Domestic Science & Domestic Arts

Home Economics

The Department of Domestic Science & Domestic Arts is turning 100 this year! Never heard of it? That’s because the department has had several names and moved about on the organizational chart a few times:

Domestic Science & Domestic Arts 1911-1913
Domestic Economy 1914-1923
Home Economics 1924-1969
Home Economics & Family Living 1969-1995
Consumer & Family Sciences 1995-2010
Family & Consumer Sciences 2011-present

A contract signed January 3, 1911 between the Peabody Foundation and the WKU Board of Regents formalized a grant of $2000 to create the department by April 4 of the same year. Since then the department has been housed in the College of Education (1911-1969; 1981-2000), the now defunct College of Applied Arts & Health (1969-1981) and the College of Health & Human Services (2001-present). The departmental records have been processed and three finding aids created reflecting the administrative changes over the last 100 years.

Some of the treasures housed in University Archives created by the department include the Book of Instructions in Domestic Science in Warren County Schools, 1912; Linkages, newsletter and photographs such as the one shown here of Evadine Parker and an unidentified student. Let us know if you can identify her.

These and additonal records are available for researchers through our online catalog, KenCat and in the Harrison-Baird Reading Room of the Kentucky Library & Museum Monday – Saturday, 9 – 4.

BUWKY

Editor-in-Chief & business manager Lawrence Stone launched the BUKY in March 1936. The publication statement indicates that it was to be a student magazine published monthly “during the college year except for July and August in the interests of the students of the Bowling Green Business University and Western Kentucky Teachers College.” It cost $.75 for a year’s subscription and $.10 per single issue.

The next extant issue May 1936 indicates a change in the title to BUWKY due to a misunderstanding in the pronunciation. Although published at the BU, there were more Western students on the rolls of reporters in the early issues each with pseudonyms such as Rusty Rhythm and Norothy Nix. The magazine covers WKU sporting events, alumni of both schools, and highlights BU students and faculty. The ads are also an interesting component highlighting local businesses of the period as well as national trends.

The University Archives does not hold a full run of the magazine. Those that are extant 1936 and 1938-1943 have been digitized and are now available on TopScholar. They are a wonderful view into student life at both schools. Please contact the University Archivist at archives@wku.edu if you have more issues of this publication to donate. Also, check out the University Archives wish list.

These magazines and other records regarding the Bowling Green Business University are available to researchers in the Harrison-Baird Reading Room of the Kentucky Library & Museum Monday – Saturday, 9 – 4.

T ‘n’ T

T 'n' T The Bowling Green Business University split off in 1906 as WKU was formed. It functioned as an independent business college until 1963 when it merged into WKU and formed the basis of what is now the Gordon Ford College of Business. In 1948 the students of the BU as it was known, created a monthly student magazine named Towers and Toppers or T ‘n’ T. Student reporters highlighted faculty and students, tracked alumni whereabouts, dished the latest gossip and talked WKU sports.

The University Archives holds several issues of the magazine for the 1948-1951 period and these have been indexed, digitized and posted on TopScholar. Originals are available in University Archives. We are interested in finding additional issues to make our holdings complete. Please contact the University Archivist at archives@wku.edu if you have these or other items to donate.

SGA Records

SGA Elections 1968

The Student Advisory Council of 1956 was the first incarnation of WKU’s Student Government Association. A constitution was written in 1963 and a student council was active in February and of March 1965. In 1966 things finally got underway with a newly written constitution and approval of the Kelly Thompson administration. Since then the group has been active on campus taking on the issues of the day from discrimination to tuition hikes, ice machines to visitation policies.

University Archives holds the existing records of the SGA and these are being digitized. The constitution and amendments; meeting minutes 1969; 1976-1979; 1986-1990; 1994-1999; 2002-2003 and 2005-2007 ; legislation and documents are now available for researchers on TopScholar. These records are also available to researchers in the Kentucky Building’s Harrison-Baird Reading Room, Monday – Saturday 9 – 4.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words or at Least 272

WKU Football

The University Archives holds thousands of photographs of thousands of people, buildings and events. We scan on demand for researchers and we scan those images we cannot identify in hopes that someone will be able to help us. Just such an occasion happened this week. Below is an excerpt from an email regarding the photo above.

” . . . image f7592-1 — great shot . . . fooled me at first . . . magnifying bits and pieces of pic has corrected my first impression and, I think given us the answer on this one . . . first thought it was a FB game in 1930, just months before P.E. Building opened in 1931 . . . but not possible!!! — clothing styles much more like late 50s thru mid-60s era; work on P.E. is obviously remodel for transition into Margie Helm Library (see cutout in middle of building for new entranceway we now have for that building AND work on foundation for that addition to the building; work on roof is replacement, not new; obviously not new as well from condition of weathered stonework on side of building) . . . almost certainly fall, 1964 — work on P.E. Building (Diddle Arena already open; opened Dec. 7) conversion to library (which will open in the following fall — 1965 — as Margie Helm Library) . . . scoreboard reads Western 24, Opp O with 15:00 on clock for 4th quarter . . . cheerleaders at lower left wearing sweaters with “E” on them and photographer (guy near cheerleaders) most likely ???? . . . from Glasgow Daily Times — a student at WKU at the time — and camera he is carrying is 35mm that began to become common with media types in early-to-mid-60s . . . conclusion — pic made from top of old Western Stadium press box on Oct. 31, 1964 — Homecoming — a 24-0 win over Eastern Kentucky . . .” Our thanks to Paul Just for his infinite knowledge of all things WKU sports and his willingness to share with us!

To date nearly 6000 University Archives images have been scanned and posted in our online catalog KenCat which allows researchers to share information with us, share images with friends as well as order prints or digital copies. Please take a few minutes to check it out. And if anyone knows the name of the Glasgow Daily Times photographer – please let us know!!

Goldia McKeel Dunn Curd Photograph Album

Goldia McKeel Dunn Curd attended WKU between 1920 and 1924. During her time in Bowling Green, she lived at the Fisher boarding house and kept a photograph album. The album has been digitized and is now available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_alum_papers/26. The album includes photographs of WKU faculty and students, Fountain Square Park as well as students in Russell Springs High School where Curd eventually taught school.

The photograph at left includes Gertrude P? Mamye Bagwell, Mr. Fisher, Earl Sherman, Reba B? Gladie Payne, Goldia Dunn, Jessie Sherman, Mrs. Fisher, Celia Hart and James Alvin.

Alpha Phi Omega

APO Scrapbook

Alpha Phi Omega was a service fraternity at WKU. The University Archives has a number of scrapbooks from the organization and the third in the series which dates from 1990-1991 is now available online at:

http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_org/2/

If you recognize anyone in the images please let us know. Also, if you were a member of this or another student organization, share your memories with us.

These and other records related to student organizations can be found in the University Archives.

What is it?

: What is it?

Can you identify this photograph? It was taken in Bowling Green April 16, 1998 during a flood . . . .

Check back next week for the answer!

This and other images can be found in the University Archives.

This is a photograph of Lost River Cave during a flood. The Jenny Lind boat had been secured to the roof and you can see how high the water is.

Kentucky Live! It’s All About the Cheese!

WKU Libraries’ Kentucky Live featured Kenny and Beverly Mattingly on the evening of November 11, 2010 at Barnes & Noble, Bowling Green, KY. Kenny, owner of the Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese, told us the story of his family tradition and allowed us to sample some of the sumptuous cheeses he and his wife brought. If you missed the cheese, you can still listen to his talk and view the pictures of the event.

Photos of the Event | Podcast | Audio Files

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When is a Music Program Not Just a Music Program?

: Iolanthe Program

Iolanthe Program When it is the program for Gilbert & Sullivan operatta Iolanthe performed at WKU March 29, 1927. This program is chock full of ads for Bowling Green businesses. Some ads tell us where the business was located, especially in the downtown area. It is also a record of how much support the citizens of Bowling Green have given to WKU throughout the years.

And, of course, it is a program of the performance, giving a list of the principle actors, members of the band, orchestra and chorus as well as the officers of the Strahm Music club. Quite the bang for the printing buck for six page program.

This and many other music programs are available to researchers in the Harrison-Baird Reading Room of the Kentucky Library & Museum, 9 – 4 Monday through Saturday. The entire program is available on TopScholar: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/82/

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Category Archives: University Archives