Collins Unbound

Rarely do I come across a book that is as physically beautiful as the words inside. I usually read a book because the story is intriguing or wonderful. But those books are just words on a page. While I was looking through the Archives & Special Collections today, I came across a book that is way more than words. The book, Tours d’Arithmetique by Jean Louis Bernard, was created by Bernard for his studies in 1809. Every page is a work of art. Even the script is remarkable. I sat there totally absorbed in its complexity. You can still see the pencil marks that allowed him to make straight lines. Could you imagine if books today were treated with such focus and detail? In the Archives & Special Collections you can find such pieces!

Open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 1:00-3:00 pm.

By Sierra Scott

If you’ve ever glanced over the table of elements in the past thirty years or so, you might be familiar with the name “seaborgium.” Turns out, the namesake of that element, Glenn T. Seaborg, was actually a speaker here at our very own Diamond Jubilee in 1963! A Diamond Jubilee is the 75th anniversary of a thing – if you might recall, we had our 125th anniversary back in 2013. Seaborg’s speech had some pretty interesting predictions for the future (as scientists love to make crazy predictions), some of which were right, some of which were wrong.

For example, he predicted that nuclear power was going to be the forerunner for the production of electricity by 2038, and now that it’s 2015, nuclear power still only accounts for 11% of the world’s electricity. It comes in fourth after coal (40%), gas (23%), and hydroelectric (17%), and it’s unlikely that nuclear will overtake any of these three any time soon, but with 20 years of research and advancing technologies, I suppose it’s still possible. Seaborg’s other predictions included nuclear-powered rockets, manned bases in space, and communication satellites. Humorously enough, he calculated that the entire world would only need three communications satellites to handle coverage of the entire world – according to ucsusa.org we have 1,235 communications satellites in orbit. I mean, it’s only a small difference compared to three.

Seaborg also apparently said, “to keep peace with the scientific age our educational system must produce men and women who are knowledgeable in science.” This certainly hasn’t changed as a fact in the past 52 years, and likely won’t any time soon. But I suppose we’ll see how his predictions hold up by the time our sesquicentennial (that’s a 150th anniversary) rolls around!

You can always see pictures of the Diamond Jubilee, read Seaborg’s entire prediction, or learn more about other speakers and celebrations we’ve had at the University of Puget Sound if you stop into the Archives & Special Collections on Tuesday, Wednesday, and/or Thursday between 1:00-3:00 p.m.!

By Morgan Ford

Do not be fooled by this book’s description! It may say the “Holy Bible” on the cover, but the truth of its ulterior motives is hidden in the spine—it is a “parallel bible.”

If you’ve never heard of parallel bibles, it’s probably because the government has been doing a fantastic job of keeping them a secret from the general public. Fear not! We have acquired one of these tomes for your languid perusal. Should you choose to browse through this very large, very heavy specimen, you will find that pages from the well-known bible of our own dimension is situated on the right hand page, while on the opposite (left) page there lies something else entirely—a bible with ideas totally apart from our own, ideas and morals from another dimension, that is very aware of us, and is very clearly observing us. While the language still appears to be English, there are subtle differences between the two that lead scholars to believe that one is derived from the other–however the connection still remains unclear to this day. It is likely that the language we wish to claim as our own is actually a derivative of this parallel dimension’s primary method of communication.

This book of comparisons and detailing of parallels is highly detailed, with an intricate binding and clasps on the outside to warn passersby away from its radical ideas, and thousands of gold-gilt pages filled with careful studies and comparisons in the margins. Even the art in the preface of the book–surprisingly similar to our own dimension’s medieval art–is carefully annotated. It is unclear whether the purpose of this parallel bible is to copy us as a species or to compare their pre-existing culture to our own.

We probably acquired this book in a shady deal over a game of chess with a government scholar, who probably acquired it from a questionable area of influence.

You can read some decrypted government files on the subject of parallel bibles and their possible contents here or here, or you could stop in to the Archives & Special Collections and see what sort of extradimensional secrets you can glean from its pages for yourself.

“the best kind of comedy is flagrant lies and nonsense, delivered deadpan and seriously.” (rosaluxmemeburg)

Today I decided to revisit a manuscript notebook that I first came across over the summer, when we initially acquired it. The Howard W. Robbins diary is a WWI notebook (1917-1918) which features 88 pages of handwritten notes, diagrams, formulas, and reports including the above illustrations of the various “Colours of Badges of some of the German States,” and the “Tassels of German Sword Knots.”

Robbins includes a diagram for training soldiers in patrolling and scouting.

Robbins was a first Lieutenant in the 104^th Infantry of the U.S. army, and his notebook features advice on a variety of topics, including Patrolling and Scouting, which, Robbins writes “is a great protection from surprise, serves to keep up the morale of our own troops, and tends to lower that of the enemies!” Robbins even includes a diagram for training soldiers in patrolling and scouting.

One of the most interesting aspects of Robbins’ notebook is his writings about the use of various military technologies, including Telescopes, the Prismatic Compass, Thermometer Targets, and even Aeroplane Photographs, or the taking of photographs from the air. This would have been an especially important new technology, as WWI was one of the first military conflicts to utilize powered aircraft. Robbins notes that those who take photos from the air are “men of special aptitude, as for instance artists, painters, architects, and so forth.” He also writes about how these photos help officers to identify German trenches, as well as Posts and Company Headquarters.

The notebook is filled with a variety of information on many different topics and could be a valuable and engaging primary source for anyone interested in WWI, or the development of military technologies and strategies.

Discover this and other interesting primary sources Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 1:00-3:00 p.m. in the Archives & Special Collections on the second floor of the Library!

By Kara Flynn