Figure 1.--This photograph was undated, but we believe was taken in 1889. It was taken at Geneva College, a Phrespetryian school north of Pittsburgh. The boys were mostly children of the teaching staff. Notice the caps that the boys are wearing.

This photograph was undated, but we believe was taken in 1889. It was taken at Geneva College, a Phrespetryian school north of Pittsburgh. The boys were mostly children of the teaching staff. The younger boys wear knee pants, single breasted suits, and long black stockings.

Geneva College

Here is an interesting photo from the earliest days of Geneva College, a Reformed Presbyterian college, in Beaver Falls, Pa. It is located on the Beaver River just a few miles north of Pittsburgh. In the background you can see the oldest main building of the college, constructed about 1879.

Chronology

The photo was probably taken about 1889.

The Boys

The photograph shows four boys, all of whom are from the town of Beaver Falls. Three of them became prominently associated with the college. From left to right are Dr. Clarence Macartney, Dr. Albert J.M. McCartney (in the wagon), and Dr. William Henry George (whittling the stick), who later became president of Geneva College from 1907 to 1916. He was elected president at the age of 28. The fourth boy, who is much older (about 18) is William Dunn, son of a local business man.

Clothing

The younger boys wear knee pants, single breasted suits, and long black stockings. They also wear destinctive caps, although I am not sure what thy are called. William George, the future president of Geneva, is about 9 or 10 and wears longer knee pants that come down over his knees even in a sitting position. He also wears an Eton collar. All the boys wear hightop boots, but the two youngest boys wear open-collared shirts and interesting domed hats (probably made of felt). The teenager, William Dunn, wears grown-up clothes--a three-piece single-breasted suit, stove pipe long trousers, hightop boots and a bowler hat tilted rakishly on the back of his head. He is holding a puppy. The clothes seem to be typical of the more educated classes of Americans in the late decades of the 19th century. One of the boy's suits buttons interestingly down the front with what look like brass buttons. He has only one button on his knee pants instead of the more usual two or three.

Created: June 22, 2003
Last updated: June 22, 2003