[Image source: Georgia Historical Society, Gordon Family Papers, GHS 0318-41-5787]
Most colleges in my neck of the woods kick off the beginning of the semester this week. As I view posts from proud parents showing off their students’ newly decorated dorm rooms and read bemused commentary from my fellow Gen Xer’s noting how they got by just fine in college living simply with milk crate furniture, I’m reminded of this photo I came across during my research. It was one of my favorites that did not make the final cut for the book, but which I find fascinating nonetheless.
It is a photo of the 1890s Yale dorm room of Arthur Gordon (Juliette Gordon Low’s youngest brother). What struck me about this image the first time I encountered it in the Georgia Historical Society’s collection is just how much stuff is in this room! Honestly, it does not look much different from the messy, crammed room of my child who is currently in college. The unmade bed, what appears to be a laundry basket on the floor, the walls covered completely in images – the 1890s version of posters? family portraits to remind one of home? Hard to say.
This image always makes me smile as a reminder that some things, like chaotic college students, never really change. 🙂
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