Last April, I learned that the Southern Methodist University Archives would move and go into storage during the construction of the Rees-Jones Library of the American West. Although I am excited about a new building, new storage for historical material, and new exhibit space, I was also apprehensive. Moving an archives is a complex project….Continue Reading Moving and Storing the SMU Archives
The DeGolyer Library lost a shining light and mentor on March 18. Gerry York, 87, class of 58, Southern Methodist University sports historian, fan, volunteer, and loving husband, father, and grandfather, died from complications from a stroke. Almost 25 years ago, Gerry and Ed Wisneski created Heritage Hall, a museum documenting SMU’s athletics history and…Continue Reading Gerry York — A Team Player
It’s National Library Week, and this year’s theme is “Welcome to Your Library.” The library universe has long extended far beyond the four walls of a building and during this past tumultuous year, librarians around the world found new ways to meet the information needs of their communities, such as curbside service virtual reference, and…Continue Reading National Library Week 2021
Ruth P. Morgan was born in Berkeley, Calif., in 1934. Her family moved to Austin, Texas in 1939 when her father joined the University of Texas faculty. Ruth P. Morgan came to Southern Methodist University in 1966 as assistant professor of political science. She taught several courses including the American presidency and modern political…Continue Reading Remembering Ruth Morgan, March 8, 2021
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
Last week, black students and alumni on Twitter described the racism, hate-speech, microaggressions, and harassment by police that they faced at SMU, with the hashtag #BlackAtSMU To learn more about the historical experiences of black students at SMU, consider exploring the Voices of SMU Oral History and Digital Humanities Student Projects. The university archives is…Continue Reading Exploring the Voices of SMU Collection
It started, as these things do, with a conversation. Jill Kelly, history professor, had an idea that she shared with Cindy Boeke, digital collections librarian, and me, the SMU university archivist. Jill said, “What do you think about having a history intern use Zoom to interview students about their experiences during this time of Covid-19?”…Continue Reading Documenting Student Life during Covid-19
During the summer, our friends at the William G Jones film archives discovered a fascinating, and little known, story about an uproar at Southern Methodist University in its WFAA Newsfilm Collection. The controversy centered over the student handbook. Student handbooks are often the most mundane of publications—they’re rarely even read by the students who are…Continue Reading Doing It–Creating Controversy at SMU
Marsh Terry, also known as “Mr. SMU,” was born this day–February 7. He was a long-term friend of the DeGolyer Library. For a while, he even had an office (Room 318) here. Marsh graduated from SMU. Marsh worked at SMU. Marsh taught at SMU. And Marsh wrote about SMU. From High on the Hilltop is…Continue Reading Remembering Marsh Terry
The Mustang Band will be celebrating its 100th anniversary during SMU’s Homecoming this month. Known for its school spirit, its use of jazz music, and its uniforms, the band has made an indelible contribution to our campus throughout the past 100 years. The band’s uniforms have their own history. On November 3, 1922, the student newspaper…Continue Reading SMU Mustang Band: Celebrating 100 Years