Guide to the Jane Cline Scrapbook
RG 9.10.5

Summary Information

Repository

Sarah Lawrence College Archives

Creator

Bessels, Jane Cline

Title

Jane Cline Scrapbook

ID

RG 9.10.5

Date [bulk]

Bulk, 1939-1943

Date [inclusive]

1939-1979

Extent

1.5 linear feet 3 document boxes

Language

Return to Table of Contents »

Administrative Information

Publication Information

Sarah Lawrence College Archives May 2011

Term of Use

The collection is open to researchers without restriction.

Aquisition Note

The scrapbook was acquired as accession 2008-004 by the archives through a donation by Jane Cline Bessels.

Processing Information note

In order to ensure proper preservation, the scrapbook was dismantled. Most items were separated from the pages, since the original advesive had deteriorated. Where adhesive made removal of the documents impossible without causing significant damage, documents were left adhered to the scrapbook pages and the pages were cut out of their bindings. Photocopies of newspaper articles were made and the originals have been discarded. Loose materials toward the end of the scrapbook were organized into a folder relating to the College and a Miscellaneous folder.

Existence and Location of Originals note

Two loose photos are housed in the Photograph Collection under Students and Alumnae/i – Cline, Jane. One folder of oversized items is housed separately in Oversize Box 1.

Return to Table of Contents »

Biographical Note

Margaret Jane Cline Bessels, known as Jane, graduated from Sarah Lawrence College on May 28, 1943. While in attendance, Jane studied biology, literature, art and history. An active member of the community, Jane was part of the Art Club, the Sailing Club, the French Club, the Amateurs, the Religious Round Table Committee, and she was the Advertising Manager of The Campus, the student newspaper. Jane also took part in tennis and skiing.

Jane was born on May 16, 1921 in Walnut Hill, Natick, Massachusetts. Throughout her time as a student at Sarah Lawrence College, Jane lived on campus, but had family in nearby Scarsdale, New York.

Return to Table of Contents »

Scope and Contents note

This scrapbook contains material that especially provides great insight into the extracurricular and weekend activities of Sarah Lawrence College students during the early 1940s. The scrapbook was kept during Jane’s college years and consists of unique Sarah Lawrence-related material such as a student handbook, programs from various shows and recitals, including the Hits and Misses, two tags from the College Scholarship Drive, a signed letter from the Dean of the College recommending Jane for graduation and a slip from the Vacations Committee giving Jane permission to leave campus for vacation. As the advertising manager of The Campus, Jane organized and directed a fashion show promoting clothing seen in Campus advertisements for which there is a program as well as newspaper clippings. Some items date past Jane’s graduation from the College.

Items also depict life during World War II. Jane was one of the College’s trained air-raid wardens, and her official arm band can be found in the scrapbook. Plenty of advertisements in sports programs, theatre programs and playbills have a war time theme that this time period is remembered for.

The scrapbook also features programs from football games at Princeton University, Yale University, and the United States Military Academy at West Point, playbills from broadway shows in addition to booklets from dances at Princeton and Bowdoin College. Jane collected newspaper clippings from various sources, including The Campus and The New York Herald Tribune. She kept invitations to parties that she received throughout her time at the College, as well as letters and telegrams from friends and family.

Jane was active in the local community as a member of the Scarsdale Spinsters; a group of young women from Scarsdale who organized local benefits and dances. The scrapbook contains invitations and notifications about the Scarsdale Spinsters, in addition to a newspaper photo of the members.

Return to Table of Contents »

Arrangement note

The folders are arranged in their original order and are labeled by page number.

Return to Table of Contents »

Controlled Access Headings

Genre(s)

• Armbands
• Clippings (information artifacts)
• Correspondence
• Invitations
• Programs (documents)
• Scrapbooks

Subject(s)

• Air raid wardens - United States
• College students - United States - Social life and customs
• World War, 1939-1945 - United States

Return to Table of Contents »

Collection Inventory