‘DID YOU KNOW? . . .’—Jim Woodard, resident storyteller at the Reagan Library, has been sharing his vast reservoir of historical knowledge at the presidential museum since 1995. It was Jan. 1, 1863, and despite an ongoing Civil War, a large crowd gathered outside the White House to celebrate the New Year. Inside, Lincoln prepared to sign into law his Emancipation Proclamation, the order that laid the groundwork to end slavery in America.

With the proclamation document in front of him and a room full of onlookers hoping to catch a glimpse of history in the making, Lincoln picked up his pen, held it above the document for a moment, then placed it back on his desk without signing. Not once, but twice, did he raise the pen so close to the manuscript, only to put it down before signing.

Aghast, those in the audiences wondered if the president was having second thoughts.

But Honest Abe, aware of how some might perceive his actions, quickly provided an explanation.

“(His) right hand (was) a bit shaky because (he’d) been shaking hands with people all day at the New Year’s celebration,” said Jim Woodard, resident storyteller at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. “He said, ‘I don’t want future generations to see any shakiness in my signature that might look as though I was hesitating in signing this document. I support the proclamation’s words with all my heart and soul.’”

Storytelling, like music, is a universal art form, said Woodard, 81. And when history is involved, there’s great learning potential because storytellers can create memories that stick with individuals their entire lives.

“If the stories are appropriately selected and told, the response is always positive and beneficial,” Woodard said.

The Ventura resident has been sharing his huge reservoir of historical knowledge at the library since 1995. In addition to being a featured speaker on Presidents Day and the Fourth of July, he is commissioned to make special presentations.

Over the past 20 years, Woodard has presented many programs at public libraries, schools, museums, businessprofessional group meetings and other venues.

He specializes in stories of U.S. history and profiles of past presidents and great achievers. He likes to reveal littleknown details from well-known events that surprise and perhaps even shock his listeners.

“I just pick out things about the person or historical event that most people have never heard of before,” he said, noting that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are among his favorite subjects.

As a raconteur, Woodard said he aspires to share the achievements of historical figures so they can serve as role models for new generations.

Woodard said he recently added new elements to the conclusion of his Lincoln tales to incorporate the similarities between the Civil War-era president and President Barack Obama.

Both men came from humble beginnings and faced exceptional challenges when they took office as president. Neither was reluctant to appoint former adversaries to his Cabinet or to other leadership positions, Woodard said.

Politics are only part of Woodard’s repertoire. He also enjoys sharing stories about the California gold rush, Norman Rockwell, Grandma Moses and the very first teddy bear.

Most people don’t know that Norman Rockwell was a high school dropout or that his first studio was in the attic of a New York brothel, said Woodard.

Audiences are also surprised to learn that Grandma Moses was in a business that produced and sold butter and potato chips before becoming famous as an artist, he said.

Woodard began to tell stories in the early ’50s while working as a counselor at Boys Town, a boys’ home in Nebraska.

“I started telling stories to my young charges and was very impressed by how attentive and interested they were, even the toughest of the kids,” he said.

Woodard leads a weekly storytelling club session at his local Boys & Girls Club and writes freelance features for magazines and websites.

He said one of his goals is to inspire youths to read. “Stories have the power to help kids develop into superior readers and students, which is a key factor in directing them toward a life of exceptional achievement,” he said.

Lauren Arias, education programs coordinator for the Reagan Library, said Woodard’s contribution to the library’s public programs is significant.

“He has just a wonderful way of bringing history to life. People don’t even realize that they’re learning,” Arias said, adding that Woodard tells his stories with factual accuracy and humor.

“One of the reasons why the library loves Jim Woodard so much is because Reagan was considered a great communicator, who also used storytelling,” she said.

The best tellers are those who become so emotionally involved in the story line they forget they’re making a presentation before a group of people, said Woodard, a member of the National Storytelling Network.

The Ventura man has presented several college courses on the art of storytelling and wrote a book about Ventura County six years ago.