Past Stories

Memoir

Personal narrative about a landmark, person, experience

Example: Rebecca's Story of the Isles of Shoals

Advantages

Honors the past, the old-timers, the keepers of the history

Essential to weave the full story of the community

Can lead to unexpected discoveries and insights

Disadvantages

Can invite general nostalgia

Can invite attitudes about the present: everything is bad now

Can state only what is already known, or what is shared by 80% of rural

dwellers--nothing new or precise is offered the H & S process

Present Stories

Issues of the now

Example: Peeptoad Pond

Advantages

Inclusive: Everyone has a story

Brings to the forefront what should be kept

Specificity & Detail

Engagement

Disadvantages

Potential to polarize the community around stories

Needs skilled moderating and facilitating

Springboard Stories

What the future could/should look like

Alternatives/Variations on a theme

Advantages

People have a chance to suggest what to change, what to keep

Participatory democracy possible

Engagement---if people think the stories could lead somewhere

Information gleaned will be detailed and specific

Story-as-Action

Disadvantages

People will come up with utopian designs

Need skilled facilitator of springboard-story workshops