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Autograph Books

Many years ago it was quite customary for students to bring autograph books to school. Today when one asks for an autograph all that is given is a signature. These books were designed for autograph verses. Most students had these little verses memorized and were ready to write them in the book. It was always very special to have a favorite teacher, a best friend or a special boy or girl write in your book.

On the first page the owner of the book might write a verse like this:

Friends, companions, school mates dear
All your names are welcome here
All who love me I invite
In this little book to write
Each some memorial leaf entwines
In this little book of mine

A good friend might write this:

Remember this and bear in mind
A true friend is hard to find
But when you find one staunch and true
Change not the old one for the new.

Some were silly verses like these:

Father Moses caught a skunk
Mother Moses fried a chunk
Baby Moses ate a hunk
Holy Moses how it stunk.

or

Roses are red
Violets are blue
I’ll teach you to spit
If you give me a chew

A teacher might write something like this:

Sitting and thinking
Won’t change your fate
The lord provides the fishing
But you have to dig the bait

Often at the end of an autograph verse there was a little post script like:

Yours till butter flies
or
Yours till the ocean wears rubber pants to keep its bottom dry

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Autograph Books
1948
Bentley, Alberta


Credits:
Bentley Museum Society