Wellesley College Scrapbook Album from WWII era with 160 original photos and 205 pieces of ephemera

Wellesley College, Scrapbook

Scrapbook Album

[Women's College] Scrapbook and photo album from Wellesley College student filled with 160 original silver gelatin print photos and 205 pieces of ephemera, including invitations, newspaper clippings, and souvenirs from traveling. Dated 1939-1943. Filled with photographs, and ephemera including Western Union telegrams, newspaper clippings, dance cards, and party invitations. Original blue cloth boards. 13 x 10 in. Wellesley seal in the center of front cover. 100 pages. Shows the interests and daily occupations of a college girl in the early days of WWII. 160 photos of various sizes, from 3.5 x 4" to 8 x 10". First page detached, all else sound. Few heavier pieces of ephemera, such as matchbooks, have come detached. Very good condition. Many pieces items from the scrapbook are directly linked with the history of Wellesley College. Report card shows grades in English Composition, Math, Music Theory, Hygiene, Biblical History, Music, Philosophy, Piano, Physics, Economics, and Sociology. The last semester shows she earned three Cs in her work. She added “saved by the gong” underneath. Many items related to social life and campus traditions, such as Float Night and Tree Day, and many school socieites and clubs, including Tau Zeta Epsilon (Art Society of Wellesley College), Zeta Alpha (Literary Society of Wellesley College), and Phi Sigma (Honor Society for Biological Sciences). Includes ephemera that relates to other East Coast schools, such as Harvard and Cornell. “Harvard Blitzkrieg Fails at Wellesley Float Night….Harvard’s attempted blitzkrieg on Wellesley College’s annual Float Night ceremony on Lake Waban came to a dismal end last night, when the Wellesley crew coach dispersed the attacking flotilla single-handed…Miss Harriet Clark, the crew coach,….put out in the crew motor launch and swooped in, out and around the invading flotilla until the Harvard men, fearful of being capsized hurried to shore …The Harvard students sent ominous ‘fight’ yells over the water, but the Wellesley girls just booed right back and cheered for Yale.” Comes with newspaper clippings on noted alumna Soong Mei-ling (Class of 1917), wife of Chiang Kai-shek and First Lady of the Republic of China and an attendance ticket from one of her a speaking events on campus. “Madame Chiang Makes History at Alma Mater…The eyes and ears of the nation were on Wellesley last weekend as madame Chiang Kai-shek revisited the scenes of her college days to greet her former classmates and to speak to the present undergraduates.” Many photos of friends around campus and several from Commencement day June 20, 1943 with subjects dressed in graduation caps and gowns, including the Wellesley tradition of “Hoop Rolling” down Tupelo Lane.

Many items that show a young college woman’s social life and agenda, including many parties, weekend trips to the beach, and travel across the country to visit friends and family. Photo from the 1940s World’s Fair in Chicago, as well as images and postcards from Cleveland and Minneapolis. American Airlines ticket for a flight from Boston to Newark that cost $11.95. “First time I flew. Home for Thanksgiving weekend.” Includes Western Union telegrams, birthday cards, party invitations, and correspondence from a friend at Newcomb College (New Orleans). Many press clippings relate to friend’s engagement or marriage announcements. As this was the early days of WWII, some of the wedding announcements list a military rank for the new husband, and one photo in the album is of the owner’s brother Walt in uniform, with the handwritten caption “in the marines”. Matchbooks from places such as the Brae Burn Country Club (West Newton, MA) and Marshall Field & Co. in Minneapolis. Junior prom photos w/ 3 couples, followed by 9 photos of “Junior Prom Weekend” getaway to Ogunquit, Maine. Other photos show album owner and friends going for a drive, at the beach in Ipswich, and having outdoor picnics. Mailed postcard from Cape Cod with message: “Girls — It’s wonderful—and don’t be twisted. We really are at the cape. Hyannis to be exact—surrounded by luxury, scotch, and bliss. Thanks for everything you didi. See you soon— Ecstatically yours, Sally”. The last photos show her life after graduation, including many baby photos of a beloved niece and a work ID for Irving Trust, a leading investment bank in New York. Employment identification photo of with “A Davidson 5 43” printed along bottom edge. Caption “A woiking goil [sic]” and “Irving Trust”.

Item #16967

Price: $700.00