Category Archives: University Archives

by | October 1, 2011 · 11:13 am

Phi Delta Theta

Phi Delta ThetaFormed in 1848 at Miami University (Ohio) by six students Phi Delta Theta has grown to over 160 active chapters. The WKU chapter was formed May 7, 1966 when the Phi Delta Chi chapter won their petition to become a Phi Delta Theta chapter. 

Records and photos of both Phi Delta Chi and Phi Delta Theta were donated to WKU Archives this past week.  These records have been processed, described and a collection inventory is now available online at:

http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_fin_aid/281/

These and other records are available for researchers to use in the Harrison-Baird Reading Room.  Selected images have been digitized are now available through KenCat our online catalog. 

We are always looking for documentation of student organizations, fraternities and sororities.  There are gaps in the records regarding these groups.

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by | September 21, 2011 · 1:09 pm

NERTS

Jeanetta Bunch

Jeanetta Bunch

What is it?

A small homemade booklet written and illustrated by Mary Helena Callas about her class mates at the WKU Training School in 1936. It includes brief sketches of students Jeanetta Bunch, Junior Caldwell, Ruth Claypool, Florene Durham, Spencer D., Jake Evans, Norman Emmick, Julian Fitzpatrick, Jessie Fleenor, Mary Ford, Mary Graham, George Grise, Patricia Hollan, Willard Howell, Alma Jones, Leonard Kington, Kenneth Mason, David Mathews, Howard Mathews, Francis Mathews, Nancy Mathews, W.L. Mathews Jr., Elizabeth McChesney, Kenneth McChesney, Guilia McGinnis, Craig Middleton, Thelma Myers, Mary Oliver, Pattie Pemberton, Marie Pennington, Annie Phelps, Ray Purvis, Haydn Richards, Hilda Riggs, Alma Runner, Raldon Smith, Joanna Smith, Margaret Thomas, Winifred Wilson, William Whitney, Rodney Whobrey, Frank Yarbrough and Cecele York.

There is no explanation of what the title means, if anything. NERTS is just one of the many one of a kind items in WKU Archives. It is now available online at: http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/462 

Check out other unique items at KenCat.

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by | June 1, 2011 · 2:19 pm

A Day in the Life

Were you there when this student laid down on that bed of nails and allowed this man to stand over him with a mallet? What happened after this demonstration? Inquiring minds want to know!  This and thousands of other photographs are available in WKU Archives.  Check us out on KenCat and help us identify some.

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by | May 18, 2011 · 10:16 am

Kentucky Library is Well Guarded, Word

That was the headline of an article in the Students Weekly, October 31, 1935.  The reporter goes on to say:

“Shades of the two-headed dog, Cerebus guarding the gates of Hades an the dragon that guarded the golden fleece are recalled when one seeks to enter the treasure house of the Kentucky Library at Western.  Just above the door is an old muzzle-loader and swinging in the doorway is one of the largest hornets’ nest that has been one’s fortune to see.”

This and other articles about the WKU Libraries’ history are now available online in the first two library scrapbooks covering the period 1911 through 1959.  In addition to newspaper clippings, there are photographs of the library, faculty and staff members along with some biographical sketches of early librarians and staff. 

WKU Libraries Scrapbook 1 – http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/295/

WKU Libraries Scrapbook 2 – http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/296/

These and other records regarding the history of Western are available in the University Archives and online through KenCat.

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by | May 11, 2011 · 4:54 pm

Potter College Class of 1903

These twenty ladies comprised the Potter College for Young Ladies Class of 1903. To date we have identified Mamie Johnston, Maud Cole, Celeste Cuthbertson and Hallie Brite.  As with many photographs in the WKU University Archives, we need your help to identify the remaining members of the class.  A larger version of this image is available online at:  http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/dlsc_ua_records/293. So take a closer look and let us know if you can identify anyone else. 

Check KenCat for other “unidentified” images and see if you recognize anyone.  It may just be you!

We have also digitized the extant Green & Gold Potter College student magazine published between 1902 and 1909.  We are missing the Vol. 3, No. 3 issue.  Please contact us if you have a copy to donate to the archives.

The Potter College yearbooks called Golden Rod and Talisman are also available online.

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by | May 2, 2011 · 12:10 pm

Theses Digitization Phase I Completed

In 2010 a project was initiated to  digitize WKU theses and dissertations for the period 1994-2009. These theses were stored in University Archives awaiting microfilming, however with the changes in technology, the decision was made to secure funding for digitization instead.   In June 2010 the funding was secured.  The theses were checked against the microfilm and a few additional theses going back to 1935 were found that had not been microfilmed.  Each theses was checked for student permissions and a page count was compiled.  28 boxes containing 759 theses were shipped to North Carolina to be digitized.  A jpg file was created of each page and a pdf file was created of each theses.  The originals and a hard drive returned to WKU in late March 2011.  From April 5 – 26, 2011 the theses were uploaded onto TopScholar and links were created from the library catalog TopCat to assist researchers in accessing them.  They are available by department and also at Masters Theses & Specialists Projects.

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by | April 8, 2011 · 3:56 pm

Student’s Weekly

Students Weekly

The University Archives has completed digitization of the Students Weekly a publication that catered to the students of WKU, Bowling Green Business University and College High in the 1930’s.  We have an incomplete run for the period 1936-1939.  Items of interest beside school news are the ads for clothing, movies and interesting news tidbits.  The collection is available through TopScholar.  The originals are extremely fragile.  Researchers visiting the Kentucky Library and Museum will be asked to use the microfilm or digital copies.

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by | March 24, 2011 · 1:57 pm

Founders Day Addresses

In doing research related to the opening of Ransdell Hall we’ve come across several Founders Day speeches.  These are primarily from the 1960’s, but there is an especially interesting one that highlights the earliest years of WKU.  A.L. Crabb’s Founders Day Address “It Sounds So Lovely What Our Fathers Did,”  reprinted in April 1943 was delivered the previous November 16th.  In it he relates his earliest memories as a student in the Southern Normal School in 1904.  He introduces the listeners to a host of early faculty including J.S. Dickey, the Cherry Brothers, J.M. Guilliams, J.H. Clagett, M.A. Leiper and Laura Frazee to name a few.  It is a great eyewitness account of the  early years of WKU.

This 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.  Selected digitized records can be found on TopScholar as well.

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by | March 18, 2011 · 10:13 am

What is it?

F2219-2A

Can you identify the object that these Geography students have gathered around?

Can you identify any of these students from 1931?

Note the birdhouse in the top of the skinned tree and the radio antennae in the background.

Check back next week for answer.

F2219-2

And the answer is:  Sullivan Gibson with Geography students and weather station.  Consider this an early mesonet site.

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by | March 11, 2011 · 12:22 pm

Domestic Science & Domestic Arts

Home Economics

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.

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