Collins Unbound

In my four years here in the archives, I’ve stumbled across a lot of interesting things in our files that aren’t digitized. I’ve compiled entire lists of things I’d like to go back and find (with notes to locations that no longer exist, alas), but I just never have. This mostly includes fun names like Professors Grumbling, Boring, and Gross, Dr. Homer H. Hamner, Miss Sandy Seylar; a cursive typewriter, a story about President Todd falling on his face, and a mysterious handful of marriage certificates in a General Correspondence folder.

However, I was recently given a good handful of items to scan from a combination of the President’s records, Ephemera, and the (unsorted) press release boxes from the UPS News Bureau, where I finally got an opportunity to have actual scans of these materials instead of just notes. Here we have an example of the original “correction tape” on a press release about the Black Arts Festival in 1969, a handwritten list of “types of parties,” from 1969 which includes “fondeau,” crab feed, funny money-Monte Carlo (which is just a casino themed), a champagne buffet, and a handful of others; and a handwritten letter from a Mrs. Huff that accompanied a $3.00 donation to the Now Mr. Lincoln fund.

The Archives & Special Collections is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00-3:00 p.m. or by appointment if you want to come see what you can find for yourself!

By Morgan Ford

I will admit, although we tend to feature some of the more positive, creative, or relatable pieces that call the Archives & Special Collections home, there are a multitude of items in the collection that tell a much darker story. History is not always fun to read about, and much of the truth that often lays hidden beneath leather book covers is grim, violent, depressing, and even enraging. Yet, to learn from primary sources and to read historical narratives is quite possibly the most enlightening method of study, and the perspective that can be gained, no matter how frustrating or painful, is invaluable when it comes to understanding our world and our humanity. Where did we come from? Where have we been? Who are we? Where are we going? Why are things the way they are? How did it get to be this way? These are some of the many questions history is able to help us answer, as the complexity of the human experience incorporates an incredulous variety of encounters, observations, and subjective conceptualizations of the surrounding world.

The book titled “My Life and Experiences among Our Hostile Indians” by General O. O. Howard was published in 1907. The book provides an eye-opening account of Native American life from the perspective of the colonizer. In it, you will find ethnocentrism, hypocrisy, racism, reinforcement of theories of sociocultural evolution, and anger-inducing dialogue. In addition, you will find beautifully illustrated realistic depictions of Native American artifacts, accounts of native customs, traditions, ceremonies, religion, mythology, habits, and lifestyle. Although the lens through which Native American culture is viewed is entirely skewed and biased, the record provides observations and historical accounts that preserve aspects of their life, forgotten events, and lost voices within the pages.

There are a multitude of books just like it, and so much more. If you’re interested or have a relevant research project, come check out the collection.

The Archives & Special Collections is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00-3:00 p.m. or by appointment.

By Monica Patterson

As an aspiring Politics and Government major with a possible History minor, I’m always on the prowl for interesting combinations of the two subjects. This little book, The Woman’s Manual of Parliamentary Law was exactly what I was looking for. The author, Harriette R. Shattuck, born in 1850, was a journalist and taught Parliamentary law during her lifetime. She was a leader in the women’s suffrage movement and helped organize the National Woman Suffrage Association in her home state of Massachusetts. This book was meant to explain Parliamentary practice using “illustrations” focusing on women’s organizations as examples. This book was actually very popular with 30 different editions printed between 1891 and 2012.

This book includes many different subjects such as advice on how to form a permanent society or about voting. One chapter in particular caught my eye which was titled, “Nature and Effect of Amendment” which went through the basics of what an amendment is, its relevancy, and how to propose a legitimate one as well as primary and secondary amendments. This little book is very thorough, and through even just reading part of it, I realized I still have a lot to learn to catch up to these 19^th century women! If you want to learn a little more about parliamentary practice or even just marvel at the wonderful combination of history and politics like me, you can stop by and see The Woman’s Manual of Parliamentary Law. Check it out on Primo!

The Archives & Special Collections is open on Mondays and Wednesdays from 12:00-3:00 p.m. or by appointment.

By Laure Mounts