Autographs, accompanied by witty inscriptions, mediocre poetry, humorous artwork, and nostalgic reflections on an already-idealized past, constitute just part of the contents of autograph books as well as yearbooks, scrapbooks, and other forms of signed high school and college keepsakes. These present a compelling category within archival records, offering insights into realms of scholarly exploration, social dynamics, linguistic expressions, genealogical ties, and the student experience. This exhibit delves into Mount Royal's early history through the examination of autograph books and other memorabilia from the holdings of the Mount Royal University Archives and Special Collections. 

Autograph books, also known as memory or friendship albums, are diminutive volumes with blank pages intended for the collection of signatures from family, colleagues, and friends.  Early historical precursors to the autograph book include tournament participant logs and genealogical tables, with entries including names, coat of arms, and family or personal mottos. Graduation bibles later served as mementoes for university students to capture signatures, addresses, and personal messages from faculty and peers. In addition to being another early form of autograph book, graduation bibles also acted as a crude form of academic credentials by listing a scholar's connections and colleagues in one convenient place. Beginning in the fifteenth century, publishers started to produce specialized blank books to collect autographs, officially supplanting graduation bibles, and thereby solidifying a format that endured with remarkable consistency until the twentieth century.

 The use of autograph books spread throughout European universities and centers of learning, although early instances were predominantly confined to German and Dutch cultural spheres. The oldest known autograph book, owned by Calude de Senarclens, an associate of John Calvin, dates back to 1545. Autograph books were primarily associated with higher education in Europe until the seventeenth century, at which point the trend began to shift towards a more youthful and diverse user demographic. 

The migration of autograph books to North America took place alongside German and Dutch immigration in the eighteenth century, finding favor among young adults and high school students. This geographical and demographic shift broadened the user base of autograph books to include women and individuals previously excluded from higher education. Traditionally, autograph books were signed in the spring, shortly before graduation or summer break, with the common goal of collecting a complete 'set' of signatures from a class or term.  

The autograph book pictured above belonged to former Mount Royal College student, Emory George Jackson, of Cheadle, Alberta. Jackson was born on December 23, 1911 and was a student at Mount Royal's Junior High School from 1926 to 1929, and pursued studies in the Commercial Department in 1930. Academic calendars and the college yearbook The Chinook depict Jackson as a young man who excelled in his studies and actively participated in school activities. Jackson's accomplishments included winning a gold medal in general proficiency in 1926 and an award of excellence in geometry in 1929. He was a member of the Literary and Debating Society and also held several positions on the editorial staff for the yearbook, including assistant business manager, classroom reporter, and wit and humour journalist. Jackson helped to organize the 1927 Christmas party and assisted the boys' hockey and basketball teams by acting as the "manager, valet, and nurse..." as well as assisting the coach, Mr. Mosher.

Playing with language by manipulating the forms and functions of words to create emphasis or illicit humour is a common feature of autograph book inscriptions. Common forms of linguistic play might include a cryptographic or hieroglyphic mixture of words and symbols (example: UR 2Y's 4ME = you are too wise for me), changing the sound value of words or specific letters (example: GURAQT = Gee you are a cutie), or the creation of original poetry or verse. Jackson's autograph books serves as a rich repository of instances where classmates, perhaps inspired by his 'joker' persona, enthusiastically engage in linguistic play, fashioning endearing inscriptions that reflect a shared sense of humor and camaraderie among the students. 

BD-0001 - Pages from Jackson's Photograph Album 

Photographs of several individuals who signed Jackson's autograph book can be found in the pages of Jackson's photograph album. 

Inscriptions within autograph books have historically served as conduits for imparting advice to friends. While earlier iterations may have conveyed genuine and earnest counsel, during Jackson's era such advice often assumed a more lighthearted and humorous tone. These inscriptions, aside from providing entertainment, had the additional nuance of highlighting perceived flaws, whether real or imagined.

For instance, the yearbook alludes to Jackson's 'gift for gab,' emphasizing his proclivity for being talkative. Jackson's lively debating skills, both within and outside the classroom, were recognized as potentially distracting to fellow students. The inscription by C.S. Douglas, presented below, offers Jackson good-natured advice, playfully suggesting the wisdom of tempering his chattiness. 

Well-wishes for the future and nostalgic remembrances of the 'good times' are one type of inscription that has persisted from the earliest days of autograph books. Since autographs were collected during times of transition, typically at the end of term, graduation, or before a move, they help to create a sense of belonging and continuity during times of change. The inscriptions also have a forward-looking purpose, intending to serve as aids for memory and nostalgia long after the high school and college experiences have become distant. They encapsulate a collective desire to preserve and cherish the bonds forged during those formative years, acting as timeless tokens of friendship and shared moments.  In Jackson's autograph book, numerous inscriptions echo shared past experiences, contain inside jokes, and implore the recipient to remember classmates as they part ways. 

The popularity of autograph books began to wane around the mid-twentieth century as yearbooks became common. Autograph books continued, but the user demographics shifted younger yet again, and the trend was taken up by children, typically around the ages of seven to nine. Yearbooks contain a wealth of information such as photographs of individual students, teachers, athletic teams, and social groups, not available in autograph books. While most yearbooks are created with student input and involvement, they are overseen and approved by the institutions the represent, with much of the publication cost also managed by the institution. As a result, yearbooks contain more detailed information about students, classes, clubs, and the events of the past year making them a natural place for students to collect signatures and remembrances. 

0001-05 - Signed pages from a 1937-1938 Chinook yearbook previously owned by Mount Royal College student Helen Hartman Smith. 

The autographs collected in the yearbook pages above are considerably less detailed compared to those in Jackson's autograph book. The illustrations, rhymes, and poems have disappeared but there's a trade-off with the addition of photographs and other personal information about the students, which provides some context that is absent in traditional autograph books. Below is another example of a signed keepsake—a beanie hat from the same era as Jackson's autograph book, signed by the graduating class of 1927-1928. 

To learn more about the history of Mount Royal University, please visit the Archive and Special Collections on the 4th floor of the Riddell Library and Learning Centre or use the links below to explore further. 

Published  by Sade Dunn, Public Service Archives and Special Collections Assistant.