Forgotten Bookmark: 1965...

My friend, Karen, is a volunteer at the South Lake Tahoe Library. She has the awesome job of going through donated books and looking for treasures (forgotten bookmarks) left inside. What unique discoveries she has made and shared with me.

This invitation, to the Peninsula Tennis Club's New Year's Eve party, had me smitten. Not only was it sent (early) in 1965 but the person who created the invite was so clever. All the particulars were typed onto a cloth diaper announcing the "Birth of 1966". So dang cool.

I got curious about the man who received this fun invite. The envelope was addressed to Henry Abel Guilmette (1913-2008), who at the time lived in San Mateo with his wife. Upon further research, I found out that Mr. Guilmette attended the Hastings College of Law at UC Berkeley (he was a first year in 1935). I would love to know more about this tennis playing lawyer!

Even the stamp has a story. It is listed as one of the top 11 most controversial postage stamps in U.S. history. For 1965, the post office decided to try something different for its Christmas design: a painting of the angel Gabriel based on an early New England weathervane. It didn’t reckon on critics who’d attack the stamp for portraying a bosomy angel, even though Gabriel was male. Interesting right? I guess people 55 years ago thought this was worth an active debate. Hmmm.

Lastly, I had to know more about the Peninsula Tennis Club, the location of this amazing $5 NYE fête. Established over 85 years ago, this Burlingame location has been described as "one of the most storied clubs in America". According to the above historical society newsletter, the PTC began on the family property of famed tennis star Helen Wills. Ms. Wills, the Garbo of the courts, was a Cal graduate too, and an intriguing story herself.

Who knew a small envelope, lost within the pages of a discarded book, would provide such an interesting catalyst for research for me? Fun stuff.

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