Guide to the San José State University Scrapbook Collection
SJSU Library 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
© 2010
Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the San José State University Scrapbook Collection
Collection number: MSS-2010-03-04
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
Finding aid funded by the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
- Date Completed:
- 2010
- Encoded by:
- Robert Donahue
© 2010 Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: San José State University Scrapbook Collection
Dates: 1884-1999
Bulk Dates: 1931-1971
Collection number: MSS-2010-03-04
Creator:
San José State University
Collection Size:
78 Boxes
(89.42 Linear Feet)
Repository:
San José State University. Library.
San José, California 95192-0028
Abstract: 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.
Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
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.
Preferred Citation
San José State University Scrapbook Collection, MSS-2010-03-04, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Processing History
Collection processed by Robert Donahue. Finding aid EAD encoded by Robert Donahue. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen.
Project Information
This finding aid was created as part of the Survey and Cataloging Project, a two-year San José State University Library grant project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project began in 2008. The Project Director is Danelle Moon. The Project Archivist is Erin Louthen.
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
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.
Bibliography
Gilbert, Benjamin F., and Burdick, Charles.
Washington Square, 1857-1979: The History of San José State University.
San José, California: San José State University, 1980.
Walsh, James P.
San José State University: An Interpretive History, 1950-2000.
San José, California: San José State University, 2003.
Related Material
San José State University Campus Events Collection, MSS-2010-02-04, San José State University Special Collections & Archives.
San José State University Student Organization Records, MSS-2009-03-09, San José State University Special Collections & Archives.
San José State University Public Relations and Publications Records, MSS-2009-03-11, San José State University Library Special
Collections & Archives.
San José State University Office of University Relations Records, MSS-2009-03-06, San José State University Library Special
Collections & Archives.
Scope and Content of Collection
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.
Arrangement
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.
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
San José State Normal School -- History
San José State Teachers College -- History
San Jose State College -- History
California State University, San José -- History
San José State University -- History
San José State University -- Anniversaries, ect.
San José State University -- Students
San José State University -- Sports -- History
Greek letter societies -- California -- San Jose
Students -- Social life and customs
Students -- Societies
Education, Higher -- California -- San José
Series I:
Clubs & Organizations
1884-1975
(bulk 1953-1974)
Physical Description: 19 Boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains scrapbooks documenting various university clubs and organizations. The scrapbooks consist of newspaper
clippings, photographs, and ephemeral items collected by organizations such as the Spartan Marching Band, Greek letter societies,
the Associated Women Students, the Black Masque secret society, and the Homecoming Committee. The subjects covered in these
scrapbooks include dinner parties, club initiations, news stories related to a club's activities, and photographs of the club
members at various events.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Box 1
Associated Women Students, Alpha Phi Omega, Senior Journal
1884, 1959-1961
Box 2
Clara Hinze, Former Faculty Member at San José State Normal School
1907-1908
Box 3
The Great Leons
1909-1922
Box 4
San José State Teacher's College Alumni Elgie Ogier
1916-1948
Box 5
Guestbook, Vietnamese Scholarship Program, Spartan Spears, Kappa Sigma, SJSU Marching Band, National Spurs
1920-1972
Box 6
San Jose Players
1928-1932
Box 7
Alpha Phi Omega
1939-1948
Box 8
Black Masque Society
1940-1952
Box 9
Kappa Sigma Levi, SJSU Homecoming Committee
1944-1962
Box 10
SJSU Class Officers, Ladies of the Mary George House
1945-1949
Box 11
Alpha Phi Omega, Gamma Beta Data, Homecoming Committee, Mendel Society
1952-1975
Box 12
San Jose State College President John Thomas Wahlquist Inauguration Committee
1953
Box 13
Kappa Tau Fraternity
1953-1955
Box 14
Alpha Phi Omega, Alpha Chi Epsilon
1953-1964
Box 15
Foreign Students Program
1955-1974
Box 16
Elk's Lodge, Foreign Students Program, Blood Drive
1956-1959
Box 17
Foreign Students Program
1958-1963
Box 18
SJSU President Robert D. Clark Inauguration - Congratulatory Correspondence
1965
Box 19
SJSU Office of the Academic Vice President
1972-1974
Series II:
Diamond Jubilee Celebration
1937
Physical Description: 1 Box
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains scrapbooks documenting the Diamond Jubilee Celebration, the 75th anniversary of San Jose State College.
The scrapbooks consist of newspaper clippings and print materials chronicling the planning and execution of the Diamond Jubilee.
The Diamond Jubilee was held May 20th - May 22nd, 1937. Some of the events covered in the scrapbooks include the planning
and performance of the play
Peer Gynt, newspaper articles promoting the Diamond Jubilee, letters from public officials such as the State Board of Education indicating
whether or not they will attend the Jubilee, and financial reports detailing the cost of the Diamond Jubilee. This series
also includes photographs of Jubilee events, such as the swimming extravaganza and the student art exhibition.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Series III:
Executive Dean's Office
1954-1971
Physical Description: 2 Boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains scrapbooks created by the Executive Dean's Office. The scrapbooks consist of newspaper clippings documenting
such issues as campus administration, policies and personnel, as well as general news related to the University. Some of
the subjects included in the scrapbooks include articles on the growth of San Jose State College and campus expansion in the
1960s, construction of the first campus parking garage, the closing of 7th street through campus, and the San Jose State
College Master Plan for Education. Researchers interested in the history of Tower Hall will find documentation on the "Save
Tower Hall" movement, which was organized to protest the slated demolition of the Tower due to structural deficiencies. Students
and alumni testified before the College Board of State Trustees to save the Tower from demolition. As a result, Tower Hall
was refurbished and reopened in 1966. In 2007, Tower Hall was restored once again, and is now registered with the California
Office of Historic Preservation as a historical landmark.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Boxes 21-22
Executive Dean's Office
1954-1971
Series IV:
General University History
1928-1999
Physical Description: 25 Boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains scrapbooks documenting San José State University history from several different sources, such as the
San José Mercury News and student publications. The scrapbooks chronicle events and news concerning the University, and include
topics such as performances and events, crime statistics, and campus unrest. Some subjects include purchasing and relocating
the University Library into the Carnegie building owned by the City of San José, a series of kidnappings of students by rival
colleges during senior sneak days, the closing of San Carlos Street through campus, the arrest of SJSU student Charles Ng
for 12 counts of torture and murder, the Coach Zimmerman wrongful termination/gender discrimination suit, presidential candidate
Bill Clinton's 1992 visit to Silicon Valley, and the investigation of former military base Fort Ord as a potential site for
the CSU, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) campus.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Boxes 23-65
General University History
1928-1999
Series V:
Library
1934-1966
Physical Description: 2 Boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains scrapbooks documenting the history of the University Library. The scrapbooks consist of newspaper clippings
chronicling library events, general information, and collection development, and also include ephemeral items from special
events held at the library. Subjects in the scrapbooks include the hiring and retiring of library personnel, planned book
talks, the addition of materials such as music, film, and microfilm to the library's general collections, the donation of
poet Edwin Markham's materials to the SJSU archives, and the adoption of the Library of Congress classification system. In
addition, there is some documentation on the Library censoring access to adult materials in the 1960s. The Library responded
to the accusation of censorship by claiming that the materials were behind locked doors for their protection.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Boxes 66-67
San José State University Library
1934-1966
Series VI:
Sports
1933-1939, 1981-1999
Physical Description: 9 Boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains scrapbooks documenting University sports during the 1930s, 1980s, and 1990s. The scrapbooks include
newspaper clippings chronicling games, athletes, and department personnel, as well as departmental issues such as athletic
funding. Some stories mentioned include the hiring and performance of football coach Dave Baldwin in the 1990s, the proposed
elimination of men's gymnastics and tennis from the athletics program, and various articles covering Spartan games, matches
and tournaments.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Boxes 68-76
San José State University Sports
1933-1939, 1981-1999
Series VII:
Summer Session
1931-1939, 1949-1967
Physical Description: 2 Boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series contains scrapbooks documenting the university's Summer Session program. The scrapbooks include newspaper clippings
and other print materials documenting events, lectures, and art performances, as well as campus news. This series also includes
newspaper articles published during the summer months, which feature topics such as changes in the University administration,
merit pay, campus expansion, and San Jose State College obtaining university status. Of note, there is an interesting account
of San Jose State College student Margret Aley's summer in Mississippi where she and other black civil rights activists were
jailed and harassed, various other civil rights-related news stories, the appointment of Robert D. Clark as president of San
Jose State College in 1964, and the successful movement to save Tower Hall from demolition in the 1960s.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date.
Boxes 77-78
San José State University Summer Session
1931-1939, 1949-1967