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Lantern Slides, circa 1895-1930

6 boxes
Collection Creator:
Morris, DuBois S. (1873-1956) and Morris, Alice Ray Buell (1879-1966)
Dates:
circa 1895-1930
Located In:
Box 7 B-North 20 (glass plate storage), Box 8 B-North 20 (glass plate storage), Box 9 B-North 20 (glass plate storage), Box 10 B-North 20 (glass plate storage), Box 11 B-North 20 (glass plate storage), Box 12 B-North 20 (glass plate storage)
Extent:
6 boxes
Languages:
English
Scope and Contents

Consists of six boxes of lantern slides (glass slides). There are some duplicate images across the glass slides and across the photograph albums. Some of the slides have identifying information about people and places provided by the donor, but some of these notes may be in incorrect spots as they have moved. Most of the people who are identified are Morris family members, though there are other missionaries and their families who are also pictured in the slides. The majority of the people pictured in these slides are Chinese people from the communities of Huaiyuan in which missionaries of the Presbyterian Church were present. For example, there are many photographs of the various classes, events, groups, and organizations that Chinese people in Huaiyuan attended or staffed, such as the Women's Industrial School, various schools for children, a band or orchestra, the hospital, sports events, holidays, etc. Some of these photographs are candid, but most are posed group portraits. There are a few portraits of families who are not identified.

All of the slides are of places in China, and are primarily of people and locales in Huaiyuan, Anhui Province, China. A small number of slides are noted as being of Beijing. Many of the images are of the Morris family house and gardens; various other home interiors, exteriors, courtyards, and gardens; and the church-built structures in Huaiyuan. There are interior and exterior photographs of the church that was built, and it seems that there are photographs of the various schools and hospitals in the province.

Another large chunk of the lantern slides consists of photographs of sites and other types of landmarks and locations. These include landscapes, river- or water-scapes, city- or town-scapes, architectural and sculptural details, interior and exterior shots of buildings and locations. There are also quite a few street scenes of people walking or going about their daily lives in town, including people at work (potters, street vendors, etc).

There are a fair number of hand-colored slides, about a third of the slides or more. Most of the slides are uncredited, but of those that are credited, they include: Mission Photo Bureau, Shanghai; Scott Studios, NYC; Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, NYC; Chas. Beseler Co., NYC; Beseler Lantern Slide Co. Inc, NYC; Lantern Slide Bureau, Methodist Episcopal Church in China; and Henry B. Ingram Co. Inc. Maker World Famous Nonpareil Slides, NYC.

A few slides seemed to have been created for presentations on the status of the Church's missionary work in China. One of the slides has a creator-supplied note: "Pages from New Testament presented to Empress Dowager of China by the Christian women, 1895, John 14 beginning with 1st vs." Other slides are maps to show the size of Anhui and the growing number of "converts" and "Christians" between 1807 and 1923 in both Anhui Province and China as a whole.

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Credit this material:

Lantern Slides; DuBois S. Morris and Alice Morris Papers, C1658, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box 7-12
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

The lantern slides are fragile and require special handling in the reading room. Some of the photograph albums are brittle and deteriorating, and require special handling in the reading room.

Processing Information

This collection was partially processed by Amy C. Vo in March 2022. Finding aid written by Amy C. Vo in March 2022.

The remainder of the collection was processed by Amy C. Vo in December 2022. In more cases than not, materials are already foldered and labeled; these folders were retained, along with their donor-supplied titles. If folders were replaced, donor-supplied description retained. The finding aid was revised by Amy C. Vo in December 2022 to reflect the incorporation of the rest of the collection material.

Finding aid title updated by Amy C. Vo in October 2023 to elucidate Alice Morris's role as one of the collection's creators.

In January 2024, the 2023 accrual was processed and the finding aid was revised to reflect the incorporation of these materials into the collection.

Custodial History

Eloise Clark received the 11 film reels of the 2023 accrual from her first cousin, Marjorie Cave, the eldest daughter of John McLean Morris, one of Dubois S. and Alice Morris's four children.

Collection Overview

Collection Description & Creator Information

Scope and Contents

Consists of six boxes of lantern slides (glass slides). There are some duplicate images across the glass slides and across the photograph albums. Some of the slides have identifying information about people and places provided by the donor, but some of these notes may be in incorrect spots as they have moved. Most of the people who are identified are Morris family members, though there are other missionaries and their families who are also pictured in the slides. The majority of the people pictured in these slides are Chinese people from the communities of Huaiyuan in which missionaries of the Presbyterian Church were present. For example, there are many photographs of the various classes, events, groups, and organizations that Chinese people in Huaiyuan attended or staffed, such as the Women's Industrial School, various schools for children, a band or orchestra, the hospital, sports events, holidays, etc. Some of these photographs are candid, but most are posed group portraits. There are a few portraits of families who are not identified.

All of the slides are of places in China, and are primarily of people and locales in Huaiyuan, Anhui Province, China. A small number of slides are noted as being of Beijing. Many of the images are of the Morris family house and gardens; various other home interiors, exteriors, courtyards, and gardens; and the church-built structures in Huaiyuan. There are interior and exterior photographs of the church that was built, and it seems that there are photographs of the various schools and hospitals in the province.

Another large chunk of the lantern slides consists of photographs of sites and other types of landmarks and locations. These include landscapes, river- or water-scapes, city- or town-scapes, architectural and sculptural details, interior and exterior shots of buildings and locations. There are also quite a few street scenes of people walking or going about their daily lives in town, including people at work (potters, street vendors, etc).

There are a fair number of hand-colored slides, about a third of the slides or more. Most of the slides are uncredited, but of those that are credited, they include: Mission Photo Bureau, Shanghai; Scott Studios, NYC; Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, NYC; Chas. Beseler Co., NYC; Beseler Lantern Slide Co. Inc, NYC; Lantern Slide Bureau, Methodist Episcopal Church in China; and Henry B. Ingram Co. Inc. Maker World Famous Nonpareil Slides, NYC.

A few slides seemed to have been created for presentations on the status of the Church's missionary work in China. One of the slides has a creator-supplied note: "Pages from New Testament presented to Empress Dowager of China by the Christian women, 1895, John 14 beginning with 1st vs." Other slides are maps to show the size of Anhui and the growing number of "converts" and "Christians" between 1807 and 1923 in both Anhui Province and China as a whole.

Arrangement

Materials are grouped by genre/type and arranged in the order in which they were received.

Collection History

Custodial History

Eloise Clark received the 11 film reels of the 2023 accrual from her first cousin, Marjorie Cave, the eldest daughter of John McLean Morris, one of Dubois S. and Alice Morris's four children.

Processing Information

This collection was partially processed by Amy C. Vo in March 2022. Finding aid written by Amy C. Vo in March 2022.

The remainder of the collection was processed by Amy C. Vo in December 2022. In more cases than not, materials are already foldered and labeled; these folders were retained, along with their donor-supplied titles. If folders were replaced, donor-supplied description retained. The finding aid was revised by Amy C. Vo in December 2022 to reflect the incorporation of the rest of the collection material.

Finding aid title updated by Amy C. Vo in October 2023 to elucidate Alice Morris's role as one of the collection's creators.

In January 2024, the 2023 accrual was processed and the finding aid was revised to reflect the incorporation of these materials into the collection.

Access & Use

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. To cite or publish quotations that fall within Fair Use, as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission is required. For instances beyond Fair Use, it is the responsibility of the researcher to determine whether any permissions related to copyright, privacy, publicity, or any other rights are necessary for their intended use of the Library's materials, and to obtain all required permissions from any existing rights holders, if they have not already done so. Princeton University Library's Special Collections does not charge any permission or use fees for the publication of images of materials from our collections, nor does it require researchers to obtain its permission for said use. The department does request that its collections be properly cited and images credited. More detailed information can be found on the Copyright, Credit and Citations Guidelines page on our website. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us through the Ask Us! form.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

For preservation reasons, original analog and digital media may not be read or played back in the reading room. Users may visually inspect physical media but may not remove it from its enclosure. All analog audiovisual media must be digitized to preservation-quality standards prior to use. Audiovisual digitization requests are processed by an approved third-party vendor. Please note, the transfer time required can be as little as several weeks to as long as several months and there may be financial costs associated with the process. Requests should be directed through the Ask Us Form.

The lantern slides are fragile and require special handling in the reading room. Some of the photograph albums are brittle and deteriorating, and require special handling in the reading room.

Credit this material:

Lantern Slides; DuBois S. Morris and Alice Morris Papers, C1658, Manuscripts Division, Department of Special Collections, Princeton University Library

Location:
Firestone Library
One Washington Road
Princeton, NJ 08544, USA
(609) 258-3184
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Storage Note:
  • Firestone Library (mss): Box 7-12