It’s hard to get work done when you’re “reading in the attic.”
Reading in the Attic
So, I like memes and fun stuff on social media. This particular one caught my eye, because it’s totally me. The quote says, “No person who can read is ever successful at cleaning out an attic.” — Ann Landers. While I haven’t verified the quote, I believe it to be accurately attributed. I laughed and thought, yup, that’s me! I can’t tidy up my home office without falling down one rabbit hole or another. This image is so wonderful. The man has absolutely no intention of “cleaning.” This is his study, his bolt-hole from the rest of the world. And a kitty!
OK, well, maybe he’ll throw some stuff out. After he reads it one more time, of course. If he’s like me, once he finishes that issue, he’ll have a hard time permanently letting it go.
Archive as Attic
My work with the archives at Brother Martin High School involves reading a lot of old stuff. Unlike a home attic, though, removal isn’t the goal. Organizing documents, tephemera, etc, focuses my efforts, not trashing things. BMHS is 54 years old, having opened in the fall of 1969. Archives for the legacy schools, St. Aloysius and Cor Jesu, opened in 1969 and 1954, respectively. The oldest stuff I’ve encountered in the archives dates back to the early 1900s. (The oldest surviving diploma we have is from 1915.) It’s tough to maintain a good pace through the ephemera. Take game-day programs for football, for example. They include ads, biographies of coaches and administrators, as well as features about the teams. Scanning six to eight pages of a program should be quick and easy. Not a chance! Ads from department stores to gas stations catch my eye. Given that I’ve written books on two department stores, please forgive me.
Everyone can read!
Don’t take the “No person can lead” part of the quote too literally. Sure, we all can read. What the quote identifies here is the subset of people who read a great deal. Surveys indicate that a majority of Americans don’t read much after finishing school. They read the news, maybe a magazine (website) or two, but that’s about it. They pass on continuing the reading from high school and uni. No more classics–if they didn’t read “Moby Dick” in school, odds are against them reading it later.
That’s not our friend in this image. He’s got books that are old friends he returns to regularly. Hopefully he’s able to pass that passion on to the young one.
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