The exhibit, Haven’t a Studious Inclination: College Life in the Early 20th Century, was on display on the first floor of Marcil Hall on UNE's Biddeford Campus from Fall 2016 to Summer 2017. It drew on the letters of Barbara Banker Kamar, who summered on Chebeague Island, Maine and attended Mount Holyoke College in the late 1930s, as well as material from Sanford native and Wheaton College student Elizabeth Willard, and Bangor native and Smith College student Ethel Godfrey Loud. The exhibit included letters, photographs, menus, flyers, a pennant and a fan.
An accompanying exhibit, I Feel Strongly Against More Study: Artifacts of College Life from the Early 20th Century (Fall 2016-Summer 2017), gathered material from various sources within the Maine Women Writers Collection, the St. Francis College History Collection, and the Westbrook College History Collection. The exhibit was in the Abplanalp Library's large glass display case, which was the former fashion model case for Westbrook College. Taking advantage of the spacious case, a college dorm room from the early twentieth century was re-created. The inspiration for the exhibit stemmed from Kamar’s delightfully detailed and entertaining letters. In her frequent letters home, Kamar talked about family and friends, her courses at college, her many outings and activities, and her seemingly never-ending need for just a bit more money.
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Page 19 from Catalogue of the Officers and Pupils of the Troy Female Seminary, "Conditions of Admittance"
Page 19 from Catalogue of the Officers and Pupils of the Troy Female Seminary, detailing their "Conditions of Admittance" and extra charges for things such as music, dancing, art, and chemistry.
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Letter from Harriet Newhall of Mount Holyoke College to Mrs. Lyman V. Banker, 1935 May 1
Typed letter from Harriet Newhall, Executive Secretary to the Board of Admission at Mount Holyoke College, to Mrs. Lyman V. Banker (Barbara Banker's mother) dated 1935 May 1, discussing finances for Barbara's time at Mount Holyoke.
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Letter from Mrs. Banker to her daughter, Barbara, 1935 October 11
Typed letter from Mrs. Lyman V. Banker to her daughter, Barbara, dated 1935 October 11, discussing a package of clothes and personal items being shipped to Barbara, college, and finances.
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Letter from Barbara Banker to her mother, 1936 May 25
Handwritten letter from Barbara Banker (Kamar) to her mother, dated 1936 May 25, discussing finances, exams, and the logistics of getting home from college. View the whole letter here.
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Letter from Barbara Banker to her father, 1937 January 25
Typed letter from Barbara Banker (Kamar) to her father, dated 1937 January 25, discussing classes, among other topics.
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Letter from Barbara Banker to her mother, 1938 March 1
Handwritten letter from Barbara Banker (Kamar) to her mother, dated 1938 March 1, discussing general events at college and her thoughts on future schooling. View the whole letter here.
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College Life Flyer
Exhibit flyer created for: Haven't a Studious Inclination: College Life in the Early 20th Century, on display at UNE in 2016.
