Given the current focus on the Malheur wildlife refuge standoff, we thought we’d post this lovely panoramic picture of a Civilian Conservation Corp camp in the 1930s.
It doesn’t have a collection home yet, but you can search our new finding aid database for “civilian conservation corp” and see a list of all the collection that contain materials related to the CCC. Same goes for a search for “Malheur” if you’d like to see what we have pertaining to the area.
The OSU Valley Library is proud to announce the third year of our sponsored Book Collecting Contest!
Generously sponsored by the Himes & Duniway Society, a group of book collecting enthusiasts in Oregon, this contest is intended:
The collection can focus on any subject, and the contest is open to all full-time students.
Prizes:
Three prizes will be awarded to student winners:
1st prize: $1,000
2nd prize: $500
3rd prize: $250
Prizes are generously funded by the Himes & Duniway Society.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE Friday, March 11, 2016 by 5:00 PM.
How Do I Enter?
The Application Package should include the following:
You can submit your application in one of two ways:
1. Email your application package to Anne Bahde at anne.bahde@oregonstate.edu
2. Drop off your application package to the Special Collections and Archives Research Center, 5th floor of Valley Library.
What’s a “Collection?”
A collection
Example Topics:
Previous Sample Entries:
An Interdisciplinary Survey of 20th Century Propaganda – Andrew Fink
Words of the Waves: A Nautical Collection – Emily Selinger
How To Be Alone – Mack Sullivan
How Do I Win?
Criteria for selection:
A team of judges from campus and The Himes & Duniway Society will determine the contest winners.
The Fine Print:
Students are limited to one entry. The student must be a full time student and the sole owner of the collection. The winners may be eligible for entry into The National Collegiate Book Collecting Contest supported by the Antiquarian Booksellers Association of America (ABAA), the Fellowship of American Bibliophilic Societies (FABS) of which The Himes & Duniway Society is a member, the Center for the Book and the Rare Books and Special Collections Division (the Library of Congress) with major support from the Jay I. Kislak Foundation. http://hq.abaa.org/books/antiquarian/abaapages/contest
If you have questions about book collecting or this contest, contact Anne Bahde at anne.bahde@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-2083.
Wondering what new guides are available for your research and reading pleasure? The following is a list of 5 finding aids for SCARC collections that were completed or updated during November 2015.
Employees of the Kerr Library, ca. 1960s. Library Photograph Collection (P 083)
Two of the guides are for new collections received in 2015. One is for a collection that previously had only minimal information available online. One is for a collection for which we received a major addition in 2014; and one is an update to bring the guide in-line with our current descriptive standards and practice.
New collections received in 2015:
Library Gifts and Exchange Department Records, 1951-2004 (RG 261)
These records document the donation of gift books and journals to the Oregon State University Libraries and the exchange of materials with other libraries and repositories. Tilles was the Gifts and Exchange Librarian until 1976, when Karen Starr assumed the position.
Student Incidental Fees Committee Records, 1993-2012 (RG 258)
Memorial Union from Harriet's Photographic Collection.
The Student Incidental Fees Committee Records document budget requests, reviews, and recommendations for funding provided to Oregon State University units and student-led organizations from student fees. The Committee is responsible for the allocation of fees paid by all student enrolled at Oregon State University.
Collection that received major addition in 2014:
Azalea House Records, 1953-2014 (MSS Azalea)
Azalea House, ca. 1950s. Dedicated in 1953, Azalea House was founded as a women's cooperative house. It was named after Rachel Sager Azalea. From the Gwil Evans Photographic Collection (P 082).
The Azalea House Records were generated and collected by the Azalea House women’s cooperative residence at Oregon State University and document the management of the co-op and the daily lives of the residents there during its operation from 1953 to 2014. The collection includes more than 2300 photographs, a sound recording, photograph albums and scrapbooks, and a small quantity of electronic records.
Collection that previously had minimal information available online:
Annual Cruise, 1921-2000 (PUB 010-12a)
Cover image from the Annual Cruise, 1955.
The Annual Cruise was published each academic year from 1920 through 1975 by the Forestry Club as a yearbook for Oregon State forestry students and alumni. The College of Forestry published three issues of theAnnual Cruise at the close of the 20th century in 1996, 1999, and 2000. The publication includes articles on forestry topics, information about and photographs of forestry students and faculty, reports of Forestry Club activities, alumni news, and updates on current research activities. All of the yearbooks in this collection and the 1920 Forest Club Annual are available online.
Updated finding aid:
Manley, Harold L., Collection, 1911-1949 (MSS Manley)
Lecture notes by Harold Manley from a numerical calculus class taught by W.E. Milne, 1940.
The Manley Collection consists of lecture notes and problem sets from mathematics and engineering classes as well as several mathematics and engineering textbooks. Manley graduated from Oregon State College in 1940 with a BS degree in Civil Engineering.
Thanks to Angela Barker for this post on David Benac’s time as Resident Scholar!
David Benac, Associate Professor in the Department of History at Western Michigan University, recently completed a term as Resident Scholar in the Oregon State University Libraries. While here, Benac used the Gerald W. Williams Collection and conducted a series of oral history interviews to further his research on timber company towns of Oregon.
In his Resident Scholar presentation, “Log Rolling, Ax Throwing, and the Owl,” Benac spoke of three types of company-owned saw mill towns: those that are gone and forgotten; those that are gone but not forgotten; and those that continue to carry on. In doing so, he revealed fascinating details about a way of life that has largely disappeared.
In establishing a framework for his talk, Benac suggested that the dual notions of heritage (defined by Benac as “the historical legacies that individuals or communities select and use to understand contemporary society”) and nostalgia (“an enchantment with distance that cannot be bridged”) have played a large part in how these towns were remembered by residents after they moved on, and how the towns are viewed today.
He also pointed out that company-owned saw mill towns were either intentionally built by timber companies or grew up organically around mills. Towns that were planned and built by timber companies were usually carefully designed to be aesthetically pleasing and often included outdoor recreation, swimming, camping, and social organizations for the benefit of residents and employees. It was believed that these positive social outlets would make employees happier and therefore better workers.
Benac’s research reveals intriguing insight into communities like Gilchrist, Westfir, and Powers – three Oregon mill towns that have carried on, in one form or another. Gilchrist, a model company town built in the 1930s, was paternalistic in design, and sought to control many of the activities of its residents. In 1997 the town was sold into new private ownership. The mill in Westfir shut down in 1984 and its office was eventually converted into a bed and breakfast. Today the community is known for including Oregon’s largest existing covered bridge, and is a hiking and biking destination. Powers was built to log cedar and provided very few opportunities for the women who lived there. Of the women who were employed at Powers, most worked in the cookhouse, lacking many other options. Dining was an important social function in mill towns like Powers – workers went home, cleaned up, and dressed nicely for dinner at the cookhouse.
Gone and largely forgotten are the towns of Pondosa and Wauna, whereas the communities of Kinzua, Wendling and Bridal Veil might be more aptly described as gone but not forgotten. The latter three towns have not been forgotten because, Benac argues, there is still a strong sense of attachment to them by former residents. Benac found mixed opinions in his research on remembrances of Kinzua, some hated it while others loved it. Wendling, on the other hand, is fondly remembered for having the best food. In 1988 a community picnic was organized for former residents and, that same year, the Wendling Conveyor newsletter (and subsequent social media presence) was founded to publish the memories of the people who once lived in the mill town.
Another community, Valsetz, was described by Benac as having been seen as a “surrogate” for the lumber industry in the minds of many people. In 1984, the town was demolished by the Boise Cascade Company, an event that was extensively covered in the news. Press coverage of the town’s elimination tended to frame the story as a visual metaphor for the decline of timber in Oregon.
The community of Vernonia followed a different path. In 1956 the town’s mill shut down, and in response the town founded an annual logging show as a means to keep its community alive. The show still exists, with amateur local loggers competing in a variety of events to this day. Over time, the logging show became an increasingly important way for townspeople to connect with what they had lost. However, attendance gradually declined and today the goal of the show is primarily to bring in tourism dollars. Benac found that there is now less community involvement in the event from the people who have a connection to the town’s past, because the shows do not represent the town that they had once known.
Benac’s research was sponsored by the OSU Libraries Resident Scholar Program. Now in its eighth year, the program awards stipends of up to $2,500 per month to researchers interested in traveling to Corvallis and conducting work in the Special Collections and Archives Research Center. For more information on the program, please see http://scarc.library.oregonstate.ed/residentscholar.html
Wondering what we were doing last month? In addition to programming activities for Archives Month there were four new finding aids for SCARC collections completed or updated during October 2015.
Brewmaster and two assistants from the Blitz Weinhard brewery, Portland, are shown hop breeding work under way on the OSC experiment station by G.R. Hoerner, extension hop specialist.
As of October 31, 2015 the OSU Special Collections & Archives Research Center had 829 finding aids in Archives West (formerly known as NWDA). Thanks to everyone who has contributed to the preparation and review of these new guides – this work is definitely a group endeavor!
Godfrey R. Hoerner, 1895-1959 (MSS Hoerner)
The Hoerner Papers consist of photographs, news clippings, and publications from Hoerner’s student years at Oregon Agricultural College and the University of Minnesota, as Oregon State College’s Extension Specialist for Hop Production, and during his four-year tenure working at the Kasetsart University in Thailand. Godfrey R. Hoerner earned his degree from Oregon Agricultural College in 1916 and was a faculty member at Oregon State College from 1931 to 1959. The collection includes 500 photographs. A detailed list of the collection contents is part of this guide, which can be found at http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv44711.
Frank E. Hall Collection, 1886-1909 (MSS Hall)
Image from the O.A.C. Cadets 1908-1909 photo book. First Lieutenant Frank Edward Hall is pictured back row, third from left.
This collection includes photographs and memorabilia assembled by Hall while he was a student at Oregon Agricultural College. Frank Edward Hall attended Oregon Agricultural College from 1906 to 1909, graduating in 1909 with a degree in agriculture. This guide can be found at http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv98846.
Arthur S. King Papers, 1931-1972 (MSS King)
Art King monitoring experiments in a corn field near the Halsey paper mill in Linn County, Oregon, July 1972. From the Robert W. Henderson Photographic Collection (P 098)
The King Papers consist of materials created and assembled by King in this role as Soils Extension Specialist at Oregon State University. The materials address irrigation, soils and soil testing, water use and conservation, and fertilizer application. King earned his BS (1928) and MS (1930) degrees from Oregon State Agricultural College. In 1930, he was appointed as the first full time Soils Extension Specialist at Oregon State, a position he held until his retirement in 1972. Find the guide at http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv56778.
M. Ellwood Smith, ca 1930.
M. Ellwood Smith Papers, 1913-1961 (MSS SmithME)
These papers consist of publications and reports written by Smith, a list of his publications, and a small quantity of correspondence.
Smith was an English Professor, Dean of Basic Arts and Sciences, and Dean of the Lower Division for Oregon Agricultural College from 1919 until his retirement in 1949.
Find the collection guide online at http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv29762
October brings us fiery colors, pumpkins, and fun films about OSU!
This year, we’re highlighting footage of student performances and activities from the 1980s and 1990s that were transferred to SCARC by KBVR-TV and the Memorial Union.
Join us for excerpts from these flashy films:
And did we mention Benny skiing?
Where and when?
Snacks and soda will be available.
And stay tuned for more details about the recipe showcase on the 30th!
Hope to see you there!
Our first Archives Month event of this year, last Wednesday’s tour of Weatherford Hall, went swimmingly with excellent guidance from Weatherford Resident Director Jesus Ramirez and Austin Entrepreneur Program (AEP) Project Manager Dale McCauley.
There were 13 on the tour and we explored rooms, lounges, and office areas on the ground floor, first floor, and one of upper levels in the “tower” area. Not surprisingly, the tower offered most of the scenic highlights as we enjoyed a birds-eye view of autumnal campus from the balconies on both sides of the building facing northwest and southeast.
Inside the tower, we toured a meeting room where documents from the Weatherford’s “in-house” archives were displayed on an ancient table. These items included meeting minutes, reports, photos, and newsletters which were apparently kept in a locked glass display case. This room and the piano lounge downstairs both seemed to exude an old dorm feel, steeped in the dark brown wood and the white plaster walls.
Weatherford’s modern look was exemplified by the well-equipped maker lab for AEP students on the first floor. This spot was jam packed with printers not just designed to generate 3d objects but also to handle sheets of vinyl and cloth. For first year AEP students assigned to come up with their own small business, this space has been essential in creating customized decals and socks (which both sell very well).
The famous decorated doors are scattered throughout the building and we were able to see at least three of the 12 that are said to survive.
Some photos that I took during the tour are now posted on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/osuarchives/
It was a fun way to start off Archives Month 2015!
~Karl McCreary, SCARC Collections Archivist and Archives Month Bandleader.
“You’ll like this practical and handy cooking club calendar” ~ we promise.
Sample flavors inspired by the past in this annual showcase of recipes discovered in the holdings of the OSU Special Collections and Archives.
This year, we’re highlighting recipes featured in a wall calendar that reflects the culinary creativity of a nation facing wartime food rationing and shortages. There are so many wonderful recipes to choose from, and if you come by the cooking event you’ll have a chance to taste some and have a look at this original 1945 calendar from the First Federal Savings in Portland.
If you are feeling the chill of fall, I recommend the Short Ribs with Beans, so popular in cool weather!
Truth be told, it is December’s treats that are calling to me, with date cake and self-iced chocolate cake ready for making and sharing.
If you want to read more, we’ve scanned the entire calendar and put it in a Flickr set. But what we really would love is for you to join us for the festivities! Sample some of these prepared recipes and feel free to make them yourself to share with us at the event. Other recipes can be found in historic publications available online at the Scholars Archive website.
WHEN: Friday October 30, noon-1:00
WHERE: Willamette Room East-3rd Floor Valley Library
WHO: Contact Karl McCreary at karl.mccreary@oregonstate.edu
Weatherford Building Tour
Wednesday October 7, 2:00-3:00 P.M.
Bing’s Café (ground level of Weatherford Hall)
Get the inside view of the most majestic building on campus!
Join us for a tour of Weatherford Hall, a former men’s dormitory that has
served as one of OSU’s architectural icons since its construction in 1928.
See colorful examples of Weatherford’s past (as reflected in the painted
doors) and learn about the program that saved the structure from the
wrecking ball a little more than a decade ago. Want a teaser?
Oregon State University Queer Archives Film Screening and Reception
Wednesday October 7, 4:00-6:00 P.M.
Special Collections Reading Room-5th Floor Valley Library
Come and learn more about LBGTQ history at OSU and the new project
to document it through OSQA (Oregon State University Queer Archives).
There will be a screening of a documentary film by alumna Kiah McConnell (’15)
about the LGBTQ+ Community at OSU followed by a reception.
Student Culture and Activities on Film-Views from the Past
Wednesday October 21, noon-1:00 P.M.
Willamette Room East-3rd Floor Valley Library
Join us for dance, music, big hair, and catwalks from OSU in the 1980s and 1990s!
To celebrate amazing footage that we archived from KBVR-TV this year, there will be a showing of excerpts from historic student performances captured on film, including the Mom’s Weekend Fashion Show, Indonesia Cultural Night, and the Ms. OSU Pageant. For added flair, we will also show Benny the Beaver on the slopes for the Chips Invitational Mascot Ski Race.
Taste of the ‘Chives Recipe Showcase
Friday October 30, noon-1:00
Willamette Room East-3rd Floor Valley Library
Sample flavors inspired by the past in this annual showcase of recipes discovered in the holdings of the OSU Special Collections and Archives. This year, we’re highlighting recipes featured in a 1945 wall calendar that reflects the culinary creativity of a nation facing wartime food rationing and shortages. You can view these recipes online here. Join us to sample some of these prepared recipes and please feel free to make them yourself to share at the event. Other recipes can be found in historic publications available online on the Scholars Archive website here.
Larry landis has been digging into OSU history for a long time, but five years ago he dug in even deeper with a big project to create a pictorial history of the university.
How many pictures did he have to choose from? Oh 3/4 of a million or so.
How many did he have to choose? 500 or so.
In the fall of 2005 then-OSU Press director Karen Orford approached him to gauge his interest because she’d worked on one at the University of Georgia and thought a similar project at OSU would be quite successful. There were some preliminary discussions, but the project was shelved until the summer of 2010 when Landis picked it up again. He worked with a student to start identifying images, but a merger of the University Archives and Special Collections departments put the project on hold again.
Fall 2012 the project was reinvigorated with a new conversation and new prioritization by the university as it prepared for the 150 anniversary of its establishment; he wanted this book to be a celebration of the school and focused on its land grant mission, as well as how the school has changed over time. But it was a tough job because there so many great photos to choose from? The reproductions of the images was really high, even in the scope of the history of photography, and there has been a deep history of quality photography by students and faculty since the 1890s.
He began to work in earnest to identify images for an official publication proposal in early 2013. The majority of the research happened in the summer 2013, with chapter narratives written the following fall. First draft submissions happened in early July of 2014, reviewers gave feedback in November 2014 and he learned he had to cut over 100 of the 600 images he’d chosen. Spring 2015, with 500 images total, he submitted the final draft.
Whew.
I’m always curious about how you make these choices, so I asked.
He wanted to include pictures that people hadn’t seen, offering a balance between iconic and unfamiliar. Sometimes there were pictures that were terrific, and iconic in their own right, but were essentially inaccessible because of format. For example, many from P25 were actually glass negatives. I did have to ask if there were some that he had to leave out that he was attached to but that didn’t fit. He said he wished he could included more early building photos, including one of the early Vet Med building, but the one that didn’t make it that he really regrets is one of Helen Gilkey (early OSU botanist) because we are seeing a surge in focus on women in the STEM fields.
Dr. Helen Gilkey with students. Helen Margaret Gilkey received her Master's degree in Botany from Oregon Agricultural College in 1911. She served as the Curator of the Herbarium for 33 years, introducing about 50,000 new plant specimen.
Fortunately, there will be a digital supplement with 100 of the images he had to cut. They will be tagged as “not included,” but will also allow for him to provide more explanation for those pictures that could have fit into more than one chapter – an obvious benefit over a print book!
Another piece I was curious about was how he kept track of his research, and the follow up curiosity would be how he kept track of his choices. He had a solid sense of what was in each collection, so he certainly was far from scratch as a starting point, but he intentionally selected collections he wasn’t familiar with when he was looking. He didn’t touch every collection, but estimates he did look through 75% of them. Once he found good candidates he had them scanned if they weren’t already also in digital format, and then made a paper print out of each, did a rough sort into the categories he’d delineated in the proposal, and put pictures in file folders. Archivists, we love our file folders.
Concurrent to Landis’ project emeritus OSU professor Bill Robbins was working on a narrative history of the university, so he knew he didn’t need to focus on both a deep narrative and deep pictorial history. For him, it was the pictures that would offer the narrative, though he found that captions could still be quite long as he tried to give background context for what people were seeing! Bill’s book will go into much more detail and Larry sees them as bookends of a sort. There will likely be differences in interpretation because they are historians of different generations, but the books are complimentary and Bill wrote the foreword. Only a few colleges or universities have both narrative and pictorial history, so this will be even more unique for OSU.
Look for the book to arrive in late October, with public launch events in Portland (11/12, Architectural Heritage Center), Philomath (11/14, Benton County Historical Society), and Corvallis (11/21). You’ll likely find the book at the OSU Beaver Store and local bookstores, as well as directly through the OSU Press.