The most interesting Archives question of the week is, “Is it true that Lawrence University was featured in Playboy magazine as one of the nation’s ugliest college campuses (in terms of female looks)? The answer is no. A search through the magazine’s index and a call to Playboy Enterprises resulted in finding nothing on Lawrence in the magazine.
Good information to have if you’re ever asked about it, especially at a trivia contest!
Ever wonder if there are any haunted places on campus? Given that Lawrence has been around for 160 years, there certainly is! Come and learn more about the haunted and creepy places on campus on Sunday, October 28 at 7 pm. We’ll meet at the Information Deck in the Union and tour the campus, including Cloak Theater, Memorial Chapel, and Main Hall. The tour will end in Riverview Lounge in the Union where a Midterm Stress Relief Social will take place. This even is sponsored by the Dean of Students Office, the Wellness Committee, and the University Archives.
Have a question about Lawrence ghosts and just can’t wait until Sunday to ask? Stop by the Archives, call or e-mail. And in case you’re wondering, sorry, no ghosts in the Archives have been spotted!
A tour of the spooky and haunted places on campus will take place in late October. In preparation for this, I am looking for people who may have experienced ghosts or other creepy things at Lawrence, or know of others who have. If you have any knowledge you would like to share, stop by the Archives, call or send an e-mail. Anonymity will be respected upon request.
A book and article on Elizabeth Richardson, a graduate of Milwaukee-Downer College who served in World War II and died in a plane crash in France in 1945, are both out this month. The book on Liz by James Madison, “Slinging doughnuts for the boys: an American woman in World War II,” will be available to view at the library in the next few weeks. An article by James in the Autumn issue of the Wisconsin Magazine of History on Liz is titled, “Hey Milwaukee: A Wisconsin Girl Goes to War, 1944-1945.” Materials from the Lawrence Archives were used for both publications.
To learn more about Liz, visit this online exhibit about her life:
http://www.lawrence.edu/library/archives/richardson/index.htm
To view additional materials on Liz or if you have questions, visit the University Archives.
I am always looking for new ideas for exhibits. If you have a suggestion for an event, person, or other topic that you think would be a good subject for an exhibit, let me know! The more creative, the better. The more random, the more appreciated.
How I can be reached…
In-person: Level B of the library
Phone: 920 832-6753
E-mail: julia.stringfellow@lawrence.edu
Instant messaging: http://www.lawrence.edu/library/archives/askarch.shtml
A Look at Student Life and Traditions at Lawrence University
The new school year brings new students and a new home in a residence hall. It also continues the many traditions present on campus. Traditions include the annual Homecoming activities such as the decorations on dorms and student houses, the crowning of the Homecoming queen, and the football game. Posters that displayed the rivalry between the Freshman and Sophomore classes were popular during the 1920s.
Several residence halls have been built since the founding of Lawrence in 1847. The oldest dorm, Ormsby Hall, was built in 1889 and served initially as an all-women’s dorm. Pictures of some of its earliest residents are displayed in the exhibit. Information on school colors, the Alma Mater, and the wearing of beanies is also provided.
Materials are on display in the exhibit cases on the first floor of the library through the end of October.
Do you have questions about the exhibit or the history of Lawrence? Visit the University Archives on Level B of the library or send an e-mail to archives@lawrence.edu.
The Archives will be closed August 20-24, and will reopen Monday, August 27. I will have access to e-mail while I am away, feel free to e-mail me at julia.stringfellow@lawrence.edu.
Photographs documenting the history of Milwaukee-Downer College, an all-women’s college that consolidated with Lawrence University in 1964, are now up as part of the University Archives digital collections. They are located here.
The photographs include those of campus buildings, student activities, and academic departments and faculty. More items will be added to the collection as the physical collection is processed.
There are a couple of events going on this week to celebrate Appleton’s 150th birthday. On Wednesday evening, July 11, from 7-8 pm, a presentation at the Appleton Public Library will be held to discuss the early days of Appleton. I will be giving a talk on the early days of Lawrence University. For more information, see the following link.
http://www.apl.org/programs/lecture.html
An exhibit at the Appleton Art Center will open Friday, July 13 titled, 1857/2007: Then/Now. The exhibit features works of art from the time of Appleton’s founding and from the present day. Works of art from the Lawrence University Archives will also be part of the exhibit. The exhibit runs through September 8. For more information, see the following link.
http://www.appletonartcenter.org/appletonart/calendar+of+events/gallery+exhibitions/1857+2007.asp
Ever have a question about the history of Lawrence or Milwaukee-Downer College but was too busy during the school year to ask? The University Archives will be open throughout the summer. Stop by anytime the library is open, 8-4 Monday through Friday. Reference questions welcome, tours of the Archives provided spontaneously, and random thoughts greatly appreciated.
