Meet “Orvil,” a wide-eyed McGill freshman of 1930 whose letters home published in the 1931 Old McGill Yearbook are equal parts endearing, funny, and just a little bit cheeky. From missing the pigs back on the farm to navigating poetry assignments, football games, dances, and even a budding romance, Orvil’s voice captures the ups and downs of student life in a way that still feels familiar today. Was Orvil a real McGill student faithfully writing to his family, or a playful invention meant to represent the student experience of the time? That’s up to you to decide.
This Homecoming, take a stroll through Orvil’s year at McGill and feel free to browse through other digitized copies of Old McGill Yearbooks on our dedicated web page.
N.B. The correspondence below was transcribed using Microsoft Pilot. Following this, the text was reviewed against the digital copy and revised manually.
Strathcona Hall,
Sept. 28th, 1930
Dear Ma and Pa,
I arrived in Montreal a little while ago and got my room here. It is pretty nice but I am very lonesome and sure wish I was back home on the farm with you folks and the pigs. The buildings here are terrible high, much higher than the grain elevators at home and I nearly got run over looking at them. I bet a fellow would have a bad time cleaning out those chimneys.
Tomorrow I sign up at McGill and become what they call a Freshman but I won’t be as green as they think I am, by gosh, I’ll learn them a thing or to. By the way, when I get my Hawkeye camera unpacked I’m going to send you a big bunch of pictures of places and fellows around here, I bet you’d like them for the family album.
A fellow named Jack Smit asked me to join the S.C.A. and I think I will as it will be great to be one of them fraternity men. Well folks, I must close for now, will write again soon,
your loving son,
Orvil.
Strathcona Hall,
Oct. 5th, 1930
Dear Folks,
Here I am again safe and sound and we didn’t get lost up in those sophmores as we expected. (I think that’s the way they spell sophomore, I’m not sure). Well anyway we had a great time getting acquainted and I met some nice fellows. A fellow names Joliat let me have some pictures he took of the campus and he said I could have some more if I couldn’t get my Hawkeye camera to work.
The buildings at the top are the same place, one picture is taken at night. It is the Arts Building where I take my lectures. Then we have the big pumping stations for Montreal’s water supply – the campus – (kept specially green for the nurse maids) lover’s lane by moonlight, (so Joliat says) and another view of the Arts building through the trees. I wish you folks were here to see it as I am very lonely, and also out of cash.
I must close for now as I have to go down street and buy something.
With love,
Your son Orvil
Montreal,
Oct 11th / 30
Dear Mom,
I am sorry I have not written sooner but I have been very busy reading English 2. I thought that I had to work hard on the farm but it was nothing to this, for about every second day we get a bunch of poems to read. I’m sick of poems.
My first picture turned out great but I spoiled a lot by trying to take Millard Astwood’s photo. (He’s our president). I only got a back view of George McTeer our rugby player, so it isn’t worth while sending. What do you think of us on our first day of college? A pretty sad looking lot we were that day as we went to English 2. I won’t tell you much of the initiation some of us as it was very painful but the second picture shows us in hot water getting it good. The third is a good view of the football stadium when they were having a game at night. The reason the student stands are empty is because an admission was charged that night.
Below is a good view of the reading room in the Arts Building, which is always filled filled with students. There’s a song here …
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called the “Reading Room Blues.” The words are good, but the “air” is terrible.
Just see what those Science lads did to a good sign out a Macdonald College. They do about as they please and think they are monarchs of all they survey. But what have we here? Oh yes – a bunch of M.S.P.E. girls getting a good tanning while we looked on. Honest Mom, I couldn’t help it, I just had to look.
The funny shrouded thing on the campus is a new statue to college students. It is Harvard, Princeton, and Dartmouth holding up the Yale Bowl. I can’t appreciate it much, however, we have to accept it in good part.
You cans see by this picture that our Daily staff is hard at work. I was just coming in with a story so that is why I wasn’t in the picture. Well Mom, I must sit down and write something for the Daily, but will write again soon,
Your loving son,
Orvil
Strathcona Hall
Oct. 25th, 1930
Dear Mom –
As you will see by this letter that I am using a typewriter for the first time, the McGill Daily allow me to use one of theirs, so I am getting a little practise. Pretty goood, eh?
Here are some more pictures of the gang around College and they are pretty good. The first is a swell informal dance I was at and it only cost me $1.25. The girl with the hat on was the one I took. The rest are… Classroom Siestas … Auto Suggestion… Abe Zaitlin inaugurating Cleanup Week… The Science Choir rendering “Loafer come back to me!” … Draper at loggerheads with a Glyptodon… and Bert Yates of the McGill department of the Interior …………
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The other night a bunch of us went on a party and we had a great time. I was the only Freshman in the party and the only one with lots of money. We had some funny pictures taken at a place on St. Lawrence Main St. at five for $0.25. In the top picture, the fellow with the gun is called Sailor Swabey. He is trying to look like a Chicago citizen on election day… The other picture is a fake wedding, for even the flowers are artificial. The bride looks happy, but if she knew Bert McGillivrey as well as I do…
What do you think of the Sleeping Beauty? This is Sammy Granger at 11 A.M. every morning, and it displays his Open Countenance. (We never close)
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Here we have our far touted Rowing Club and their genial coach Urbain Molmane. These boys are always in training and they look pretty good stripped for action. In the winter time they train in our Field House, in the spring at the Knights of Columbus tank, in the summer at a summer resort, and in the fall they lose to Varsity, Heck%##.
Alan Mills is seen taking the boys out for a little spin in the morning. Alan’s job is to get out in shallow water and push. The last two pictures show the shells being transported up to the Henley, and the crew out scraping the barnacles off the scows. Who says Canada hasn’t a navy?
Well, must close for now as I have to catch the mail. Don’t forget the cake and cookies, love and
XXXXXXXX
Orvil
Montreal,
Nov. 14th, /30
Dear Folks,
As I told you before, I belong to the C.O.T.C. I joined the cavalry hoping that they would give me a horse to ride but I have to use Shank’s Mare instead. (Please excuse typing I am still rusty at it)
We took trip to a resort in the Laurentians to carry out tactics, and Sherman was right. After a long route march which you see in the snaps, we were all so tired that we sank to rest among some nice cool Poison Ivy. The top cut shows group of our officers while the bottom is the Girls Contigent of the C.O.T.C.’s target practice.
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You have often heard of our far famed Medical School? Well here it is. Don’t you think that the first looks like Uncle Hiram? I would say that it was a dead image.
Some say that the two skeletons at the bottom are the two Smith brothers, Trade and Mark, but that is all wrong. They just go with the other two figures at the bottom of the page to show the “Before and After” effects of using Cod Liver Oil. When I come home for Xmas I shall tell you plenty about these Med. Students. They’re a tough bunch, but they can’t come up to these lawyers when it comes to college Spirit.
Tell Herbie to send me my skates and tell Mandy not to forget my underwear (we get a cold reception here at the Hall).
Your loving son and heir, Orvil.
Dear Mom,
I have just found some photos that I forgot that I had about our manly athletes here at college. This section is known as the B.W.F. or in other words Boxing, Wrestling, and Fencing.
In boxing two or three of the team were having a light workout when I dropped in to see them. I would have turned out for boxing this year only I sprained my hand playing Cheer. One day a chap handed me a picture and asked me if I could use it, he said it was a picture of the Scandinavian Club but I think that it is the Wrestling Team getting into shape. And last but not least, Peer and Baker are doing a little fencing.
Well, Mom, I must close for now as I have to read English 2.
With love,
Orvil
Here,
Jan. 28th, 1931
Dear Uncle Hiram,
I am certainly going in for everything strong here as these pictures will show. This is the Choral and Operatic and the play which they are going to put on in Moyse Hall. It is called “Pirates of Penzance” and will be at cutthroat prices, but I shall get in to see it by being a stage hand. The Society has their own “Symphony Orchestra” to play for them which is very good, the second is a flashlight of the finale of their show, (you will notice their Evening Clothes) and the third and fourth is the Society’s interpretation of the R.C.M.P. slogan, “Get your man”…
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Did you folks ever look like this when you were young? The chaps from Architecture gave a Floradora Ball and it was one of the funniest things that I’ve seen. This is the gang at work on the scenery.
Below, Draper is proving that there is always an opening for a McGill Student, while a fair Co-ed is about to deliver an ultimatum to the Students Council. Many of our chaps help Eatons out from time to time and here we have Robert Picard selling everything shirts, ties, etc . to nuts. By the way, don’t be alarmed at the lean and hungry look of the bottom chap… he is only one of the window dressers models, not a frequentor of the Union Cafeteria. If you don’t mind I think I will stop now.
Could you possibly send me that old flannel that you have, with love, (I could use it here). Orvil
Montreal
Dear Pop,
Well, I suppose you thought that the only time I ever thought of writing to you was when I needed some money, but such is not the case. I have been very busy of late and have been taking up skiing along with my other activities. You see, all the upperclassmen here out lecturers and go skiing when it is fine, so I might as well.
Do you like my typing? Not pretty good, eh? I do quite a lot of it now, in fact do all my notes. I am working very hard now and do about six hours a day, but I’m afraid the strain is beginning to tell on me for even the professors say I am working too hard.
I’m sending Mom some more snaps that should occupy an important place in the album. The two top ones are of the Dental Class, and a number of Professors. This last one shows one of our professors Dr. Stephen Leacock, our humorist, thinking up some new wise cracks for his speech and his next book.
The third picture represents a dead Dental Student about to fill his last cavity – the fourth is a view f the gambling den in the Dentistry quarters and shows how some of the students put themselves through college—while the last one is a picture of some of the costume worn at that Floradora Ball I told you about.
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One day when a bunch of us were going down the campus, we thought it would be a great idea to photograph the buildings under their covering of snow. Mine didn’t turn out so good but my chum Ralph gave me this one. It shows the “lowing herd winds slowly o’er the lea”, with the tomb of James McGill and the Engineering Building as a suitable setting.
What do you think of the pose of Col. Bovey? You remember what I told you about that he does here? – well, here he is not doing it. You should see him when he is out romping in the snow like this – he’s quite a sport.
Now don’t get excited about these two snaps and decide to cut off my allowance, for I didn’t take them. They were given to me by a girl friend who was on a trip to the Laurentians. I don’t know where they were holding a pajama party or were playing strip poker, but here they are (or were)! Of course this doesn’t happen here, so don’t worry.
The gang on the steps of the Arts Building won’t interest you much, in fact I don’t know what they are laughing at – perhaps one of the Profs fell down the steps.
Isn’t this a great picture of Howie Baker skiing? He says that he’ll show me how to do it some day. Well I must ring off now as I have an essay to write.
With love, as ever, Orvil
Feb. 27th, 1931
Dear Mandy,
Here I am alive and kicking but in need of cash. Went out to a big party last night and spent $4.85, but don’t tell the folks as they might object. Why some of the fellows spend as high as $6.00 when they go out. Please ask Len to send me some money if he can spare it and give her these photos in compensation.
The “big gang” one is listening to the McGill school of elocution, while the smaller one underneath it is at Macdonald College, the “Farmer” School of elocution.
The two chess players are waiting for the First of May to move, – the big picture is the Mock Parliament we had, while the two little snaps are taken again at Macdonald College, showing how the students there hunt for knowledge and aspire to higher things.
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Do you remember that I also told you about the Red and White Revue that they hold here every year? Well here’s the chorus at a rehearsal in the Gym and they’re a great bunch of girls. Wish I knew some of them but it is almost impossible to get their names and still harder to get their phone numbers. The Producer let me have some views of his office just to show that work is actually going on there. I think by the looks of things that he needs a wife to keep things straight for him.
The funny looking picture in the centre was taken at the Opera “Pirates of Penzance”. It is the Major General and some of his daughters in the finale of the show. Max Ford, who took the part of the General, said he allowed this picture to be taken to disprove the rumour that they were holding pyjama parties after the show.
Don’t forget to tell the folks that I need money, and also tell them that I am working very hard. Give my love to all at home, and don’t work too hard as it isn’t considered here as being ladylike.
Your loving brother,
Orvil
March 7th
Dear Folks,
This will have to be a very short letter as I have been invited out tonight to a party held at one of the professors’ homes. We have a pretty good time there sitting back and sipping lemonade, but the reason I go is because I know some nice girls there. You don’t how much, we poor fellows fellows at Strathcona Hall look forward to these invitations, and I have been saving a clean shirt for over a week now.
I have three pictures of the Players Club in their production of “Beggar on Horseback”. It was very funny and I laughed quite a bit. You see I was given free ticket. The two smaller ones are of some of my girl friends. I took these five girls to lunch one day when they had just opened the new cafeteria in our hall, and did they eat? Oh boy! Ah for the other young lady, I had better not say too much – position is everything.
Give my regards to everyone at home and tell Aunt Susan that I say my prayers every night.
With love, Orvil.
At last I must tell you. This is the girl whom I’ve fallen in love with, and she is the dearest, sweetest girl I’ve ever seen. I have been going with her for quite a while now and she says she’ll marry me as soon as I have finished my course in Medicine. Oh boy! Only eight or nine more years to wait. I am bringing her home with me when I come and I know you’ll love her like I do – by the way, she was the one who has been doing all my typing for me so you see she is clever.
Well, Mom, I must get down to work as exams are near. It is very slushy out now, but the birds are singing which means that the McGill Annual will soon be out. I hope I am in it. If it is I will bring one home.
So will say bye bye for now.
Your loving son Orvil
P.S. “I’m crazy about her.”
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