Studio Portraits: Gerda and a Friend

In a recent post, G.052.01, a postcard that Gerda sent to her brother Gustaf in August 1911 proves that by then, they were both back in Sweden. It also seems that at the time, Gerda was travelling in southern Sweden in the company of her friend Frida, visiting family and friends. Since the name Frida is mentioned on cards that Gerda wrote from Chicago to Gustaf in Galeton (and Frida herself wrote him one too), I'm thinking that she was a friend to both of them from Sweden. Maybe they even emigrated and returned together? That's only a guess, though.

I have a few studio portraits of Gerda which are not glued into her album. In the two below, from Chicago (where she lived from autumn/winter 1902 until spring/summer 1911) she is photographed together with the same girl, on two different occasions. (Gerda is the taller of the two.) Both these portraits were taken by Hansen, 1691 N. Clark St., Chicago. Neither photo has any note of the year.

Because of Frida being mentioned on postcards as a friend that Gerda obviously spent some of her spare time with, I'm thinking that the girl in these studio portraits may be her. Anyway - she will be to me, until I find something to contradict it! 

Linking to Sepia Saturday 593

G.024.2 - Odla vänskap / Cultivating Friendship

To: Mr Gust. Ekman

Portallegany, Box 148,
Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (Nort-America)

Sent: From Sweden, Nov 13, 1903

Arrived: (via New York) Port Allegany Nov 25, 1903

Gods Skola d. 12/11 03.

Undrar just om du känner igen detta ställe och dem som äro med. Detta kort togs här i somras.

B.B.! (Bäste Broder!)

Tack för senaste brev. Hur mår du gamle "hedersknyffel"? Jag mår godt. Skrif snart beder (?) vännen (Georg?)  [cf. card G.021.1]

[Kan inte tyda den extra hälsningen tillagd ovanför bilden.]

Först läste jag avsändarplatsen som "Guds Skola" och undrade om det var någon slags bibelskola. Men vad är det i så fall för redskap som kvinnorna t.v. håller i - och varför? Kom fram till att det nog i stället står "Gods Skola", som i någon form av lantbruksskola (?)

Hittar också en artikel om Trädgården som bildningsmönster och pedagogisk modell under 1800-talet (av Åsa Klintborg Ahlklo, Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet), som lyfter fram att det under 1800-talet, i anslutning till nya jordbruksmetoder på gods och gårdar, även växte fram ett intresse för trädgårdsskötsel som binäring till jordbruket; och att "trädgården som lämpligt område för kvinnans engagemang är ett ämne som återkommer hos de framstående trädgårdslobbyisterna under 1800-talet". 

Jag undrar om det är Georg själv som är med på bilden, med cykeln?

In English:

[Manor] [agricultural] School, Nov 12, 1903
I wonder if you recognise this place and the people. The photo was taken this past summer.

Dear Brother,

Thanks for your latest letter. How are you, old "brick"? I am well.
Write soon asks your friend Georg (?) [cf. card G021.1]

[I can't decipher the upside-down greeting written over the image.]

At first I read the Swedish name of this school as something to do with God (Sw. "Gud") and wondered if it was a Bible school. But then why were the women to the left holding that wooden tool thing... (I'm not sure what it is, but to me it looks rather like the grip of a scythe.) I arrived at the conclusion that it must be 'gods' as in the Swedish word for manor or estate; i.e. some kind of agricultural school. If the writer is the same as on the card G.021.1 (Georg) he seems to be a friend of Gustaf's living in the Swedish countryside. I wonder if he's the man with the bicycle??