Mudd Manuscript Library Blog

Mudd Collection Joins UNESCO Memory of the World Register

2009-11-18T20:12:03Z

The W. Arthur Lewis Papers were added to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register in July 2009. Sir William Arthur Lewis was a pioneer in the field of development economics and a leading authority on economic growth.

Professor William A. Lewis (center) with Chief C.D. Akran, Western Nigeria Minister of Economic Planning and Chief J.A. Oshuntoken, Western Nigeria Minister of Lands and Labour, circa 1956 in London

His academic work ranged from an interest in economic planning in industrialized countries to an interest in economic development of developing countries and an interest in the international trading system. He also served as the United Nations Economic Adviser to the Prime Minister of Ghana, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, as the Deputy Managing Director of the United Nations Special Fund, and also as the Vice Chancellor of the University of the West Indies and as the founding president of the Caribbean Development Bank.

Lewis also broke several racial barriers during his career. In 1979, he became the first man of color to be awarded an academic Nobel Prize (Economics) for his analysis of not only economic growth but also the structural transformation of the economies of Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America.

UNESCO Memory of the World Certificate Awarded to Mudd in recognition of the William Arthur Lewis Papers

The Memory of the World Programme was started in 1992 to "guard against collective amnesia by calling upon the preservation of the valuable archives holdings and library collections all over the world ensuring their wide dissemination." UNESCO has many programs to promote the preservation, access, and awareness of the importance of archival and library collections around the world. The Register, begun in 1996, is composed of descriptions of collections of world significance. Thirty-five collections were added to the Register this year, including the Diaries of Anne Frank, the Magna Carta, and the League of Nations Archives. The Lewis Papers were submitted for consideration to the Register by the National Archives Authority of Saint Lucia.

-Adriane Hanson

New Accessions: July through September 2009

2009-11-10T22:23:09Z

The accessions from this period include the results of a 30th Reunion Survey of the Class of '76 [AR.2009.060]. This accession is one of a growing number of materials that come to the University Archives solely in digital format. Some digital accessions are born-digital (items that originated in digital format) and some are digitized by donors before arriving at the archives. They come to the archives in variety of ways: on a storage media such as CDs, DVDs, or external hard drives, or they are simply emailed to us as a file attachment.

The Mudd Manuscript Library is continually working to find effective ways to deliver digital content to patrons. Many of our digital accessions are made available to the public by linking them directly to our online finding aids. The 30th Reunion Survey Results for the Class of '76, for example, is linked to the Class Records finding aid in the contents list under "Class of 1976" (see illustration above). Another example of born-digital materials that are accessible through an online finding aid are the Tiger Family Hockey Newsletters. A recent addition to our Public Policy Papers holdings, the World Press Freedom Committee Records, included nearly 1.5 gigabytes of files sent to us on a 4 gigabyte flash drive. Though the records are not fully processed, the electronic files are available via the online finding aid for the collection thanks to an agreement with World Press Freedom Committee.

The following is a complete list of materials that were accessioned July through September this year. As always, anyone interested in additional information about these materials should contact the library through our general email account mudd@princeton.edu.

]]> Public Policy Papers

Women's World Banking Records Accrual, 1990-2006, ML.2009.011

Council on Foreign Relations Records Accrual, 1992-1999, ML.2009.012

George F. Kennan Papers Accrual, 1927-2005, ML.2009.013

Hugh C. Wallace Accrual, 1920-1926, ML.2009.014

Martin Van Heuven Papers Accrual, 2008-2009, ML.2009.015

General Manuscripts Collection Accrual (John Biggs, Jr.), 1973-1975, ML.2009.016

William O. Baker Accrual, 1937, ML.2009.017

Richard Musgrave Accrual, 1992-2004, ML.2009.018

World Press Freedom Committee Records, 1978-2009, ML.2009.019

Princeton University Archives

Princeton Athletic News Issues and Football Team Roster, 1963-1969, AR.2009.058

Admissions Office Records, 1950-1976, AR.2009.059

30th Reunion Survey Results of the Class of '76, 2006, AR.2009.060

Undergraduate Academic Files from Wilson College 2009, 2005-2009, AR.2009.061

Rare Books and Special Collections Permissions Letters and Reference Response Letters, 2003-2004, AR.2009.062

Princeton-Related Postcards, 1904-1905, AR.2009.063

Office of the President Records, Shapiro and Bowen Files, 1969-2001, AR.2009.064

Letters to Goheen and Miscellaneous Princeton Publications, 1967-1993, AR.2009.065

Undergraduate Academic Files from Mathey College 2009, 2005-2009, AR.2009.066

Undergraduate Academic Files from Rockefeller College 2009, 2005-2009, AR.2009.067

Princeton University Performing Arts Programs and Posters and Chemistry Department Materials, 2002-2009, AR.2009.068

Jim McPherson as Mentor: An Appreciation, 2005, AR.2009.069

Nassau Herald of 1915, AR.2009.070

University Chapel Programs and Services, 2008-2009, AR.2009.071

Undergraduate Academic Files from Forbes College 2009, 2005-2009, AR.2009.072

Undergraduate Academic Files from Butler College 2009, 2005-2009, AR.2009.073

Digital Images of Reunion Beer Cans circa 1960-1990, AR.2009.074

Correspondence, Articles and Photographs Related to Prospect Club, 1941-2003, AR.2009.075

Graphic Arts Records, 1965-2005, AR.2009.076

Theatre Intime Records- Performance DVDs, 2005-2009, AR.2009.077

Woodrow Wilson School Junior Papers (Policy Task Force/Conference Papers), 2009, AR.2009.078

Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students Accrual, 1985-1999, AR.2009.079

Class Day 1910 Booklet, AR.2009.080

Richardson Auditorium Programs, 2008-2009, AR.2009.081

Nothing Personal: The Vietnam War in Princeton 1965-1975, 2009, AR.2009.082

Isaac Chauncey Wyman'1848 Correspondence and College Circulars, 1844-1847, 1910, AR.2009.083

Digital Photographs of RBSC and Friends of the Library Events, 2007-2009, AR.2009.084

Photograph of Graduating Seniors at 1947 P-rade from the PAW, 1947, AR.2009.085

Photograph of the Board of Trustees, April 2009, AR.2009.086

Princeton Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center Records, 1970-2007, AR.2009.087

Princeton Postcards, 1904-1973, AR.2009.088

Memorabilia of Edward C. Eisenhart '42, circa 1920-1990, AR.2009.089

President Hibben Photographs, 1926, 1930, undated, AR.2009.090

Chapel Records Accrual, 1948-1995, AR.2009.091

Articles on Seth Raynor, Class of 1898, 1997, undated, AR.2009.092

Class of 1944 "Greatest Generation" 65th Reunion DVD, 2009, AR.2009.093

Class of 1969 40th Reunion Arm Band, 2009, AR.2009.094

Princeton Prospect Club Mini Beer Stein, 1950, AR.2009.095

Song Recital Program Signed by Lotte Lehmann, 1935, AR.2009.096

Trustee Resolutions, 1953-2006, AR.2009.097

35th Reunion Photograph of the Class of 1910, 1945, AR.2009.098

Department of Biology Report and Sponsored Research Summaries, circa 1969-1981, AR.2009.099

Miscellaneous Student Materials from the Department of Chemistry, 1992-2000, AR.2009.100

Women's Center T-shirt, 2008, AR.2009.101

Autograph Book of George W. Mehaffey, Class of 1854, AR.2009.102

Dean of the College Files of FTQs Conferred in 2008/9, 2004-2009, AR.2009.103

Undergraduate and Graduate Alumni Directories, 2009, AR.2009.104

Women's Center Records Accrual, circa 1990-2007, AR.2009.105

Princeton University Archives Celebrates 50th Anniversary with Open House Event

2009-09-14T18:43:09Z

The Princeton University Archives at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library will celebrate its 50th anniversary with an open house from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10.

The library will grant public access to its collections storage areas for archivist-led tours, offering visitors an extraordinary firsthand look at more than 250 years' worth of collected University history and lore. The rarely exhibited 1748 charter of the College of New Jersey also will be on display. This piece of parchment, which is stamped with the royal seal of King George II, stands as the University's founding document and is a cornerstone of the archives' collections.

(Photo by Roel Muňoz.)

Also on display during the open house will be "'The Best Old Place of All': Treasures from the Princeton University Archives," a commemorative exhibition featuring some of the most historically significant documents and objects from the archives collections alongside seldom-seen treasures. Highlights include the earliest diploma (from a member of the Class of 1749, the second class to graduate from Princeton), a set of handwritten student lecture notes from the time of John Witherspoon, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's grade card.

The Princeton University Archives officially was established in October 1959 to collect records created by University faculty, staff and students. These records document University administration, the development of academic departments and programs, and student life. The University Archives consists of more than 15,000 linear feet of records. Since 1976 it has been housed in the Mudd Manuscript Library, where a sophisticated security system, environmental controls and a Halon fire suppression system ensure the protection and preservation of the library's holdings. The library serves more than 5,000 researchers each year and currently is in the midst of several processing initiatives aimed at increasing digital access to the collections for remote users around the world.

The Mudd Manuscript Library is located at 65 Olden St. Open house tours will begin at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and noon. Additional information about the library, its programs and its holdings is available at http://www.princeton.edu/mudd.

New Accessions: April through June 2009

2009-09-04T19:17:10Z

The following materials were accessioned April through June this year. As always, anyone interested in additional information about the new materials should contact the library through our general email account mudd@princeton.edu. Accessions Highlight: Whig Clio Records Accrual, circa 1850-1970s (AR.2009.049) Among our recent accessions are several documents and publications from Princeton's two original political, literary and debating societies, the Cliosophic Society (1770-1941), and the American Whig Society (1769-1941); as well as some material from the American Whig-Cliosophic Society (1942-present), which was created when the two societies merged. One item-- a letter written in 1870 from John Laird '1871 to the members of the American Whig Society-- reveals the intense secrecy that enshrouded the two societies prior to their merger. Laird, a member of the Cliosophic Society, wrote to apologize to the Whigs for mistakenly entering Whig Hall rather than Clio Hall on a rainy November day. He assures the Whigs that

"I saw nothing and could not now describe the appearance of your Hall even of the few feet I entered...I am exceedingly sorry that such a thing occurred and I assure you that not a word of information regarding the interior of even the few feet I entered shall be uttered by me."

The full letter is pictured below. For more information on these collections, see the finding aid for the Cliosophic Society Records, 1789-1941; the American Whig Society Records, 1802-1941; and the American Whig-Cliosophic Society Records,1908-1992. The following is a listing of all of the materials accessioned from April to June 2009. ]]> Princeton University Archives Stuart R. Stevenson '18 Papers, 1915-1964, AR.2009.029 Class of 1954 Photographs, 1954-1989, AR.2009.030 Sheet Music for The Princeton Cannon Song, circa 1934, AR.2009.031 Robertson vs. Princeton Legal Materials, January-April 2006, AR.2009.032 Robertson Foundation Records, 1959-2008, AR.2009.033 Department of Chemistry, U. S. Manhattan Project Records, 1943-1952, AR.2009.034 Lewis Library Architectural Presentation Boards, 2004, AR.2009.035 William Francis Magie Articles, 1896-1995, AR.2009.036 Richard W. Kazmaier, Jr. Article, 1952, AR.2009.037 Princeton Club of Northern California Records, 1995-2009, AR.2009.038 School of Engineering and Applied Science Publications, 1995-2007, AR.2009.039 Class of 1938 Reunions Plaque and Platter, 1939-2004, AR.2009.040 Class of 1916 Materials and Princeton Publications, 1916-1990, AR.2009.041 Quipfire! Records, 1992-1995, AR.2009.042 David Coffin Autobiographical Manuscript, circa 1990s, AR.2009.043 Kenneth Miller Papers, circa 1939-1967, AR.2009.044 Daniel M. Sachs Graduating Scholarship Records, 1998-2008, AR.2009.045 Tom Reed 2009 Reunions Illustration, 2009, AR.2009.046 Stray Verses by Andrew Fleming West, 1931, AR.2009.047 Class of 1951 Princeton Alumni Weekly Memorials Research Files, 1951-2009, AR.2009.048 Whig Clio Records, circa 1850-1970s, AR.2009.049 Association of Princeton Graduate Alumni Reunions 2009 T-shirt, 2009, AR.2009.050 A World War II Soldier's Diary, by Jack Raymond '46, 1999, AR.2009.051 Reports, Articles and Other Materials on Sexual Harassment and Gender Issues at Princeton, 1988-2004, AR.2009.052 Carmina Princetonia Songbooks and Triangle Club Score, 1876-1906, AR.2009.053 Scrapbook of Bruce Bedford Class of 1899, 1895-1899, AR.2009.054 Tiger Family Hockey Newsletters, 2007-2009, AR.2009.055 School of Engineering and Applied Science Records, James Wei Files, 1992-2000, AR.2009.056 Undergraduate Academic Files from Whitman College 2009, 2005-2009, AR.2009.057 Public Policy Papers Nathan Kantrowitz Tokyo War Crime Trials Photographs, 1946-1947, ML.2009.006 Nathan Kantrowitz Accrual, 1946-1947, ML.2009.007 Margaret Snyder Papers Accrual, 1975-2004, ML.2009.008 PAW Photographs Collection Accrual, Alumni Photographs in Japan, 1946, ML.2009.009 George McGovern Papers Accrual, 1998-1999, ML.2009.010

Did Julia Child's Father Attend Princeton?

2009-08-25T17:37:02Z

Dear Dr. Mudd,

In reading a biography of Julia Child, I noticed her father attended Princeton. Can you tell me any more details?

With the release of Nora Ephron's new film, Julie and Julia, Julia Child, the doyenne of television cooking shows, is receiving a lot of buzz, and her life and legend have been discovered by a new generation of cooks. A search of our collections confirmed that her father, John McWilliams, Jr. Class of 1901, attended Princeton, and also revealed that three of her cousins, Charles "Mac" McWilliams '29, John P. McWilliams II '31, and J. Alexander McWilliams '35 attended as well.

Julia Child's father John McWilliams '1901

]]> As an undergraduate, John McWilliams, Jr., whom his daughter described as "tall - reserved - athletic," majored in history and politics and belonged to Colonial Club. McWilliams himself had a distinguished career in "finance, farming, and in civic and humanitarian enterprises," and he was said to display "rare qualities of leadership."

Indeed, after having worked his way up from assistant cashier in the Bank of Odell (Illinois) to its presidency, he moved to Pasadena, where he and his wife Carolyn had three children, Julia, John III, and Dorothy. On the West Coast, McWilliams continued as a banker and expanded his interests to include a conglomerate of Arkansas farms, became involved in real estate, and served as president of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce. In addition he served as a director or trustee for numerous businesses and charitable organizations.


Admissions Application of John McWilliams '1901

McWilliams' devotion to Princeton was notable as well. His Princeton Alumni Weekly obituary (February 23, 1965) notes that he served as a regional trustee, an alumni association representative for Los Angeles, vice president of his class, member of the Class of 1901 Executive Committee, and former president and vice president of the Princeton Club of California. He also founded the John McWilliams Scholarship in memory of his father and donated carrels for Firestone Library.

At Princeton, Julia's cousins were active in campus life as well. John P. McWilliams won the Keene Fitzpatrick track medal. J. Alexander played multiple sports, breaking pole vault records, serving as track team captain, and ascending to what one obituary described as "one of the world's three best pole vaulters." John P. was a member of Charter Club, and J. Alexander was voted "third best all-around man" in his class. Charles, also known as Charlie, was more active in his class after graduation, claiming membership in the University Club of Chicago.

Like Ms. Child's father, her cousins also became involved in agriculture and banking. After a false start in architecture, Charles developed the family's agricultural holdings to span more than 12,000 acres in Illinois. John P. and J. Alexander also helped manage these farms, and had roles in the family-owned Dwight Bank.

Whether or not Julia Child ever accompanied her father to a Princeton reunion is not known.


Charles a.k.a. "Charlie or "Mac" McWilliams '1929	John P. McWilliams, Jr. '1931	J. Alexander McWilliams '1935

From the Princeton Alumni Weekly, 2/23/1965

Kennan and Forrestal papers processing project completed

2009-08-19T14:05:34Z

Princeton University's Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library has completed a one-year project to process the papers of George Kennan and James Forrestal, two Princeton alumni who were important figures in shaping U.S. policy at the inception of the Cold War.

George F. Kennan, U.S. Ambassador to Yugoslavia, is greeted by Marshal Josip Broz Tito. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, Adlai Stevenson, looks on. Circa 1962-1963. Source: George F. Kennan Papers, Box 184, Folder 14.

Kennan, a diplomat and historian, is best known for writing the "Long Telegram" and the subsequent "X" article in Foreign Affairs in which he advocated for a new course in U.S.-Soviet relations that became known as "containment." Kennan, a 1925 Princeton graduate, was involved in diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union throughout most of his distinguished career in the U.S. Foreign Service. As a historian at the Institute for Advanced Study, he studied modern Russian and European history and became an important critic of American foreign policy. His papers document his entire career. ]]>

James Forrestal, Secretary of the Navy, at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Oahu on his return trip from the Iwo Jima combat area. Forrestal speaks with Lamoine C. Weber, hospital apprentice first class, USNR, who was wounded during the invasion. Circa March-April 1945. Source: James V. Forrestal Papers, Box 183.

The finding aid for the George F. Kennan Papers is available online at http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/n009w2294 and the finding aid for the James V. Forrestal Papers is available at http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/8w32r561t. The processing of these papers was completed in June and managed by project archivist Adriane Hanson. It was made possible through the support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.

As part of this project, the Arnold A. Rogow Papers on James V. Forrestal also were processed. The Rogow papers are composed of materials he collected for his book "James Forrestal: A Study of Personality, Politics and Policy" (1963) and include correspondence with individuals who knew Forrestal, Rogow's notes and other research materials. The finding aid is available at http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/2v23vt455

For further information about these collections or about conducting research at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, visit the library website at http://www.princeton.edu/~mudd/.

Radioactive Manhattan Project Records and Archival Serendipity

2009-07-20T20:32:01Z

Early this year, staff from the University's Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), in preparing for the move to the new chemistry building, found a filing cabinet in the Frick Laboratory (currently home of the Chemistry Department) containing material related to Princeton's involvement with the Manhattan Project. (While the common perception of the Manhattan Project is that it was physicists doing the work, a great part of the effort involved chemists too.) Many of the documents were labeled as classified, though some were stamped with Declassified stamps from the 1950s. EHS Director Garth Walters sought advice from the General Counsel's office and Val Fitch (emeritus professor who worked in Los Alamos during the war). Fitch did not believe any of the documents were still classified, but until that was definitively determined, the General Counsel's office suggested that a more secure place be found for the cabinet, and hence a call to the Mudd Library in March.

]]>

University Archivist Dan Linke readily agreed to house the file cabinet, and the day after doing so, he received a call from Sue Dupre, also in Environmental Health and Safety and the Radiation Safety Officer for the University. She reported that while the filing cabinet itself is uncontaminated, some of the lab notebooks within the cabinet were radioactive! The notebooks had apparently become contaminated with uranium in the 1940s while they were being used during experiments. However, the amount of radiation emitted by the uranium on the notebooks was at a level that did not penetrate the filing cabinet--and only the bottom two drawers contained material that was "hot." When Linke asked her how hot, she said that of the four scales on a Geiger counter, they were at the "high end of the lowest scale," but reassured him that there is no measurable reading from the outside of the cabinet and that one is subject to far more radiation from jet travel or other natural environmental circumstances. Although the uranium appeared to be fixed to the paper of the notebooks and would not readily transfer to the skin of people handling the notebooks, Dupre recommended that the notebooks be handled with latex gloves as a precaution.

After working with the U.S. Department of Energy to determine that the records were indeed no longer classified, Linke was faced with the question of what to do with the radioactive notebooks. In all of the archival literature on appraisal, there is no mention of radioactive documents. Said Linke, "During my 20+ year archival career I have had to worry about wet documents, moldy paper, insect and vermin residue, and other unpleasant things, but this is the first time I have had to deal with radiation."

Calling around the University for help, Linke found R. Scott Kemp, a Woodrow Wilson School doctoral candidate in the Program on Science & Global Security. A physics major as an undergraduate, he also serves as an occasional consultant to the U.S. Government on nuclear-proliferation matters. Kemp enthusiastically agreed to assist the library in determining the disposition of the materials.

After reviewing the materials, Kemp determined that the material "relates to chemistry research performed at Princeton University's Chemistry Department in support of the U.S. Manhattan project... This activity was organized under the "Madison Square Area" of the "Manhattan District, Corps of Engineers," which was tasked with identifying sources of uranium for the first nuclear weapons." However, the radioactive notebooks "contain primarily measurement data on tested samples; they are not informative with respect to the critical technical achievements of the Manhattan Project, nor the difficulty of sourcing uranium, nor the development of new analytical methodologies. The archive does not contain information of contemporary scientific interest."

Based on Kemp's information, Linke decided to retain the paper files, but to discard the notebooks. Working with Sue Dupre, the material will be responsibly discarded with other radioactive materials in accordance with University radioactive waste procedures (A few non-radioactive notebooks have been kept for possible exhibition value.)

A serendipitous request occurred just around the time we received the filing cabinet. An alumnus, Bruce McDuffie, who graduated with a PhD in 1947 called to ask if his doctoral dissertation was available in the library. He explained that he worked on a classified topic and when he graduated the dissertation was restricted. Mudd Library is the University's repository for all doctoral dissertations but McDuffie's was not found in our holdings. However, in reviewing the Manhattan Project filing cabinet, several dissertations were discovered, including McDuffie's entitled "A Critical Study of the Electrolytic-Polarographic Method and Preliminary Investigations with the Mercury Diaphragm Electrolysis Cell" and these will be cataloged and added to Mudd's dissertation collection.

For more information on these Manhattan Project records, see our online finding aid.

Pictured above: filing cabinet where notebooks were housed.

Mudd Access Ramp to be Upgraded

2009-07-10T15:49:37Z

As part of Princeton University's ongoing goal of expanding building accessibility, Mudd's wheelchair ramp is scheduled to be upgraded starting on Monday, July 13, 2009.

This project is expected to take four weeks to complete. The first part of the construction involves the removal of the old ramp, which is expected to last three to four days. The initial removal work will involve jackhammers, which of course are very noisy. Please note that the ramp is immediately adjacent to Mudd's reading room and the jackhammering will certainly be noticeable from within the reading room. During this time, Mudd staff will provide ear plugs for any patrons upon request.

During the construction period, any patrons who require an access ramp should enter Sherrerd Hall, adjacent to Mudd, and then exit through its east door, through which access to Mudd's front door is possible.

If you have any questions about the construction or Mudd's accessibility, please feel free to contact us at 609-258-6345 or mudd@princeton.edu.

Meet Mudd's Christie Lutz

2009-06-23T13:30:00Z

Name: Christie Lutz

Title/Duties: Assistant University Archivist for Public Services I am responsible for overseeing and coordinating public services at Mudd Library. This includes managing our general reference account; handling a variety of in-depth remote and in-person reference inquiries, from researchers within the University community to those around the world; introducing Princeton undergraduate classes to and assisting them with the use of our materials; and scheduling and working with staff and student assistants in order to maintain day-to-day services. And of course,"other duties as assigned."

Recent projects: Helping curate our current exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the University Archives.

Worked at Mudd since: 2005, but was a project archivist here also from 2000-2002, and was a graduate student intern in 1999. I was promoted to my current position in September 2008.

Why I like my job/archives: Each day is different, bringing new challenges, opportunities to engage in varied subject areas, and interaction with unique, interesting and surprising documents, photos, and objects. At Mudd I've had the opportunity to process material ranging from Adlai Stevenson campaign materials to Brooks Bowman's (composer of the standard "East of the Sun and West of the Moon") personal papers. As someone with an American Studies background, I find Mudd, and archives generally, a wonderful place to work. Also, at Mudd we're embarking on digital and other technological initiatives that are allowing researchers to access and use our holdings in new ways, and we're opening up new avenues for collaboration with users and colleagues on and off campus.

Favorite item/collection: I always have fun working with the Princeton University Archives Memorabilia Collection, especially when it comes to curating exhibitions. The experience of looking for appropriate objects for exhibits can be like sifting through a Princeton-themed (and curated) thrift shop.

R. H. Rose campus stereograph series

2009-06-19T18:54:23Z

Below is the text of an email exchange between University Archivist Dan Linke and David Nathan '90 concerning a portion of the Archives' stereograph collection. Hi Dan, Here's a listing with all the information I obtained yesterday, faithfully transcribed from the backs of the Historical Photograph Collection: Stereographs Series, circa 1869-1880. The only thing I omitted is a font issue -- some titles appeared in all caps -- and the repeating information about "College of New Jersey", "R.H. Rose", etc. Any idea where I might look for the missing cards? Regards, David L. Nathan, M.D. ]]> Stereoview Series of the College of New Jersey, photographed by R. H. Rose, circa 1876-1878
Compiled by David L. Nathan, Class of 1990
May 6, 2009 No. Caption on reverse of card
1. Nassau Hall. / Built in 1756. Burned and rebuilt in 1802 and 1855. Original front, 175 ft.; front with towers, 200 ft.
2. Rear of Nassau Hall.
3. The President's House. / Erected in 1756.
4. Geological Hall. / Formerly Library Hall. Dimensions 68 x 33 feet.
5. East College. / Erected in 1833. Dimensions 112 x 36 ft.
6. West College. / Erected in 1836. Dimensions 112 x 36 ft.
7.
8. Hall of the American Whig Society. / Erected in 1838. Dimensions 40 x 68 ft.
9. The Chapel. / Erected in 1847. Dimensions. - Length of Nave, 83 ft. Transept, 53 ft. Width of Nave, 33 ft.
10. Reunion Hall. / Erected in 1870. Dimensions 125 x 40 ft.
11.
12.
13. The Chancellor Green Library. / Erected in 1872-3. Dimensions - Front, 160 ft. Depth Main Building, 72 ft.
14. Dickinson Hall. / Erected in 1870. Dimensions 152 x 58 ft.
15.
16. Bulletin Elm. / Showing part of East College, Nassau Hall and Chapel.
17. Avenue Looking West. / From rear of Dickinson Hall, showing rear of Chapel and East College.
18. General view of buildings. / Depot and Cars in the foreground.
19. Avenue to Whig Hall. / Showing part of Nassau Hall and East College.
20. Avenue to Clio Hall. / Showing part of Nassau Hall.
21. Rear view of Reunion Hall and West College and part of Gymnasium.
22. Front Campus. / From President's Residence, showing School of Science, Dickinson Hall and part of Library.
23. Foot Ball on East Campus.
24.
25.
26. Presidents' Graves.
27. Aaron Burr's Monument. / Showing graves of President Burr on right and Edwards on the left.
28.
29.
30.
31.
32. Model of a Swiss Village. In E. M. Geological Museum.
33. Interior of Library.
34. Interior of Gymnasium.
35.
36. E. M. Geological Museum. /Megatherium cuvieri. No. 23 Ward series Casts of Fossils. Remounted by Franklin C. Hill, Curator.
***************************** Hi David, Thanks for this listing. I don't have many suggestions for you except to keep an eye on eBay for the missing cards. Now remind me of your logic in dating the series. We know it has to be from 1875 or later because of the "Franklin C. Hill, Curator" note on Card 36. (He was acting curator starting in 1875 and curator in 1876.) But did you not have another bit of evidence to cap it around 1878? Best, Dan ***************************** Hi, Dan, The logic of the "1876-1878" dating is: 1. Franklin C. Hill was acting Curator 1875-6, then Curator from 1876 on. I assumed Rose wouldn't have listed him if he were in a temporary job. 2. There are two references to the President's House. One is an image of Maclean House, and the other is a view "from the President's House" evidently across the Front Campus, from Maclean House to the east. Maclean House was known as the President's home until 1878, when Prospect became the president's home. 3. It is clearly a coherent series, with no evidence that it was produced piecemeal. If the missing stereoviews could be located, then we might be more confident about the dating. Let's stay on the lookout! Regards, David

Charter Exhibition Brings in the Crowds!

2009-06-16T15:44:35Z

The Princeton University continued its 50th anniversary celebration by exhibiting the University's 1748 Charter during Reunions Weekend on May 29th and 30th. More than 128 alumni, staff, and family members came out to view Mudd's 2009 exhibition entitled The Best Old Place of All, featuring a variety of treasures from the archives on display. But undoubtedly the penultimate public display of the University Charter was the main draw. While always available online at the Princeton University Digital Library, the parchment original will only be showcased once more on Saturday, October 10, with no other public viewing planned before the University's 300th Anniversary celebration in 2046.

]]> On Friday morning, University Archivist Daniel Linke delivered a talk to 19 fellow librarians regarding the items on display and the creation of the exhibit. During the rest of the weekend, alumni, faculty, and members of the public came out in force to see many of the Archives' one-of-a-kind attractions including the earliest diploma (from a member of the Class of 1749, the second class to graduate from Princeton), Adlai Stevenson's Reunion jacket, and F. Scott Fitzgerald's grade card.

The Best Old Place of All at the Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library will be on display until January 29, 2010. Summer hours are Monday through Friday from 8:45 A.M. until 4:15 P.M. Monday through Friday, with extended hours in June and July on Wednesdays until 7:15.

If you have questions about The Best Old Place of All, or would like to learn more about the exhibition, please view the exhibition announcement, e-mail us at mudd@princeton.edu, or leave a comment on this page.

Pictured: David Bonner '59, Patrick Miller '03, and Melanie Papasian '03.

Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library Adds Its First Videos to YouTube

2009-06-05T20:03:09Z

The Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library, in conjunction with Princeton University's Office of Communications, has just added its first videos to the University's YouTube Channel. In the coming months, the Mudd Library plans to post a variety of audiovisual materials to the University's two YouTube Channels, with items chosen from both the University Archives and Public Policy Papers.

Our first video chronicles the May 20, 1963 move of Corwin Hall to its current location across from Wallace Hall and Robertson Hall. After nearly two months of planning, Corwin Hall (then known as Wilson Hall), was pushed along steel tracks for 12 hours from its location on Washington Road in order to make room for the new Robertson Hall. Shot on 8 mm film, this video shows a time lapse of the move. For more details about this move, please see this entry in the Princeton Companion.

]]> In addition, two videos about Reunions and the University's Bicentennial were uploaded. See:

and

For more information about Mudd's Audiovisual Collection, browse its finding aid or search a collection index here.

To tell us what you think or suggest an item from one of our collections, please post a comment to this page or send an e-mail to mudd@princeton.edu.

Yet more blogging on blogs

2009-06-03T20:35:21Z

The Mudd Manuscript Library blog has garnered another honor as it was listed on the Associate Degree website as one of the 100+ blogs to Inspire the Creative Genius Inside of You. Click here. How these sites find us and monitor us, we don't know, but we sure appreciate the publicity.

New Accessions: February and March 2009

2009-05-06T15:51:03Z

The following materials were accessioned in February and March this year. As always, anyone interested in additional information about the new materials should contact the library through our general email account mudd@princeton.edu

Among the new accessions to the University Archives is an issue of Old Nassau (pictured below), which was likely the personal copy of Jimmy Stewart '32 (accession number AR.2009016). Following his death in 1997, Stewart's estate donated a large number of the actor's books to the Friends of the Beverly Hills Library to be sold in their used book store. The wife of Kenneth Goldman '64, a volunteer at the book store, spotted the volume and purchased it for her husband. Kenneth Goldman donated the book to the University Archives this spring.

Published in 1905, the limited edition book tells the story of Princeton's anthem. It includes an autobiography of Karl Langlotz (composer of the music for Old Nassau); biographical information about Harlan Page Peck, Class of 1862 (author of the song's lyrics); various musical arrangements for the song; as well as information about Princeton in the years 1858 through 1862. The pages below show Peck's lyrics, which were first published in the Nassau Literary Magazine in 1859.

View larger image

Additional information can be found on the finding aid for the Old Nassau Collection at the Mudd Manuscript Library http://arks.princeton.edu/ark:/88435/rb68xb85k; and on the Princetoniana Committee Web page "Old Nassau, History of the Song" http://tigernet.princeton.edu/~ptoniana/oldnassau2.asp.

A complete list of materials accessioned in February and March follows. ]]> Public Policy Papers

Roland S. Morris Papers Accrual, 1918 ML.2009.004

Princeton University Archives

Class of 1939 Beer Can, Alumni Day Address, and CD with Digital Images of Beer Cans, 1926-2008 AR.2009.009

Animal Welfare and Emergency Response Manuals, 1990, 2003 AR.2009.010

Office of Development Communications, Lewis Library Dedication and Aspire Campaign Materials, 2007-2008 AR.2009.011

Office of Development Communications, DeNunzio Pool Dedication Photographs, 1990 AR.2009.012

Princeton Tiger, Jazz Ensemble and Triangle Club Materials, 1981-1985 AR.2009.013

Hobey Baker Newspaper Clippings and John D. Davies Photograph, 1934-1950s AR.2009.014

Research Materials for Class of 1951 Princeton Alumni Weekly Memorials, 1950-2008 AR.2009.015

Jimmy Stewart's Copy of Old Nassau, 1905 AR.2009.016

Article on James Duncan, Class of 1775, 2008 AR.2009.017

Class of 1955 Directory, 2008 AR.2009.018

Discharge of Mortgage between Howard Russell Butler and Andrew Carnegie, 1903-1910 AR.2009.019

Wartime Recollections, 1941-1945, by A. Adgate Duer, Class of 1939, 2009 AR.2009.020

Track Medals of Eugene Charles Tittmann, Class of 1909, 1906-1907 AR.2009.021

Class Directories for the Classes of 1920 and 1921, 1956-1966 AR.2009.022

Plastic Reunion Cups, 2008 AR.2009.023

Commemorative Glass for the 25th Reunion of the Class of 1967 and Reunion Beer Cans, 1992 AR.2009.024

Beer Jacket Design Copies, 1929-1975 AR.2009.025

Department of Geology Faculty Meeting Minutes, 1905-1994 AR.2009.026

Office of the President Records, Harold Shapiro Subgroup, 1988-2003 AR.2009.027

Photographs of Harold Dodds and Senior Administrators; of the Board of Trustees in 1939; and of the Class of 1907 at Various Reunions, approximately 1910-1940 AR.2009.027

How Many Buildings are on Campus?

2009-04-23T16:33:54Z

Question: How many buildings does Princeton University consist of?

Answer:

This question comes up frequently. In this case, the context and research purpose are as important as the question. What does the patron consider a building? Buildings on the main campus, on the Forrestal Campus, or buildings that the University owns in general?

Because of these qualifiers, there is significant discrepancy among published numbers.

Mudd's own FAQ page gives 324 as of 2000; the Princeton Weekly Bulletin states 160 (on campus) and 220 (off campus) for 2004; and the Princeton Profile (http://www.princeton.edu/profile/) lists 180 as of 2009.

These discrepancies can be explained by two main factors: 1) change over time and 2) counting methods.

]]> 1. Change over time

The number of buildings owned by Princeton University on the main campus as well as worldwide is volatile due to rapid change. PU engages in a high volume of real estate activities. Acquisition, sale, demolition, construction, and redesign happen on a regular basis. As a result, the count is ever-changing.

2. Counting methods

In addition, different counting parameters are used by different agencies and for different purposes. For example, some buildings that appear to be one physical structure may be divided administratively and have more than one name or more than one mailing address (Fisher/Bendheim/Corwin, for example); certain types of facilities such as parking garages may or may not be included in any given count; certain structures such as residential colleges may be one line item by name/function or several line items by structural components.

The Office of Communications "owns" the official--and short--answer to this question. Ushma Patel in Communications works with Mary Banfield in Facilities to compile a count of administrative, academic, residential, and athletic facilities. Since Communications acts as the "voice" of Princeton University, we may consider their count the authoritative answer. Their current count, published in Princeton Profile, is 180 (http://www.princeton.edu/profile/about/).

Here is a link to a listing of buildings that were included in this count.

The list is courtesy of Jon Hlafter, University Architect Emeritus, via Nancy Walters at the office of the VP for Facilities. (Note that here, Whitman and Butler are counted as one line item each.) This list also matches the official campus map, which is available at http://www.princeton.edu/~pumap/ . The map can be viewed by type of facility, and is a great resource for patrons who wish to learn more about Princeton's campus.

Yours sincerely,

Regine Heberlein

Image Information:

1) Historical Photograph Collection, Grounds and Buildings, Box MP9
1921 by Aero Service Corp, Aerial View of South Campus From the West

2)Historical Photograph Collection, Grounds and Buildings, Box MP8
Photograph of an 1875 drawing of an aerial rendering of campus.

3) Historical Photograph Collection, Grounds and Buildings, Box MP10
Birds Eye View from 1921, Airograph, from Aero Service Corp, Philadelphia, PA West Campus

4) Historical Photograph Collection, Grounds and Buildings, Box MP10
Aerial Views of South Campus, cerca 1950s.