#TBT in the Archives 10/26/17: Historic homecomings

Another Shippensburg University homecoming passed into history last weekend as thousands of Shippensburg alumni returned to campus to watch the Raiders best Millersville 51-14 as well as parade through town, reconnect with friends, and crown this year's king and queen. As you recover from the weekend's festivities, we thought it would be fun to revisit past homecomings this week.

Homecoming has been an annual tradition at Shippensburg since 1925. The first game was held October 31 when the Shippensburg Normal football team faced off against West Chester. Alumni were invited to attend the festivities, and the program featured details and photos of the team and coach.

1925 homecoming program

By 1930, homecoming had turned into a beloved campus event, alumni were issued tickets, and the Varsity Club issued tags emblazoned with the letter "S" to enable spectators to clearly display their allegiance.

Game ticket, November 15, 1930

Varsity Club homecoming tag from the fall of 1930.

In the 1930s, homecoming was the main time alumni returned to campus, and as a result, events took on the theme of reunion. A highlight of the weekend was a dinner held by the college president after the game, which was attended by alumni. Current students attended a school dance after the game.

1930 homecoming menu

The 1930 homecoming dinner featured roasted turkey and stuffing as well as the "Alumni Special" Salad, which contained cheese wafers and Russian dressing among other mystery ingredients. The dinner tradition continued in 1940 with nearly the same menu. Roasted turkey was likely an alumni favorite.

1940 homecoming menu

The 1940 homecoming dinner also included musical entertainment and speeches.

Homecoming has continued to be a popular Ship tradition. In 1992, President Anthony Ceddia and his wife enjoyed riding through the homecoming parade in an antique automobile.

President Ceddia took part in the 1992 homecoming parade

The 2002 homecoming game was rainy, but that didn't stop a full house at Grove Stadium or an "American Idol" competition in the CUB that weekend.

The 2002 homecoming game was reviewed in the 2003 Cumberland yearbook.

And in 2014, the yearbook dedicated several pages to the homecoming court, marching band, and other highlights, not to mention the football game itself!

The 2013 homecoming king and queen (top picture) celebrated with the new king and queen (bottom picture) in 2014.

Homecoming continues to be a great day to make memories at Ship! We hope everyone had a great time last weekend.


Sources:
Class Files, 1925, 1930, 1931, and 1941, Shippensburg University Archives & Special Collections, Shippensburg, PA.
Cumberland 1993, Shippensburg, PA.
Cumberland 2003, Shippensburg, PA.
Cumberland 2015, Shippensburg, PA.

SU Archives Celebrates American Archives Month

A Collection Highlight!

American Archives Month

          Each October Lehman Library Celebrates American Archives Month. American Archives Month was established in 2006 to bring more recognition, appreciation, and overall understanding for what archives house and why they are important. This year, Lehman Library’s Special Collections is honoring American Archives Month by highlighting the McCune Collection.

McCune Collection

          The documents in this collection tell a story of the trials and successes that board members faced during the organization of the Shippensburg Normal School (Shippensburg University) in the late 19^th century.  The materials show how different challenges were met and what worked and what did not.  The biggest challenge was the financial trouble that surrounded the school during its infancy.  There are debt collection letters, unpaid bill receipts, and correspondence between board members that express the dire situation and possible solutions.  The collection also tells the story of technological advancements and cultural dynamics during the late 19^th century.  Below are just a few examples from this invaluable collection.

Above is a list of people who were paid for services to the school during the month of October 1874.  Below is a receipt for payment to a gentleman for “7 ½ days work at Normal School” for a total of $9.37. Most of these receipts were written on torn scraps of paper now discolored from all the years gone by. Employees ranged from skilled and unskilled labor, and were white, black, male and female.  Mary Gross and Arabella Taylor, listed above, were both black women.  Mary was unable to read or write and a widowed mother of several children. Arabella is listed as a black woman but also as a Mulatto from Virginia. She had been the housekeeper of a

Chambersburg physician.

The document above shows the tuition charged to one female student in 1890.  It also shows the state aid she received and her graduation fee. The document below shows a total of $70 was paid by a student for both tuition and room and board. Students paid additional fees to use the gymnasium.  They also paid more for special art and music lessons.

The 1894 documents below are from a few creditors of the Shippensburg Normal School asking to be paid for services already rendered.  It was not just businesses who went unpaid, but students were not given timely refunds and faculty also found their salaries in arrears at times.

The last document is an early letter dated 1870 from John McCune, Esquire, who also became one of the first members of the school’s Board of Trustees.  Mr. McCune discussed the reactions of some on how the project (school) would be funded.  He discussed the possible use of scholarships rather than shares.  Eventually, creators used a stock-holder based system to finance the creation of the school that continued to be a major funding source for some time.

Contact SU’s Archives and Special Collections

Lehman Library’s Archives and Special Collections is located on the upper level of Ezra Lehman Memorial Library, in room 207. We are open by appointment only. Please email specialcollections@ship.edu or call 717-477-1123 (x3357) to schedule an appointment, or for more information.

Welcome back from Fall Break!

Image by Kaleidobooks

Welcome back from Fall Break!

Hope you had some good times, relaxation, and at least a few good laughs...

In case you've forgotten, all our books are made from 100% Groot-free paper!

Library Hours are back to our regular hours:

Sunday Noon-Midnight
Monday 7:30am - Midnight
Tuesday 7:30am - Midnight
Wednesday 7:30am - Midnight
Thursday 7:30am - Midnight
Friday 7:30am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

#TBT in the Archives 10/12/17: Chapel services

School Chapel Services

Before email and campus alert systems, how did faculty and staff share important information with the entire student body? Sometimes, the easiest way to share information is through a meeting. Early Shippensburg students were required to go to chapel services daily, then later weekly, in order to both participate in religious activities, and hear updates and announcements.

In addition, students at Shippensburg until the 1930s did not have the flexibility to choose whether or not to attend church, let alone practice a non-Christian faith, and were required to attend weekly religious services in addition to the daily chapel services, or face academic troubles.

This page from the 1889-1890 Cumberland Valley State Normal School catalog says students were required to attend a church of their choice weekly in Shippensburg.

Students in the late 1880s were required to attend church services in Shippensburg weekly, unless they were excused by the principal. Additionally, Sunday school was organized each week, and prayer meetings were held each Wednesday night. Those activities were voluntary, but students were  required in the 1890s to attend chapel services each morning at 8:45 a.m.

By 1897, the Y.M.C.A. and the Y.W.C.A were on campus and met weekly to discuss topics of interest to Christians and hold Bible studies.

In 1916-1917, the student handbook published a list of Shippensburg churches. The practice continued for decades.

Through the early 1930s, chapel attendance and weekly church attendance continued to be required of students. Failure to attend could hurt one's academic standing as faculty kept track of attendance.

Mr. Buckalow was issued a warning in 1913 when he failed to attend church regularly.

Chapel meetings were used for communication, but also involved faith-based activities. In 1927, daily meetings were abolished and instead, attendance was expected Tuesdays and Thursdays. Additionally, the time became later in the morning each year.



The school issued schedules each semester with chapel activities to expect:


The fall 1931 chapel schedule.

The spring 1942 chapel schedule

The fall 1945 chapel schedule. By this time, meetings were held weekly.

By the 1933-34 academic year, the school abolished the requirement to attend church services in Shippensburg each week though it was still strongly suggested. As the school's identity as a state institution deepened in the early decades of the 20th century, the school moved farther away from requiring religious practice.

However, as late as 1960, the student catalog continued to urge attendance at weekly services in Shippensburg. In addition to publishing a list of churches in the student handbook, a number of campus religious groups were listed accommodating students of a variety of Christian traditions.

Today Shippensburg University experiences a vibrant faith community with beliefs and non-beliefs of all kinds represented across the student body, in formal campus ministry activities, and student-run clubs and organizations. Students in 2017 are fortunate their participation does not affect their academic standing!

Sources
Catalogs, 1889-1890, 1897-1898, 1927-1928, 1933-1934,1934-1935, 1960-1961. Shippensburg, PA: Cumberland Valley Normal School and Shippensburg State Teachers College.
Class files, 1913, 1931, 1942 and 1946. Shippensburg University Archives & Special Collections, Shippensburg, PA.
Student handbook, 1916-1917, 1960-1961 Shippensburg, PA: Cumberland Valley State Normal School, 1916.

2017 Fall Break Library Hours - Oct 13 to Oct 17

Fall break is upon us!
During fall break, the library will be open at the following times:

Friday, October 13, 7:30am - 4:00 pm
Saturday, October 14, 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Sunday, October 15, 12:00pm - 5:00pm
Monday, October 16, 7:30am - 4:00 pm

Tuesday, October 17: Regular Fall Semester Hours Resume 

Librarians will not be available to answer reference questions in person over fall break. If you need research assistance, please email us! Have a great break!

#TBT in the Archives 10/5/17: Battle of the Sexes

In the early 1970s, many movements for social change launched in the late 1960s continued. From racial equality to feminism, people across the country were determined to make changes for the better. Shippensburg State College was no exception, and students regularly participated in rallies, petition drives, and demonstrations to share their opinions with state representatives, school officials, and each other.

An event during the fall semester of 1973 was one of these demonstrations. Unlike the others, it was unplanned, and in the end, it took a decidedly fun tone.

Female tennis superstar Billie Jean King took on male player Bobby Riggs in a tennis match billed "The Battle of the Sexes" on September, 20, 1973. Prior to the match, Riggs relied on his role as a male tennis player to overhype his ability to best any woman on the tennis court, no matter her record. King easily beat him in a three-match victory that was not only a sports win, but a victory for many American women.

The September 25, 1973 Slate reported on the aftermath of the Battle of the Sexes tennis match in Shippensburg.

According to the September 25, 1973 Slate, King's victory was announced in Naugle Hall (the women's dorm). The women then called to the men's dorm, Mowrey Hall, and asked a similar announcement be made. After they were refused, 12 women walked to Mowery Hall singing "I Am Woman," where they were greeted by the male residents with firecrackers and buckets of water thrown out windows.

After the women retreated, they were followed by firecracker-wielding men who attempted to capture a large sign hanging from the third floor of Naugle Hall which said "We Love You, Billie Jean." During the uproar, women threw buckets of water out the windows and blasted "I Am Woman" from speakers. At one point, the women called reinforcements from McLean Hall as the men continued to work to capture the sign. The clash dispersed after the Dean of Men got involved.


Photos of the Battle of the Sexes "clash" at Shippensburg State College published in the September 25th Slate.

The clash ended up being an episode of campus revelry, but for Shippensburg women, King's victory over Riggs boosted spirits.

Team photos and records for 1973-74 as published in the Cumberland in 1974.

Tennis at Shippensburg was generally boosted in the wake of the King-Riggs matches. Men's and women's tennis were both competitive at the state level during the 1973-1974 school year, though neither team had a fabulous record.


Sources:
The Slate, Shippensburg, PA, September 25, 1973.
Cumberland 1974, Shippensburg, PA.