On Fri, 4 Oct 1996, Phil Donahue wrote:
 
> just raising a controversy. If it forces you to ask a question, than it is
> worthy of an answer.
 
It also depends on the question -- not all questions are worthy of
response, let alone answers.
 
> in culture are pleasant. There are many practices that at the time may have
> been considered "art" that are quite morbid. The account of someone using a
> departed freind's skin as a book binding is fascinating. This is a practice
> that I was not aware of to such a large degree. The RM or Archivist caring
> for such items has a strange task indeed!
 
The local historical society has quite a collection of mementos made from
human hair, including a few very elaborate hair wreaths.  My first
reaction to them is a head to toe shudder, but then, when I think that
these were made by people who were more accustomed to the possibilities of
losing loved ones (through death, migration) than perhaps we are
today....Well, who can blame them for wanting to retain something so
tangible, and so intensely personal.
 
I draw the line at hair though.  The skin thing.... blech! blech!! blech!!
 
Teresa Taylor
Special Collections & University Archives
California Polytechnic State University
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