IN EACH ISSUE
INSPIRATION Threading the Tapestry of History Sarah (Larlee) St. Germain ’17, circulation manager In 1663, a printer named Samuel Green produced a groundbreaking artifact: the first Bible printed in the Western hemisphere. Over 300 years later, the “Eliot Bible” is still in the care of Green’s family— lovingly curated by his nine-times great-granddaughter, College archivist Sarah St. Germain ’17. St. Germain’s personal connection to this crown jewel of the Vining Rare Book Collection highlights why she so values history and dedicates her career to preserving stories from the past. “Having those first-person narratives is really fascinating,” says St. Germain. “It allows you to connect with someone who lived hundreds, sometimes thousands of years ago, and you realize that we all have similar motivations, hopes and needs across the generations.” Tucked in a corner on the second floor of Jenks, the history graduate—now pursuing a master’s in library and information science at Simmons University (which, she notes, “happens to be a stone’s throw from Gordon’s original Frost Hall on the Fenway”)—manages 10 collections and digital archives. Often collaborating with departments across campus, St. Germain preserves legacies and introduces students, faculty and researchers to the hearts, minds and ambitions of figures from Gordon, Barrington College and beyond. Flipping through pages of a 16th-century Martin Luther pamphlet or a doodle in A. J. Gordon’s Bible, visitors encounter real people from the past. “Being able to interact physically with history gives you a new perspective,” says St. Germain. “It becomes real. It becomes tangible. It’s no longer just a photo in a book or an imagined idea; it’s there and you can touch it. For me, it puts everything into perspective and makes me feel more connected with the past. Like we are a small part of a larger tapestry.”
STILLPOINT
The Magazine of Gordon College VOLUME 37 NUMBER 2
Heather Korpi, Editorial Director Mary (Hierholzer) Jacobs ’15, Staff Writer Bri (Young) Obied ’14, Staff Writer Rebecca Powell, Art Director Selina Taylor ’18, Graphic Designer Marilyn Helgesen, Alumni News Rick Sweeney ’85, Vice President for Marketing and External Relations ADDRESS CHANGES Alumni Office | alumni.office@gordon.edu OTHER CORRESPONDENCE Editor, STILLPOINT | Gordon College 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984 stillpoint@gordon.edu PRINTING Flagship Press | North Andover, MA Opinions expressed in STILLPOINT are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Gordon College administration. Reproduction of STILLPOINT material is permitted; please attribute to STILLPOINT: The Magazine of Gordon College.
MISSION STILLPOINT magazine is one of two keynote communications (along with Gordon’s website) that exist to connect the extended Gordon community to the life of the College. STILLPOINT offers meaningful, relevant news and stories to educate, inspire and engage Gordon and Barrington alumni, parents, donors and friends. Send feedback and story suggestions to stillpoint@gordon.edu.
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SPRING 2022 | STILLPOINT 5
