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Slideshows: Every Picture Tells a Story

Story posted

These antique postcards were the subject of a recent "Whispering Pines" installment from John Cross '76, Secretary of Development and College Relations. He writes: "I recently took the early 20th-century equivalent of a campus tour: twelve black-and-white postcards of the Bowdoin campus, each postmarked in Brunswick on December 18, 1906, with a dark green 1-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp, written in the same hand, signed by 'G.F' (a student), and addressed to 'Miss Flora Murch, in South Paris, Maine." For more about this intriguing series of "postals," read John's full "Whispering Pines" article, entitled "Every Picture Tells a Story."

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"Dear Flora: You may have forgotten that some time ago you suggested an exchange of postals. I should be very glad to exchange with you. This is the Art Building, containing statuary, paintings, Egyptian pillars with hieroglyphics, etc." G.F.,
"A nearer view of the art building. Freshman frequently ride the lions, attired in bath robe and towel. The lions are somewhat cold under such circumstances." G.F.,
"Here is where they keep the 'stiffs' in pickle. The only Freshman recitation here is Hygiene." G.F.,
"Gateway erected by one of the graduating classes. The building in the distance is the chapel." G.F.,
"This is 'my' first frat. house. It is a very old-fashioned building." G.F.,
"On Whittier Field. The training quarters are underneath." G.F.,
"The library is our best building. It is made of brick and stone, finished inside with marble floors and oak paneling. There is none better this side of the Boston public library." G.F.,
"This is the original Bowdoin College as it looked over a hundred years ago. It is preserved as nearly like the original as possible, both inside and out, and is now used for offices, a museum, etc." G.F.,
"The lower floor of Memorial Hall is used for class rooms. The upper floor is the hall where mass meetings are held." G.F.,
"The Science Building contains the chemical and physical laboratories, class rooms, etc. It is made of a South Carolina brick and stone and is much prettier than it looks here." G.F.,