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| Victorian Courtship |
I found the story of Alexander Campbell, Jr.'s scandal with Kate Best in "Bethany of a By-Gone Day," an unpublished manuscript in the Bethany College Archives.
The story certainly shows how times have changed! The behavior of young ladies in society followed very strict norms in Victorian times. A woman had to be chaperoned at all times when in the presence of a young man. And woe be to any girl who forgot herself. Her reputation could be ruined forever!
"Bethany of a By-Gone Day" continued to tell of brash young Alex's reaction to Kate's dismissal, as told in "Homelands."
His cohorts in crime were a group of rowdy Bethany friends known as "The Ranters." This is an early daguerreotype of the mischievous group. Alexander Campbell, Jr. is pictured in the front row, second from the viewer's right.
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| Alexander Campbell, Jr. and The Ranters, Bethany College 1850 |
A history of "The Ranters" including the names of the students in the photo can be found here:
Sources:
"Bethany of a By-Gone Day" unpublished manuscript, Bethany College archives
Group portrait of students, probably members of The Ranters, at Bethany College, Virginia. , 1850. [to 1851] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2014648855/.
https://adesignresearcher.tumblr.com/post/69982635251/daguerreotypeimages-the-ranters-these-10/amp
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