Author Archives: jojacks2

A Peter Newell Tangent

by jojacks2 Posted on December 5, 2019

With the growth of a literate middle class and the greater availability and affordability of paper and printing, children’s literature came into its own in the mid-19th century, and here in Special Collections and University Archives, we hold many of e… Continue reading →

Commemorating Apollo XI

by jojacks2 Posted on July 18, 2019

July 20 marks the 50th anniversary of humanity’s first moon landing, and Special Collections is commemorating the monumental achievement of the Apollo XI mission with an exhibit of materials from our collections. Curated by Special Collections P… Continue reading →

Tagged About Special Collections, aerospace, Apollo XI, NASA, Science and Engineering | Comments Off

A trip Up the Sweetwater River

by jojacks2 Posted on April 18, 2019

Hidden History at Special Collections IV The title of this occasional series may be something of a misnomer, as the materials discussed aren’t hidden at all but instead are readily located through existing online discovery tools. Still, though adequat… Continue reading →

Tagged uncategorized | Comments Off

A Not-So-Buried Grayson County Treasure Trove: The 1931 Farm Family Study

by jojacks2 Posted on February 8, 2019

In the early years of the Great Depression, a team of 15 men and women visited the homes of more than 300 families in Grayson County, Virginia to ask residents dozens of questions—some rather personal—about their homes, their farms, and their lives. Th… Continue reading →

Tagged agriculture, Appalachia, experiment station, Grayson County, Local/Regional History, uncategorized, University History | Comments Off

The O’Shaughnessy Family Papers at Virginia Tech

by jojacks2 Posted on November 29, 2018

In August, following a 15-month, multi-million dollar project, Virginia Tech re-opened O’Shaughnessy Hall. The renovation of the residence hall, now home to the Leadership and Social Change Residential College, was accompanied by much-deserved fa… Continue reading →

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A Little Something Extra

by jojacks2 Posted on April 5, 2018

Archives are so very rarely complete. It’s an unusual thing for the archivist to be able to point to a collection and say with full confidence, “That’s all there is.” More often, we have to admit, “That’s all we have.” And so, researchers make due wit… Continue reading →

Tagged About Special Collections, Alumni, Football, newspapers, university archives, University History | Comments Off

Season’s Greetings from the Elarths and Friends

by jojacks2 Posted on December 14, 2017

If your blogger’s mailbox is an accurate barometer of popular culture, it seems the days of the holiday greeting card are steadily waning. With social media and email keeping us in constant contact with even the most distant acquaintances, many no long… Continue reading →

Posted in Just for fun | Tagged architecture, art, faculty, uncategorized | Comments Off

Hero’s Welcome

by jojacks2 Posted on July 27, 2017

A Souvenir Menu Recalls Earhart’s Triumphant Return to the U. S. The recent reports about possible new evidence in the 80-year mystery of Amelia Earhart’s disappearance reminded me of a little item in our collections: a menu for a 1932 dinner honoring the pilot. Housed, perhaps incongruously, within our Aviation Pamphlets and Brochures Collection (Ms1994-015), … Continue reading Hero’s Welcome Continue reading →

Tagged Aviation, women's history | Comments Off

Less Than the Sum of Its Parts: the W. Dale Parker Papers

by jojacks2 Posted on June 1, 2017

Behind virtually any collection of personal papers is an ego, a voice saying, “I was here. I mattered.” Such collections can be indispensable resources in chronicling the lives of the famous and infamous or in offering insights into a particular time or topic. While history may greatly benefit from these collections, however, it is often … Continue reading Less Than the Sum of Its Parts: the W. Dale Parker Papers Continue reading →

Tagged politics, Science and Engineering | Comments Off

The Crush

by jojacks2 Posted on February 16, 2017

A Young Blacksburg Woman Falls Victim to Infatuation We may be just a little late for Valentine’s Day, but of course the subject of love is never passé. And that brief, trite introduction leads us to the 1919 diary of a young Blacksburg woman named Olivia Tutwiler. Pouring her heart into a small composition book, … Continue reading The Crush Continue reading →

Tagged Local/Regional History, uncategorized, University History | Comments Off

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Author Archives: jojacks2

A Peter Newell Tangent

Commemorating Apollo XI

A trip Up the Sweetwater River

A Not-So-Buried Grayson County Treasure Trove: The 1931 Farm Family Study

The O’Shaughnessy Family Papers at Virginia Tech

A Little Something Extra

Season’s Greetings from the Elarths and Friends

Hero’s Welcome

Less Than the Sum of Its Parts: the W. Dale Parker Papers

The Crush

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