Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Boardman No More - PUB 067


PUB 067
Cornell's Boardman Hall Postcard
Media: Letters
Year: 1914
Details: From Ithaca to Trumansburg

And now that the summer season is essentially upon us you all should be seeing many new posts churning out of the Sholesonian. Today we have a postcard that was mailed nearly 100 years ago, 97 years this August to be exact. What makes this so interesting and why it was placed into the collection, aside from its age is that it features Boardman Hall from Cornell University in Ithaca New York. While that may not seem to interesting, the building no longer exists. Built in 1892 it was the home of the Law School until 1932 when the department moved to the new Myron Taylor Hall for law. The History and Government departments then moved in until 1959 when the building was torn down to make room for the new Olin Library (which still stands today). It used to be a prominent building on the Arts Quad, but a few of the stone faces built into the building were preserved in the new library building. 

The postcard itself is stamped August 12th, 1914 at 10:30 AM from the Ithaca Post Office. It has only one one cent postage stamp and is addressed to Miss Carrie S. Allen in Trumansburg, New York, Road #32. The format of the letter is interesting when noting the differences between now and then. The message itself reads:

"Dear folks, 
     Mary got a letter from Ruth stating She is feeling very well + doesnt know whether she'll be here or not. Have you hear from her. Marcia expects to come to Tburg + go to Kingtown (?) to morrow. She is like the paddri's (?) flee. Exams are all right but hard.
                              Blanche"

Another interesting piece for the Sholesonian that only confirms that Cornell University tests have always been hard. And you can read more about Boardman Hall and the history of the Cornell Law Department buildings here or check out the book Cornell: Then and Now by Ronald E. Ostman and Harrty Littell. 


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