Skier on Mount Hood
Maybe you’ve noticed, we really love showing off fabulous pictures of our special state. Enjoy this new set in Flickr Commons, mountain top to sparkling beach.
This set is packed with pictures from all over the state, in all kinds of weather, from all sorts of angles. You never know what you’ll find in our Flickr Commons account!
Crater Lake Phantom Ship
Grooves: carving up a tabletop
Have you ever heard the story of the “Senior Tabletops”?
Starting in 1915, the seniors carved their names and other designs on the top of the “senior table” at a popular restaurant in town. Each year the restaurant furnished a new tabletop, while the old ones were stored at “the co-op building,” and later, the MU basement. The tabletops were put on display in the MU in 1932 as a way to revive interest in the waning tradition, but apart from brief revivals in the 1950s and 1960s, the movement was unsuccessful. The tabletops were displayed in Gill Coliseum in the 1950s before moving to the newly remodeled McAlexander Fieldhouse in 1984.
During the 20th century, spirit at Oregon State went through a lot of change as many traditions have come and gone. Some of the traditions have involved athletics, while others have simply embraced our alma mater. Enjoy your daily sampling of some of guest blogger Ben Forgard’s favorites!
Fire in downtown corvallis, 1930
No Smoking!
In 1890, faculty at the State Agricultural College (now OSU) worried about an alarming habit gaining in popularity relating to dried leaves of “Nicotiana Tabacuni,” formally banned smoking from campus. Although technically more of a rule than a tradition, it was often fondly recalled as a valuable tradition. As class structure (graduation class, not social class) altered during and after World War II (some “Rooks” were not 18 and fresh out of highschool, but in many cases were older than upperclassmen, and had war-time experience), the rule relaxed, first with designated smoking areas in 1944, and then further in 1947 when the ban was lifted after a student vote. By the mid-1960s, there were even ashtrays located throughout the MU. Despite the changes, smoking has never been allowed in the classroom.
During the 20th century, spirit at Oregon State went through a lot of change as many traditions have come and gone. Some of the traditions have involved athletics, while others have simply embraced our alma mater. Enjoy your daily sampling of some of guest blogger Ben Forgard’s favorites!
E. E. Wilson feeding a chicken, circa 1915
We wowed you with a small Flickr set in 2009 called “William Finley and Herman Bohlman: American Birds.” This week we’re back with the birds, this time flying through the E.E. Wilson, Edwin Russell Jackman, and the Fisheries and Wildlife Department Photographs with our new Flickr Commons set “It’s for the birds.”
Desert grouse, 1938
Always a treasure trove!
Smokey the Bear
Most of you would recognize that fuzzy face of one fire preventing bear. Smokey the Bear has captured the hearts and minds of the American public since he came onto the stage in 1944 – during World War II. He was a blend of advertisement genius and Forest Service policy, the story of a real black bear cub orphaned by a forest fire. Beyond the cute mascot lurked real fears of forest fires, especially since the Japanese attempted to light SW Oregon coastal forests on fire (read more about the Lookout Air Raids of 1942 and fire balloons launched into the jet stream between November 1944 and April 1945). Though the attitudes, policies, and messages about forest fire and wild land fire management has changed, Smokey continues to be the major symbol for the Forest Service.
How about one funny looking owl name Woodsy who came onto the scene in 1971?
Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Hardin meet Woodsy Owl. Woosy is the newest environmental symbol of the United States.
Woodsy was the new environmental symbol for the forest service, protection of wildlife, and promotion of wilderness appreciation. His motto “Give a hoot — don’t pollute!” was modified in 1997 to “Lend a hand — care for the land!” And yes, you can “like” Woodsy on Facebook and follow him on Twitter!
Then there are those symbols that didn’t make it… Who remembers the “Keep Green” campaign that ran alongside Smokey? Yes, it was left by the wayside after the fears of World War II died down. Throughout the 1940s, various Keep Green programs proved to be incredibly successful in educating the public about the importance of forest fire prevention. They also provided an excellent foundation for the later success of the Forest Service’s Smokey Bear campaign. While the popularity of Smokey Bear as the dominant symbol of fire suppression caused the Keep Green campaigns to eventually fade to the background, these campaigns are still noteworthy for their incredible success.
U.S. Forest Service sign : Mr. Fisherman! Green Forests Good Fishing : Forest Fires Destroy both
Images from the US Forest Service, Civilian Conservation Corps, and more can be found in the OSU’s digital collections and on Flickr Commons. Come take a look you never know what is going to make you think, smile, or just laugh out loud.
Article by Susanne Ranseen
Learn more about Smokey’s Journey and see some great posters!
Learn more about “Forgotten Character from Forest History” on the blog “Peeling Back the Bark.”
“Indigo – A Story of Craft, Religion, History, Science and Culture,” free public lecture by Dr. Roald Hoffmann
Today marks the 111th anniversary of Linus Pauling’s birth and what better way to mark the occasion than by announcing the recipient of an award named after Dr. Pauling?
Dr. Roald Hoffmann, chemist, educator, author and Nobel laureate, is the seventh person to be given the Linus Pauling Legacy Award, which is granted every other year to an individual who has achieved in an area once of interest to Linus Pauling. The award is sponsored by the Oregon State University Libraries. You can read more about Dr. Hoffmann on the Pauling Blog “Roald Hoffmann is the 2012 Pauling Legacy Award Winner.”
As part of the celebration marking Hoffmann’s acceptance of the decoration, he will be delivering a free public lecture in Portland, OR. Seating is limited and we suggest that individuals or groups interested in attending reserve seats. To do so, please contact the Special Collections & Archives Research Center at special.collections@oregonstate.edu or 541-737-2075.
What: “Indigo – A Story of Craft, Religion, History, Science and Culture,” free public lecture by Dr. Roald Hoffmann
Where: Embassy Suites Hotel – Colonel Lindbergh Room, 319 SW Pine Street, Portland, Oregon
When: Thursday April 19th, 8:00 PM
“Keep Stadium at Home,” May 28, 1952, The Daily Barometer
You may already know Oregon’s stadium and field are both named after Oregon State alums, but did you know there were talks about building a shared stadium for the arch-rivals?? By June of 1952, over $300,000 had been raised to build a new football stadium next to the impressive Gill Coliseum, the future site of Parker Stadium (yes, it’s now Reser for those who go on a walk to check). Old Bell Field was worn out, and the football team–and its fans– desperately needed a new home, so the money was raised to build it, and fans eagerly awaited the new stadium.
A proposal mulled around by the state board of higher education about the possibility of building a joint stadium for the two schools, perhaps in Junction City, halfway between Corvallis and Eugene. On paper, it seemed like a good idea; one facility could house ten or eleven games per year rather than just four or five, potentially saving the state a lot of money. Furthermore, one facility meant half as much maintenance required, and with combined school effort, a builder stadium could hold more fans.
Fortunately for fans of both schools, reason won out, largely because of the students. Collegiate athletics heavily involved the students in various capacities, from student athletes to required attendance by the freshman class. Both teams already had the occasional game in Eugene, but the removal of ALL home-games from proximity from campus would have doomed student participation, especially in an era less prone to the ability for students to travel and sacrifice their studies. These student factors combined with a fear of increased gambling and the problems involved with the $300,000 already earmarked for a Corvallis stadium.
Fundraising figures and information about the board of trustees discussions were taken from “Keep Stadium at Home,” May 28, 1952, The Daily Barometer. The article was a reprint of an earlier article published in the Oregon Emerald.
Article by Benjamin Forgard
Loose leaf from a Gregorian chant book, 1400s.
Take a break this weekend and peruse one of OSU’s oldest and most intriguing resources with the OSU Libraries’ Special Collections & Archives Research Center’s newest exhibit “Treasures of the McDonald Collection.”
The Mary McDonald Rare Book and Manuscript Collection provides the Oregon State University community with access to a wide range of rare and valuable manuscripts, books, and prints. The McDonald Collection contains items from both the sciences and humanities collected by Mary McDonald and Oregon State University for their historical significance and craftsmanship. This exhibit makes available the collection’s most striking items through a narrative history of the evolution of text production from approximately 3000 BCE to the 20th century and features examples from many of the world’s most important intellectual and technological advances in printing.
Want to know more? Click through and read up!
We got pinned! For those who thought we’d hit a social media development wall, fear not … OSU’s Special Collections & Archives Research Center has hopped on the Pinterest bandwagon! You can find us at https://pinterest.com/SCARCpinned/.
What’s Pinterest?
Lots of people use Pinterest to get inspiration for the most important projects in their life. People use Pinterest to plan their vacations, redecorate their homes, and create menus for holiday dinners.
But you may have noticed that we tend to like pictures — especially those old ones — and delight in using Pinterest to share our treasures, our finds, and our fabulous photos.
Remember that you can find us on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr Commons & Flickr, and of course here on the “Speaking of History” blog. Speaking of History blogs, make sure you check out the other SCARC blogs:
Questions? Ask Tiah @ tiah.edmunson-morton@oregonstate.edu.
Still life with pears
Although the trees and bushes are bare in our region, foodies everywhere will delight in our new Flickr Commons set “Food Science and Technology.” Deliciously chock full of fruit testing and tasting, Food Science students, canning machinery, berry growers, canned and fresh veggies. And my favorite? The pics of dehydrated shredded potatoes and beef, of course.
Remember that you can always learn more in the archives! Check out these collection guides:
And if you are in town you can visit, have us pull a box, and check out the records for yourself! If it’s a quick trip ask for the “MC – Food Science and Technology Department.”