Author Archives: Suellyn Lathrop

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!!

 

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Goldia McKeel Dunn Curd Photograph Album

Fisher Boarding HouseGoldia 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/26The 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.

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Alpha Phi Omega

APO Scrapbook

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.

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What is it?

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.

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When is a Music Program Not Just a Music Program?

Iolanthe Program

Iolanthe ProgramWhen 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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Athletic Committee

Athletic Committee

Athletic Committee

Recognized as the most popular faculty committee on campus, the Athletic Committee was formed between 1910 and 1926 and has been meeting monthly ever since. 

The earliest extant records for the committee date to 1926.  The collection consists of meeting minutes and award lists.  Topics routinely discussed were athletic schedules, awards and compliance with NCAA policies.  The collection also contains Ohio Valley Conference meeting minutes.

The committee was comprised of L.T. Smith, M.A. Leiper, W.J. Craig and  Florence Schneider well into the 1960’s.  New members were only allowed onto the committee as these members retired.  In 1962 a student member was added to the committee.  The committee was admonished by administration in 1971 to set term limits to address the complaints of faculty members wishing to be appointed to the committee.

The finding aid for the series is available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_fin_aid/128/  These and other university records are available for researchers to use in the Harrison-Baird Reading Room of the Kentucky Building, Monday-Saturday, 9 to 4.

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The Western Minstrel

The Western Minstrel

The Western Minstrel

The Western Minstrel is the official alumni newsletter of the WKU Department of Music. It has been in off and on since 1984. It highlights the activities of students and faculty in the Music Department and helps keep the alumni up to date.  The University Archives holds issues from 1984-1987, 1989, 1996, 2003-2009. These have been digitized and are now available on TopScholar as full text searchable documents.  These and other records created by the Music Department are available for researchers to use in the Harrison-Baird Reading Room of the Kentucky Building, Monday-Saturday, 9 to 4.

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Rodes-Helm Lecture Series

On September 27, 1961 the College Heights Herald announced the $25,000 endowment of the Rodes-Helm Lecture Series.  The money was donated by Harold and Mary (Rodes) Helm in honor of two individuals close to them.

John Rodes was a judge in the Warren County circuit court described as “one of the most distinguished jurists in the South.”  Judge Rodes was a native of Bowling Green and graduate of Ogden College.  He went on to study law at the University of Virginia.  He was also the father of Mary Grider Rodes Helm.

Margie Helm, Harold’s sister was born in Auburn, Kentucky and grew in Bowling Green.  She attended Randolph Macon Women’s College, Pratt Institute Library School and Chicago Graduate Library School.  She returned to Bowling Green in 1920 taking the position of assistant librarian at WKU.   In 1923 she was appointed head librarian and held that position for 42 years.  Two years after her retirement, WKU rededicated the library building as the Margie Helm Library in her honor.

Kelly Thompson stated that the Rodes-Helm Lecture Series “will be used to bring to the Western campus, personalities, thinkers and speakers whom we might not otherwise have an opportunity to meet.”  Some of those have included Pearl Buck, William Buckley, Chet Huntley, Buckminster Fuller and Charles Kuralt to name a few.  

The record series includes programs, press releases and recordings of some lectures.  The initial press conference announcing the gift and establishment of the lecture series was recorded on a 33 1/3 lp which is also part of the collection.  The finding aid for the series is available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_fin_aid/123/  Researchers can use view and listen to the items in the Harrison-Baird Reading Room of the Kentucky Building, Monday-Saturday, 9-4.

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Edgar Stansbury Collection

Edgar Stansbury

Edgar Stansbury

Edgar Bryant Stansbury, son of Emmet and Mable Stansbury was born 1906 in Corbin, Kentucky. He attended Shepherdsville high school and came to WKU in 1926 where he played basketball and football. Upon graduation in 1930 he became assistant coach to E.A. Diddle. After World War II he returned briefly as athletic director in 1946-1947. Stansbury returned to the air force in 1947 and later worked for Rockwell. A lifelong WKU supporter, he died in Largo, Florida in 2009 at the age of 103.

A collection of his personal papers have recently come into University Archives and are being processed. They include 10 scrapbooks compiled over the course of Stansbury’s life regarding WKU athletics and his military career and a photograph collection. Three of the scrapbook have been digitized so far and are available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/stu_alum_papers/

The collection is available for researchers to use in the Harrison-Baird Reading Room of the Kentucky Building, Monday-Saturday, 9 to 4.

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The Southern Educator

Before there was WKU, there was the Southern Normal. A school that evolved from the Glasgow Normal, which moved to Bowling Green and changed hands several times before the Cherry brothers took over. The Southern Normal existed between 1893 and 1906 when it split into WKU and the Bowling Green Business University.

The Southern Educator serves as a journal of pedagogy, alumni magazine, advertisement for the Southern Normal, course listings and gives an overall look into the daily life of the Southern Normal.  Published more or less quarterly from 1897 to 1906, the newspaper is being digitized and made available online to researchers.  A name index available at: http://www.wku.edu/Library/dlsc/ua/bgbu-a.htm.

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