When I ask John Geist, a 14-year B&O volunteer
originally from Lancaster, PA, if he would mind being the subject of the latest
Volunteer Spotlight, I am met with same the soft-spoken humility that makes
John such a pleasure to work with each week. Without much ado, John gives me
permission to interview him, and we settle into what we at the B&O have
come to call the Fishbowl: a small research area between our offices and the
archives where John volunteers every Wednesday. John speaks gently, but not timidly, as he has in every conversation I’ve ever had with him. John isn’t a
timid man, but rather one whose thoughts are carefully distilled, whose words
are clear and precise, and whose temperament is mild and disarming.
John is the first to admit that he had no prior connection
to the railroad; he holds a master’s degree in social work from the University
of Pittsburgh and his career was spent largely as an association executive for
various human services agencies. In areas such as health, education, and child
safety, John worked to help administer services and resources to the people who
needed them. This is why John’s particular interest is in the human aspect of the
railroad’s history. He explains that railroading was the first American
industry to provide a social safety net for its employees, and furthermore,
that the B&O was the very first railroad to do so with the inception of its
Relief Department in the late 19th century. My discussion with John
on this topic further affirms what I’ve already begun to realize in my time at
the B&O: there is an aspect of the railroad’s history for everyone. The
B&O Railroad represents a cross-section of society, wherein social historians
like John are just as essential as those who can, say, describe in painstaking
detail the mechanical ins-and-outs of a steam engine. This isn’t just about
history either – John’s favorite part of volunteering at the B&O is “the
camaraderie with the other volunteers and working with the staff,” and you’d be
hard-pressed to find anyone, staff or volunteer, who would disagree. John’s
words and his wisdom serve as powerful reminders of what has always made the
B&O so special. From the workers who built the railroad, to the tireless
volunteers like John Geist who devote their time to the careful maintenance of its
legacy, the B&O has always been about people, their lives, their work, and perhaps
most importantly, their stories.
For volunteer opportunities, visit: http://www.borail.org/BO-Volunteer.aspx
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