Thursday, April 28, 2016

3 c1916 Photographs of College Roommates, Presumably at a Maine College, Perhaps Bowdoin or Bates


Three mounted photographs of a college dormitory room, two of them with students.  Each photograph was taken by the studio of Leon A. Luce of Farmington, Maine.  Sadly, there's no identification of the men shown, and there's nothing written on the reverse of the photographs.

Each photograph is approximately 7-1/4" by 5-1/4".  With their mats, they're about 9-3/4" by 7-3/4".

If Leon didn't stray far from his studio, the photographs might show the room of students at what was then known as Farmington State Normal School and is now University of Maine Farmington.  If, however, Leon traveled, the photographs could have been taken at another college or university.

In the event that the men were members of the fraternity Zeta Psi, shown on a pillow in the photograph below, it's interesting to note that this fraternity had chapters at Bowdoin College and Colby College.  Further, the large Bowdoin banner in the sleeping nook might favor Bowdoin College as the venue.

On the other hand, Leon A. Luce, who started his studio in 1912, had a strong connection to Bates College, as he had graduated from there in 1910.


Posters and Banners of the following schools appear in the photographs:
  • Bates College at Lewiston, Maine
  • Bowdoin College at Brunswick, Maine
  • Colby College at Waterville, Maine
  • Cornell University of Ithaca, New York
  • University of Maine at Orono, Maine 
If you recognize the men and/or surroundings, or if you have a theory as to which college these men attended, please leave a comment or contact me directly.


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