Belle Alling Raddin (1864-1930) and Charles S. Raddin (1863-1930) Scrapbooks

Belle and Charles Raddin’s four scrapbooks include one of personal material and three containing clippings, images and souvenir items relating to the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition, a world’s fair held at Chicago, Illinois.

The three World’s Columbian Exposition scrapbooks each pertain to a certain aspect of the fair. One volume provides an overview of the fair and its international aspects as shown through newspaper clippings and graphic images. The second volume holds information and images pertaining to the buildings and pavilions built specifically for the Exposition. The third volume features information and images, largely newspaper clippings, pertaining to the newly constructed Art Institute of Chicago and to the art collections displayed during the fair.

Belle and Charles Raddin’s personal scrapbook contains programs, flyers, announcements, invitations, letters, and several newspaper clippings pertaining to events at Northwestern University and in Evanston, Illinois. Such documents date between 1878 and 1912 but fall mainly during the period from 1880 to 1892, spanning and succeeding both Belle and Charles’s years of attendance at Northwestern. As such most of the articles relate to student life on campus, especially musical concerts, debates, competitions (writing and oratory), fraternity and sorority life, and commencement. Included are documents associated with Phi Kappa Sigma, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Delta Kappa Epsilon, and Phi Beta Kappa events. Literary accomplishments and achievements in public speaking are reflected in programs associated with the Hinman Essay Contest, Kirk Oratorical Prize Contest, Dunoon Contest, Gage Prize Contest, Adelphic Oratorical Contest, Kedzie Prize Essay Contest, Philomathia and Euphronia Annual Contest, and Ossoli Essay Contest. Garrett Biblical Institute, Northwestern University and Northwestern University Preparatory School commencement programs are found within the scrapbook as are Conservatory of Musical recital programs. Programs from field day or athletic events; building cornerstone programs; and Twentieth Century Club programs and guides also are included.

In addition, the personal scrapbook contains correspondence written to both Charles and Belle from members of Northwestern University, local, and professional communities. These include letters to Charles, spanning the period 1889-1902, from Northwestern University’s presidents, Joseph Cummings, Oliver Marcy, and Edmund J. James; O. H. Mann M.D.; Northwestern’s faculty secretary; Edward G. Howe (Chicago Academy of Sciences), and George Vasey (Botanist for the United States Department of Agriculture). The letters to Belle span the periods 1887 and 1911-1912. Noteworthy among the authors of those letters is William M.R. French, director of the Art Institute of Chicago.

The oldest item in the personal scrapbook is an 1878 poster satirizing members of the Northwestern University faculty. Handbills, invitations, and announcements provide graphic and colorful evidence of the social and cultural activities supported by the Northwestern University community of the late 19th century.