So earlier this week when I came into the Archive, I saw Brad handling a very old and tattered scrapbook. It turns out the scrapbook belonged to a prominent athlete at IU who happened to be from my hometown of Rochester, Indiana. Brad was looking for photos for an exhibit, but he let me peek over his shoulder to view the contents of the scrapbook.
I learned something very interesting while flipping through this early 20th century scrapbook. Dance cards were an actual thing used to record whom one danced with at dances and even what dances they performed. Now I've heard the turn of phrase, dance card, but never really thought it was an actual item. It turns out they were immensely popular in the Victorian era and even came in some rich and elaborate designs. Some were just paper books with pencils attached while others where encased in silver and could be worn as a necklace. Again, something interesting to learn everyday at the Archive.These photos are of the dance cards found in the scrapbook with their pencils still attached.
So fun! And your blog is looking great, Ashley!!
ReplyDeleteScrapbooks are often so interesting and valuable. The Archives most important scrapbooks are those donated by alumni who have assembled pieces of their college life, many of them rare and ephemeral. But scrapbooks are such a preservation nightmare. Phil
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