Princeton residents have an opportunity this weekend to take in the first original video production of the local museum and archives society.
Team Effort is a 38-minute film documenting the area’s contributions to the Second World War, and had its debut November 11.
Museum manager Terry Malunchuk said the project was first conceived by museum volunteers who were looking for a way to digitize and display “The Smoke Letters.”
These are letters written to Princeton from soldiers overseas who received regular deliveries of cigarettes, donations organized by the local Elks Club.
“The original idea was just to get the best of these letters to people. We didn’t know what it was going to develop into. It did take on a life of its own and before we knew it, based on the research, it was more than just these letters. It was the contribution of Princeton to the war effort that turned out to be the real story.”
Politicians of the day were quoted as stating: “Princeton set the standard for small town contributions to the war,” said Malunchuk. “It was everything, not just the Elks. There were many organizations that did their own thing. There were people who knitted socks, for instance, that was a pretty big deal, and the usual collecting of aluminum and other items.”
Malunchuk said many people who viewed the film appreciated it for the way it shows everyday life.
“The first part really captures what Princeton was like back in the 1940’s, and the day to day things. For example one of the most popular places to picnic was up at Dry Lake, and there is some great footage of people getting together at Dry Lake just for a picnic.”
Perhaps the most poignant part of the movie is the end, he said, when the photos of veterans of shown.
“You see the photos of not just those who passed but those who served, the men and women, and there’s so many. It really gets to me. It’s very emotional.”
Malunchuk credited museum volunteer Todd Davidson with much of the work and research that went into the project.
“There is so much more that we could have done but we wanted to get this out for Remembrance Day. I have the feeling this project is done. I think there might be a part two next year.”
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