Memorabilia, photos, paintings, and scrapbooks dating from 1875—the year IUP was founded as Indiana Normal School—offer a look at IUP through time in “ Through the Oak Grove: A History of Indiana University of Pennsylvania,” an exhibit at the University Museum opening on Saturday, September 1.
The exhibit runs through October 27 and is free and open to the public. A public reception will be held on Saturday, September 8, from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m. at the museum.
Items from Special Collections and University Archives in Patrick J. Stapleton Jr. Library will be featured, curated by Harrison Wick, Special Collections librarian and university archivist, and Rhonda Yeager, assistant archivist. Many items have been donated by alumni, departments and offices, and other members and friends of the university community.
The collectively present a personal, IUP family-style look at the university's history.
A few highlights:
- A fraternity crest, wooden and weighing 100 pounds, handmade by an alumnus;
- A vase with an IUP baseball player painted on it, dating to around 1900;
- Playing cards with an image of John Sutton Hall;
- The very first course catalog, from 1875—listing Orthography, Reading and Elocution, and more subjects of the day;
- A mortar board from the Class of 1888;
- A student's notebook from 1908.
The Class of 1888 had a reunion in 1913, gathering around the class "Rock of Ages" that sat near McElhaney Hall for many years. Jane Leonard, preceptress of Indiana State Normal School, is third from right.
A series of lectures related to the show is being planned and will be announced on the exhibit web site.
The University Museum is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2:00 to 6:30 p.m., Thursdays from noon to 7:30 p.m., and Saturdays from noon to 4:00 p.m. There is no charge for admission.
Those interested in donating IUP memorabilia to the university should contact Wick at (724) 357-6246 or hwick@iup.edu.
More on Special Collections and University Archives
"Unboxing the Memories" Video Series
—Deborah Klenotic, Web editor/producer, University Communications