City of Winder's WCTV Channel 24 checks the camera for Chandler Riley before Sarah Gay begins her interviewing

Main Street Winder is committed to preserving the heritage of the community and toward building the future and a collaborative project is working to connect the past to the present with an eye on the future.

Main Street Manager Sherrie Miller partnered with her Main Street Board, with Lynn Hammond as its coordinator, and the Barrow County Historical Society to provide an oral history project for Winder-Barrow High School Advanced Placement History students taught by Mandy Lipscomb.

As the 2007-08 school year was drawing to a close, the students prepared interview questions for the members of the community who would be a part of sharing their memories.

Students were curious about earliest school memories and about high school, favorite Winder memories and influences which resulted in career choices and life decisions.

Lipscomb said the students were eager to learn what was it was like growing up years ago.

The oral history project will be the start of a preservation effort, and what is to preserved are the stories which can be told about growing up in Winder by selected residents of the community who can share insight and wisdom with high school students as well as future generations through the technology now available.

Bringing in the City of Winder's WCTV 24's Marty Spears and Lauren Blais as technical resources, the project proved to spur excitement of participants of all ages, and has organizers making plans for next year's undertaking.

"The kids enjoyed it," said Lipscomb. "They got a lot out of it and enjoyed sharing the stories they heard among themselves back in class."

"Reminiscences are rich and exciting and help us glimpse the past through your eyes and thoughts," said Shadie Thompson, who served as community coordinator for the event which also enjoyed support from the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Winder. Winder First Christian Church, located conveniently across from the high school, provided the perfect venue for the interviews.

Students Jett Bowen and Salina Steward were teamed to interview and film Donald Hardigree while Collin Hicks, Patrick Brand and Jullian Pittman worked together to record Sandy and Florence Schwartz's memories of being part of the downtown business community.

Paige Mauldin and Cameron Ragland worked together to get Gloria Moon Wall's reflections on growing up in Winder.

Longtime Winder businessman Larry Jones was interviewed by Sarah Gay and Chandler Riley while Abigail Rodriguez and Courtney Mize paired up to talk with Susan Reynolds.

Nell Bethel's tales of worldwide travel and returning to Winder to share her adventures were heard by Chelsea Jenkins and Elizabeth Whittington.

Josephine Moon was interviewed by Brett Marbut, Josh Steed and Jake Bergen while Evelyn Randolph captivated Billy Hentenaar and Megan Mingledorff.

Pat and Richard Russell shared stories with Blair Watson and Tyler Rollason and Miranda Yancey and Marissa Flanigan heard of Ernest Graham's reflections on how much of Winder's downtown vitality is missed since there are no movie theaters or soda fountains which he enjoyed visiting as a youngster and as teen would get two straws to share a soda with his date.

Betty Summerour's sense of style and fashion came through as Alex Nash and Hannah Brumbalow recorded and filmed her tales of Winder's past.

JoAnn Montgomery shared with Rebekah Autry and Amberly Ellis.

While Robert Hill was unable to participate in an interview, his family shared an interview recorded as a family preservation project several years earlier. That production will likely be an inspiration for the handling of this and future interviews, said Thompson.

"We look forward to archiving your faces, names and stories in such a way that will preserve them for many years," said Hammond. "We are excited about the time when we can meet with you again to share the collective history you so graciously shared with us.

Adult volunteers assisting for the event included Beth Whitehead, Elaine Hearn, Dot Yearwood, Drucilla Gregg, Nelda Brooksher, Elaine Dickens, Chuck McBrayer, Linda Adair and Winder Main Street Manager Sherrie Miller.

"The preservation of our heritage, related through oral tradition by its citizens, is indeed vital to establishing our future direction as an even more vibrant and thriving city in the heart of Northeast Georgia," said Hammond for Main Street Winder.

"As we seek to realize our 21st century vision for this community, we are certainly grounded by our rich, strong roots, and you represent that strong foundation on which we build our future," said the letter to the participants.

Because of the success of the venture, a list of individuals to be interviewed for the round is being compiled.

Originally published Wednesday, June 18, 2008