128 years ago, on January 5th, 1893, Frankie Smith wrote a letter on stationery of “Office of C.R. Breedlove, Horse Brand TZ, Cattle Brand X-Z” to her husband W.R. Smith in Colorado, Texas. Her honest and rather “frank” note details their affairs at home including their infant son (“the lad”), visiting Aunt J. and Lulu…Continue Reading My dear husband…
On October 1st, 1918, The Campus, SMU’s student newspaper, led with stories on an upcoming football game between the Mustangs and the Texas Longhorns, a look at how SMU was losing faculty to war work, and an exploration of street car service in University Park. News about the First World War was found throughout the…Continue Reading SMU and the Spanish Flu
News from the DeGolyer Library January 2021 Southern Methodist University Visit our Website Remembering Melvin Shaffer Join us in remembering the life of Melvin Shaffer, a good friend and donor to the library, who passed away this month. Born in 1924 in West Virginia, Melvin served as a medical photographer in World War II, documenting…Continue Reading News from the DeGolyer Library January 2021
“I’ll be home for Christmas,” promised Bing Crosby in 1943 in one of that year’s top hits. “I’ve been here all year anyway,” quips one of the myriad of memes trending on social media at the end of 2020. Both allude to situations in which protagonists long to be reunited with their loved ones for…Continue Reading (Not) home for the holidays
Tidings of Comfort and Joy Joy may not be a word often associated with the year 2020. This year has presented numerous hardships and challenges for everyone. However, it has also presented opportunities for us to slow down, explore different hobbies, and develop new skills. Over the course of 2020 I have read more, advanced…Continue Reading Tidings of Comfort and Joy
News from the DeGolyer Library December 2020 Southern Methodist University Visit our Website Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year from all of us at the DeGolyer Library! So long (and good riddance) to 2020. We look forward to seeing you all in our reading room sometime next year. Our Latest Virtual Exhibit “Rum, Romanism,…Continue Reading News from the DeGolyer Library December 2020
It’s not hard to figure out why Turkey, and its preceding political entities, the former Ottoman Empire, Byzantine Empire, and Eastern Roman Empire, have been written about at length by western European diplomats, historians, and travelers. The region which encompasses some of the earliest sites of permeant human settlement, is positioned at a critical geographic…Continue Reading Turkey Season
Hard to believe that next week is Thanksgiving. It is even harder to believe how different the holidays might look. Last year I spent Thanksgiving with my family, and whipped up a traditional feast of turkey, stuffing, and assorted sides. In my post from last fall, “Someone’s in the Kitchen,” I scoped out some fun…Continue Reading Someone’s back in the Kitchen…
News from the DeGolyer Library November 2020 Southern Methodist University Visit our Website Our Latest Virtual Exhibit “Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion” James G. Blaine, Grover Cleveland, and the Election of 1884 If remembered at all in the popular mind, the Presidential election of 1884 is best known, perhaps, as the “dirtiest” campaign in American history….Continue Reading News from the DeGolyer Library November 2020
“The air is cool, the season fall, soon Halloween will come to all…” This week brings October to a close and with that my favorite holiday of the year is fast approaching. Halloween, All Hallows’ Eve, or All Saints’ Eve, is celebrated in many countries on October 31st. It is a time dedicated…Continue Reading The Season of Halloween and Day of the Dead