This photo essay tells the story of how the nature of work has changed over the generations and how work influences our everyday lives.  It does this by offering a glimpse into the photograph albums of several Lawrence families.

     Photography is a popular way to preserve a family's traditions and its past.  When Dr. Erdener started collecting photographs in Lawrence, his goal was to discover which parts of their lives working families had captured on film, thereby preserving them through the generations.  Because work is such a major part of people's lives, he was expecting to find many photographs showing family members at work.  However, he soon realized that people do not tend to preserve everyday routines such as working in a mill, at an electronic company, or at a hospital, in their photographs.  Instead, they take pictures of special occasions.  In other words, for many people, work is not an activity that deserves special attention, but rather a routine part of everyday Life.