Creator |
Perrett, Louise, illustrator. |
Contributor |
Cope, Matilda Z. 1897-1981, former owner. |
|
Smith, Sarah K., illustrator. |
|
Reilly and Britton Co., publisher. |
Title |
The girl graduate: her own book [graphic] / Designed and illustrated by Louise Perrett and Sarah K. Smith. |
Publisher |
Chicago : The Reilly and Britton Co |
Publisher |
PA. Philadelphia. 1915 |
Date |
[ca. 1915] |
Physical Description |
ca. 50 prints and photographs in 1 volume of 96 leaves : color lithographs and gelatin silver prints ; volume 24 x 16 cm (9.5
x 6.25 in.)
|
Description |
Memory book compiled by Philadelphia High School for Girls student Mildred Davis Zaiser (later Cope) containing snapshot portraits
with signatures and addresses of her classmates, including three African American students; prose and essays by her fellow
students about their school experiences, teachers and classes; transcriptions of the class yell, motto, and commencement address;
and class autographs and lists of class officers. Also contains an inserted snapshot photograph depicting four young well-dressed
women in “Washington DC 5/9/14” (p. 31); snapshot photograph depicting history instructor “Miss Isabel W. Franklin” (p. 57);
professional group portrait photograph showing the student members of “The Captain Ball Team of A prime 8” (a few of the girls
hold a stuffed cat, a ball, and the school banners); anecdotal entries titled “Class Prophecy, And how it comes out” and “Class
History”; tongue-in-cheek “Last Will and Testament” essay of student bequests to school instructors and departments; and a
copy of the commencement announcement. “Miscellaneous” section contains several essays colloquially describing classes and
written and signed by Zaiser’s fellow students, including ‘Physics Hour” written by Lucy Seiber (p. 169-171); “Mathematics
Hour” written by Emily M. Woodward and Blanche Rostow (p. 172-177); “Drawing Hour” incomplete and unsigned (p. 178-179); “Physiology
Hour” written by Marie Zaun (p. 181-184); “Gymnasium Hour” written by Della Martin (p. 185 -188); and “English Hour” written
by Lillian Schivare (p. 189). Notes by Zaiser detailing the class flower and colors and her graduation gown and presents and
the prose “Who’s Who in A8” written by Dorothy Noe (p 141-143) also comprise the manuscript content of the book. Captain ball
is a game similar to basketball played on an area marked with six circles with the goal to pass the ball to the player in
the end circle.
|
|
Portrait sitters (p. 15-29) include: Rheba Luberoff, 1928 N. 7th St., Phila; Mary Olivell, 341 S. Lawrence St., Phila; Helen
Mahoney, 1502 Hollywood St., Phila; Della Markie, 4118 Pechin St., Rox.; Minnie Mayerle, 2406 Sedgely St., Phila.; Minnie
Mayerle, 2406 Sedgely St., Phila.; Della Markie, 4118 Pechin St., Rox.; Minnie Mayerle, 2406 Sedgely St., Phila.; Florence
Martin, 1234 N. 54th St., W. Phila ;Lea Meisel, 630 N. 55th St., W. Phila.; Mattie Miller, 3859 Olive St., W. Phila. (African
American student); Dorothy Noe, 3311 N. 17th St. [830 Windsor Square, Phila – crossed out in different hand]; Tillie Mellanoff,
634 Hoffman St., Phila.; Mary Patterson, House of Correction, Holmesburg; Helen Pechin, N.E. Cor. 20th St. and Columbia Ave.,
Phila.; Lillian Pollard, 5339 Lena St., Germantown; Helen Radcliffe, 801 E. Washington Lane [6213 Germantown Ave G’m’t – crossed
out in different hand]; Blanche Rostow, 1222 N. 7th St., Phila; Marion Schurer, 1103 Fairmount Ave., Phila.; Lillian Schware,
1342 Poplar St., Phila.; Lucy Seiber, 7024 Second St. Pike, Lawndale, Phila.; Elva Smith, 2502 N. Garnet St., Phila.; Fannie
Still (later Lloyd)(abolitionist William Still’s granddaughter), 1607 Bainbridge St., Phila.; Helen Taylor, Upsal and Sullivan
Sts.; Esther Tittman, 419 Moore St., Phila; Arabella Turney, 2334 S. 17th St., Phila.; Rosalie Tutleman, 5230 N. Broad St.,
Phila.; Grace Wilhelm, 1524 Parker St., Phila.; Annie Wood, 762 N. Uber St., Phila. (African American student); Emily Woodward,
518 W. Venango St., Phila.; Mildred Davis Zaiser, 4548 Manayunk Ave., Rox.; Marie Zaun, 122 E. Gorgas Lane, Mt. Airy; and
Alberta Goodwin, President of the Graduating Class, Feb. 1915.
|
|
The portraits are bust-length and the sitters are posed in profile, facing forward, and looking down upon books. Most of the
young women wear their hair long and swept back and up. Some wear their hair bobbed or with bangs. The attire of most of the
students include white or patterned blouses and neckties and neckerchiefs. Some also wear necklaces and/or jackets or smocks
or ribbon headbands.
|
|
Book illustrated with art nouveau-style pictorial, border, and ornamental details depicting images of young women in flouncy
dresses reading newspapers, holding brownie cameras, writing invitations and in a journal; views of desks and shelves containing
objects associated with studying, school, and young women, including books, ink wells, candlesticks, a box of letters, and
flowers; and borders and ornaments composed of rose and floral designs.
|
Notes |
Bound in limp olive suede with blind-embossed design and gilt titling on front cover. Cover stamped with design composed of
book, quill pen, and a bough of greenery with banner.
|
|
Title stamped in gilt on cover: The Girl Graduate: Her Own Book. |
|
Contains inscription: This book belongs to [Mildred Davis Zaiser]. Graduated from [The Philadelphia High School for Girls.
17th and Spring Garden Sts.] Inscription in art nouveau-style border shaped like a frame and composed of flowers and branches.
|
|
Title page illustrated with art nouveau-style border composed of vinery, roses, and the bust of a young woman attired in a
flouncy blouse and with a yellow ribbon in her hair.
|
|
Table of Contents: Date. Flower. Colors 11; Class Yell. Motto 13; Class Photographs 15; Class Autographs 33; Class Officers
49; The Teachers 53; Class Prophecy 61; Her Invitations 75; The Programmes 83; Social Events 95; Press Notices 113; Her Gowns
125; The Presents 133; Jokes and Frolics 141; Baccalaureate Sermon 161; Miscellaneous 169.
|
|
Several editions of "The Girl Graduate" with variant cover designs and a loose leaf version were published 1906-ca. 1927. |
|
Purchase 2015. |
|
Description revised 2022. |
|
Access points revised 2022. |
|
Mildred Zaiser Cope (1897-1981) was raised in a German section of Philadelphia and noted as the "German Dictionary" by her
classmates at her graduation in 1915. She still lived with her parents in 1920 when she worked as a clerk for the Board of
Education. By 1930 she had married William Cope and lived in Norwalk, Connecticut.
|
Biographical / historical note |
Louise Perrett (b. 1878) was an illustrator who studied under Howard Pyle. She was also an instructor at the Art Institute
of Chicago circa 1920s. She partnered with Sarah K. Smith on several memory albums first published by Reilly and Britton Co.
in the early 1900s. By 1940 she was an art teacher at the Elizabeth Peabody House in Boston.
|
Subject |
Cope, Matilda Z., 1897-1981 -- Portraits. |
|
Franklin, Isabelle W. -- Portraits. |
|
Lloyd, Fannie, 1896-1940 -- Portraits. |
|
Miller, Mattie, approximately 1898-1922 -- Portraits. |
|
Wood, Annie, 1895- -- Portraits. |
|
Philadelphia High School for Girls (Philadelphia, Pa.) -- People. |
|
African American students -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia |
|
Art nouveau. |
|
Female high school athletes -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia |
|
Flowers -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia |
|
Students -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia |
|
Women -- Education -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia. |
|
Women -- Clothing & dress -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia |
Genre |
Albums -- 1910-1920. |
|
Group portrait photographs -- 1910-1920. |
|
Lithographs -- Color -- 1910-1920. |
|
Portrait photographs -- 1910-1920. |
|
Souvenirs -- 1910-1920. |
Printer |
Reilly and Britton Co., publisher. |
Location |
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| albums [P.2015.2] |
Accession number |
P.2015.2 |