The habit of history is probably what keeps me a subscriber to our daily Morning Sentinel. News, now a 24-hour delivery on TV and radio, comes in such volume that my present 88 years seem to hang onto only the highs, lows and human interest items.

History, for me at least, is what gets written down. It does not need my failing ears to interpret; it is set down in a prose, sometimes memorable, sometimes not, but which shows an effort was made to keep clear. It is stored in a way that does not need my 10 thumbs on a keyboard for retrieval. My sense of humor is (usually) intact while I’m reading.

And I can re-read it, as needed, if it confuses in any way. Try that on a TV newsroom timeline.

John Holt Willey

Waterville