Iserman Harvey Debaun (1 results)

Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Quarto measuring 8.5" x 10.5". Screw bound black cloth over stiff paper boards. Worn corners, rubbing, and short tears thus very good. A scrapbook compiled by the parents of a young man who killed himself in 1913. The typed title page reads, "Promiscuous Writings by Harvey DeBaun Iserman including Poems, Speech, Stories, Letters, Criticisms, Philosophic Papers all of which have been gathered and type written, and place in this book form, by his father as a memento." Following this there is an introduction from Iserman's father and mother which ends with a photo of Iserman and a friend named "Russell." His father seems to have gone through journals, letters, and a variety of notes and typed up as much as possible to create his "memento" of his son. Under some of the entries he includes a note saying where the piece was found. Iserman's letters begin in 1910 "written while at Syracuse University" to his mother. In this first letter he discusses the goings on at school, including joining the Zeta Psi fraternity and often speaks in the third person referring to himself as "Iserman." "Iserman was unceremoniously locked in his bedroom, and left there to ponder upon "how long after a snow fall should a Freshman eat breakfast." Also included are Iserman's original poetry, diary entries, retained academic papers, and general musings. They typed nearly everything they could find among which was a card entitled "A Moral Agreement" with a note from his parents which reads, "the following is taken from a card we found among DeBaun's papers. It speaks for itself and shows plainly his moral influence over the boys, his roommates at Syracuse University." His writings are expressive and detailed reading like stories rather than simply letters. Affixed to the front pastedown are sepia-toned photographs of Harvey and friends. Additionally laid in is a handwritten letter from Harvey to his mother while at a summer house in New Hampshire. A newspaper article from October of 1913 reads "Pulls Trigger with Foot" and tells of Harvey's suicide by shotgun. Harvey was the son of a Reverend in Ridgewood, New Jersey. He attended Syracuse University and later Columbia. The article claims he was a "musician, writer, and amateur actor" who often performed in Shakespearian productions. A unique scrapbook detailing the short life of a student and writer.…