TO READ ON:   "A Thousand and More" - Page 2    //   Page 3

TO VISIT:  1St Time to Kiukiang   //   Nanking Experience   //   China in the 1900s   //   BACK TO:  The Great Flood   //   Old Kiukiang

When I first began this project, I sensed it might not be easy. But I never thought it would take ten months and counting. After sorting through the second and third installments from the Perkins Family Collection, I stand corrected from my previous posting: I have been knee-deep for quite some time. I believe this is it and that I have reached the end of sorting photos.

The entire Perkins Family Collection contains well over 2,200 photos, not including numerous duplicates. I have retaken well over 1,700 photos in the past ten months, all with my 2009 "smart" phone. I believe I have successfully digitized these 1,700-plus photos because their respective JPEG files are high-quality, if not simply excellent, in resolution, even though the posted versions are much lower in resolution. It is no small accomplishment, or, I believe, rather significant in the context of decaying photos.

ORIGINAL CAPTIONS: "Entrance to Brooklyn Bridge - Sept. 1907."

Yes, they have been protected in that well-traveled 19th-century metal suitcase, and subsequent installments appeared to have been partially sorted, categorized, and placed in tightly wrapped envelopes, sealed in boxes roughly thirty years ago. Now, please consider my "brutal" handling of these photos over the past 10 months… They have suffered over the past 10 months from exposure to light, oxidizing air (some of poor quality), heat, moisture, and low pH (acidity). I did not think of wearing gloves either until later (or too late). I hope I am forgiven, given that I am likely the only one who will ever take on this project. However, these are indeed very, very old photos. I am unsure how long they will survive here, and I need to bring them all back out at least one more time to capture cations.

So, I am very glad the important ones now have their JPEG files.

Aside from these categorized digital photos, I have 200+ photos classified as "Who are these people?" and "Where are these places?" These people are likely extended family members and friends of the Perkins, or people they met. Where were those places they visited? Another set contains ~ 30 photos, and I had to categorize them as "Are these actual postcards?" No, I am not joking. I couldn't tell if they are postcards with no actual labels, faded photos, or even possible old drawings using black ink. In any event, some of them are beautiful and artistic. I did not retake any of these.

Another hundred plus photos should mostly belong to Mrs. Perkins' original family – the Phillip's Family – for which I did not "jpeg" any. For many of them:
1. I am not completely clear who they are.
2. They do not contain either Mrs. Perkins or Dr. Perkins.
3. There is no need to post all family members since I have sufficient photos from both families.

A few smaller collections are from Mrs. and Dr. Perkins' youthful days and the places they traveled. I did not retake all of them, especially the hundred or so photos taken in the US—see Page 2 of this essay. There are still another 50 or so photos that have not been retaken, likely of Water of Life Hospital personnel and their families, other Kiukiang schools and hospitals, or general Method Missions in China.

Last but not least, despite digitizing over 1,700 photos, I have posted only ~825 (tallied on May 12, 2016). The current estimate is that approximately another 200 are to go (I well underestimated the "to be considered for posting" pile a few months ago). My rationale, again, is that more is not better. The purpose is to tell a story, not overwhelm one's retinas or bore with repetitive pictures. That said, I have exercised on the excessive side for some pages, i.e., The Old Water of Life Hospital, The Great Flood, and The Refugee Camp.

Benjamin R. K. Sun (孫賁)
April 15, 2016 [Rev. 05/15/2016]

– TO VISIT –

Danforth Hospital   //   Rulison Girls High   //   William Nast    //   Gracey Center   //   Knowles   //   WFMS Primary   //   Day School

ORIGINAL CAPTIONS: Left - "6 Arthur Place, Nov. 1899."  Right - "Standard wisteria, 6 Arthur Pl – June 1907."

Home of Ms. Georgina M. Phillip <Chinese Name: Pei Jia-Ji, 裴家紀>, Yonkers, NY