The San José State University Scrapbook Collection 1884-1999 (bulk 1931-1971) consists of over two hundred scrapbooks documenting one hundred and fifteen years of the university's history. Created by entities such as the Spartan Marching Band, the Foreign Students Club, and Greek letter organizations, the scrapbooks are comprised primarily of newspaper clippings, photographs and ephemeral items chronicling campus athletics, clubs and organizations, academic programs and departments, events and celebrations, and general activities of the student body. This collection is arranged into seven series: Series I. Clubs & Organizations, 1884-1975 (bulk 1953-1974); Series II. Diamond Jubilee Celebration, 1937; Series III. Executive Dean's Office, 1954-1971; Series IV. General University History, 1928-1999; Series V. Library, 1934-1966; Series VI. Sports, 1933-1939, 1981-1999; and Series VII. Summer Session, 1931-1939, 1949-1967.

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 José, and the school relocated to its 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.

78 Boxes (89.42 Linear Feet)

Copyright is assigned to the San José State University 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.

The collection is open for research.