See The Reference

With the large preserving jar now holding the retrieved spider’s nest. I started my ride to school. I was already rehearsing my presentation in my head. Looking for just the right emphasis of science and emotion. The science side was important. It was what I wanted to emphasise. Providing some of the detailed information I had found in the books I had at home. It was one of those times I had actually got out the encyclopaedia to reference the subject. Checking that, while I thought I understood, how the nest was made, where the female spider was and what was going to occur. I just wanted to confirm it. So I turned to the collection of ‘leather’ bound (very thin leather) Encyclopaedia Britannica© volumes that graced a bookshelf in the front hallway. They were not in any one persons room. They were on a bookshelf in the front hall. Proudly declaring that, to any persons entering our house through the formal door, in this house, we were interested in the pursuit of knowledge. We possessed a full set of Encyclopaedias. Proudly possessed a full set. I dread to think what it cost our family then. I do know I myself bought a full set some years later and it was not cheap. And yes. While I do not use it every day. There is seldom a week that passes nowadays that I have not looked into at least one volume to cross-reference something.

I wonder how many families in those days, had bought the set of classic Encyclopaedia Britannica© bound volumes from the travelling salesman. The ‘travelling salesmen’ of legend. The ones that, A: all the jokes are about (well encyclopaedia and insurance salesmen). And B: all the tales of masterly cons and shady deals completed are also about. That was the only way you used to be able to buy it. There was no shop. There was no ‘on-line’ store. That’s right, there certainly were no home computers and the world wide web was still in the realms of science fiction. Apart from a few early pioneers and dreamers working away in research facilities, for companies who saw the benefits of such departments. And look at what those departments produced in that wonderful era of advancement. Sadly that is something that seems to have disappeared from most companies. As advertising budgets have grown out of all proportions, research and development in many companies has all but shrunk to nothing.

But we had our set. And it sat on the bookshelf. Anxious to impart it’s knowledge into the mind of the young family whose home it had come to. And sometimes it was brought out to the table in the kitchen to answer particularly vexing questions or certain subjects for homework assignments. Usually it took some serious coaxing to get us to open it. As we felt we could answer most questions without it. But every so often it was the catch cry, when a point was being argued or debated enthusiastically (as debates often were in our house) “Right! Get the encyclopaedia! We’ll see whose right!”

(Continued tomorrow)