Monday, October 22, 2018

October is American Archives Month!

In recognition of American Archives Month, here are just a couple of the interesting items in the Dick Smith Library's archives.

The two pages pictured below (click on the images to make them larger) are from the Flora Clarke scrapbook, 1924-1926.  It was created by Flora Marguerite Clarke Kinney (1907-1987) when she attended John Tarleton Agricultural College from 1924 to 1926. The book contains photographs of Clarke, her friends, and her family that show her activities while at Tarleton. Notes from Clarke’s friends are written directly on many pages. Other notes, especially from male admirers, are glued to the pages. Memorabilia include a yell book, programs for events, newspaper clippings, souvenirs from parties and banquets, greeting cards from friends and family, calling cards from friends, and lyrics of songs, and a poem Clarke wrote about the college.
















Although we have both the front and back covers, most of the pages of the scrapbook were torn from the binding string, so archival staff untied the scrapbook. The covers and the pages are stored in original order. Small preservation measures were taken to secure items coming loose from pages.  Note that some of the items in the scrapbook, like the umbrella and pumpkin, are three-dimensional.  Loose items from the front and the back of the scrapbook were gathered into two folders and are stored in an archival box with the scrapbook.

Pictured below are two pages from the Leonard De Bennett scrapbook, 1923-1925 (click on the image to make it larger).  This collection is the personal scrapbook of Leonard Bennett (1903-1967) showing his time as a student at John Tarleton Agricultural College from 1923 to 1925.  The collection consists of ten unbound scrapbook leaves of various sizes containing photographs and newspaper clippings, twelve loose photographs, one loose clipping from the Southwestern Sportsman magazine, and an April 8, 1925 J-TAC. The photographs are of basketball teams, football games, cadets on the drill field, students, and campus scenes.



The Flora Clarke and Leonard Bennett scrapbooks reflect the experiences of male and female college students in the 1923-1926 era at John Tarleton Agricultural College, then a small, rural two-year Texas school.  Both scrapbooks were donated to the archives by relatives of these former students.  Both scrapbooks are quite fragile, so we hope to obtain a grant to have them digitized and made more easily accessible.


























Above: Flora Clarke (left) and Leonard Bennett (right) from the 1926 and 1924 Grassburrs respectively.

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Homecoming 2018: Back to Our Roots - Sources on Tarleton History


Homecoming 2018 is this week, October 14-20.  Some of the Homecoming traditions, like the Silver Bugle Hunt and Beat the Drum, are tied into Tarleton's history.  Here are some sources to learn more about that history.

Books

John Tarleton and his legacy: the history of Tarleton State University, 1899-1999, by Christopher E. Guthrie, 1999.
--Call number LD5271 .T35 G88 1999 - in Special Collections, and in General Stacks when not on reserve.

The John Tarleton College story: the golden days of purple & white, by C. Richard King, 1998.
--Call number LD5271 .T33 K55 1998 - in Special Collections, and in General Stacks when not on reserve.

The history of John Tarleton College, by J. Rice Finley, 1933.
--Call number LD5271 .T35 A22 1933 - in Special Collections.

JOHN TARLETON : A MEMORIAL TO THE FOUNDER OF TARLETON COLLEGE.
--Call number LD5271 .T35 T3 - in Special Collections, and in General Stacks when not on reserve.

Tarleton State University: the traditions remain  by executive editor Stephen D. Giddens  and writer Catherine Mayhew, 2007.
--Call number LD5271 .T33 T37 2007 - in Special Collections.

The birth of Tarleton's spirit: the "heartbeat" of our traditions, 1899-1999, by Sharon McNeill Matherne, 1998.
--Call number LD5271 .T33 M38 1998 - in Special Collections.

The development of John Tarleton College, by Preston Breckenridge Grissom, 1933.
--Call number LD5271 .T35 A22 1933A  - in Special Collections.

Oscar P's alphabet adventure, written by Kathleen Davis, illustrated by Tiffanie Forbus, 2013.
--Call Number EDUC LD5271 .T33 D38 2013, in the Curriculum Collection on the lower level - a children's book about Tarleton traditions.

Grassburr yearbooks
Call number LD5271.T35G7.
-- Limited Collection houses the most complete set. In-house use only.
-- Curriculum Collection (lower level) yearbooks can be checked out.
-- Also available online - see the next section.


Online Resources

Grassburr yearbooks are in the Portal to Texas History.

J-TAC student newspapers are also in the Portal to Texas History.

Alumni J-TACs have recently been added to the Portal to Texas History.

HistoryPin tour (which is the basis for the Original 40 Acres Tour event during Homecoming weekend) is an interactive Google Maps based tour of the Stephenville campus created by the Library's Special Collections and Archives staff, with additional photographs, links, and source material.

Cross Timbers Historical Images Project (also linked here), spearheaded by Dick Smith Library staff, offers historical images and narrative descriptions of Tarleton and surrounding communities. Sources are cited to facilitate further research.
  • Use Search features.
  • Browse collections.
    -- Click "Collections" link.
    -- Choose desired collection.
    -- Browse narratives.
Tarleton History posts on Library Online Lounge blog are about Tarleton's history: events, people, and campus life.

Tarleton History & Traditions Pinterest board is curated by Tarleton Libraries staff, and links ot many of the Tarleton History posts on the library's blog.

Purple Book explains Tarleton traditions, legends, and landmarks.

Tarleton Traditions offers links to campus organizations information, the Purple Book, etc.

Tarleton's Historical Timeline is an interactive photographic exploration of Tarleton's history.

Monday, October 8, 2018

Research Week

This week Tarleton celebrates Research and Scholarship Week!  Faculty from across campus will showcase their scholarship at events through out the week, and students will present their research and creative works at the Tarleton Student Research and Creative Activities Symposium.

The library is offering two sessions as well!


Reading & Sharing Collections: Creativity, Scholarship & Brunch

Date & Time:
October 9, 2018 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Location: Library Multipurpose Room 104

Join the library to recognize the latest releases in creative scholarship from Tarleton faculty & students, as well as the collections from published Tarleton authors made freely available online.
This brunch event will include readings by Dr. Marilyn Robitaille, Associate Professor of English, from her recently published book, Not by Design: Fifty Poems and Images, along with readings from student editors of the Anthology journal. These readings will be followed by a display of archives materials created by former Tarleton English professor Dr. Randall Popken with an introduction by Dr. Kathleen Mollick, Professor of English. Highlights of publications preserved and openly available in the Portal to Texas History digital repository will round out this event.


 VIDEOS: Educational Exemptions vs Performance Rights

Date & Time:
October 9, 2018 2-3 p.m.
Location:
Library Multipurpose Room 104

The Dick Smith Library’s Copyright Task Force will be presenting a session focusing on:
  • films in the classroom
  • showing videos online or in Blackboard
  • determining when/if you need permission
  • how to obtain public performance rights
  • Library resources: Kanopy and Films on Demand
Refreshments will be provided.

Please join the library for these events on October 9th!!!