How to Send Your Stuff for the Website
The website won't be as good as it could be unless you contribute.
You've got memories of high school that would be wonderful to share with your classmates. Your memories of a favorite teacher. . . or the one that influenced you the most would make a beautiful jewel in the diadem we want to create as a tribute to the faculty that helped mold us into the adults we became.
Some of you have snapshots that you or your parents took 'way back then. They may be in dusty boxes in the closet or the attic, but, if you can find them, they are worth a fortune for the nostalgia they will bring to the website.
But, how do you get them on this website? Answer: You send them to The Webmaster!
How? Answer: By e-mail or by "Snail Mail"
Here are the instructions for getting your contributions to Louis safely, with the assurance that you will get the precious, irreplaceable things that you want back returned to you safely.
(faster)
For sending digital files of reasonably small size (less than 2 megabytes):
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Essays that you have typed into a word processor on the computer |
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One or two photos taken with a digital camera |
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Scanned images (as long as they are less than 2 megabytes) |
I have Microsoft Word 2000, so if your computer has another type of word processor (Word Perfect 5.0 or Works, for example), save it as a "text file" (.txt extension) to send to me. If your version of MS Word is newer than Word 2000, save your document as a Word 2000 document rather than as the default type of document.
To get your valuable photos scanned if you don't want to send them through the mail, take them to your public library if you don't have a scanner for your computer. Public libraries (and even high school libraries) are now "Media Centers," equipped with computers, scanners and Internet connections. If they are like the friendly folks at the Sheffield Public Library (and I'm sure they are in all towns), they will be happy to assist you for a ridiculously low fee. They might even help you e-mail the scans to me. Tell them my e-mail address is lebuettner@comcast.net.
To send me stuff by e-mail:
| Compose a new letter addressed to me at lebuettner@comcast.net |
| Attach the digital file to your letter. This is usually done by browsing to the place where your digital file is located and double-clicking on the name of the file. You can send more than one attachment in one e-mail as long as the combined size of the attachments and the e-mail letter does not exceed the capacity of your internet provider to handle. For Comcast, the limit is 10 megabytes. For AOL, the limit is 3 megabytes. For other carriers, I don't know the limit, but you'll get an error message when you try to send a package that's too big. |
| Then just click on the "SEND" button to transmit both your letter and the attachment or attachments. |
If you have a fairly short story to contribute and don't have or don't want to use a word processor to type it up, you can just type it into the message part of the e-mail letter. I can then simply "cut-and-paste" your story into the appropriate place on the website without having to retype what you've sent.
"Snail Mail"
This name was coined by computer snobs who want to do everything on their computers. This is the traditional mail system of the U.S. Postal Service, and, it's good for sending:
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Lots of photos that I will scan into digital files and return to you |
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CD's with lots of photos that you have scanned in with your equipment or transferred from your digital image files of pictures taken with your digital camera |
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Memorabilia, such as program booklets, decorations from proms or other events, Hi-Lites newspapers, news clippings or even your scrapbook of high school years that I will scan and return to you |
If you use the Post Office to send things, be sure to protect the items you send:
If the things will fit into a manila folder, add two stiff cardboard inserts on the front and back of the contents. I've found that the Smead No. 403 letter-sized pressboard file folders work well for this purpose. It might be good to put the folder into a padded mailing folder, depending on the value you place on what you are sending.
If the material is old and deteriorating (like news clippings from the Fifties, copies of The Hi-Lites, etc.), place them in plastic document protectors.
If the things are bulky, pack them in a stiff cardboard box for mailing. Make sure the box is larger than the contents so that the contents won't touch the sides. Use adequate filler material to pad the contents to keep them from shifting when the package is handled.
I find that the postal clerk will go to extra lengths to mark the package "FRAGILE," if you tell them the contents are heirloom material that cannot be replaced.
My address is:
Louis Buettner
2806 Lake Cove Circle
Tuscaloosa, AL 35406-2979