Presenting the Front Matter, which are the first few pages of the Memory Books. Let's dive in!

Things Worthwhile Noting

The Memory Books' opening pages provided a place where classmates could jot down their names and happy thoughts -- as well as a spot for a self-portrait about the size of your pinky nail. 

Some students had access to actual photos of themselves and pasted these on -- while most others took the opportunity to sketch out a doodle, of themselves or something like it. In this week's episode, we home in on three sections: Photos, Ambitions, and Happy Thoughts.

There were other sections, too -- some which included florid language -- and other sections were intended for record-keeping of memorable dates. Dorothy noted things ranging from Faculty Tea on January 9, 1925 -- and coming down with the gripe several days later on the 22nd ("DURN IT!!").

Other students used these pages to commemorate their social lives -- afternoons spent at football games or tea parties via programs or hand-made invitations, respectively; nights spent under the bright Vermont stars cheering on their alma mater, or enjoying a theatre outing or formal hop, via tickets, menus, or dance cards.

These simple opening pages remind us of the overlap between our lives now and theirs. It makes us consider how we archive our own lives, and how this has changed through the ages.

More than anything, it makes us think: what's important enough to remember? How do we represent our day-to-day living? What do we hold onto? 

What do we leave behind after we go?

Memory Books

As always, with very special thanks to our friends at the Silver Special Collections Library at the UVM Billings Library.

For a deeper look, check out their own article on Memory Books -- and, of course, check out our video on this!

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