Photograph Album, 1906-1911

Abstract

The pictures in the album were taken during the years 1906-1911. The first part of the album is based in the Clyde area. Clyde is a village in the town of Galen in Wayne County, N.Y. The village is located on the Clyde River between Rochester and Syracuse. There is a Syracuse pennant in a couple of photographs and the Parkside Restaurant is featured in one photo. A photograph of “The old home” as well as the gates of a private garden show an Italianate style home. The Vroomans resided on N. Park Street in Clyde. “Five cents a ride – One of Clyde’s wonders” is written under a photograph of the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Trolley Station, Clyde, N.Y. Most of the people in the pictures are identified by nickname or first name only. One of the photographs is captioned “school days (book-worms) C.H.S.” The initials probably stand for Clyde-Savannah High School. “Dr.” is the caption under a picture of an older man. This is Marjorie’s father, Dr. Walter Roselle Vrooman. Dr. Vrooman practiced dentistry at the Burton Block in Clyde. He was born in Illinois, but his family moved to Canada where his father was engaged in the mercantile business. Walter Vrooman was educated at St. Catharines Collegiate. He graduated from Toronto Normal School and taught in Ontario. He then went to Toronto University where graduated from the Dental Department. He was 32 when he married Jessie and moved to her hometown of Clyde. “Jessie” is the caption on a picture of an older woman. Jessie Bender L’Amoreaux Vrooman was Marjorie’s mother. Included are photos of the Clyde River and a bridge which is quite possibly the Clyde Bridge.

“In the woods” is a photograph of two people and a dog. This was taken at Wayne, Pennsylvania. “Bluff Hill” is also in Pennsylvania. The next photos are taken in Niagara Falls, N.Y. and in Ontario. The Upper Steel Arch Bridge can be seen behind the group in a couple of photos. The girls are standing at Prospect Park, Niagara Falls, N.Y. as well as at “Prospect Point” and “Brox Monument” [which is probably Brock’s Monument]. This is unclear because we only see the cannons, not the monument. A picture of Toronto University (where Dr. Vrooman studied) is also in this group of photographs.

The group of photographs which follow, feature Loretto Convent (later Loretto Academy) in Niagara Falls, Ontario. “Fair girl graduate” is a picture of Rosina MacDonald. Students are tentatively identified in the Loretto photos. The next page features Pachita [Losada?] and “Mary from Lundy’s Lane” is possibly Mary Lundy. There are a few photos of Rosina MacDonald (usually labelled as “Rose”) and “laughing Lillice” is possibly Lillice Matthews. Other students include Neenah [Brady?], Rube or Ruby [Suttles?], Rose Mudd and Hazel Freeman. One of the girls is posing in front of a news stand/hand baggage check at Niagara-on-the-Lake. More personalized photos include: Quirilo Losada, Ester Losada, Sister Constance and Rita [Coffey?] with a teddy bear. Another page features Cecil [McLaughlin?], Sister Grace and Sister M. Leocadia. Sister Leocadia was a music teacher.

Of note are the photos entitled “Larkins’” and “A sleigh-ride!” On February 17, 1909 some of the students went for a sleigh ride to St. Catharines. They were met by Mrs. James McSloy (wife of James McSloy, President of the Haircloth Company in St. Catharines) who sent them to the New Murray Hotel for their dinner. They then proceeded to the Larkin house in St. Catharines for an afternoon of music.

The next few photographs are taken at a park in Rochester, N.Y. and “Lake Bluff”. These are photos of people enjoying themselves during the nice weather.

In 1909, the girls are dressed in their school uniforms. Mary Maxwell and Rita Coffey are included in the “Here we are” photos. Rosina MacDonald is on the next page along with the view of the Loretto gate and the Niagara River. The next page features a before and after look at the front of the convent. The entrance was changed quite dramatically. On the following page there are photos of Vivian [Spence?] and Peggy [Smith?]. Rosina MacDonald and Sister Leocadia are on the page where we see the girls visit the powerhouse by the Falls.

The captions on the next page are somewhat confusing and they include “A house party from California” which just appears to be a group of people in the woods and “Old McGill”. It is unclear as to whether the students are actually at McGill University.

Some outdoor shots feature two of the girls killing a snake, a Sunday walk, Sister Constance and Sister Leocadia. Bernice [Rochford?] and Dorothy [Rochford?] are featured in the Easter vacation photographs. There is a picture of part of the Business Class, but one of the faces has been removed. The picture captioned “once upon a time” has also been removed.

The next set of pictures is called “Glen Haven Summer of 1910”. Glen Haven is situated in the Town of Scott, Cortland County and the Town of Niles, in Cayuga County, U.S.A. These photos were taken in the summer of 1910 and 1911.

Marjorie graduated from Loretto Convent in 1911 along with classmates: Helen McCarney, Madeline MacMahon, Isabel Elliot, Jean Sears, Dorothy Rochford, Elizabeth Cunningham, Edna Duffey and Florence Bowen.

In the next section of the album there are various headshots of people with no captions. The last part of the album is called “Drift Wood: from the Mountain Streams in the West”. Camp life is featured here at a place that Marjorie refers to as “Camp Comfort”. One of the pictures is labelled “along the Pacific coast”. There is also “a beach in January”. It is unclear where this beach is located despite the ornate architecture which is displayed.