Treasures on Display in Timken Library
Bits of Blair Way Back When

Since the beginning of the school year, Timken Library has featured displays of a number of scrapbooks dating back to the early 1900s, thanks to the efforts of Kate Skeffington, library assistant. Ann Williams, director of Timken Library, notes, “Obviously the people who compiled these scrapbooks are no longer alive, including Helen Kellam Beaver, a life member of The Blair Academy Alumni Association (she received that designation in May of 1952). Such interesting contents in our display cases are meant to provide current students with a taste of student life way back when.”

Kate has managed to convey the varied interests of Blair students at the time in her compilations below; some are sure to bring a smile to the face and a memory to mind. Click on the photos to enlarge and better see the contents of each display case. Kate hopes current students or alumni may be inspired to create their own books and pass them on. “The scrapbooks are priceless – we’ve got to find someone to do a contemporary one,” she said.

About the Scrapbook Authors
As reported by Kate Skeffington, Timken Library Assistant

Helen D. Kellam, Class of 1912
Helen D. Kellam, known as “Kellie” to her friends, compiled her scrapbook between 1910 and 1916. She was a “Did Most for Blair” kind of student as well as a loyal alumna. She was a member of the Phi Sigma literary society and capped her Blair academic career as the writer of the “Class History” for the yearbook and as Class Day speaker. She organized and took part in contests, exhibitions and promenades. “Contests” are discussed in the Wilson Randolph paragraph. A “Promenade” was a dance; it’s where we get the word “prom” from. An “Exhibition” at Blair Academy usually concerned sports. In her senior year, Helen took part in the spring Athletic Exhibition. She is listed in the Water Sports section. She demonstrated her prowess in the Plunge, Diving and Water Polo events. “Plunge” is a now defunct Olympic sport in which the athlete dove into the water and coasted as far as she could without taking a stroke. Just imagine how far you got in a knee-length woolen suit with stockings and shoes.

Wilson F. Randolph, Class of 1920
Wilson Randolph came to Blair in 1917, just as America was entering the Great War. Blair was now a single-sex school and military training was added to the school day. Drill was held for one hour on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Mr. Randolph has a comic view of these drills hand drawn into his scrapbook. His favorite pastimes seem to have been movies and theater and girls. He has many snapshots of school friends (and girls) and athletes. He also collected postcards of Blair and the surrounding area as well as ones sent to him from family and friends. On the upper left of this case is an “Annual Contest” program. The “Annual Contest” was the culmination of a school year’s worth of smaller “Contests” in which students presented their musical, literary and oratory skills. These “Contests” were just that: a contest; the school had various literary and social societies that competed against each other. They were not unlike a talent show – just more educational. Students presented readings from published literature as well as their own essays, vocal and instrumental solos and persuasive oration on a particular topic determined in advance.

Mable P. Bushnell, Class of 1914
Mable P. Bushnell was a four-year student here at Blair who was graduated in 1914. She kept a varied and comprehensive scrap book. Along with the usual autographs, photos and athletic rosters, she preserved paper flowers, partially smoked cigarettes, rolling papers, grave yard grass, locks of hair, ribbons, campaign buttons, and all manner of labels and chits. She is short on newspaper articles, and so we have many more interesting and personal items. On the pages opened in this case there is a “contract” marked “PRIVATE” between Mable herself and Constance W. Rouse. The “contract” centers on marriage or the lack of it. Amongst other things, they agree to present each other with a pound of Heuyers Chocolates (a now defunct New York chocolatier) if they do not marry and to set up “old maid apartments” together if they’re not married by 30. It’s hard to tell if this is what they’d prefer. If her scrap book is any indication, Mable lived a vivacious and eventful life here at Blair and seems set to keep on living life to the fullest wherever she goes – married or not.

Walter S. Baumann, Class of 1922
Walter S. Baumann’s scrapbook is made up of the usual autographs, sports scores, team rosters and dance cards, as well as student insights on each other and their teachers. However, he also included some unusual things such as magazine headers. There are also hand drawings and cartoons that are unattributed, as well as many portraits and snapshots of athletes and friends. Walter preserved quite a few of his lessons and tests – not something we find very often – which prove illuminating as to how things do and do not change over the years.

Click on images to view larger.

Posted 10/23/2009

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