[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: symbolism of creepy yearbook illustrations



Beth,

Wesleyan has had societies around the turn of the century (and some
still today) called Corpse and Coffin, Skull and Serpent, and the Mystical
Seven - some were honorary, some secret fraternities, some both. The S&S
Society routinely posed for yearbook photos with an actual human skull on
someone's lap, and our turn of the century yearbooks are full of "that
sort" of imagery.

I think there are a number of reasons that could account for this sort
of thing flourishing at a "respectable college:" mostly affluent,
middle class college students (then an absolutely _tiny_ minority of the
general population) intelligently playing with the forbidden and
"decadent" as a reaction to societal expectations; the desire to have
their own obscure secret rituals and ominous, slightly menacing symbolism
that no-one else could understand. The imagery no doubt also comes from
the yearbook illustrators who were following closely some of the fashions
of the times - closer to the turn of the century you have the Yellow Book
and Beardsley and the decadents openly celebrating "pagan" culture; later,
Art Nouveau stylings all appear in college yearbooks; all that sort of
imagery was around in "artistic" circles and slowly filtering back into
American culture at the time. And of course amongst college students it
seems to have taken interesting extremes. So I wouldn't think it's
terribly unusual to find in other similar sources around the country - and
some of the illustration is really beautiful!


Best,

Jeffrey



Jeffrey Makala
Assistant University Archivist/Reference Librarian
Special Collections & Archives
Olin Library, Wesleyan University                    860.685.3863
252 Church St.                                       860.685.2661 fax
Middletown CT 06459                                  jmakala@wesleyan.edu

On Mon, 26 Aug 2002, Beth S. Harris wrote:

> Dear Colleagues:
>
> I am doing some exhibit research on the history of our yearbook, The Spinster.  We have a secret service organization, Freya, that has been in existence for approximately 100 years.  (Membership hasn't always been secret, however.  In the early days, the group put on plays on May Day and called themselves the "Fairies of Freya.")  It's hard to get in touch with these folks due to the secrecy so I thought I would turn to the List for help.
>
> According to Britannica, Freya was a Viking goddess of love, fertility, etc.  A Google search pulled up some Wicca (and related sites).
>  The yearbook illustrations for this organization during the first 30 years or so were really creepy looking.  So there are four aspects:  creepy images (hooded figures, fire, bats, snakes, skulls), Viking fertility, service, and secrecy.  I'm not sure what the connection between the idea of service and these images.  A co-worker of mine says that some of these are universal symbols and are not particularly connected to the goddess or Wicca.
>
> What are these weird images doing in a yearbook of a nice Southern genteel ladies college and what do they mean?  Does anyone know of other similar organization that used such imagery?
>
> For a sample, go to http://www.hollins.edu/academics/library/services/freya.htm
>
>
> Thanks so much for your help!
>
>
>
>
>
> **********************************************************************************************************************
> Beth S. Harris,
> Special Collections Management Librarian
> Wyndham Robertson Library / Hollins University
> POB 9000 / 7950 E. Campus Drive
> Roanoke, VA  24020-1000
> Phone: 540.362.6237 / Fax: 540.362.6756
> Web:http://www.hollins.edu/academics/library/libtoc.htm
>
> A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!
>
> To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
>       In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
>                     *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
> To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu
>
> Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
>      http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html
>
> Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>
>

A posting from the Archives & Archivists LISTSERV List!

To subscribe or unsubscribe, send e-mail to listserv@listserv.muohio.edu
      In body of message:  SUB ARCHIVES firstname lastname
                    *or*:  UNSUB ARCHIVES
To post a message, send e-mail to archives@listserv.muohio.edu

Or to do *anything* (and enjoy doing it!), use the web interface at
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/archives.html

Problems?  Send e-mail to Robert F Schmidt <rschmidt@lib.muohio.edu>