Wednesday, May 24, 2017

F. Scott's Dancing Lessons

Mrs. Backus’ Boarding School (586 Holly Ave): Built in 1890, this is where F. Scott Fitzgerald took dancing lessons as a boy. (Historic Photo: School in 1922)

Although it doesn't look the same, I have been told that this is the same building.
I am sure that dancing lessons weren't Scott's idea, but that was not an usual activity for the children among his mother's circle of friends. Because his grades were not very good, eventually he was expelled from St Paul Academy and enrolled in an Eastern boarding school at age 15. Until he entered Princeton, he was home only for the holidays.

9 comments:

  1. it has had some major changes! i like the old picture, nice to compare!

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  2. I have a feeling the old building was torn down and this new one built in its place. F. Scott would find that funny and appropriate, I'd guess. :)

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  3. un peu trop carré à mon goût

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  4. I'm betting those dancing lessons came in handy after meeting Zelda.

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  5. It looks radically different.

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  6. I like seeing the old picture too, but it sure does look different!

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  7. You could have fooled me. It does look very different. I don't understand how parents can send their children off at such a young age.

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  8. The building may not look exactly the same, but it is fantastic that some developer hasn't bulldozed it. It actually looks to be in good shape.

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  9. I'm not convinced that it's the same building. It looks like it could be the same building but the first floor is much closer to ground level and the basement level seems to have disappeared.

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