Mystery, Mischief, and Magical Thinking
![Book of Protection, publisher/place of publication not identified, dated between 1800 and 1899. This tiny book with a wood cover was found in the attic of Carleton’s first Dean of Women, Margaret Evans (Huntington). Evan’s may have obtained it during mission work in the Middle East, in the early 1900s. Written in ancient Syriac, this book has been interpreted to contain selections copied from a larger triptych of manuscripts written or compiled by a priest of the Assyrian Church of the East. This collection of charms and incantations includes, among others, the Lord's prayer, the prayer of our father Adam, the prayer of the holy angels, extracts from the Gospel of John, the anathema [curse] of `Abd-îshô` the Monk, the ban [render destruction] of Saint George the Martyr, binding the tongue of the ruler, binding weapons, and concerning [to grant] the peace of men. It contains crude colored illustrations depicting scenes such as Saint George spearing the Dragon and it uses, as its source of “power,” invocations of the names of God, the angels and archangels. This book is from Carleton Special Collections.](https://hollystreekstra.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/bookof-protection_full.jpg)
Mystery, Mischief, and Magical Thinking
Carleton College Library
As the 2020 Artist in Residence at Gould Library, Carleton College, this research-based project explored the college archives using the keyword “magic.” The resulting exhibition wove together a whimsical portrait of Carleton’s history, uncovering moments of curiosity, creativity, and playful tradition.
The exhibition featured installations and interventions throughout the library, examining the interplay between rational thought and imagination while offering a fresh perspective on the college’s unique history. From its miraculous founding—when the college’s president secured its initial funding after surviving a near-death accident—to its quirky campus lore, the exhibition brought fascinating stories to light. Highlights included a horse smuggled into a fourth-floor dorm bathroom and a stolen painting held hostage as part of a campaign to establish a pinball room in honor of Monkees musician Peter Tork.
Because the exhibition coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic the library created a website with a collection of items that exist in an online format.