The Ridge Historical Society
Happy Valentine’s Day!
By Carol Flynn
Parents, other family members, and friends are always delighted to receive handmade Valentines crafted by school children.
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, but even since then, it has remained the practice to spend a day crafting Valentines as a school project.
Louise Barwick (1871-1957) was an artist and educator who lived in Beverly. Her accomplishments included a huge relief map showing the geographical topology of the State of Illinois that was displayed at the 1893 World’s Fair in Chicago. The Ridge Historical Society also has a wonderful collection of watercolor paintings of local scenes that Louise completed.
Louise Barwick was the art teacher for Morgan Park and other southside Chicago schools for several decades. In 1912, some of her ideas for handmade Valentines were published in The School Arts Book, a periodical for classroom arts.
Here are Louise Barwick’s Valentines. They could be recreated today.