Hi Carlton,
Great find, of course I'm partial to anything from my alma mater. The hop cards were cards that USMA handed out to the ladies (cadets called them "stags") when they arrived to the dance. The inside of the card is simply blank lines. On these lines the ladies would write the names of cadets. She would then dance with these cadets in the order of their names; one dance per song. The fall hop would often fall on homecoming weekend and therefore would often have a football theme. I've seen a few with a football player pictures or shaped like a football, but yours is the first helmet shaped. Great piece.
These dance cards are often about 3x5 and I would imagine your card is slightly smaller than these dimensions. You were right that the string would often hold the cards together but they would also attach a pencil to the end of the dangling tassle.
Also, the emblem is that of helmet of Pallas Athena with a sword through it. The sword signifies war but the helmet signifies "the art of war", meaning its participants must devote themselves to wisdom and learning. Later (after your hop card), USMA will add an eagle and a shield to the coat of arms to create their current crest.
I hope this helps answer your questions. I have a couple of these from 1903-1905 and they are a unique part of USMA history.
|