Joseph James Marks, or “Joe” as he was called by his peers, was a student at Phillips Academy from 1904 to 1906, originally from Memphis, Tennessee. His scrapbook is royal blue, and the cover, embossed in gold lettering, reads “Andover Scrap Book.” In his book, Marks collected mostly the things one would acquire on a day-to-day basis as an Andover student: programs and memorabilia from different events on campus. The scrapbook also includes excerpts from different local periodicals including the Phillipian, the Boston Herald, and Hearst’s Boston American.

J.J. Marks was a member of the Philomathean Society, a banjo player for the Andover musical clubs and possibly a member of the Andover Chess Club. In his scrapbook, there are certificates of membership, small guidebooks, and musical programs from different concerts that he performed in or attended. By the end of his final year at Phillips Academy, J.J. Marks was on the active board of the Phillipian, and his scrapbook includes several Phillipian sections including a humor section, “The Philopena,” which poked fun at the then-recent expulsion of several students. Most of the copies of The Phillipian in the scrapbook were from the sports section. Although he did not play on the football team, Marks often attended games, saving ticket stubs and Andover/Exeter souvenir score cards. He similarly went to basketball games and track and field meets where he filled out score cards for fun.

Other miscellaneous items he inserted include an orange booklet that details the health and conduct expectations for students, a copy of a dinner menu, and a bill for the term’s tuition, which then was only $40.

In the back of the scrapbook, in the middle of a messy assortment of newspaper clippings and empty envelopes one can find Marks’ Letter of Admission to Harvard University where, “Conditioned in English and Plane Geometry,” he matriculated the next year.

Scrapbook Box 49

By Nathaniel Redding, class of 2016