Brattleboro, Vt – The board of directors of Holstein Association USA Inc. has created a five-person committee to preserve the history of the association and to convey a memorable story. As part of that effort, items of historical significance to HAUSA will be housed in the Ideal Holstein Room at its offices in Brattleboro, Vermont.
Do you have items of historical value that may fit into the collection? Let the committee know. It will hold its first meeting in Brattleboro on December 12.
Randy Gross, committee chairman, announced the formation of the committee with this letter to Holstein Association USA members:
Dear Holstein Association USA Member:
“Make history.” “Be a part of history.” Both of these well-known statements provide a glimpse into the intent of the Holstein Association USA board of directors when they established a committee to preserve historical information and items relative to the history of the Holstein Association USA and breed. There is a lot of history behind the great Holstein Association USA and cow; however, much of it has not been well-maintained, recorded, or made available for future use.
Napoleon Bonaparte said that “Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever.” The committee’s effort is focused on preserving and displaying (in HAUSA headquarters) items that have impacted the association or breed on the national or international level. Items such as pictures, paintings, minutes, catalogs, articles, and reports are in the hands of Holstein friends throughout the country. The goal is to avoid obscurity by placing that information in a central collection.
Winston Churchill said “History will be kind to me for I intend to write it.” We are not asking you to “write” history; however, we are asking that you consider donating items of historical importance to the Holstein history collection. Processes are being developed to identify, receive, inventory, preserve, and display key items. Please think about any items you may have that would benefit the collection. Also consider items that may be in the hands of those no longer in contact with the association.
Edmund Burke said “Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” A goal of the historical collection is to leave a legacy of valuable information for future Holstein enthusiasts to access, study, and learn from. Understanding the past will improve future actions.
George Will said “The future has a way of arriving unannounced.” Now is the time to act. By beginning to build the history collection now, we hope to access information and artifacts before they may be inadvertently discarded or lost for good.
Edward R. Murrow said “Difficulty is the excuse history never accepts.” Building a Holstein history collection can be a daunting task. Your help is necessary, valued, and appreciated. If you have questions or wish to support the project, please contact me at 509.280.2593 or Peter Cole at the HAUSA office at 802.451.4127 or any of the committee members: David Bachmann, Horace Backus, Darrell Pidgeon, or Jerry Strandlund.
Sincerely,
Randy Gross, Chairman