NGS 2011 Conference: 4th and Final Day

Today was the last day of the 2011 NGS Conference.  We are educated to the hilt, shopped out, homesick, and just plain tired.

Here are the classes I took today:

1. Social Security Records:  A Boon to 20th Century Family History:  Good class.  Learned some things, such as that during the initial Social Security sign-up period, 1937-about 1947, the SS-5 Application included employer information.  That could be interesting.  I do not know if that will be enough to justify the $27 cost for a copy of the SS-5, but it gives me another tool in my toolbox.
2. The Timeline:  Linking Historical Events to our Family History by Patricia Smarr:  I have been meaning to do timelines for my ancestors for quite awhile.  This class had lots of good website references for looking up historical events to add to a timeline and templates and sites for making the actual timelines themselves.  This would be a good item to prepare and add to my surname notebooks for each ancestor.  
3. Come to Morrow - Georgia's Research Mecca by Linda Woodward Geiger:  My favorite part of this class was learning what is available at the National Archives at Atlanta, which is right next door to the Georgia Archives.  I have only been in the NARA facility once, and I was totally overwhelmed.  This class helped me know what to expect on my next visit.  However, I was saddened to learn that there is a possibility that our Georgia Archives could close.  With recent budget cuts, they have already had to cut their hours to three days per week.  Hearing this news strengthened my resolve to get back over there and support them.
4. Debunking the Myths Surrounding the Military Personnel Records Center by Patricia Smarr:  I believe that most anyone who has requested military records from the Military Personnel Records Center in St. Louis, Missouri, has faced some confusion and frustration.  Ms. Smarr lives in St. Louis and has found that the Records Center employees are very helpful.  I can understand that because I have had instances when after visiting a business location or library several times, the employees recognize me and are more friendly than they probably would be if they just got a letter in the mail from a complete stranger.  I did learn something big that I did not know - that 62 years after a veteran is discharged or dies, their file becomes an archival copy that is open to the public.  This puts recent roadblocks I have come up against with the Records Center in a new light.  

At the end of the day, we said good-bye to our friends, Cheryl Cayemberg, Jennifer Woods and her daughter, Ellie, Ginger Smith, and Dear Myrtle.  My friend and I headed to a Mexican restaurant to eat way too much, did a little Wal-Mart and A.C. Moore shopping, and then crashed in our motel room for one more night.  In the morning, we head to Liberty Square to take the cruise out to Ft. Sumter.  Linda McCauley is supposed to join us.  Then my genealogy friend and I will head back home.  I will be glad to sleep in my own bed!

This is has been a wonderful experience that I wouldn't trade for anything.  I will be spending the MONTHS ahead trying to work through the bibliographies and ideas that we were given.  My house may never be clean again!