The Wedding Album, 1933

My grandmother Marcella Armstrong left behind another remarkable artifact -- an album of clippings, notes, gift cards, greeting cards, and visiting cards from her engagement and marriage to my grandfather, Richard Armstrong.






This album is in deteriorating condition although many of the artifacts inside it -- particularly the cards -- look as bright and crisp as the day she received them. They made better paper in those days.

This album poses a preservation challenge. The album sheets are acidic. The newspaper clippings glued to the pages are brittle and yellow. The album itself does not provide much structural support for the pages themselves, so a new binder should be considered. The worst problem was that a block of flowers preserved in wax was tucked between the pages, and oozed wax onto several pages. I have removed this item from the album to prevent further damage but now the flowers are loose and also need protection. I could put the individual album pages into archival sleeves, but part of the fun of looking through this album is that many of the greeting cards can be opened and read. The best bet might be to permanently mount each original album page on some kind of acid-free card stock sheet and put those in a more supportive binder.

It might also be worthwhile to place each sheet on the scanner, although the 3-dimensional nature of the cards means that not everything will be captured this way. Digital photos of the pages might be a better bet.

The text of the newspaper article reads:

MISS MARCELLA CLARKE

Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Clarke of Westfield, whose engagement to Richard Armstrong of Des Moines, Ia., was announced last Saturday. Miss Clarke is an instructor in the English Department of Jamestown High School. Mr. Armstrong is a chemist at Westfield.

MARCELLA CLARKE WILL BE MARRIED

Member of High School Faculty To Be Bride of Richard Armstrong

The engagement of Miss Marcella Clarke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Clarke of Westfield, to Richard Armstrong of Des Moines, Ia., was announced by her mother last Saturday afternoon at a bridge luncheon at Healy Hall in Westfield. The wedding will take place in the Fall.

Miss Clarke was the honor guest at a luncheon given by members of the faculty of Jameston High School on Monday afternoon at the Apple Inn. Covers were for 32. Miss Clarke was presented with a gift. [A note on the album page indicates that the gift was a "silver creamer and sugarer lined with gold."]

Miss Laura F. Freck assisted by the Misses Madeleine Rogers, Myrtle Paetznick and Wendy Lutzhoff, had charge of arrangements.

Miss Clarke is a graduate of the Westfield High School. She attended Lake Erie College, Painesville, O., and was graduated from William Smith College, Geneva. She is an instructor in the English Department of Jamestown High School.

Mr. Armstrong was graduated from Des Moines University with a B.S. degree and received his M.S. degree upon graduating from William Smith College where he is a candidate for a Ph.D. degree. He is a chemist at the Welch Grape Juice Company, Westfield.

Another clipping:

The engagement of Marcella B. Clarke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Clarke to Richard D. Armstrong was announced by Mrs. Henry E. Clarke at a luncheon at Healy Hall on Saturday, June, twenty-fourth. Miss Clarke, who is a teacher of English at Jamestown High School is a graduate of Westfield High School and William Smith College. Mr. Armstrong received his bachelor of science degree at Des Moines University and a master's degree at Iowa State College. He is now working for his doctorate. He is a chemist at the Welch Grape Juice Company. The luncheon was followed by bridge at Healy Hall. The guests were Miss Clara Louise Clarke, Miss Gertrude Fuller of Portland, Miss Verna Dodge, Miss Caroline Anderson, Mrs. Harry King, Miss Ruth Horning, Mrs. Melvin Bemus, Mrs. Agnes Weir, Miss Barbara Bedford, Miss Genevive Waterman, Miss Edith THompson and Mrs. C. Wilson Hopson.

And another:

BRIDE-TO-BE-HONORED

Teachers Give Party for Miss Clarke of High School

Miss Marcella Clarke, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Henry E. Clarke of Westfield, whose engagement to Richard Armstrong of Des Moines, Ia was recently announced, was the honor guest at a luncheon given by members of the faculty of Jamestown High School yesterday afternoon at the Apple Inn. Covers were for 32. Miss Clarke was presented with a gift.

[This next paragraph is scrambled presumably due to typesetting errors]

Miss Clarke's engagement to Mr. charge of the arrangements, assisted by Miss Madeleine Rogers, Miss Myrtle Paetznick and Miss Wendy Lutzhoff.

Miss Clarke's engagement to Mr. Armstrong was announced by her mother at a bridge luncheon Saturday afternoon at Healy Hall in Westfield. The wedding will take place in the Fall.

Miss Clarke is a graduate of the Westfield High School. She attended Lake Erie College, Painesvile, O., and was graduated from William Smith College, Geneva. She is an instructor in the English Department of Jamestown High School.

Mr. Armstrong was graduated from Des Moines University with a B.S. degree and received his M.S. degree upon graduating from Iowa State College where he is a candidate for a Ph.D. degree. He is a chemist at the Welch Grape Juice Company, Westfield.