Surprise Photo Album!

I was in the garage today and just opened up a box to take a look.  Not too far down I discovered an old family photo album that I had forgotten about.  There are some great pictures in it which help tell Madeline's story.

This one is titled "Kids at the Brook" and on the back she has listed everyone's name.

There are a few photos of Ginger and in every one the poor thing is tied up to something.  I don't remember Madeline talking about Ginger although she did like our dogs.

Family photo with her brother Chuck trying on Dad's hat.  This photo really shows the difference in their ages.

The beautiful old house in Keene NH.  I was there only once but I remember pocket doors, large rooms, and the biggest soapstone kitchen sink I have ever seen.  And a dumb waiter.

A school photo from when she lived in South Newbury.

I'm sure she was one of her teachers.  Love this photo, the hat and gloves and shoes, even the dress is cool.

Graduation Day!  Sorry Madeline, I just had to share this photo.  She is not happy about something.

Looks like a photo booth series.  Love her hair!

Sitting outside at University of New Hampshire - the college years.

Her friend Maxine

UNH building - she once took my family on a tour of UNH.  I loved going back in time with her and hearing her stories.

Studying by the fire at UNH.  Cozy!



St. Patrick's Day Vintage Postcards

I didn't want to let another holiday go by without posting some postcards from Madeline's collection. 

The shamrocks on these two are embossed and can be felt from the reverse side.  You can just barely notice it:

I guess the "Best Wishes" one could be used for any occasion, especially a wedding, but because it has a shamrock (4 leaf clover?) I filed it here.

Memories from a Scrapbook

I am going through a box of Madeline's scrapbooks.  I don't know how she had time for studying or a social life with all the scrapbooks she made.  I'm grateful to her, though, for keeping the history alive for us.  I posted earlier about her Nelson Eddy/Jeannette MacDonald scrapbook.  I just discovered that she made at least two more on this same subject!  Guess she really dug him!  I picked one scrapbook and noticed there were a lot of clippings and notes that were not glued in.  I picked out a random few for today's post. 

This is titled "Smart Sayings from 'Kitty Foyle' by Christopher Morley".  This was a popular book in the 1940's.  You can still buy it today.  It was made into a movie starring Ginger Rogers; you can read about the movie here.  I believe Madeline took these sayings from the book.  It is quite a list!

 

I don't know anything about this little "Greetings From New Hampshire".  She may have written the verse or she may just have copied it out, but she was proud of her home state.

A blank Western Union cablegram.  I have to share the link to the amazing images that come up when you google "Western Union Cablegram World War II".  (Don't forget to come back to Madeline's Memories!)

This is a newspaper clipping of a map of the 1939 World's Fair exhibits.  I have many earlier posts on this World's Fair.  Please use the search feature on the right hand side to see these posts.  The best thing, however, was tucked inside the folded clipping--her handwritten notes on the exhibits!

You can really imagine her going around to all the exhibits, taking brochures, and making her notes in a little notebook.

Lots more scrapbook memories to come.

Madeline's Father and Four Cute Pics!

Madeline's father, James Farmer, was the mayor of Keene, New Hampshire and even ran for Governor of New Hampshire.  Here are some campaign materials:

Campaign button and matchbook handout.  For more political buttons, see this post.

James Farmer was an executive and founder of the National Grange Insurance Company.  He is the first one on the left in the front row.

Post card of Grange offices in Keene, NH.

Found this Photomatic pic.  James Farmer is on the right.  I do not know the man on the left.  The Photomatic was an early photo booth.  Read more about it here.  For an early school photo of James Farmer, revisit this post.

As a special treat here are four adorable posed photos of a very young Madeline.  Enjoy!

Vintage Postcards - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!  It would have cost one cent to send this post card back in the day. 

I like the little angel with his glass of champagne!  The balloon post card was actually made in Germany for the Samuel Ward Company of Boston.  At first glance, the card has sort of a 1970's look to it. 

The little house in the woods card was printed in Germany too.  The four leaf clover on the second card denotes good luck for the coming year.  I wish you the best of luck in 2012.  My New Year's resolution is to publish more of Madeline's memories!

Here is a link to an Antiques Roadshow collection of Halloween postcards which details some good info on all vintage postcards.  I'm handling them more carefully now!

Vintage Christmas Postcards

Merry Christmas!

I'm taking a few minutes away from wrapping and baking to share some vintage Christmas postcards from Madeline's boxes of memories.  Please enjoy and have the merriest holiday ever and a very blessed and healthy new year. 

To view vintage Christmas cards, please look here.

Franklin Square House: Comments from a Reader

Last year I posted about Madeline's time at the Franklin Square House for Women in Boston.  You can revisit it here.  I recently received an email comment from Andrew whose great aunt also lived there.  He sent a wonderful pic of her and allowed me to share with you:

I was hunting down photos to add to a family history collection and came across your Madeline site. My great aunt Helen E. Zak (1900-1992) lived at the Franklin Square House starting in 1924 (she never married). I believe she was there at least 20 years. She latter moved to a women's hotel on the Fenway and then to her own apartment in the Jamaica Plain neighborhood of Boston. She was from Turners Falls, Massachusetts.  As I recall, she told me that this was taken on the roof of the Franklin Square House when she first moved to Boston in 1924.

 

Thank you so much Andrew for sharing your great aunt's photo.  I love that others have heard stories about the Franklin Square House.  I received an email from a college student who was doing a paper on the FSH and said she was so happy to see the brochure that Madeline had saved.  I hope she received a good grade on the paper!  I also hope that others will share their memories as they read about Madeline's.