San José State University Artifacts and Memorabilia Collection MSS.2011.09.19

SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
special.collections@sjsu.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: San José State University Artifacts and Memorabilia Collection
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.2011.09.19
Physical Description: 8 boxes 8 boxes, 1 flat file drawer (8.2 linear feet)
Date (inclusive): 1884-2007
Abstract: The San José State University Artifacts and Memorabilia Collection consists of three-dimensional objects and printed materials that relate to the history of the university.

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 SJSU Special Collections & Archives as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also 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 Artifacts and Memorabilia Collection, MSS-2011-09-19, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.

Processing Information

Collection processed by Toni Nix, September 19, 2011. Finding aid created in the Archivsts' Toolkit. 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 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.

Scope and Content of Collection

The San José State University Artifacts and Memorabilia Collection consists of three-dimensional objects and printed materials that relate to the history of the university. Examples include commemorative items such as collector dinner plates, the Tower Hall door key, business cards from the cornerstone laying for the Carnegie Library, gifts, photographic etchings, stamps used by the library for book processing, and pennants.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into five series: Series I: University Memorabilia, 1884 - 1969; Series II: Heritage Memorabilia, 1902 - 2007; Series III: Imprinting Devices, 1930 - 1932; Series IV: University Gifts, 1960-1967; Series V: SJSU Pennants.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

San Jose State Normal School -- History
Education, Higher -- California -- San Jose
San José State University -- History

 

Series I: University Memorabilia 1884-1969 1884-1911

Physical Description

2 Boxes

Scope and Content of Collection

This series consists of three-dimensional artifacts that include class name plates, a college belt buckle, a comedy-tragedy drama mask, four collector dinner plates, beer bucket from the Spartan Pub, SJSC beer stein, and an SJSC mug. Of note is a key to Tower Hall accompanied by a letter from a Tower Club alumni member to President Robert D. Clark (President from 1964-1969) indicating the historic value of the key. Tower Hall is the centerpiece building on campus, built in 1910 to replace a damaged building following the 1906 earthquake.
The SJSC beer stein and mug come from Cheryl Walters, wife of Music Department chair Dr. Gibson Walters, and were originally sold at the old (pre-1969) Student Union. The beer bucket comes from Bill George, Music Department professor, and dates to when the Student Union operated the Spartan Pub, circa mid-to-late 1970s.

Arrangement

This series is arranged by format and chronologically by date.
Box 1

Artifacts 1884-1969

Physical Description: Folders 1-4
Box 2

Collector Dinner Plates

Physical Description: Folder 5
 

Series II: Heritage Memorabilia 1902-2007

Physical Description

1 Box

Scope and Content of Collection

This series consists of commemorative items from events that celebrated university milestones. These events include the cornerstone laying for the Carnegie Library in 1902, Heritage Day in 2000, and the San Jose State University's 150th anniversary in 2007. The Carnegie Library cornerstone was set in 1902. Although the event for the Carnegie Library is not directly related to the University's history, the Library's location at San Fernando and Fourth Street became property of the University and the location of subsequent University libraries. Included in this series are business cards and signatures of those that attended the cornerstone laying ceremony. A similar cornerstone laying for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Library, a joint-library venture between San Jose State University and the city of San Jose, led to the Heritage Day celebration on October 20, 2000.

Arrangement

This series is arranged chronologically.
Box 3, drawer 2.11

Commemorative Artifacts 1902-2007

Physical Description: Folders 6-8
 

Series III: Imprinting Devices 1930-1932, n.d.

Physical Description

3 Boxes

Scope and Content of Collection

This series consists of library stamps used for book processing, photographic etchings, and wood mounted linoleum cuts used for publicity purposes. The creation of some of the photographic etchings and wood mounted linoleum cuts depict art students working on canvases in front of Tower Hall, and were likely created by San Jose State College students in the 1930s.

Arrangement

This series is arranged by format and chronologically by date.
Box 4

Photographic Etchings and Wood Mounted Linoleum Cuts 1930

Physical Description: Folder 9
 

Box 5: Embosser, 1932

Physical Description: Folder 10
 

Box 6: Library Stamps, n.d.

Physical Description: Folder 11
 

Series IV: University Gifts 1960-1967

Physical Description

1 Box

Scope and Content of Collection

This series consists of letters and gifts from two different Japanese universities, one Taiwanese University, and students from the country of Mali. One letter was sent from Okayama University, identified as a sister university to San Jose State College, in 1960. The second letter, sent in 1967, was in response to invitations from San Jose State College to the Keio University Mandolin Orchestra and in honor of their third visit. In addition, this series includes a flag from Tunghai University, and a cloth flag from Mali.

Arrangement

The contents of this series are arranged by format.
 

Box 7: Gifts 1960-1967

Physical Description: Folder 12
 

Series V: SJSU Pennants n.d.

Physical Description

1 Box

Scope and Content of Collection

This series consists of fabric and paper pennants representing the university from 1862 to the present.

Arrangement

This series is arranged by the University names represented on the individual pennants.
 

Box 8: Pennants, n.d.

Physical Description: Folders 13-18