Hoosier Legionnaire August/September 2013
Histories in Your Future?
A great many people and organizations since the beginning of civilization have played a significant role
during their existence. Yet, most of them have disappeared, with no trace after their life, leaving no mark in history.
Why? No one bothered to write about their existence, no one thought it was important enough to leave information
for future generations.
What about your post? Will future generations ever know you existed, or if they were knew that you did,
did you accomplish anything of significance? Do you care if they will be disappointed not knowing much about
your post other than your name and number. Will you be member who really didn’t care if the post only became
‘dust in the wind,’ not leaving a legacy to those who follow? But if you don’t want this, what can you do about?
Now is the time for Legionnaires in the post to plan on leaving a permanent legacy of their
accomplishments. Don’t delay in creating a history of you, of your post, of the accomplishments that others will
want to learn about, especially of what you think was important in the first part of the 21st century. If you don’t do
it, who will? Don’t leave it to the local newspaper that may report an unflattering picture; establish the image that
you want leave.
The post is a ‘living’ creation. It has had a conception (its temporary charter), its birth (its permanent
charter), and its on-going life. Unfortunately, a few posts die before they mature. But most develop, ‘grow,’ become
‘adults,’ participate in their ‘families’ and communities, enjoying their ‘citizenships’ in a world of other
organizations.
It has been a well-established policy of The American Legion at the national level to encourage the
preparation of post histories, especially the ‘one-year’ history. Such information on the post’s activities during the
year will be of considerable value in the years to come. There are a number of reasons.
• The minutes of your meetings, newsletters of activities, financial reports, and listing of names are a
wealth of information for future generations.
• A scrapbook will reveal, often in pictorial form, people and events, helping to answer questions and
resolving disagreements.
• Genealogical researchers and school projects will benefit from the biographical and other historical data.
• A collection of one-year histories that demonstrates a post’s activities can be a promotional tool for the
enlisting of new members and the retaining of current ones.
• Histories often can be easily modified for placement onto the post’s website.
Posts (indeed, the Department of Indiana itself ) have not been very active in compiling histories. Yes,
many posts publish newsletters and issues of the Department’s Hoosier Legionnaire recount some of the activities of
the immediate past. But much more happens at a local level that goes unreported. Hence the need for a historian to
note current activities so that they become valuable documents as time goes on for future generations.
As Department Historian, I hope that I can be of assistance to those Legionnaires who take up pen (or
keyboard) and record the living history of their posts. For the 2013-2014 Legion year, posts are encouraged to
submit a yearbook (also known as a scrapbook) or a narrative history so that these can then be judged at the end of
the year at the Department Convention in July. The post history judged to be the ‘best’ also will be submitted to
National Headquarters for judging in the National Historian’s History Contest in October 2014.
The rules for the national contest can be found in the 2013 edition of the Post Officer’s Guide and Manual
of Ceremonies, pages 143 to 152. That publication can also be found online at www.legion. org/publicatons. Start
now to create a remembrance of your post. Continue to collect data and photographs during the year. Enlist other
members to help as ‘reporters’; ask that SAL member with the fancy new camera to be a photographer; an Auxiliary
member may be especially good with design. But don’t neglect starting sooner, rather than later.
In future columns, I hope to provide suggestions and background information about the contest. If you have
a specific question or comment, I can be reached by email (jhovish@ indlegion.org) or by phone (317 294-2682).
Don’t let what happens in your post be lost to future generations.