The Ridge Historical Society
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Valentines from Louise Barwick
By Carol Flynn
The Ridge Historical Society’s (RHS) current exhibit, “Louise Barwick’s Lost Ridge,” may be viewed on Sundays and Tuesdays from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. or by appointment. RHS is located at 10621 S. Seeley Avenue in Chicago. The exhibit is free. RHS may be contacted at 773/881-1675 or ridgehistory@hotmail.com.
Louise Barwick (1871 – 1957) was a long-time resident and art teacher in the Ridge community. Her watercolor paintings of local scenes from around 1900, which form the basis of the current exhibit, offer a visual history of the environment of that time.
For about forty years, Miss Barwick was an art teacher in schools on the south side of Chicago, including West Pullman School and the Morgan Park schools. Morgan Park was listed as one of the few school districts that had both drawing and music specialty programs.
In 1912, some of Miss Barwick’s ideas for handmade valentines were published in The School Arts Book, a periodical for classroom arts.
Back then, valentines were all hand made. Handmade paper cards started in the Middle Ages and really took off during the Victorian era of the 1800s. The cards could get very elaborate, with bits of lace, bows and ribbons, seashells, gold and silver foil, and pressed and silk flowers.
Hallmark started mass producing cards in 1913. However, it has remained the practice to spend a day crafting valentines as a school project. Parents, other family members, and friends are always delighted to receive handmade valentines.
Here are Louise Barwick’s valentines. They could be recreated today.
Also attached is a Valentine's Day cartoon from 100 years ago from a local paper. A young man leaving a "from a secret admirer" valentine got caught by the girl's father! Oh, the embarrassment for the lad!