San José State University Student Memorabilia Collection

SJSU Special Collections & Archives

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

San José State University

One Washington Square

San José, CA 95192-0028

Phone: (408) 808-2062

Fax: (408) 808-2063

Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu

URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives

Title: San José State University Student Memorabilia Collection

Identifier/Call Number: MSS-2011-06-23

Contributing Institution: SJSU Special Collections & Archives

Language of Material: English

Physical Description: 2.09 Linear feet, 2 Boxes

Date (inclusive): 1881-1971

Abstract: The SJSU Student Memorabilia Collection documents the academic and social experiences of students who attended the college from 1881 to 1971.The bulk of the collection is comprised of school catalogs, certificates/diplomas, report cards, teacher curriculum cards, and faculty correspondence. Other formats of note include event booklets, dance cards, newspaper clippings, year books, scrapbooks, photographs, and magazines. The collection consists of three series, which are arranged by the chronological era of the college, and delineated by format: Series I: San Jose Normal School, 1881-1920; Series II: San Jose Teacher College, 1921-1934; Series III: San Jose State Collge, 1935-1971.

Physical Location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Access

The collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has been assigned to the San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes

Preferred Citation

San José State University Student Memorabilia Collection, MSS-2011-07-14, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Sonia Miller. Finding aid EAD encoded by Rosalinda Gonzales. Reviewed by Danelle Moon.

Organizational History

In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, The institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San Jose and the school relocated to it’s new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.

Scope and Content

The Student Memorabilia Collection 1881-1971, (1881-1971) documents student life at San José State University from 1881 and 1971. The bulk of the collection is comprised of memorabilia documenting students' academic records such as: school catalogues, certificates/diplomas, report cards, teacher exercises cards, and faculty correspondence. Student life on campus is also documented through event booklets, dance cards, newspaper clippings, yearbooks, and other miscellaneous memorabilia such as scrapbooks, photographs, and magazines.

Bibliography

Benjamin F. Gilbert and Charles Burdick. Washington Square, 1857-1979: The History of San Jose State University. (San Jose, California: San Jose State University, 1980).

James P. Walsh. San Jose State University: An Interpretive History, 1950-2000. (San Jose, California: San Jose State University, 2003).

San Jose State University. “About SJSU.” http://www.sjsu.edu/about_sjsu/. (2009).

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into three series and is delineated chronologically by the various name changes of the college: Series I, San Jose Normal School (1881-1920); Series II, San Jose Teacher College (1921-1934; Series III, San Jose State College (1935-1971).

Subjects and Indexing Terms

California State University, San José -- History

Education, Higher -- California -- San José

Greek societies -- California -- San Jose

San Jose State College -- History

San Jose State Normal School -- History

San José State Normal School -- Memorabilia,

San José State Normal School Memorabilia -- History

San José State Teachers College -- History

San José State University -- History

San José State University -- Students

Students -- Social life and customs

Students -- Societies

Series I: Student Memorabilia and Miscellaneous Ephemera-San Jose Normal School 1881-1920

Physical Description

2 Boxes

Series Scope and Content Summary

Folders under the heading of 1881-1920, contain all material pertinent to student activities that occurred during "the San Jose Normal School". This part of the collection is comprised of a variety of objects and documents including: 1. Documents and objects related to students' academic life, such as: certificates, report cards, teacher training report cards and graduating exercises. 2. Documents and objects related to students' social life on campus, such as: event booklets, dance cards, photographs, yearbooks, journals, music books/sheets, school magazines and newspaper clips, school catalogues, handbooks, and reunion books. 3. Other miscellaneous student memorabilia, such as: class papers, student class work and a calendar.

Arrangement

Files are arranged alphabetically, and the material contained is arranged chronologically and by format.

Box 1

Folder 1: Catalogues/Handbooks 1881-1920

Folder 2: Certificates 1881-1920

Folder 3: Class Papers/ Graduating Exercises 1881-1920

Folder 7: Miscellaneous Memorabilia/ Gift from Gertrude Waterman 1881-1920

Folder 8: Miscellaneous Memorabilia 1881-1920

Folders 9-10: Music, Sheets/Books/Chapel Songs 1881-1920

Folder 12: News Clippings 1881-1920

Folder 13: Photographs 1881-1920

Folder 14: Report Cards 1881-1920

Folder 15: School Magazines 1881-1920

Folder 16: Scrapbooks/ Journals/ Yearbooks 1881-1920

Folder 17: Social Events/ Dance Cards 1881-1920

Box 2

Physical Description: (This Box Contains Oversize Material)

Folder 8: Miscellaneous Memorabilia 1881-1920

Folder 8: Books/ Chapel Songs 1881-1920

Series II: Student Memorabilia and Miscellaneous Ephemera-San Jose Teacher College 1921-1934

Physical Description

1 box

Scope and Content Summary

The contents are comprised of a variety of material donated by William Joseph Cagnes including: graduation certificates, citizen certificates, and State of California Diplomas. Other items of note include a folder of letters of prominent educators and clippings from the Western Journal.

Arrangement

The series is arranged alphabetically and chronologically by date and format.

Box1

Folder 18: Certificates/ Citizenship Certificates 1921-1934

Folders 19-20: Correspondence 1921-1934

Folder 21: Midterm in Philosophy 1921-1934

Folder 22: Miscellaneous Memorabilia 1921-1934

Folder 23: School Magazines 1921-1934

Series III: Student Memorabilia and Miscellaneous Ephemera-San Jose State College 1935-1971

Physical Description

1 box

Scope and Content Summary

The series is comprised of a variety of material that documents student life during the period. Examples include student publications such as Spartan Life, Reed Magazine, El Toro, the Platter, and the student classbook, the La Torre. Other items of interest include dance cards, and a variety of newspaper clippings documenting "Greek Life" sorority life and student engagements and marriages. In addition there are faculty correspondence and miscellaneous samples of student essays and a script.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically and chronologically and by format.

Box 1

Folder 24: Correspondence 1935-1971

Folder 25: Graded Papers 1935-1971

Folder 26-27: Newspaper Clippings 1935-1971

Folders 28-29: School Magazines 1935-1971

Folder 30: School Magazines 1935-1971

Folder 31: Social Events/ Dance cards 1935-1971

Folder 32: Social Events/ Poster 1935-1971

Folder 33: Yearbook/ la Torre (1935) 1935-1971

Folder 34: Essays 1935-1971

Folder 35: Script 1935-1971

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