JAR, PRESERVING

Description: CYLINDRICAL CLEAR GLASS JAR WITH SLIGHTLY RECESSED BASE. ROUNDED NECK WITH THREADED MOUTH TO FIT LID (NOT INCLUDED). PRINTED ON SIDE IN RAISED GLASS LETTERS IS "MASON FRUIT JAR VIII". GLASS HAS A FEW IMPERFECTIONS IN THE FORM OF BUBBLES.

History: UNKNOWN. *UPDATE* IN 2018, GALT COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED A RELEVANCY AUDIT OF THE MUSEUM’S BOXED TEXTILE COLLECTION WHICH INCLUDED THE EXAMINATION OF A RECORD FOR A WEDDING GOWN DONATED BY ELAINE MARTIN IN 1994. PUNDYK RE-CONNECTED WITH MARTIN ON APRIL 18TH 2018 TO SOLICIT NEW COMMENTS ON THE GOWN AS WELL AS NEW INFO ON OTHER EXISTING DONATIONS. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE ARTIFACT, ELAINE MARTIN SAID “AGAIN, JUST A SAMPLE OF THE ERA, AND I AT THE TIME BECAUSE WE DIDN’T USE MASON JARS, WE DIDN’T CAN ANYMORE, I THOUGHT IT WAS VALUABLE. … I WOULD HAVE BEEN [MINE], YES. MY MOM CERTAINLY [PRESERVED], ABSOLUTELY. EVERYTHING.” ON HER DECISION TO DONATE THE ARTIFACTS, “IT IS CERTAINLY NOTHING SENTIMENTAL. IT’S JUST PURELY PRACTICAL REPRESENTATIONS OF THE ERA BECAUSE TIMES HAVE CHANGED SO MUCH SO RAPIDLY, THAT I THINK WE NEED TO REMEMBER HOW THINGS WERE. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A THOUSAND KIDS IN MAY AND JUNE COME THROUGH THE MUSEUM WITH THE TRACTOR CLUB IN PICTURE BUTTE ON FIELD TRIPS AND THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT PEOPLE USED TO LIVE IN TWO ROOM HOUSES WITH SEVERAL CHILDREN. THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THAT SCHOOLS USED TO HAVE A WATER PAIL AND A DIPPER, AND EVERYBODY DRANK OUT OF THE SAME DIPPER, SO KIDS NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE IT PRETTY DARN LUCKY.” FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, INCLUDING INTERVIEW AND INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT PLEASE SEE PERMANENT FILE P19870048001.