Norma Taulet sent some old Puerto Rico postcards. Thanks, Norma!
Arecibo High School, 1921
Caribe Hilton, 1953
The Condado Beach HotelSaturday, June 30, 2007
Old Postcards from Puerto Rico
Arecibo High School, 1921Caribe Hilton, 1953The Condado Beach Hotel
at
8:27 PM
About me
My name is Tom Lehman. My parents worked in church service projects in Ethiopia from 1948 to 1950 and in Puerto Rico from 1952-1956 and 1959-1961.
In late 2005 I bought a slide scanner, scanned the slides my father had taken while in Ethiopia and Puerto Rico to make copies for family members. I posted some of them to Flickr, an Internet photo sharing site. The reaction amazed me.
For many viewers, these slides were a record of their history, of a way of life that has disappeared. The slides were a window into the past.
I decided to see if others had similar slides I could scan that would add to and enrich the collection. There were, and the project was born.
To see the project photos, go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/tlehman/
Top of pageWhy were the people who took the photos in Puerto Rico?
The people who took these pictures were members of the Mennonite and Church of the Brethren churches, two of the historic peace churches. During World War II, members of these churches, who were conscientiously opposed to serving in the military, served in Civilian Public Service (CPS) in projects of national importance.
In 1898, as a result of the Spanish-American War, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. At the time, most of the land in Puerto Rico was owned by a few wealthy families, with most people living in poverty. During the New Deal, the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration (PRRA) began to redistribute land, build concrete houses, clinics, schools and community centers. When World War II began, the government wasn't able to keep these programs going. The door opened for CPS workers to continue some of these New Deal programs in Puerto Rico.
In 1942, Church of the Brethren CPS men began work at Castañer on PRRA facilities, starting a hospital, the first in rural Puerto Rico. In 1943, Mennonite CPS men came to La Plata and opened a hospital there. Several hundred persons served on these two projects over several decades doing medical, agricultural, educational, social, recreational, and economic development work.
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In 1898, as a result of the Spanish-American War, Spain ceded Puerto Rico to the U.S. At the time, most of the land in Puerto Rico was owned by a few wealthy families, with most people living in poverty. During the New Deal, the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration (PRRA) began to redistribute land, build concrete houses, clinics, schools and community centers. When World War II began, the government wasn't able to keep these programs going. The door opened for CPS workers to continue some of these New Deal programs in Puerto Rico.
In 1942, Church of the Brethren CPS men began work at Castañer on PRRA facilities, starting a hospital, the first in rural Puerto Rico. In 1943, Mennonite CPS men came to La Plata and opened a hospital there. Several hundred persons served on these two projects over several decades doing medical, agricultural, educational, social, recreational, and economic development work.
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Why are you putting these photos online?
These photos show a landscape and a way of life in transition. I'm putting them online for people to enjoy, to learn about the past, to connect to their roots. I hope educators and scholars can find uses for them.
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Do you have photos of (my town, ...)?
I've been fortunate enough to be able to obtain slide collections from people who took photos in Puerto Rico in the 1940s and 1950s (or from their children), preserved them all these years, and now have been kind enough to let me borrow and scan them.
I don't know what is in the slide collections until I scan them.
I add Flickr tags to the photos to make them searchable, so you might try typing what you are looking for in the "Search t13hman's photos" search box. Put quotations around a two word search, "San Sebastian", but Cayey.
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I don't know what is in the slide collections until I scan them.
I add Flickr tags to the photos to make them searchable, so you might try typing what you are looking for in the "Search t13hman's photos" search box. Put quotations around a two word search, "San Sebastian", but Cayey.
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How can I add information to a photo?
I want the information about the photos to be as accurate and complete as possible. If you have corrections or other information about places, customs, and so on, shown in the photos, please add a comment to the photo. I update the titles and descriptions of photos based on information in the comments.
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Who were the photographers?
Slide Collections Scanned
| Photographer | Place and dates in Puerto Rico |
|---|---|
| Dr. H. Clair Amstutz | La Plata, Oct. 1944-Aug. 1947 |
| Clarence Baer | |
| Luke Birky | La Plata, Mar. 1947-June 1950; Oct. 1950-1952(?)) |
| John Brandeberry | La Plata, July 1948-1951 |
| Paul Brenneman | |
| Homer Burke | Castañer |
| Dick Burkholder | |
| Lowell Cender | La Plata, early 1950s |
| Joanne Church | Castañer |
| Ron Collins | La Plata, early-mid 1950s(?) |
| Bill Coston | Castañer, 1942-46) |
| Carl Crandall | Visited PR in 1958, 1962, 1965) |
| Amos Delagrange | Aibonito, late 1950s |
| John Driver | La Plata, Nov. 1945-July 1948 |
| Robert Ebey | Castañer, 1948-early 1950 |
| Robert Ehret | |
| Carl Epp | La Plata, Sept. 1943-Mar. 1946 |
| Rohrer Eschleman | |
| Caleb Frantz | Castaner, Nov. 1943-June 1950 (had camera summer 1949-June 1950) |
| David Furman | Rio Piedras, 1954-74 |
| Dr. Lavern Gerig | La Plata, 1956-58 |
| Clayton Gingerich | La Plata, July 1946-Jan. 1948 |
| Carol Glick | Pulguillas, principal at Escuela Menonita Betania |
| Evelyn Good | La Plata, 1947-1950 |
| Maynard Good | La Plata, June 1949-Jan. 1951 |
| John Grasse | La Plata and Aibonito, mid-late 1950s |
| Lawrence Greaser | La Plata, Jan. 1946-Jan. 1947; Aibonito for a number of years afterwards |
| David and Mary Groh | La Plata, late 1950s |
| Dwight and Imy Hanawalt | Castañer, 1942-46 |
| Ellwyn Hartzler | La Plata, 1949-1950(?) |
| Don Heiser | Aibonito, pastor |
| David Helmuth | Aibonito, pastor |
| Roy and Glennys Henry | Barranquitas, 1948-49 |
| Dean Hochstetler | La Plata, 1949-1952 |
| Justus Holsinger | La Plata, July 1943-Apr. 1946; Sept. 1948-June 1952 |
| Maurice Hooley | La Plata, early 1950s |
| R.J. Hower | La Plata, late 1940s-late 1950s or early 1960s(?) |
| Dean Kagarise | Castañer, late 1953-mid 1955 |
| Allen Kanagy | La Plata, 1955-56 |
| Martha Kanagy | Pulguillas, teacher at Escuela Menonita Betania |
| Dale Kaser | La Plata and Aibonitos, 1950s |
| Dr. Ben Kenagy | La Plata, mid 1950s |
| John Kidwell | |
| Amos E. Kreider | |
| Paul Landis | La Plata |
| Melvin Lauver | |
| Paul Lauver | La Plata, Pulguillas, Cayey, 1946-1957 |
| Orpha Leatherman | La Plata, late 1940s; Cauahtemoc, Mexico, early 1950; Rancho Veloz and Sagua la Grande, Cuba, mid-1950s |
| Paul Leatherman | La Plata, Dec. 1945-Nov. 1948 |
| Carl M. Lehman | La Plata, Sept. 1943-Dec. 1945 |
| Elmer Lehman | Aibonito, 1954-56 |
| John Lehman | La Plata, 1952-56; Pulguillas, 1959-61 |
| Allen Martin | La Plata, 1949-52; 1961-68 |
| Horace Martin | |
| Jason S. Martin | La Plata |
| James Miller | Castañer, 1960-62 |
| Stanley Miller | Barranquitas, principal at Barranquitas Baptist Academy |
| John Murray | |
| Wilbur Nachtigall | La Plata, June 1943-July 1947; Palo Hincado, 1949-1954 |
| Eldo Neufeld | La Plata, 1949-1950(?) |
| Addona Nissley | La Plata, Dec. 1948-Aug. 1950; returned for a number of years |
| Clarence Peckover | Castañer |
| Dr. Delbert Preheim | La Plata, Sept. 1943-Apr. 1946 |
| Esther Rinner | La Plata, July 1947-Jan. 1949 |
| Dale Roesch | Castañer, 1948-49 |
| Patricia Santiago | La Plata |
Erwin Schrag | La Plata, July 1943-Feb. 1946 |
| Marvin Sherman | Castañer |
| Dr. Lee Smith | Castañer, 1955; 1958-59 |
| Marvin Smoker | |
| Jim Snyder | Aibonito, late 1950s |
| Don Sollenberger | Castañer, late 1940s |
| Loren Stichter | late 1950s |
| Victor Stoltzfus | |
| N. Paul Stucky | La Plata, Dec. 1943-Dec. 1945 |
| Oliver Stucky | La Plata, 1949-1950(?) |
| Fred Swartzendruber | La Plata, 1949-51 |
| Wayne Swartzendruber | La Plata, mid 1950s |
| Paul Tieszen | |
| Jim Tomlonson | Castañer, mid 1950s |
| Charles W. Toth | |
| Dick Weaver | Rio Piedras, early 1950s |
| Elmer P. Weaver | |
| Paul Weaver | Castañer, 1941-46 |
| Gladys Widmer | |
| Margarita Will | |
| Gerald Wilson | Pulguillas, 1957-65 |
| Leroy and Maxine Yoder | La Plata, Pulguillas, 1960-75 |
| Orris Yoder | La Plata, Aug. 1950- |
| Robert Yoder | La Plata, early 1950s |
| Harold Zehr | |
| Floyd Zehr |
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What are the conditions of use for these photos?
Conditions of use
1. Personal use
You don't need to ask permission or notify me to:
-- Copy up to 25 photos to your own computer
-- Print out up to 25 photos for your own use
-- Link to the photos on your website or blog
2. Non-profit educational or scholarly use
You don't need to ask permission to use the photos in the classroom (I would appreciate an email letting me know how the photos are being used).
You don't need to ask permission, but you do need to notify me to:
-- Publish photos in a non-profit educational or scholarly publication or broadcast medium
-- Exhibit photos in an exhibition (as long as no admission is charged to see them)
If you publish any of the photos in a not for profit educational or scholarly publication or exhibit them, you must:
-- list the names of the photographers in the credits
-- send me a copy of the publication or DVD of the program
3. Commercial use
The photos are not available for commercial use.
If you have any questions, contact me at telehman@gmail.com.
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1. Personal use
You don't need to ask permission or notify me to:
-- Copy up to 25 photos to your own computer
-- Print out up to 25 photos for your own use
-- Link to the photos on your website or blog
2. Non-profit educational or scholarly use
You don't need to ask permission to use the photos in the classroom (I would appreciate an email letting me know how the photos are being used).
You don't need to ask permission, but you do need to notify me to:
-- Publish photos in a non-profit educational or scholarly publication or broadcast medium
-- Exhibit photos in an exhibition (as long as no admission is charged to see them)
If you publish any of the photos in a not for profit educational or scholarly publication or exhibit them, you must:
-- list the names of the photographers in the credits
-- send me a copy of the publication or DVD of the program
3. Commercial use
The photos are not available for commercial use.
If you have any questions, contact me at telehman@gmail.com.
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Technical and preservation information
I scan the slides using a Nikon Coolscan V ED at 2,500 pixels per inch, producing a 26MB tiff file. Some of the earlier photos were scanned at a lower resolution.
The scanner software has a variety of photo enhancement features. Dark photos can be brightened, faded colors can be restored. My current practice is to scan first without adjustment, then rescan if needed to obtain the best possible photo.
To help make sure the photos are preserved I'm giving copies on CD to two archives, the Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín in San Juan, PR and the Mennonite Church USA Archive in Goshen, IN.
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The scanner software has a variety of photo enhancement features. Dark photos can be brightened, faded colors can be restored. My current practice is to scan first without adjustment, then rescan if needed to obtain the best possible photo.
To help make sure the photos are preserved I'm giving copies on CD to two archives, the Fundación Luis Muñoz Marín in San Juan, PR and the Mennonite Church USA Archive in Goshen, IN.
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Scanning tips
In the past five years (2005-2011) I've scanned some 25,000 slides (Update: as of 2022, over 50,000 slides). This is what I've learned along the way and wish I had known at the beginning.
- Scan at the highest resolution you can afford. Storage is cheap. You don't ever want to have to scan a photo twice because you need more detail. I scan slides at 2,500 pixels per inch, resulting in a 26MB TIF file.
- Scan in a lossless file format, meaning no information is discarded in compression. TIF is the predominant photo file format. I save TIFs as preservation masters, making JPEGs for use as needed. Irfanview is an excellent free program I use to convert TIFs to JPEGs and to reduce file sizes.
- Make at least two copies of every photo you intend to keep, on different hard drives, on different media (hard drive, DVD, in the cloud), in different locations if possible. Hard drives can go bad, DVDs degrade over time, cloud storage companies can lose data or go out of business. Your best chance of preserving digital information over time is multiple copies.
- Keep records with information about the photos. I maintain a spreadsheet that has been invaluable. I record with the following information (when available) for each slide:
- Date scanned
- Unique sequential number
- File name of the photo
- Slide type (Kodak, Kodachrome Transparency, etc.). This can help date the slide. See the Kodachrome slide dating guide
- When the photo was taken
- Place the photo was taken
- Persons in the photo, if known
- Description/Notes
- Owner of the photo collection
- Country
- Comments
- File name of the photo: the file name I assign consists of a unique sequential number followed by a description of the photo; for example: 2587--Ox teams in field, carts being loaded with sugarcane.tif. This lets people refer to a photo by its number and I can easily look it up in the spreadsheet and get the full information. It's easy to find information on people, places, etc. by searching within the spreadsheet.
- Slide type: I don't always have a date the photo was taken, and the slide type can help date it. There is a handy Kodachrome slide dating web page that is very helpful.
- Cleaning slides. If a slide has dust, dirt or mold that can be removed, it will improve the quality of the scanned image. You have to be very careful though, as slides can easily be damaged. If in doubt, don't clean, use Photoshop to remove blemishes. Here's what I've learned.
- Make sure you know which is the emulsion side of the slide. It's the rough side that faces the screen. The other (base) side is smooth. If you get the emulsion wet it will smear.
- Some dust and dirt can be removed from the emulsion side of a slide. I bought a yard of flannel which I cut into nine 12 inch square pieces to brush off the dust lightly. (photo)
- If slides haven't been stored in a closed box, they may have a greasy film on the emulsion side. I breathe on the slide as you would to clean glasses, then rub gently with the flannel cloth. Don't try this with slides with just "Kodachrome" on the mounts (pre-June 1949), as the emulsion is softer than in later slides.
- Don't attempt to clean mold from the emulsion side. It has usually eaten into the emulsion, and attempting to remove it will damage the slide.
- Dirt and mold can be cleaned with some success from the base (smooth) side of the slide. I use filtered water and a clean 100% cotton cloth. I wrap the cloth around my index finger, get a drop of the filtered water on the cloth, and gently rub off the dirt or mold. I use a clean area of the cloth to dry the slide. Again, this is for the base side only.
- Launder your cloths after cleaning a few slides.
- I examine each slide to see if cleaning is needed. I use a magnifying glass and hold the slide up to a sheet of white paper taped to a the back side of a downward facing desk lamp. This works much better than a slide viewer.
Here are some photos showing the process I use.
Contact information
To get in touch, email me at: telehman@gmail.com