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Swarthmore College Photograph Albums

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Held at: Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania 19081

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Founded in 1864, Swarthmore College is a private liberal arts college located in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

Photograph albums include cyanotype and albumen pictures and snapshots of Swarthmore College student life, campus buildings, sports teams, campus views and landscapes of the Crum and surrounding areas.

Albums are stored in boxes based on the order in which they were processed by FHL staff. They are listed in the inventory in order by graduating class year, or roughly by date of creation.

Albums donated by various different sources.

The Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College created the collection in 3/2005. Previously the items were scattered, some stored with College scrapbooks, General Pictures vertical files, and individually catalogued as Picture Albums.

Publisher
Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College
Finding Aid Author
Kemi Oladipo
Finding Aid Date
10/06/17
Access Restrictions

This collection is available for research use.

Use Restrictions

Some of the items in this collection may be protected by copyright. The user is solely responsible for making a final determination of copyright status. If copyright protection applies, permission must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns to reuse, publish, or reproduce relevant items beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to the law. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/UND/1.0/.

Collection Inventory

PA 10/05. Philips, Florence Hall. Florence Hall Philips (Class of 1880), 1876-1888.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Images include students in classes of 1876 through 1890.

PA 10/04. Swarthmore College Class of 1890, 1890.
Box 3
Scope and Contents

Images include faculty and staff, students, all labeled. PA 10/18 is identical but less handled album which contains same students in their caps and gowns over their street clothes.

PA 10/18. Swarthmore College Class of 1890 (Duplicate), 1890.
Box 10
Scope and Contents

Commercial album with slots to insert cabinet-sized cards. Images include faculty and staff, students in cap and gown, some labeled on back of image, possibly autographed. See PA 10/04 for identical 1890 album, same students in street clothes, all labeled.

PA 10/03. Clothier, Morris L. (Morris Lewis), 1868-1947. Morris L. Clothier (Class of 1890), 1888-1893.
Box 2
Scope and Contents

Images include classmates, family, College buildings labeled on reverse; also informal snapshots (1888) and 3 tintypes taken in 1890 and 1893 in Atlantic City, NJ

PA 10/02. Pyle, Ellen Passmore. Ellen Passmore (Class of 1891), 1889-1909.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Albumen photographs mounted onto black scrapbook pages. Includes portraits of classmates identified in pencil, 1889 Swarthmore College football team with Frederic Pyle identified, student theatricals, biology class, snapshots of students (especially Frederic), crowd views of dedication of the College (north entrance) Gates, 1909, which were the gift of Morris Clothier and designed by Frederic Bennet Pyle; photograph of Parrish gutted by fire (1881). At end, 3 pp. informal cyanotype photographs including Crum Creek followed by 3 pp. of autographs of classmates and staff.

PA 10/26. Harold Shoemaker Webster, 1893.
Box 13
Scope and Contents

Album is a collection of earlier images of the College assembled by Harold Shoemaker Webster (Class of 1919). Includes a canoe on the Crum, "Stunt Night in Parrish."

PA 10/32. Tannehill, Helen Train. Helen Train Tannehill (Class of 1894), (1893-1894).
Box 15
Scope and Contents

The album mostly consists of portraits of classmates.

PA 10/19. "Swarthmore College Shakespeare Evening", 1894.
Box 11
Scope and Contents

Photographs of a theater production in Parrish Hall

PA 10/20. "Shakespeare Evening", 1895.
Box 11
Scope and Contents

Near duplicate of PA 10/20. This copy is in better condition but lackshas captions.

PA 10/20A. "Shakespeare Evening" (duplicate), 1895.
Box 11
Scope and Contents

Near duplicate of PA 10/20A. This copy is in worse condition but has captions.

PA 10/13. Palmer, Samuel Copeland. Samuel Copeland Palmer (Class of 1895), 1890-1899.
Box 8
Scope and Contents

Leather bound commercial album with slots for cabinet-sized cards, metal clasp. Images of students, classes of 1890-1895. Of particular interest, photo of Samuel J. Entrikin, Class of 1895, in cold-weather exploration gear. All images identified.

PA 10/08. Parrish, Bertha Lippincott. Bertha Lippincott (Class of 1895) , 1894-1895.
Box 5
Scope and Contents

Images include campus buildings, train station, train crossing the trestle bridge, informal snapshots of students including a track meet; "Volunteers," a men's local amateur black football team; classrooms, Parrish parlor, quarry, views of the Crum

PA 10/12. Campus Views, 1896.
Box 8
Scope and Contents

String-bound album of albumen prints of campus view, many the same as in PA 10/06, but mounted two to a page. In addition includes train crossing high trestle bridge, train approaching around bend in tracks, and snow scenes.

PA 10/27. Johnson, Howard C., 1876-1952. Howard C. Johnson (Class of 1896), 1894-1896.
Box 14
Scope and Contents

Includes Johnson's dorm room, reception room of Parrish, football game (1894), and drama in Parrish. Many images scanned, 2009.

PA 10/01. Biddle, Grace Brosius. Grace Anna Brosius (Class of 1897), 1895-1897.
Box 1
Scope and Contents

Cyanotypes, fine condition. Images (most labeled) include campus buildings, Swarthmore views (Strath Haven Inn, Crum Creek, informal snapshots of students in dorm rooms, theatricals, at play, Johnny Hayman, 1897 girls' basketball team, photographer's dorm rooms, trip to Washington, DC and Baltimore, Md., 1895 Theta house party in New Hope, NJ, family photographs. Reference indicates Brosius belonged to a Camera Club and was the photographer

PA 10/06. Parry, Ellwood Comly. Ellwood Comly Parry (Class of 1897), 1896.
Box 4
Scope and Contents

Images include Parrish and Trotter (rear and front), Parrish interior, below the trestle bridge (fading), Benjamin West House, College President's house, town center from Parrish dome, Crum Creek, campus views, meeting house, old observatory, train station with locomotive approaching the station, dining hall. See also PA 10/12 for similar album, bound differently with some additional images.

PA 10/07. Noxon, Herbert Lorne. Herbert L. Noxon (Class of 1897), 1897.
Box 5
Scope and Contents

"Phototopography," presented for Degree of Bachelor of Science in Engineering. Thesis includes aerial views of campus and village of Swarthmore.

PA 10/33. Biddle, Anna H. L., 1880-. Anna Lippincott Biddle (Class of 1900), (1889-1900).
Box 16
Scope and Contents

Loose photographs, mostly of Swarthmore College classmates, but also other individuals, and of Swarthmore College buildings. Note this is a file of loose photographs, NOT an album.

PA 10/24. Anonymous Campus Album , 1900.
Box 13
Scope and Contents

Pages removed from a photo album. None of the photographs identified, but are snapshots of women students, campus buildings, Crum Creek. Nice pictures of students walking and enjoying the Crum Woods.

PA 10/17. Gregory, Alice Sullivan. Alice Roberts Sullivan (Class of 1904), 1901-1907.
Box 9
Scope and Contents

Small bound volume with many , labeled informal snapshots, mostly of leisure activities of students. Includes Dean Bond, trip to Sea Side Park, sorority rush, 1902-03 women's basketball team, 1903 men's lacrosse, 1903-04 women's hockey team. Many pictures of Alice Sullivan and Marguerite Campion, also class of 1904.

PA 10/29. Anonymous Campus Album 2, 1905.
Box 14
Scope and Contents

Purchased from a dealer who couldn't supply history. Images of Wharton and Parrish Halls, trains, and unidentified locations.

PA 10/14. Atkinson, Julia Yerkes. Julia Yerkes Atkinson (Class of 1907), 1905-1908.
Box 9
Scope and Contents

Bound album of snapshots of students and campus. Includes friends Ellie Simons ('10) and Edward Bassett ('05) of Swarthmore. Mostly leisure activities on campus including May Day, the Crum, girls dissecting class, senior hockey team, interior dorm rooms, rose garden, President's cottage, .

PA 10/22. Power, Edith V.. Edith V. Power Paxson (Class of 1907), 1907-1908.
Box 11
Scope and Contents

Snapshots of sorority and campus life. 2 volumes, 22a and 22b

PA 10/23. Bowers, Adele Hammond. Adele Hammond Bowers (Class of 1911), 1908-1958.
Box 13
Scope and Contents

Bound album with leather cover. Identified snapshots include the campus, May Day, Class Day productions in which Adele participated, Adele playing the mandolin in her dorm room and in costume, women's field hockey, and Mike the crossing guard.

PA 10/09. William N. Law, 1913.
Box 6
Scope and Contents

An assembled collection that includes images of ice skating on the Crum (2 copies), canoeing on the Crum (2 copies), 2 views of Parrish, Sproul Observatory (2 copies), Chemistry (Pearson), Old Observatory (Cunningham), Beardsley, Carnegie Library, Meeting house, Hall Gym, Men's pool, Pageant at the College: pilgrims assembled on Simmons' Lawn (Walnut Lane, Book and Key visible), Pageant at Swarthmore Mr. H. T. Wilkins Sup., May Pole Dance, 3 views of lacrosse games, Pageant - Pilgrims assembled on Simmons Lawn, Pageant - Antigone, 2 views of campus, Student training (1919), review of training corps (2 copies).

PA 10/28. Hayday, Helen Evans. Helen S. Evans (Class of 1915), 1915.
Box 14
Scope and Contents

Snapshots of campus, student life, and vacations.

PA 10/10. Worth Hall , 1924.
Box 7
Scope and Contents

Album concerning building and dedication of Worth Hall, with snapshots of the dedication. Also articles detailing class ivy, genealogy of the Worth family (copies made and placed in reference and PG 7)

PA 10/11. McNeill Construction Company, 1924.
Box 7
Scope and Contents

String-bound album of construction photographs, cloth-mounted, of Clothier Memorial Hall, McNeill Construction Company, Lansdowne, Pa, and Karchner-Smith, architects. Also construction photographs of Worth and Bond Dormitories, fraternity lodges. Identified photographers are Jennings, W.N., Photography, 46 S. 17th St., Philadelphia (photos of Clothier) and Ph. B. Wallace, 332 S. Smedley St, Philadelphia (Bond and fraternities)

PA 10/16. Ayars, Elizabeth Biddle. Elizabeth Brosius Biddle (Class of 1925), 1921-1925.
Box 9
Scope and Contents

Album bound with lace, snapshots from Elizabeth's freshman year through fall of 1925. Includes campus buildings including the new Worth dormitory, friends and activities. May Day pageant 1924 in the old amphitheater, site of the current Scott Amphitheater. Also picture of her mother (Grace Anna Brosius, married Clement Miller Biddle) dressed in old-time Quaker garb at Alumni Day, 1922, for 25th reunion, Class of 1897. Acid free copy of donor's note identifying additional family members stored with album.

PA 10/25. Pinkerton, Harriet Townsend. Harriet Townsend Pinkerton (Class of 1927), 1923-1927.
Box 13
Scope and Contents

Pages removed from photo album. Black and white snapshots of student life, vacations. Formal picture of Delta Gamma sorority.

PA 10/15. McDowell, Ruth. Ruth Henderson (Class of 1936), 1932-1938.
Box 9
Scope and Contents

Bound volume of snapshots, mostly classmates, buildings, May Day 1936, Alumni Day and Graduation 1936. Photos at end removed from album before given to FHL.

PA 10/31. Patton, Priscilla Johnson. Priscilla Ann Johnson (Class of 1936), 1936.
Box 15
Scope and Contents

Sticky labels identifying some of the people. Photographs of graduation, track meet, May Day, etc.

PA 10/21. WSGA: Women's Social Government Association, 1949.
Box 11
Scope and Contents

Informal album with ring clips featuring Nancy Powell, (Class of 1952) and Roger Pott, '52. WSGA Weekend featured the women inviting the men to a dance and picking up the tab. Photos follow Nancy through the weekend's activities, with all identified in key at back of album. Good photographs of Student Life.

PA 10/30. Phi Psi (Swarthmore College). Phi Psi fraternity, 1974-1975.
Box 12
Scope and Contents

Album with snapshots mounted with photo corners. Includes identified colored photographs of members. Phi Psi has been a local fraternity since 1963.

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