DELORES CROAKER SHROBES MEMORIAL SCRAPBOOK A Primary Source

DELORES CROAKER SHROBE’S MEMORIAL SCRAPBOOK (A Primary Source Exercise) www. bluecerealeducation. com

1. Each group has been given an envelope of ‘sources’ and one member of the group has been assigned as the ‘Keeper of the Envelope’. The Keeper should NOT open the envelope or remove ‘sources’ until instructed. INSTRUCTIONS

BACKGROUND INFORMATION The recently departed Delores Shrobe was a wonderful old lady who, while a bit batty at times, was always good for hot tea and great stories. She lived on an inheritance from old oil money, combined with whatever life insurance was left from the passing of her husband, Carter Shrobe IV, many years ago.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION The recently departed Delores Shrobe was a wonderful old lady who, while a bit batty at times, was always good for hot tea and great stories. She lived on an inheritance from old oil money, combined with whatever life insurance was left from the passing of her husband, Carter Shrobe IV, many years ago. (In case you’re wondering, yes, her family is the same Croaker family that settled the once infamous Croakersville. But more about that

BACKGROUND INFORMATION One of Delores’s last requests was that a team of reliable historians be hired to put together a sort of ‘Memorial Scrapbook’ related to her namesake community. Now only a run-down Main Street of mostly shuttered shops and a few hundred stubborn citizens scattered across the vicinity, Croakersville was once a booming area on the verge of… well, if not greatness, at least its own spot

BACKGROUND INFORMATION In some ways Croakersville was like every other boomtown. Right as it seemed things couldn’t get any better, though, prosperity suddenly began drying up. Worse, there were rumors of scandal and betrayal – not by outside forces, but by someone within the community!

BACKGROUND INFORMATION In some ways Croakersville was like every other boomtown. Right as it seemed things couldn’t get any better, though, prosperity suddenly began drying up. Worse, there were rumors of scandal and betrayal – not by outside forces, but by someone within the community! Details are hard to come by, small towns not liking to air their dirty laundry and all – even after several generations. And the small Croakersville Historical Society collection which once occupied a glorious 1237 square feet behind the Original Croaker

BACKGROUND INFORMATION Your team has been assigned to gather and try to assemble the remaining bits and pieces of evidence left behind, mostly scattered among Delores Shrobe’s personal belongings. She had apparently set out years ago to gather up any surviving documents related to the town, but for one reason or another it never came together. Delores was not a particularly organized person, so you will have to make due with what you find, when you find it.

2. Let’s begin with what the housekeeper has already located. The “Keeper of the Envelope” should remove SEVEN (7) random ‘sources’ from within. The remaining ‘sources’ should stay in the envelope and should be set aside until further instructed. INSTRUCTIONS

2. Let’s begin with what the housekeeper has already located. The “Keeper of the Envelope” should remove SEVEN (7) random ‘sources’ from within. The remaining ‘sources’ should stay in the envelope and should be set aside until further instructed. INSTRUCTIONS [Each group should examine and discuss their seven (7) ‘sources’ and begin discussing what they reveal or suggest. Do NOT share your evidence or thoughts with the other groups at this time. They are not your friends, they are your competitors. ]

3. One of the movers hauling away antiques and oddities for the estate sale notices some old documents falling out of a stack of People Magazines. The ‘Keeper’ should remove SEVEN (7) more random ‘sources’ from the envelope. The remaining ‘sources’ should stay in the envelope and should be set aside until further instructed. INSTRUCTIONS

3. One of the movers hauling away antiques and oddities for the estate sale notices some old documents falling out of a stack of People Magazines. The ‘Keeper’ should remove SEVEN (7) more random ‘sources’ from the envelope. The remaining ‘sources’ should stay in the envelope and should be set aside until further instructed. INSTRUCTIONS [Each group should continue examining and discussing their ‘sources’ and what they reveal or suggest. Without consulting other groups, begin preparing a 4 -5 sentence synopsis or summary of what you have learned about Croakersville from the

TO CONTINUE FUNDING… The Executors of the Estate are requesting evidence you are on task and making progress. On one piece of paper for each table, they need the names of each historian on your team, AND… Ø ONE person in Croakersville’s history you find interesting so far, and why. What do you know about him or her already, and what does it suggest? Ø TWO characteristics of Croakersville (and thus of Boomtowns in general) and what evidence you have to illuminate these characteristics. Ø THREE good questions you’d like to ask an Omniscient Narrator if you could about Croakersville, its inhabitants, or its

4. Only moments before your synopsis is due to the executor of the estate and the representative from the publisher, the Housekeeper rushes in with an old legal folder marked “History ~ Croakersville” which she has discovered behind a bedroom dresser. The ‘Keeper’ should remove SEVEN (7) more random ‘sources’ from the envelope. The remaining ‘sources’ must remain in the envelope. INSTRUCTIONS

4. Only moments before your synopsis is due to the executor of the estate and the representative from the publisher, the Housekeeper rushes in with an old legal folder marked “History ~ Croakersville” which she has discovered behind a bedroom dresser. The ‘Keeper’ should remove SEVEN (7) more random ‘sources’ from the envelope. The remaining ‘sources’ must remain in the envelope. INSTRUCTIONS [Your group should examine and incorporate the final bits of new information into what they already know before composing a 4 -5 sentence ‘synopsis’ regarding what they’ve learned about Croakersville, it’s most interesting citizens, and what should go into the book

PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE Mini-Biographies Choose 3 (THREE) residents or other characters associated with Croakersville and write a 3 -5 sentence biography of them based on the evidence. Balance information you can support with the documents and reasonable speculation filling the gaps.

BUT THEN… Ø You decide to visit the town before submitting your final outline. An old-timer whose family has been in Croakersville since the beginning has heard about your efforts and insists on speaking to you. Ø He claims the fire which destroyed the gas station and the small historical collection of Croakersville three decades ago was NO ACCIDENT. It was done to protect a family name – not the Croakers, of course, but one of the other families from the area – FROM SCANDAL!

BUT THEN… Ø Sure, there was murder, and alcohol, and prostitution, and other vice, but this scandal was something different – town residents taking advantage of other town residents. Ø Most residents owned “pieces of leases” – small percentages they’d purchased like lottery tickets in the earliest days of drilling in the area. Ø When these leases paid off, the income was substantial, even for those with only the smallest

BUT THEN… Ø Someone had figured out a way to forge small withdrawals and write checks to skim oil money not from the major drillers, but from the town residents whose 1/16 s and 1/32 s and 1/64 s meant more to them than the tens of thousands of dollars meant to the big money men! Ø The individual amounts were too small to raise suspicion from the banks, but by the time a resident realized what was happening…

BUT THEN… Ø There was no arrest, and no conviction, but – the old fellow insists –the town figured out what had happened, and scandal hung over the family for a generation. Ø Over time, the town withered, people died or moved, and collective memory faded. At some point, however, a descendent – who will likely never be discovered – felt strongly enough to wipe out what evidence remained, lest any future historians like yourselves take sudden interest and

BUT THEN… Ø You don’t have enough evidence, and there’s nothing to be gained from pursuing this dead offense, but still – as a historian – you WANT TO KNOW THE TRUTH!

Although the evidence is fragmentary and incomplete, it is clear the resident behind the scandal was _______. This is strongly suggested by the following evidence: 1. ________________________________________ ________ 2. _________________________________________ ___

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