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4SmokeSignalsTheWrittenRecordcontinuedfrompage3ThinkaboutsomethingasbasicastheoriginalDeclarationofIndependence.Itsentirelywrittenincursive.WhatwillthephraseIneedyourJohnHancockmeantogenerationstocomeWilltheyevenbeabletoreadthesignaturesofJohnHancockorforthatmatterdiscernthesignaturesofartistslikeFredericRemingtonandCharlesRussellHowwilltheybeabletoreadtherichjournalsofLewisandClarkorthedesperatewritingsoftheDonnerParty.HowwilltheyreadandinterpretthelandgrantsthatsettledtheWestorGoldRushdocumentsthatresultedinthedevelopmentofSanFranciscoRidingthetrainrecentlyfromChicagotoMilwaukeeIhadtheopportunitytositnexttoanelementaryschoolteacherwhowasonherwaytoaspecialseminarattheMarquetteSchoolofEngineering.Theweek-longseminarwasaboutteachingchildrenin2014becauseitsawholenewballgamenow.Iaskedheraboutthelong-termaffectsofeliminatingcursiveeducationfromtheschools.Tobehonestshehadntreallyconsideredit.Itmaynothaveanyaffectinsomeareasbutitwillhaveadevastatingaffectontheireducationandunderstandingofhistoryreachingbackcenturiesifnotthousandsofyears.Wechattedabitaboutthisandherresponsewasthatitwillalleventuallybetranslatedintoprintedtext.Theinformationwillremainbuttheabilitytotouchandfeelandconnectwiththosethatcamebeforeuswillbelost.ReadingthosejournalsofLewisandClarkwillbeGreektothem.Provenanceandhistoryisnotonlyjusttheinformationandthefactsbutthegenuinearchivesandhistoricdocumentsthatremainthatwethirstforandcherish.OurmissioninthepursuittosustainandincreasetherichandwildhistoryoftheAmericanWestjustgottougher.CharlieSmithByJayneSkeffFromcooktocowboytocollectortoletrbuckoneBaythisgentlemanhasleftnosaddleunturnedinhisamazinglife.WellthiswasawildridethroughthelifeandtimesofCharlieSmith.Itsnotoftenafteralongphoneinterviewthatyouhangupthephonemoreenergizedthanwhenyoudialedthenumbertostart.InfectiouslaughterlongcontemplativepausesandnumeroussidebarstoriesmanyaboutLindaandJosephwellbeginwhenhewasjust15livinginOrangeCountyCalifornia.HejumpsrightinwithsayingIranawayfromhomewhenIwas15.Myfamilywasintosomereligioustripthatwasntforme.Righthereyoucanseethatthisyoungmanhadamindofhisownthatwouldsetthetoneforalifeyettounfold.Iworkedasalinecookforseveralyearsuntil1972whenIcamehomefromworkoneeveningandmyroommatewaspackingupandmovingout.WhereareyougoingIaskedandhesaidmyunclehasaHIGHNOONSHOWDEALERSPOTLIGHT