Memorabilia. is a hefty, approximately 50-page book whose author is Ruth Colburn Barnard, Smith College Class of 1898 who filled this book with treasures, mementoes and documentation of her experiences as a Smith College undergraduate living in Wallace. It is a book assembled as a work in progress over three years and begins "Ruth Colburn Smith '98 - Sophomore Year 13 Wallace", with one internal page marked " Junior Year -"-and another "Senior Year" with a wavy underline, until the pages were completely filled. Memorabilia. is a work greater than the sum of its parts. Memorabilia. is an autobiography and a work of art.
There is every imaginable kind of ephemera and unusual historic Americana in its pages: manuscript poems and ink drawings, paper cutouts, in particular, one small brown paper sculpture of a dog, two pressed flowers, paper novelties including a Dennison Mfg. Co. large, crepe paper 44-star paper American flag, valentines Ruth created, Halloween cyanotypes, a manuscript drawing of a scolding pair of skeletons with text below "Take Your Medicine or Perish!!" One curious historic document is titled Official Ballot for Smith College December 3, 1896 adorned with a small American Flag on a stick, printed by The Commonwealth of Massachusetts with the slate of electors. Women were then barred by law from voting in Massachusetts and federal elections. For whom was this Official Ballot for Smith College intended?
Memorabilia. contains examples of materials about official Smith College events, private social events and pure play. There are odd ball items that certainly must have had personal meaning at the time, such as a "used", foreign cigarette butt. There are pins, ribbons, a Barnum and Bailey banner and lecture announcements. There are custom labeled pencils and dance cards, social event invitations, musical performance programs such as the Smith College Banjo and Mandolin Club and the Yale Banjo Club, theatrical programs and invitations to events of men's schools. Notably, there is a page with paeans to the Harvard-Yale football game.
Personal experiences are captured in Memorabilia. by approximately 35 photographs, 30 of which are larger scale cyanotypes, of student celebrations in their dorm rooms, academic ceremonial candids- one of a college student paired with a young fellow, both of whom hold a pennant, and exuberant cyanotypes of the annual expedition on Mountain Day. Mountain Day is also illustrated with printed images of Prospect House and text with the history of Mt. Holyoke. There are a few candids of family members at the ocean formally dressed, and these may be Ruth's parents and grand parents and personal notes. Ruth Colburn Barnard would seem to have been a gregarious, fun loving person who shared with her friends the challenges, creative outlets, adventures and serendipity of being a Smith College undergraduate.
Ruth Colburn Barnard's creation of Memorabilia. is anything but an idle fancy or occasional activity. The bound volume has a life of its own and the signs of use on the binding and pages suggest it was consulted, enjoyed and perhaps even after graduation1/ continued to be a center of attention.2/ If Ruth Colburn Barnard's book traveled with her to Smith College reunions, I would not be surprised.
Notes:
1. AAS Bookplate Collection List includes a bookplate for Ruth and Alexander Bowler Bookplate name list | American Antiquarian Society
2. History - Aquarius on The Back Shore - Gloucester Alexander Bowler was a brewer in Worcester, Massachusetts, Bowler Brothers Ltd. - that grew to 14 breweries. Founded in 1891, in business until 1918. Ruth's book has some ephemera related to Worcester and its private schools and to Clark University that includes a summer school program.