Tags: alumni University of Idaho dance cards

“Let us read, and let us dance…” –Voltaire

Earlier this year, Special Collections and Archives accepted a donation from Dr. Jean Thomas, who has received an Esto Perpetua Award for preserving Idaho’s history. The donation contained memorabilia from her mother Edith Jones’ time at the University of Idaho.

Her mother earned a B.S. in Business in the early 1940s. She graduated with high honors and was a member of the Mortar Board and Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Societies as well as recognized with the Key Award for Outstanding Woman in School of Business Administration. She resided in and served as president of both Hays Hall and Elisabeth House. Jones worked on the Gem of the Mountains annual, was a stenographer for the Forestry Club, and chaired several social committees.

Amongst these varied pursuits, she was involved in Associated Students of the University of Idaho, serving on the Executive Board first as Vice President then President. She was the first women in the University’s history to fill that role.

Announcement of Edith Jones becoming ASUI President

Her daughter wrote, “She talked about her student days there, and we all knew she enjoyed her education, work experience and social life at U of I.”

As an alumna, the Argonaut reported in 1945 that she had completed an internship at the National Institute of Public Affairs in Washington, D.C.. She had been selected from 44 other graduates across the nation based on quality of leadership, interest in government problems, and high scholarship.

Most of the gifted items are University of Idaho dance cards. Referred to as cards, they resembled small booklets sometimes ornately designed to reflect the theme of the dance they were created for. They were used to record dance partners and dances. They also served as souvenirs. Some of the cards were printed locally and one card in this collection was printed in Seattle. Dance cards have fallen out of popular use but the expression “My dance card is full,” is still occasionally heard today to indicate one’s schedule is full.

Library Assistant Victoria Zenner wrote a short history of dance cards for the Frederic C. Church dance card collection.

Below are a sampling of cards from Edith Jones’ collection.

The Forestry card was made of a stock that resembled lumber. The letter “I” was punched out to reveal a piece of cellophane type material in the University gold. Inside, all the dance information was pre-printed. Dance titles and the “handwritten” notes appear to be student names or puns related to forestry.