My analog experience began a couple weeks ago, when I decided to try to do my graphic design homework– based in digital Adobe programs– all on paper. So far, every sketch or thought has been typed on a notes app, written in a sketchbook app on my iPad, or recorded in a document online. Graphic design needed to go back to its creative basics, so I started cracking open my ninth-grade notebook. 

The first thing I noted was the flexibility I had to produce meaningful work in different environments and through different mediums besides solely screens. I have actually been feeling extremely limited when completing my assignments since I need to complete them in the graphic design building on campus. Their computer labs are built to have all of these programs on their computers, and the monitors are the size I am used to working on in class, which is to say, giant. My laptop refuses to be an option as well, and other computers provided by the library or in other buildings simply don’t cut it. 

When working in my notebook, I sketched everything with a pencil, took notes and ideas down on the same sheets, and physically mapped out every version of my project I had considered. Honestly, it felt odd, doing something by hand that everyone else could do with three clicks of a button, but it did get me in touch with every stroke of my pencil on paper and made me connect with the purpose of every line.

I felt in control as well, having grown up loving physical papers in front of me, I handwrote all of my notes as opposed to using our shitty, plastic Chromebooks the school provided. Lord knows I could move my hand faster than those things could load anyway. I am used to the feeling of creating with a pencil in my hand, the sensitivity and dexterity. This is why I prefer to use my iPad in many cases, but I had never even really considered how much of my assignments could be done actually on paper and not just an impression of it. Of course, some things need to be transferred to the computer and completed digitally, but it was far later in the process of my project than one would expect.

The familiarity was such a comforting feeling, allowing me to really focus on my product instead of the stress of figuring out the program I was using or who I was disturbing by being in the studios so late. My analog experience is at least shaping the way I plan to carry out the last of this semester, on paper in a notebook falling apart by the second. 

Reflection of the class period itself-

At our analog cafe today, I brought in my record and sat down to color. I could choose between three coloring pages themed for Thanksgiving, one being Snoopy in a Pilgrim’s outfit holding out a pie, a page with calligraphy bubble letters spelling out “Happy Thanksgiving” with pumpkins all around it, and a page that featured a cornucopia in the center and blocky bubble letters that also spelled out “Happy Thanksgiving”. I chose to color in the festive Snoopy like a lot of my classmates. 

I selected an array of pinks and reds out of the big case of alcohol markers provided by Rose, and set to coloring in my snoopy. I then colored in his clothing and hat in purple, and made his pie green. While doing so, our whole area of the table was immersed in collective conversation, springing back and forth around the room. Our class was lively and as topics flowed and changed, we weren’t cut off with intent to reach a certain goal. Many people laughed, and we were all able to compare our differently rendered Snoopies in the end.

As for the experiment, the data I observed is broken down according to the steps included in “Object Studies”. 

Firstly, for the overview of the experiment, I recorded my expectations of how today would go, as well as what I wanted to look out for while the analog cafe was taking place. Due to our debate in class, I was focused on the attention spans of students and what they would be creating throughout our time in our analog cafe. Much of our discussion centered around the authenticity of art and the use of AI with modern technology, as well as the globalization of ideas and lack of inspiration. 

Next, over the course of the class period, I noticed that most students had picked one craft that interested them upon arriving and stuck with it for the time we had. There were multiple creative tools available, such as air dry clay, crochet, coloring pages with colored pencils or markers at hand, a type writer, etc. Each person had enough patience to really put effort into what they were creating and never got frustrated or quit what they were doing, nor left it there without a word. Students were also able to have conversations and socialize while doing their task, opposed to how all encompassing screens tend to be, to the point where people cannot converse while doing something on their phones.

Additionally, although there were only three different coloring pages, everyone chose to complete their differently, with different colors or mediums, and each person’s final result was much different from anyone else. 

As for my personal reflections, during the class time, I felt much more light and having a positive experience in class. Despite feeling very tired before and after the time slot, I was able to forget about how tired I was since my mind was actually being used. I just felt very present and as if I was able to really take in all of the information given to me in conversation with peers and other stimuli. I also tuned in and out to the background music playing because it was more up to selective hearing, instead of being bombarded with every source of art in equal measure. 

To add on, I personally did not find the task of staying off my phone to be difficult. I even had the device in my pocket where I could feel any potential vibrations from receiving notifications, which many people find to be even more distracting and tempting. Yet, I  was not tempted to check my phone throughout our time, since I felt fulfilled from my experience and therefore didn’t need to rely on anything else to occupy my hands or mind.

After experiencing our analog cafe, I think that more institutions should try the same thing in the future. However, there are steps to be taken first to ensure that the experience is as successful as ours. It is important to instate discussion-based assignments first– our class relies heavily on talking to our peers, which allows for friendly relationships to develop first, making the analog cafe experience better. Without doing so, our classroom would have surely been engulfed in silence, leaving many students to feel isolated and feel the need to compensate by “socializing” on their devices. Only after this should more schools use class times to complete digital free sessions– specifically with a selection including hands-on activities. These two things are things I feel are the most crucial for the success of the experiment, as students are actively engaged physically and mentally, comfortable around their peers, and not made to pay attention to a lecture that is horrendously understimulating compared to our everyday lives.

The images depict the front and back view of a document recording men in the Huguenot Street community’s information and oath status– if they took the oath to vote at the time, and if said oath was challenged on its validity. The ages and citizenship status are written down for all of these men. As well as a well known individual, John Elting, of the founding Elting family of New Paltz, whose oath was challenged and who was called an “idiot” in this legal file. 

Physical Description

As seen in the photos above, the document was a single sheet of yellowed oxidized paper, due to old age. The size of the paper itself was standard for legal documents, and can be estimated to be about 8.5 by 14 inches. The edges of the paper have not been greatly affected by weathering and so they are still uniformly straight and unbent, sharp. Most of the damage to the edges of the paper are around the corners, where the paper appears to have lost the sharp corners to both ripping and folding as the paper was handled. Even so, the corners still maintain most of the precise rectangular shape, as only the very outer edges of them have been impacted. On the page itself, text is handwritten with ink and a quill in cursive English writing. There are no premade lines on the paper, and the handwriting extends throughout the full length of the front side of the paper, and about halfway down the back side. 

Provenance

Within the Huguenot Historical Society’s collection page, it describes the acquisitions of the documents very vaguely. It reads, “The Huguenot Historical Society acquired its holdings of New Paltz Town Records at various times during the 20th century. The bulk of the records appeared to have been collected by past HHS President Kenneth E. Hasbrouck throughout the length of his term, which lasted from the early 1950’s to 1994” (Lefevre). Realistically, the estimated 40 some odd years is not so much of a range, considering that the full collection of files includes 160 items. Additionally, it begs the question of how the name Hasbrouck carries in such a space when it is the family name of one of the founders, along with Dayo, Elting, and more. With the lack of full disclosure about the procuration of each document, it is hard to determine the exact story of how this document fell back into the hands of those of Huguenot street. It is listed that “no direct documentation is readily available for any of these acquisitions” which are included in the collection as a whole. The chain of ownership then remains a mystery if the donation details are not yet available.

Now, the Huguenot Historical Society recognizes that the New Paltz Town Records are the legal property of the Town of New Paltz. As the current holders and caretakers of this collection of files, the HHS holds the responsibility for preserving the documents correctly and providing and allowing access to the collection to the best of its ability.

Narrative

The original collection includes documents that date from 1677 to 1932, but each object has its own time frame in which it is estimated to have been created. Originally, this document was filed within the collection as Miscellaneous court and legal records in box 12, folder 2, so a proper timeline could be from 1750-1782, and 1780-1860. With the added descriptor of John Elting being challenged in his oath which would effectively register him to vote, this range can be specified further, taking into account that the man was born circa 1812 and lived to around 1860. Eventually, it was found that the list dated back to 1860, so the events recorded must have taken place towards the tail end of John Elting’s life.

Although seemingly a pointless document, when diving into the research further, it becomes apparent that this could have been legal preparations for the next election, especially as it falls into boxes that otherwise pertain to municipal record keeping within the village government and town hall. The list of men’s names and their questioning of age and citizenship status, and the mention of oaths led to the belief that it was most likely a roster of eligible voters when it was reviewed once more during the digitization process in 2023.

Before having a system to effectively register voters the way there is today, men had to swear an oath that they met the requirements of eligibility. This oath could be challenged if there were suspicions that an individual did not truly meet the threshold. The changes put in the New York state constitution in 1821 allowed men to vote without the need to own property. Following the war of 1812, it became apparent to some people that it was not justified to have someone serve in the militia of a country and then not get a say in their government, so the motion to change the constitution was passed, 100 to 19 votes.

 However, if voting was then falling into a more general sphere and voters’ rights are already being questioned, it left room for more people to question even previously registered voters. This is where the challenging of oaths comes in, and in this document, John Elting, who comes from a family that owned property, is called an ‘idiot’. 

While the voting rights of migrants and the poor or working class were important to be expanded upon; the use of the word ‘idiot’ brings in the question of diability within communities long before acceptance. The word itself comes from Greek, originally meaning ‘private citizen’, but as the word translated into other languages, the meaning drifted. By the time it was used in English, it was a way to describe the ‘mentally deficient’ in the 14th century. Even more recently, psychologists in the 19th and 20th century came up with ways to determine the intelligence of a subject, and in the early 1900s, Dr. Henry H. Goddard proposed a classification system for intellectual disability based on the Binet-Simon developed concept of mental age. Those with the lowest mental age level (less than three years) were identified as ‘idiots’, referring to people having an IQ below 30. This truly begs the question if those with noticeable disabilities who may have been able to vote due to their status in society began to be pushed to the sidelines as more men became available to vote. This could have to do with the belief that an educated, disabled male is at the same intelligence level as the uneducated but unaffected, before the laws changed and non-landowning men were more valued for their effort in the army. 

This unassuming document provides insight into the past of New York democracy and everchanging guidelines created to meet the needs of the people and their participation in government. 

Works Cited

“Idiot Stick, N. Meanings, Etymology and More | Oxford English Dictionary.” Oxford Dictionary, http://www.oed.com/dictionary/idiot-stick_n?tl=true. Accessed 01 Nov. 2024. 

“The Clinical History of ‘Moron,’ ‘Idiot,’ and ‘Imbecile.’” Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/wordplay/moron-idiot-imbecile-offensive-history. Accessed 31 October 2024.

Larock, Evert. “Idiot.” Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idiot. Accessed 31 October 2024.

Lefevre, Ralph. “New Paltz Town Records (1677-1932) — Historic Huguenot Street.” Historic Huguenot Street, https://www.huguenotstreet.org/new-paltz-town-records. Accessed 31 October 2024.

Lippincott, Kerry. “The Ballot Box in New York State.” Historic Geneva, 16 Oct. 2020, historicgeneva.org/organizations/voting-history-in-new-york-state/. Accessed 01 Nov. 2024. 

Michael H. Martella, Esq. “Law 101: Fundamentals of the Law.” HOW THE UNITED STATES AND NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTIONS AFFECT OUR LIVES | Law 101: Fundamentals of the Law, courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-monroe-law101/chapter/how-the-united-states-and-new-york-state-constitutions-affects-our-lives/. Accessed 01 Nov. 2024. 

“MSS_033_012_002_152.” Home, nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll153/id/22735/rec/1. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024. 

A container of stuffed pasta shells seemed a bit like an obscure choice even to me, but it breaks down well. Starting off one step back up the supply chain, my best friend, Gabby, made this meal for me while I was at home because we always talk about cooking for each other. She is Italian-American, and so the recipe she uses comes from her grandmother from Italy, to whom she credits many of her skills and recipes. To split the object into different components, I thought about the pasta itself, the cheese, the sauce, and the container she gave it to me in.

As for the pasta, she tends to buy things from the grocery store she works at locally, Hannaford’s, and the company she usually purchases from and prefers is Prince, although she had to buy Borilla this time with she says herself was “very saddening.” The sauce is completely made by her save for growing the tomatoes, which she bought from the company named Tuttoroso. She spices the sauce and makes it on the stove herself, giving it a full day to cook with the utmost care.

The cheese is Galbani ricotta cheese in a 32-ounce container and the same brand of mozzarella in their pound-size brick. Locatelli pecorino is added from a block of around 8 ounces, 4 of which are used each time. Both the mozzarella and pecorino are hand shredded, the mozzarella with a handheld grater and the pecorino with a cheese mill from her grandmother herself. 

The container is a plastic to-go container, manufactured by Rubbermaid in their TakeAlongs line. The container itself is made of transparent, mostly inflexible plastic, and the cover is a deep, vibrant red made of opaque plastic. The container tapers slightly towards the base but the overall shape is square with the corners being rounded for easy cleaning. On either side of the container, the transparent plastic extends past the seal of the lid in order to provide a safe place to hold after heating. This particular container size is marketed as their 5.3 cup size, despite its capacity being listed as 5.2 cups. The dimensions listed on the Rubbermaid website for the medium square size container are ‘6.372 by 6.982 by 4.125’ and by itself weighs .32 pounds. 

While Rubbermaid produces some 80% of their products domestically, food-grade containers with pull-off lids are not produced in the US, and are manufactured elsewhere, though Wikipedia says the opposite. It is not disclosed specifically where the TakeAlongs are made, but some say China. 

All in all the products themselves have to travel far, but the already-made dish was placed right into my hands by my caring friend who loves to see me well-fed and taken care of. 

https://www.rubbermaid.com/food-storage/everyday-use-containers/takealongs/takealongs-medium-square-food-storage-containers/SAP_2086707.html 
https://allamerican.org/investigation/rubbermaid/

https://allamerican.org/investigation/rubbermaid/

Revised Version

ShirEl Wolfstein

Front View of the fan, Black electrical cord wrapped around the base.

Aerial view with front facing down, Control panel.

Back view

I decided to examine a fan my mother gave me on the first day of college with settings for both hot and cold. I see her specifically looking for a fan that is able to emit both temperatures such a subtle and thoughtful gesture, as I had told her that college dorms tend to be sweltering year round yet she still wanted to make sure I was warm and had options. Sitting in front of my little heating fan reminds me of her space heater when I was little and had barely any heat in her room, tucking our toes in fluffy socks in front of the heater while she did our nails and told us stories. What a subtle way to bring me comfort, but so effective. 

The fan is a matte gray plastic, the surface texture smooth, the shade of gray light with a warm undertone. The sides are rounded to match the motion of the blades but the top plateaus for a surface on which they dials lay. Around the two knobs is a black matte plastic piece with symbols in light gray describing the settings. One knob controls whether the fan is off, blowing cool, heat, and extra heated air, and the other is designated to determine the intensity of the blades and therefore air blowing. Between them is a small circular light. It is red and allows the user to be cautious should the fan be hot. 

Along the right side of the fan, given that the fan is facing forward, are small indented stripes like ribbing seated horizontally.  The left side is completely smooth, save for the indentations made for screws littered around the perimeter of the main fan. 

There is a small crack bisecting the two halves of plastic that make up the front and back half of the main plastic casing. The front piece of plastic that serves as a grate before the fan blades has a unique pattern, with lined arcs curving towards the left as they stand almost vertically. There are other pieces that mimic parabolas with their open side at the left, and one solid line extending horizontally like an equator to the grate. Directly at the center of it all sits a circular logo of the seller.

The back grate vastly differs from its counterpart. The plastic is arranged in evenly spaced and weighted rings, with arcs extended counterclockwise towards the outermost border and originating from the solid plastic circle sitting in the center of the grate. This circle remains blank aside from screw holes lined up vertically. 

The fan has a small flared base to ensure the device can stand alone and keep the fan secure. The black wire of the fan is most of the time wrapped up on the thinnest part of the base, keeping the fan as small as possible, taking up as little space as I can in my already very cramped form rooms.