News and Perspectives from University Archives and Records Management Services
Among the fresh crop of collections now open for research are a few which display two of UNC’s most publicly visible institutions, radio station WUNC and television station UNC-TV. Their records provide a glimpse into the inner functionings of these stations, those parts that aren’t broadcast from Chapel Hill to Manteo.
Below is a list of new and revised finding aids to collections held in the University Archives. These finding aids include a brief description of the contents of the collection, historical information about the department from which the records originated, and a container listing of the collection’s contents. For questions about these collections, please contact Wilson Special Collections Library at wilsonlibrary@unc.edu.
NEW:
Center for International Understanding (#40356): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40356.html
Department of Religious Studies (#40340): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40340.html
Employee Forum (#40299): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40299.html
Honors Office (#40229): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40229.html
North Carolina Education Research Council (#40311): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40311.html
North Carolina Health Careers Access Program (#40219): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40219.html
Sigma Alpha Epsilon, North Carolina Xi (#40334): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40334.html
University Managers’ Association (#40296): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40296.html
WUNC (#40278): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40278.html
REVISED:
Campus Y (#40126): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40126.html
Department of Art: (#40077): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40077.html
Department of Chemistry (#40079): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40079.html
Department of Dramatic Art (#40080): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40080.html
Department of English and Comparative Literature (#40081): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40081.html
Department of History (#40082): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40082.html
Department of Music (#40235): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40235.html
Department of Physics and Astronomy (#40084): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40084.html
Department of Radio, Television & Motion Pictures (#40086): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40086.html
Institute of Marine Sciences (#40068): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40068.html
Library Business Administration and Social Sciences Reference Department (#40050): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40050.html
Library Humanities Reference Department (#40051): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40051.html
Library Staff Development Committee (#40063): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40063.html
North Carolina Botanical Garden (#40072): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40072.html
Office of the Chancellor: Christopher C. Fordham (#40024): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40024.html
Office of the Chancellor: Paul Hardin (#40025): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40025.html
Office of the Chancellor: Michael Hooker (#40026): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40026.html
Office of the Chancellor: William O. McCoy (#40227): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40227.html
Office of the Chancellor: James Moeser (#40228): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40228.html
Office of the Dean of the School of Medicine (#40118): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40118.html
Office of the Vice Chancellor for University Advancement (#40132): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40132.html
Order of the Gorgon’s Head (#40300): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40300.html
Order of the Grail-Valkyries (#40161): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40161.html
School of Education (#40043): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40043.html
University of North Carolina Network Television (UNC-TV) (#40258): http://www.lib.unc.edu/mss/uars/ead/40258.html
Two new exhibits featuring University Archives materials are on display in the North Carolina Collection Gallery and the Davis Library Gallery starting this week!
Continue reading ““A Dialogue Between Old and New” and “Knowledge Building(s)””
Chapel Hill’s first sit-in took place at Colonial Drugstore (now, West End Wine Bar) on February 28, 1960, led by students from the all-black Lincoln High School. If you haven’t already, check out Wilson Library’s online exhibit from 2007, “I Raised My Hand to Volunteer,” where you’ll find this and other gems:
New London mayor Calvin Gaddy sent us this comment to our recent blog post on A.T. Morris. Here’s what Gaddy had to say:
Albert Taylor Morris was born in New London 06 March, 1893, in 1930 he lived in Greensboro. He died in Durham on 12 July, 1980. He was the son of Adolphus and Eva (Evinn) Taylor. His first wife Margaret G. was 37 in 1930. His second wife was Gladys Lawson born 24 June, 1912 in Person County and died 13 Nov., 1998 in Durham.
Well, I think that settles it. Thanks to Calvin Gaddy for his genealogical research. Albert Taylor Morris is buried alongside his wife Gladys north of Durham about where NC-57 hits US-501.
Now we’d love to get some pictures of Albert and find out about that reward.
(Also, honorable mention goes out to Doug Brown from the North Carolina State Archives, who found an Albert Taylor Morris on ancestry.com. Unfortunately, we’re a little stingier than Albert, so there’s no reward.)
On Thursday, February 9, 2012, the beloved UNC mascot, Rameses, passed away.
He was the 18th ram to hold this title since the ram was introduced as UNC’s mascot in 1924 by Vic Huggins, UNC’s head cheerleader. Huggins decided that UNC needed a mascot just like NC State had the wolf and Georgia had the bulldog. Since Jack Merritt was a star on UNC’s football team and was nicknamed “the battering ram”, Huggins decided that UNC’s mascot should be a ram. He went to Charles T. Woollen, the university’s business manager, and requested $25 to buy a ram. They ordered the first ram from Texas. Over the succeeding years, Rameses has held a special place in the hearts of Tar Heel fans. Rameses XVIII’s successor is Bam Bam, who will roam the Kenan sidelines as Rameses XIX.
Enjoy these photographs of Rameses over the years (from the UNC-Chapel Hill Image Collection, North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives).
On February 11, 1992, workers renovating a Old West found the above letter buried in a wall. It offers a reward to whoever finds the letter (with the stipulation that the author is still living). I wonder what the reward was.
We’re looking for any information on A.T. Morris of New London, Stanly County, North Carolina, born around 1893, who worked as a metal lather for a dollar an hour (about $13.00/hour now) to renovate Old West where he hid this letter on August 4, 1923.
Earlier this week, we celebrated the life and vision of Martin Luther King, Jr., and we here at University Archives found some documents that add a sort of immediacy to the event that for many of us is situated in the distant past. Continue reading “Traces of King at UNC”
Louis Round Wilson was born on December 27, 1876, in Lenoir, North Carolina. He graduated from the university in 1899, and became the University Librarian in 1901. He would later head UNC’s first extension program and help found and oversee UNC Press. In 1931, Wilson established UNC’s School of Library Science (now, the School of Information and Library Science), serving as its first director. A dedicated educator, Wilson was elected president of the American Library Associations in 1935 and to this day remains an important figure in the history of library education. In 1930, the university named its then-new library for Wilson: the Louis Round Wilson Library. Wilson Library now houses the university’s special collections, including the Southern Historical Collection, which holds the Louis Round Wilson Papers. Happy Birthday, Louis!
Ever wonder what library rules were like in 1799, soon after the founding of the University of North Carolina library? In this gem of an entry from the General Faculty and Faculty Council Records, the Board of Trustees write the rules for the library. Notice that some things never change: reference books remain in the library for the most part, call slips go out with books, and fees are paid for “defaced” books.
The university acquired its first book in 1785: “The Works of the Right Reverend Father in God” by Father Thomas Wilson. Though it was still eight years before the founding of the first state university, the book was placed in the New Bern Academy for safekeeping until the university opened its doors
The building they are writing about in the 1799 rules is still standing, though it is no longer a library. The Philanthropic Society Library was housed in Old West, and was one of only a few university buildings. There is evidence, though, that aside from the well-stocked “society” libraries, the University Library remained in a 9 feet by 12 feet room in the President’s House until 1814!
The library was only open 2-3 hours per day as late as 1885, which put a damper on students camping out during finals. Librarians, of course, were not SILS educated, but instead members of the Philanthropic Society who volunteered their time as university librarian to watch over the collection, which numbered a few hundred books.
All students paid a fee of $1-2 per semester until the early 1800s, when the university allocated $250 per year to the library. The library endowment is now well into the millions, and student fees (though most of the fees are not for the library) are thousands of dollars.
Do you want to learn more about the history of the University library buildings? This is just a preview for the University Buildings exhibits, coming this spring to a library near you! The exhibit on the library buildings will be up in Davis Library March 1-May 31. See the full list of library rules after the jump!