A sense of humor was not an option, it was a necessity.
This line, taken from one of the showcase notes, summarizes the exhibition called How To Survive An Earthquake: A Humorous Look At San Francisco, 1906 
. Housed in a mock refugee tent, the exhibit features books, photographs, and artifacts from the San Francisco Public Library’s Schmulowitz Collection of Wit and Humor (SCOWAH).
Humor takes on a wider meaning in this show. Beside joke books that were popular during the day, we are treated to ephemera which illustrate pastimes that may have made the people forget the misery that surrounded them: a Sutro Baths poster, restaurant menus, and programmes for sporting and theater events. Boxing was YOOOOJ! A section of the show was dedicated to boxing memorabilia. Prizefights made a comeback in this city barely a month after the quake.
One eye-catching part of the exhibit was a blown-up picture of refugees sitting in front of a tent which bore a sign that said “House of Mirth.” The tent had other wooden signs that made fun of the wretched situation.
After being inundated with ’06 commemorative articles about San Francisco’s dim past and gloomy, earthquake-doomed future, I found it refreshing to have visited this and the marriage project exhibits. Maybe I’m one of those Bay Area residents who are in denial, but I prefer to look at stories of survival and resilience. I belong to a stubborn lot—we’ve lived through quakes, fires, landslides and economic recessions, and we've manage to come out stronger than before.
How To Survive An Earthquake: A Humorous Look At San Francisco, 1906 will be on display April 1-May 31 in the Skylight Gallery at the San Francisco Public Library .
In any tragedy, humor provides one of the best ways to heal wounds, both spiritual and physical. If we think about some catastrophes in recent memory, we'll find that humor sometimes allows many to deal with the unbearable and points to the path that lets them move on without sacrificing their grief. Indeed, humor can help push us to "survival" and support "resilience," traits that in the end will help us tell these stories to future generations.
humor that doesn't go overboard will always be key to surviving and trying to understand any tragedy.so long as it doesn't go overboard.