The second week of classes is well underway here at Davidson College, and the hubbub of Freshmen orientation and upperclassmen moving back to campus is beginning to settle down. One topic on the minds of many students both new and returning, is dorm decorating – what are the perfect wall hangings and tchotchkes?
With that in mind, this week we’ll take a look at how Davidson College students have decorated their dormitories throughout the years – click on any of the images in the following picture post to get a closer view:
This image of a dorm room in Old Chambers, circa 1895, is our earliest known photograph of the interior of a student’s room. This unknown student had distinctive taste – the image centered above the mantelpiece appears to be a Degas print.Kemp Elliott Savage (Class of 1906) sits in front of a very elaborately decorated dorm room gallery wall (including a draped flag), circa 1902.If current Davidson College students think their rooms are crowded, imagine how these triple decker bunk bed DC students of 1916 felt!A decade later, Davidson students continued to be stacked three high and continued to decorate their dormitory walls with pennants – this image comes from George Shaddock (Class of 1926), by way of Dr. (Class of 1960) and Mrs. W. Kirby Kirkpatrick.This picture, courtesy of Robert Hayne Jones (Class of 1916), illustrates what a typical dorm room in Old Chambers looked like – check out the “D.C.” constructed of either photographs or postcards.Five students gather in this dorm room in 1947 to do what Davidson students do best – study!“Get up Ox!” – a sleepy student is awakened in Georgia dorm, under his decorations. This photograph is from a 1948 Phi Gamma Delta scrapbook.John Cronin’s (Class of 1971) dorm room in 1969 provides a glimpse into his hobbies and loved ones – the guitar case, headphones, and photo of a musician speak to his interest in music. Whether the chains serve a functional or aesthetic purpose is unclear, however (photograph taken by George Sproul, Class of 1970).A group of students play games in a Richardson dorm room in 1975 – a peek at the walls in the background reveals some typical dorm decorations, including a wall calendar.Two roommates spend time in their somewhat sparsely decorated dorm room in 1977 (photograph taken by Bill Giduz, Class of 1974). Notice the cameo appearance of Davidson attendee Woodrow Wilson on the wall above the bottom bunk.Three students gather in a mid-1980s dorm room – note the lofted bed, now a very popular dorm room modification.
While many things have changed at Davidson throughout the years, students’ desire to decorate their living space has remained constant – and the some of the modes of decorating have also remained popular, such as the gallery wall hanging style.
If you’re a Davidson alumni or current student who wants to document your college decorating style, please send any photographs to the College Archives & Special Collections!
