did on television survives in one form
or another, all of us who were a part of
it will always be associated with those
characters. So, when someone says they
love the Little House;books,;unless;they
have;never;seen;the;series,;in;all;likeli-
hood,;when;they’re;reading;those;books,
they’re;seeing;our;faces.;It’s;different;sto-
ries, but we are blessed to be imbued or
to be stamped on the interpretations of
those characters forever. I always feel
honored;to;know;I;can;be;associated;with
something that brings people such plea-
sure in their family reading.
TOS: I grew up with my mom reading
the Little House;books;to;me;as;well,;and
we would always laugh because in some
of them, they would describe the people
very;specifically,;but;we;knew;that’s;not
what;they;looked;like.;Even;though;as;a
child;you;know;the;difference;between
what;you’re;reading;and;what;you’re;see-
ing;on;TV,;it;just;didn’t;feel;right.;Those
characters were the cast that played
them;;that’s;just;part;of;the;memory;of
growing up with it.
Dean:;I;think;that’s;really;true,;we—
and it may be a completely subconscious
experience—may not be consciously say-ing;okay,;this;person;I;watch;on;televi-sion is who they are writing about here,
but;I;think;it’s;inevitable;that;we;do;that.
Now, if nothing had ever been shot, then
of course, everyone tags these charac-ters;in;their;own;way.;That’s;a;wonder-ful thing about reading—that you get to
do that. In some ways, maybe television
has;sort;of;shaped;people’s;imaginations
a;little;bit.;I;guess;I;just;feel;lucky;that;I’m
part of whatever that shaping might be.
TOS: You dedicated the Life Before
Laura documentary to “the American
pioneer spirit and those who preserve
it for present and future generations.”
We had a question from a reader named
Susan;who;wanted;to;ask;you,;“Why;do
you;think;this;part;of;history;is;so;vital?”
Why;do;you;think;it;is;so;important;to
continue to remember, preserve, and
learn;from;the;pioneers’;legacy?
Dean:;I;think;it’s;important;to;remem-
ber the pioneer legacy because this was
a time when the human spirit of believ-
ing in what may have seemed impos-
sible, when overcoming adversity, was
key.;They;faced;questions;of;basic,;fun-
damental human adversity: How are we
going to stay warm? Do we have enough
food;to;survive;another;week?;Will;our
wagon;make;it;across;the;hundreds;of
miles;it’s;going;to;need;to;take;us;in;or-
der;to;get;us;to;this;place?;We;don’t;even
know;what;it;looks;like.;We’re;just;going
on;what;we;saw;printed;on;a;flyer;and;a
belief;that;what;we’re;going;to;find;is;bet-
ter;than;what;we’re;leaving;behind.;In;an
age;when;so;much;is;known,;where;we
can see everything with our telephones
and;our;iPads;and;our;computers,;the
www.TheOldSchoolhouse.com
“When;I;was;working;on;the;program;all;those;years;ago,
I;came;to;fall;in;love;with;what;it;stood;for.”
