Samuel A. Ladd Jr. collection of Bowdoin memorabilia
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Please use the Collection Organization section below to place requests.
Scope and Contents
The collection contains publications, ephemera, photographs relating to Sam Ladd, Jr's (Class of 1929) time at Bowdoin as student and staff member. Correspondence and clippings relating to Donald MacMillan's promotion to Rear Admiral and Ladd's involvement in the process in addition to general correspondence and resources about MacMillan's expidition is also included in the collection.
Dates
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1880 - 1930
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions.
Biographical / Historical
Samuel Appleton Ladd Jr. was born in 1906 in Massachusetts. He attended Bowdoin College in the 1920s, graduating in 1929. During his time there, he formed a close friendship with Robert P. Tristram Coffin, a fellow Zeta Psi fraternity member, poet, author, and Bowdoin professor. Though they were in the fraternity at different times, both men were part of Zeta Psi. In 1967, Ladd Jr. co-edited An Informal History of the Lambda Chapter of Zeta Psi at Bowdoin College, 1867-1967 (Brunswick Publishing Company).
In later years, Bowdoin College abolished fraternities, converting their houses into student residences. The living members of each fraternity voted to remove the Greek names and rename the houses. By popular vote, the former Zeta Psi house was renamed Ladd House, which still stands on College Street in Brunswick today.
After graduating, Ladd Jr. returned to Bowdoin to serve as the director of career counseling and placement from 1944 to 1972. In this role, he helped returning World War II veterans transition back into college life and find employment after their studies.
Samuel A. Ladd Jr. passed away in 1998 in Freeport, Maine. He is buried at Pine Grove Cemetery in Brunswick.
Extent
.05 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Samuel A. Ladd, Jr. ’29, director of career counseling and placement at Bowdoin from 1944 to 1972, and the first president of Zeta Psi in the 1929 chapter house.
Arrangement
Alphabetical.
Separated Materials
Duplicate publications including Bowdoin Alumnus and Orient were seperated and discarded.
Processing Information
Collection was processed in 2025 after previous processing efforts had dispersed some material in other corresponding collections.
Source
- Ladd III, Samuel A. (Person)
- Bowdoin College. Peary-MacMillan Arctic Museum & Arctic Studies Center (Organization)
- Title
- A Guide to the Samuel A. Ladd Jr. collection of Bowdoiniana.
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Emma Barton-Norris
- Date
- 2025
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library, Brunswick, Maine 04011 Repository
