That Sinking Feeling

Two years ago, a writer for Dartbeat, the Dartmouth student newspaper's blog, posted a fascinating entry about the sinking of the Titanic. The author, Kristin Yu, mentioned that two of the passengers on board the ship were related to a member of the class of 1912, Howard "Rainy" Burchard Lines, and were on their way across the Atlantic to attend his graduation. Mary Lines, Rainy's sister, and Elizabeth Lines, his mother, were among the lucky few to survive the horrendous tragedy that became a cultural phenomenon which persists even to this day. A few years later, sadly, Lines himself would die while serving in France as an ambulance driver in World War I.

Recently, while exploring our archives, a visitor to Rauner made a thrilling discovery related to this already gripping tale. Rauner Library holds various WWI materials connected to Howard Burchard Lines, about which we've already blogged. In addition to his papers, we also have Lines' membook, a scrapbook with a personalized cover that was distributed to Dartmouth freshmen upon their arrival on campus from the mid-1800s into the 1930s. As one of our previous blog entries makes clear, membooks were full of empty pages that Dartmouth students would fill with various mementoes from their time at college. By the time a Dartmouth man graduated, he would have accumulated a souvenir compiled of newspaper clippings, dance cards, programs and tickets to cultural events, personal photographs, pressed flowers, and any other little oddities that caught the owner's fancy.

Lines' membook is filled with these typical scraps and bits of his college years. Because of the 100th anniversary of World War I, he was fresh on our minds when a visitor came in and asked to see a sample membook, and so we paged his membook for her. What she found next gave us goosebumps: among the pages of Lines' scrapbook, between dance cards and other superficial vestiges of boyish fun, lie two small but weighty slips of paper. One is a boarding pass of sorts that allowed Mary Lines and one passenger admittance to U.S. Customs from RMS Titanic; the other is a telegram to Howard Lines that tersely states: "Safe on board carpathia. Lines." RMS Carpathia was the ship made famous by rescuing the survivors of the Titanic on that cold night in April, who doubtless all attempted to contact their loved ones immediately from the ship to let them know that they were okay.

Who knows what other fateful documents lie hidden within the pages of these old membooks, awaiting discovery after more than a hundred years? Come in and help us with the hunt by asking to see a random membook, or see the telegram and ticket for yourself by asking for Lines' membook (DC History Membook Lines 1912). Also, for more on Howard "Rainy" Lines 1912, ask to see his Alumni File or any number of items related to his experiences during the war, including MS-452.

Daniel Sargent Curtis

Claude Monet to
Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
December 7, 1908

In August 1869, Daniel Sargent Curtis took a train headed to Needham, Massachusetts. He was joined in the train compartment by Judge Al Churchill who, with a female guest, took a seat nearby. At some point during that journey an altercation ensued connected to an ill-placed carpetbag, a toy wagon, and an empty seat. Words were exchanged, with Churchill commenting that Curtis must not be a gentleman. Feeling insulted, Curtis twisted Churchill's nose and struck him in the eye, breaking his glasses. Curtis was charged with assault and sentenced to two months in jail. According to John Berendt, author of The City of Fallen Angels, more than 300 prominent citizens of Massachusetts petitioned for a pardon for Curtis. However, Curtis refused to sign it. He also refused Churchill's offer to drop the charges for an apology because he felt that his actions on the train had been justified - and so Daniel Curtis went to jail.

Henry James to
Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
May 3, 1897

It is often stated that it was this "unfortunate incident" that prompted the Curtis family to leave America for Venice, Italy. Berendt, however, states that the desire to leave America had been voiced by Curtis many years before this event. Curtis left for Venice in 1881 with his wife, Ariana Randolph Wormeley, and their son Ralf. There they rented and later bought the Palazzo Barbaro. After restoring it to its former glory the Palazzo Barbaro became the center of American life in Venice. The Curtises hosted many writers, artists and other expatriates at their home, including John Singer Sargent (a distant relative), Robert Browning, Edith Wharton, Isabella Stewart Gardner, Claude Monet and Henry James (a close friend of Ariana). James had several prolonged visits with the Curtises between 1887 and 1907, and, when not in Venice, wrote many letters to his "Dear Mrs. Curtis," often with tales about life at home in England or with requests for introductions for his acquaintances.

Henry James to
Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
May 3, 1897

Henry James to
Ariana Randolph Wormeley Curtis
May 3, 1897

The correspondence of Daniel Sargent Curtis and his family is a small but vital collection and includes not only letters from Henry James to Ariana Curtis, but also letters from Henry Adams, Claude Monet, John Singer Sargent, Lady Ritchie and John Addington Symonds.

Ask for MS-194 to read the letters in the collection.