Films, popcorn, celebration of Oregon Statehood Day, and support for the Food Drive? Sign us up! Collections archivist Karl McCreary organized an event that featured footage from our collections, films highlighted historic views of campus, Beaver athletics, and Oregon wildlife.

Old Grad Comes Back, 1925 (8:05)

Old Grad Comes Back, 1925

This silent black-and-white film was prepared under the direction of the College Editor, E.T. Reed, and received rave reviews from audiences in Corvallis and around the state. Filmed on 35 mm nitrate stock, it was transferred to 16 mm safety base film in the 1960s. Produced originally in two parts; this version combines portions of both and includes the following vignettes: Homecoming; Commerce Hall; Alumni Headquarters; Pushball game; Montana Grizzlies vs the Beavers in football; OAC Wrestlers Northwest Champions, 1925; OAC Basketball Team, 1925 Champions of the NW Conference; OAC Baseball Team, 1925 Champions of the NW Conference; Alumni Luncheon Picnic, 1925; Class of 1911 in reunion at flag pole (class gift); Chiming hall clock, a gift of the Silver Jubilee, Class of 1900; The Academic Procession from Library to the gym; and Commencement.

“Rose Bowl Homecoming Banquet”, 1942. (7:16)

1942 Rose Bowl homecoming banquet

Includes footage of the Civil War football game between Oregon State College and University of Oregon in November 1941, the campus celebration that followed Oregon State’s win, and the Homecoming Banquet for the 1942 Rose Bowl team. Footage of card stunts, the marching band, and several plays in the Civil War game are included. The post-game campus celebration shows students gathering in the Memorial Union quadrangle and the front steps of the Memorial Union, yell leaders, and Coach Lon Stiner. The footage of the Homecoming Banquet includes Oregon Governor McKay, F.A. Gilfillan, Coach Lon Stiner, other dignitaries, and the players.

Woods, Water, and Wildlife ca. 1930 (15:04)

By William L. Finley and Arthur N. Peck of the American Nature Association. Includes footage of fishing at Celilo Falls and the Oregon Coast (including Cape Perpetua, Heceta Head Lighthouse, Sea Lion Caves, and Three Arch Rocks). Includes title panels Crater Lake National Park; The Harvest of the Columbia; and Salmon, the main food of the Indians.

The Passing of the Marshlands ca. 1930 (13:55)

The Passing of the Marshlands, circa 1930

By William L. Finley and Arthur N. Peck of the American Nature Association. Includes title panels: The Reclamation Service turns Lower Klamath over to land promoters; Clear Lake Reservation in 1912; A waterfowl refuge partly drained and leased to stockmen; Malheur Lake Reservation in 1915; and A dry lake, no birds and a world of dust.

The event raised over $60 for the food bank.

Though the clouds still hang low in the mid-Willamette Valley, spring will be upon us soon (someday) and to accompany the colorful array of flowers blooming and birds chirping will be people sneezing…

The Hay Fever Clinic cover, 1987

Yes, that hay fever is a regrettable addition to the bliss that comes with the return of the sun in the Pacific Northwest, but for archivists it comes in a fun package. The booklet The Hay Fever Clinic is a compilation of thank you notes to the Vet Med Department from the 4th grade field trip by Inavale School students in 1987. The children showed their thanks with drawings and notes about what they learned on their field trip. SCARC student worker Susanne Ranseen says “my personal favorites are about necropsy (aka the dead animal surgeries).”

Necropsy, 1987

I, on the other hand, am partial to “The Mysterious Llamas.”

The Mysterious Llamas, 1987

So take a look and enjoy a little Hay Fever this spring.

This recent addition to the College of Veterinary Medicine Records, 1923-1976 (RG 175) hasn’t been fully accessioned, but if you are interested in learning more contact Karl McCreary at karl.mccreary@oregonstate.edu.

The OSU Libraries Special Collections and Archives Research Center is pleased to announce the release of two new websites devoted to the life and work of the influential historian William Appleman Williams (1921-1990), a former OSU professor remembered today as a founder of “revisionist history.”

William Appleman Williams near his home at Waldport, Oregon, circa 1970s. Source: William Appleman Williams Papers, 5.004.25.

The first project is “A Good Life and A Good Death: A Memoir of An Independent Lady,” a comprehensive biography written by Williams about his mother, Mildrede Williams. And while Mildrede remains the central character of the remembrance, the piece likewise reveals a great deal about Williams’ early life as well.  The memoir, which was never published, was used extensively by authors Paul Buhle (who provides an introduction to the two new websites) and Edward Rice-Maximin in their 1995 biography William Appleman Williams: The Tragedy of Empire.  The web version of this resource is available at:  http://scarc.library.oregonstate.edu/coll/williams/goodlife/index.html

The second project is “Unpublished Manuscripts,” a collection of speeches, lectures, book proposals and essays previously available only to scholars visiting the Williams Papers at OSU Libraries. The full text of thirteen manuscripts, spanning the years 1970-1990, comprise this digital collection. Its contents include topics familiar to students of Williams’ unique perspective on American history – politics, democracy, foreign policy, the Cold War, Karl Marx, the importance of higher education, and the future of America.

William Appleman Williams was a renowned author and historian who rose to prominence in the 1950s and 1960s for a collection of writings highly critical of U.S. foreign and economic policy. His essay “A Second Look at Mr. X” was published in the journal Monthly Review in 1952, and proved to be highly influential.  Two books that followed, The Tragedy of American Diplomacy (1959) and The Contours of American History (1961) are considered to be classics of revisionist historical analysis.  In addition to his often scathing critiques of American foreign policy, Williams also wrote extensively on American history, Russian history, U.S.-Russian/Soviet relations, and maritime history.

An Iowa native, Williams enjoyed a long and distinguished career as a university professor, working primarily at the University of Wisconsin-Madison (1957-1968) and Oregon State University (1968-1986). A past President of the Organization of American Historians (1980), Williams retired from OSU in 1986 and his papers are held in the OSU Libraries.

Contact Chris Petersen at 541-737-2810 for more!

Last week we had a reading room full of people, including one researcher who unpacked a bag full of branches to use in consultation with this Royal Horticultural Society Colour chart. We had fun watching him classify the colors for the long, drooping catkins.

Protected in this solid green box and stored in the shelves of the McDonald Collection, there are four volumes of colored charts that were originally published in 1938 by the British Colour Council.

What is it? From the RHS site:

The RHS Colour Chart is the standard reference for plant colour identification. Used by the RHS, the chart is indispensable to gardeners who value accuracy in the identification of plant colours. But it is not just gardeners that value the chart – it hasbeen used by food manufacturers to standardise food colourings, chemical engineering companies and fabric designers.

Every day is an adventure on the reference desk!

Collections archivist Karl McCreary is spending his morning talking to students about some interesting aspects of OSU history, especially those that pertain to student life in days of yore… In addition to the yearbooks and assorted pamphlets, before he left he shared a couple of fun finds with me.

The first is the “Fussers Guide.” For those of you not in the know, “fussing” is the same as dating. And as this guide is actually a student directory, you can take the linguistic leap to see that the student directory was actually called the “dating directory.” Another fun tidbit is that faculty & staff are also included — and the directory is sure to note if they are married…

The “Coed code,” an indispensable guide for OSU’s female students in those same days of yore, was helpful for guiding behavior. It provided the rules for all sorts of things, including calling hours for male visitors and curfew times. Back by 10 p.m. on weeknights or face staff penalties!

This fall, Professor Yuji Hiratsuka taught the first Book Arts class offered at OSU. In “Continuum of Inspiration: Student Projects from ART 399,” I hope you’ll see how really wonderful and inspirational their own creations are!

In partnership with Hiratsuka, SCARC staff Anne Bahde and Ruth Vondracek worked with the twelve students to share our book art collections and learn more about book arts generally.

Bahde writes

As students learned different binding styles and methods, they began to explore the creative possibilities offered by combining book forms, artistic media and techniques, and the printed word. Throughout the course, there were exercises and discussions about the creative processes used to conceptualize and transform ideas into paginated visual form.

Using techniques such as printmaking, painting, digital art and printing, letterpress, and photography, students created works that draw readers in, invite them to engage, and drive them to think. Students were inspired by a visit to the Special Collections and Archives Research Center to explore historic book forms, learn about the history of the book, and to see examples of modern fine press and artists’ books.

Stop by the 5th floor of Valley Library through January 31st to see these lovely pieces of book art.