The Clarkson Class of 1907 included five women

POTSDAM -- A new exhibit featuring historical postcards of what was Clarkson College, now Clarkson University, will open at the Potsdam Public Museum, 2 Park Street, Civic Center, on Saturday, Sept. 13.

The postcards in this exhibit cover 100 years of history at the school, from the building of Old Main to the construction of Cheel Arena in 1991.

One from 1905 features "Old Main" with W. S Aldrich, one of Clarkson's earliest presidents, standing in front of the building. This postcard was manufactured by Raphael Tuck and Sons, "Art Publishers to Their Majesties The King and Queen" of England.

Another card produced by Dwight Church of Canton around 1952 features the old Clarkson Arena, later known as Walker Arena, one of the very first refrigerated college arenas in the country.

Another features the Clarkson graduating class of 1907. Out of the 16 graduates that year, five were women, all of whom majored in "domestic science," or what was later known as "home economics." These were the last women students at Clarkson for a long time: "coed" students were not to return to Clarkson's campus again for 57 years until the fall of 1964, when seven women were admitted.

Other postcards include one of the original Snell Hall, an early view of Clarkson's orchestra, a baseball team postcard from 1911, several interior views of "Old Main" from about 1910, fascinating aerial views, and a card featuring Clarkson's Malone Branch, which operated from 1946 to 1951. This was to accommodate some of the huge numbers of students at Clarkson following World War II who were helped to go to college with the G. I. Bill.

This exhibit will be on display for three months and will be followed by one opening in mid December featuring the Potsdam Normal School/SUNY Potsdam.

The Potsdam Public Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays.