BERLIN, N.H. – Students from Berlin High School have been involved in an oral history project to preserve local historical knowledge. The Berlin Oral History Project was coordinated by the Northern Forest Heritage Park, Berlin High School, the Holiday Center and North Country AmeriCorps.

Oral history is a method of collecting historical information directly from the individuals who experienced it. It is a valuable supplement to traditional written history, often uncovering information not otherwise documented. Objectives of the Berlin Oral History Project were to explore Berlin’s ethnic diversity, examine the influence of the forest products industry on local culture and create an intergenerational dialogue to foster a continued appreciation for local heritage. To achieve these goals, students from Mike Gaydo’s “Berlin and New Hampshire History” class and David Morrissette’s honors U.S. History class were taught interviewing techniques by Morrissette.

The first gathering for project participants was held at the Holiday Center on April 3. In attendance were representatives from the organizations sponsoring the project, approximately 35 students from Berlin High School, and 13 of the 20 local residents who agreed to be interviewed. The interview subjects regaled the rapt audience with stories of life in Berlin in the early 20th century.

Katherine Forgacs, a North Country AmeriCorps member at the Heritage Park, spearheaded and organized the project. At the Holiday Center gathering of the students and their interview subjects, she reflected on the importance of the event.

“This project has been a unique collaboration Doing this project with a group of such capable students is significant, because they will become historians of their own community,” she said.

A brief discussion of the topics of interest by Barbara Barbieri, the archivist for the Heritage Park, inspired conversation about life in Berlin. Topics explored included: ethnic traditions and neighborhoods, working in the mills and local sports, including hockey and the Nansen Ski Club. The interview subjects were selected for their familiarity with these topics.

Following the event, a pair of students was selected to work with each interview subject. The interviews, conducted throughout the month of April, were tape-recorded and will be made available to the public in the Heritage Park’s archives. The exchange and conservation of this historical knowledge is of benefit by connecting people of different ages with each other and preserving the memories of older members of the community. Morrissette anticipates continuing the oral history project next school year, with different topics.

The project culminated at the New Hampshire Heritage Project Fair May 22. Kay Morgan, director of the N.H. Heritage Project and the 2002-2003 Christa McAuliffe Fellow, organized the event with the help of AmeriCorps members Katherine Forgacs and Amy Grutzmacher. The program is supported by funding from the N.H. Council for Social Studies and student projects reflect the N.H. Social Studies Curriculum Standards.

The Northern Forest Heritage Park is on the Androscoggin River, three quarters of a mile north of downtown Berlin, at 961 Main St. Heritage Park is a nonprofit organization with a commitment to tell the stories of the working forest and to celebrate the region’s diverse cultural heritage.

For more information and a free calendar, call (603) 752-7202, or visit www.northernforestheritage.org.