Push-em back, push-em back, Way back!

Welcome back to campus Students!  Hopefully you are settled into your routines and are geared up for another fantastic semester.  Do you like your classes? How is the homework load?  Are you trying anything new this semester?

Now that you have a handle on the academics it’s time to get pumped for our sports teams! Do you know all the yells and songs? Homecoming is right around the corner and we need to be prepared to back-up our footballers when they face off against South Carolina State on October 24.  Why not go old school at the next game? Take a look at these cheers from 1964.

Get Lost in the Library

My name is Paul Scherry, younger brother of Rejoice Scherry who is DSU’s very own archivist.  Today I was browsing through the shelves of the archival office, (which by the way are open to the public) and I discovered a hidden treasure!  I play this little game, where I go to a shelf and look for the oldest possible book.  I don’t care what the book is about, who wrote it, or what kind of shape it’s in.  The only thing that matters is how old it is. 

Well this time I hit the jackpot.   I found a book dated to the year 1694! To put that in perspective, the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620.  Imagine holding a piece of history that was printed only 74 years later.  Its leather binding is in surprisingly good shape, with an unsurprising amount of “red rot” (dried and crumbling leather).  The pages on the exterior have been heavily browned with age, but when I opened the book, I found the paper to be only slightly yellowed.  Just over three centuries old and this book is in better condition than some books currently sitting openly in DSU’s collection! 

I can honestly tell you that at this point my heart was pounding.  Then I looked at the title which read Hudibras, written by Samuel Butler.  Even though I had no knowledge of this piece of literature, I immediately began to feel as if this artifact, older than the United States themselves, was talking to me.  I looked at the first few blank pages and I found the owners signature!  He or she, signed “J. Green” and dated the year, 1758.  Now I was ecstatic!  Someone in 1758 bothered to signify ownership of this book about two decades prior to the American Revolution.  Little did that person know was that I, a junior in college at Del Sate, would crack open this book three hundred years later and see the personal touch they left behind.  

It gets better.  On page 320, I found something else a reader left behind.  Tucked into the spine of the book was a dried out and flattened four leaf clover.   To think I stumbled upon someone else’s good fortune made my day. 

As I sit here writing out this little highlight, I think this book was sending me a message.  In today’s modern world, we have access to unlimited sources of knowledge.  With the swipe of a phone screen, we can find anything.  But let me ask you this: would you find a signature? Would you find a hidden treasure?  Would you be able to physically hold an artifact made over three hundred years ago?  There are still discoveries like the one I just had yet to be found in libraries.  The next time you have a few minutes to burn in between classes, instead of staring into your cellphone, get lost in the library. You might be surprised by what you find!

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What is it Like to be a University President?

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a university president? 

One of the greatest powers that archival repositories possess is the ability to transport researchers back in time to retrace the steps of other individuals.  When you research archival collections you have the ability to hear someone else’s voice and at times read his or her most intimate thoughts in the documents before you.  You touch the very same papers!

Among some of the most significant collections in the DSU archives are those of the university presidents.  Found within the presidential files are documents which speak to each president’s visions for the growth of Delaware State University. The collections include strategic planning reports, speech drafts, correspondence with other university presidents, meeting minutes for internal committees, travel itineraries, and so much more.  The records have the ability to inform researchers about the historic mission of Delaware State University, the incremental physical and intellectual growth of the university, the character of DSU students and faculty, and the significant contributions of the university to the world at large. 

I am pleased to say that efforts are beginning in order to publicly present the presidential files of Dr. Luna I. Mishoe (1960-1987) and Dr. William B. Delauder (1987-2003). Hopefully one day very soon you will be able to be transported back in time to walk in the shoes of two of the university’s most significant leaders. 

The collection of President DeLauder's papers contains a wealth of information about the opportunities and responsibilities of a university president. This travel itinerary is just one example.  Here we learn that President DeLauder traveled to the White House to attend a conference for historically black colleges and universities in 1989. 

10!...9!....8!...

Where were you on December 31, 1999 at 11:59pm?   I was sitting in my grandparents’ house in New York State huddled on the floor with a survival kit I had gotten for Christmas just days before.   Meanwhile, in Dover Delaware, College administrators at Delaware State University were waiting to determine if winter break should be extended due to a mass failure of technology. 10!...9!...8!...

It was Y2K.  New Year’s Eve in 1999 was a time of mass panic as people around the world waited for the moment when computers would destroy the world as we knew it, or so they thought.  There was a flaw in the internal clocks of computers in which they only had two digits instead of four designated to calculate the calendar year.  The simple lack of two digits would cause computers to revert to the year 1900 instead of advance to 2000.  This, it was theorized, had the potential to power down technology around the world.

In the years prior to the year 2000, Y2K compliance committees were established anywhere where technology was utilized – essentially everywhere - in schools, businesses, medical facilities, modes of transportation, public utilities, etc.  Delaware State University was no exception.  

Last week a report from the 1999 Y2K compliance committee at DSU was uncovered within the university archives.  Enjoy these excerpts from the DSU report, and relive the panic in a short video clip from National Geographic. Today we are able to laugh at the Y2K incident as it fades into the obscurity of history.

Written by Joy Scherry

Before They were Tuskegee Airmen They were DSU Alumni

Did you know that Delaware State University offers bachelors’ degrees in Aviation Management and Professional Pilot? Yes! It’s true!

Our story begins in 1939.  The Civilian Pilot Training (CPT) Act of 1939 established flight programs at colleges and universities across the United States, but the historically black colleges and universities were excluded. Would-be African American pilots petitioned President Roosevelt to allow them to be included in CPT programs. They were successful! By the end of 1939 the Civil Aeronautics Authority (later named the Federal Aviation Administration) approved several HBCUs including, Delaware State University, to initiate CPT programs for a limited quota of students. When the Tuskegee Army Flying School opened in 1941 as a result of World War II several hundred graduates of HBCU flight schools made their way to the army. It is likely that DSU alumni were among the ranks of renowned Tuskegee Airmen.

The flight school that was present in the early days of DSU fell to the wayside sometime around World War II.  However, during the 1987-1988 academic year the Department of Airway Science was revitalized.  Degrees in Aircraft Systems Management and Airway Science Management were offered in part thanks to an association with the United Air Lines.

In this photograph from the University Archives, the 1988 Flight Team stands with President Delauder following a regional flight competition.  Caption on Back: "DSC 1988 Precision Flight Team; Team Awards - First in Safety, Third in Ground Events, Fourth Overall; 1988 National Intercollegiate Flying Association SAFECON, MacArthur Field, Long Island, NY” Daeshawn, Paul, and Justin explained that for DSU, the most coveted prize at SAFECON is not to be #1 team, but to achieve the Safety Award.

Today the students of the DSU Aviation program thrive.  They proudly fly a fleet of 10 aircrafts; six Piper Warriors, two Piper Arrows, a Piper Tomahawk, and a Piper Seneca multi-engine. The DSU planes are all painted bright blue with red tails in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen who paved the way before them.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with current juniors, Daeshawn Rose, Paul Scherry and Justin Thompson to hear about their experiences in the DSU aviation program. Daeshawn explained, “I love being a part of DSU’s aviation program because it allows me to do things that the average college student would not be able to do.” He wasn’t kidding.  DSU aviation students depart daily from the Dover Municipal Airport for destinations all across the East Coast. Not only do they network and interact with professional pilots and air traffic controllers along the way, but they also get to explore the eastern United States.  They fly over some of the most famous vistas such as Niagara Falls and New York City.  Feel like flying to North Carolina for a sandwich? No problem. These guys know the best airport restaurants and small town USA eateries.

So if you see a blue and red dot moving across the sky, cheer on your fellow classmates. In the future they will be the ones to fly you across the country, transport your packages, and perform a whole host of other services.

Bibliography:

Carver, Joseph, and Jerome A. Ennels. The Tuskegee Airmen: An Illustrated History, 1939-1949. Montgomery, AL: NewSouth Books, 2011.

DSU students talk about in-flight maneuvering circa 2000. Notice the wing of the
DSU plane has red stripping in homage to the Tuskegee Airmen who
helped pave the way for these students.
Photograph Source: PR Photographic collection, DSU archives

 Written by Joy Scherry

Collection Highlight: Junior College and Normal School Photographs

        The archives recently received an exciting donation of photographs dated circa 1925-1930! The era of the State College for Colored Students from 1891 until 1947 is by far the most underrepresented period of time within the DSU archives collections. As such, these photographs are a rare treasure!  They offer viewers the ability to see the faces of students who were previously represented only by names in a long list of DSU alumni.  Now, however, we have the extraordinary opportunity to see with clarity the automobiles, clothing, early campus buildings, and faces of students that comprised the State College for Colored Students. 

Prior to this donation, graduates of the Junior College
and Normal School were represented only by class list records
which named alumni by graduation date. 

       At the time that these photographs were taken, the SCCS was under the administration of President Richard S. Grossley who governed the college from 1923 until 1942.  The Grossley surname appears on approximately half of the photographs included within the donation.  Although the exact creator of these photographs is unknown, it is theorized that President Grossley, his wife, or someone close to them was the photographer.

        President Grossley’s administration is known for the inclusion of new programs at the State College for Colored Students.  In 1923 a two-year junior college division was founded in order to create a bridge between high school and college for young adults.  Shortly thereafter, in 1925 a two-year normal course was founded.  A Normal School was a program offered to high school graduates in order to instruct them in accepted teaching standards or “norms.” At the State College for Colored Students a lab classroom was established where the Normal School undergraduates could gain teaching experience.  The lab classroom was additionally beneficial to local African American children who would otherwise have been forced to attend a segregated school in Wilmington.

SCCS student, Mary Simms, stands on the campus.
In the background the combined library and chapel
building may be seen. 

Pictured here are Junior College students Herman
Bantom, Charles Whaley, Isaac Caulk, and
William Laws.

These students are believed to be students of the Junior College and Normal School at the State College for Colored Students circa 1930. 

Caption on the back: "First Row… 1. Mary Simms, 2. H. Jefferson, 3. L. Mitchell, 4.  M. Florence, 5. M. Sample. Second Row 1. Helen N. J., 2. Mabel Moody 3. Henry, 5. Dorothy Y. Allen" 

        It is believed that the individuals seen within these photographs are students of the Junior College and Normal School.  Fortunately many of the photographs include handwritten captions on the photograph backs that identify who some of the individuals are.  While the archive is fortunate to be able to name the photograph’s subjects, the lives of each student remain a mystery.  What did they study?  Where were they from?  Did the students attain the careers they hoped for? How did World War II affect them? Despite the many unanswered questions, these photographs allow us some clues as to what life was like in the early days of Delaware State University.

Do you want to see more images? You are cordially invited to visit the archives to view the full collection of SCCS photographs.

More Rules? Or More Fun Breaking Rules?

Written by Joy Scherry

“Back when I was your age, we walked to school in 3 feet of snow, uphill both ways…”  So starts the classic tale of woe we hear from our elders as they try to elicit our sympathy for their supposed hardships.  Have you ever stopped to wonder how different their educational experiences really were?  Take a look at these excerpts from a 1964 Delaware State College student handbook to see some of the rules students were expected to obey.  Did your predecessors have more rules or did they just have more fun breaking the rules?  That is the real question!

"Attendance at the College is a privilege and not a right."

"All rooms must be thoroughly cleaned on Saturday morning and may be inspected any morning during the week."

"Women students are required to sign out when leaving the campus for town, church, or any other campus events."

"Women students are not permitted to enter any automobiles except their parents' or guardians' without the permission of the Dean of Women."  

Welcome Class of 2019!

This June and July, Delaware State University is welcoming incoming freshmen to New Student Orientation sessions on campus.  The archives would like to take this opportunity to address our newest students. 


Members of the 1968 Photography Club

To the Class of 2019:

You probably have some common fears about starting a new chapter in your life, and it might be hard for you to overlook these fears to see how much you will be gaining here at DSU. Take it from the past DSU students pictured here.  They made it and so will you!



A professor congratulates an Honor Society member at a
1971 award cermony.

1. You will find friends.  DSU prides itself on the diversity of individuals who find themselves on campus.  Whether you are quiet, reserved, fun-loving, exuberant, or perhaps a tad mischievous, you will find peers who enjoy the same things you do and appreciate you for who you are. Don’t be shy! Reach out!
 

2. Your professors are friends not tormentors.  They are here to see that you succeed.  Sure, you’ll face some challenging assignments, but the professors do not take pleasure in watching you struggle. Don’t be afraid to ask for their help.



A female student stands in her decorated
dormitory room c. 1980

3. Residence Halls are home.  Right now you might be picturing monsters as roommates, plastic covered mattresses, and communal showers.  You will be surprised. Soon you’ll be finding yourself calling your residence hall “home” and those who live in your hall “family.”

4. In all of DSU history no one has died from eating campus food.  Believe me, if someone had died eating DSU food the archives would have the records to prove it. No such photographs, news clippings, documents, or reports exist.  Our food is delicious! On Tuesdays you will want to get to Conrad Hall early to beat the line for fried chicken.  Consider yourself warned.



Students enjoy a meal on campus in 1975

A student shoots pool c. 1975

5. Take “me” time.  There will always be homework, and friends who want to hang out.  Don’t forget to take time for yourself.  Your time at DSU will fly by. Take time to step back and soak it all in.

 Welcome Class of 2019! We are so excited to have you!

Before you know it, the day comes when you are too cool for school and it’s time to leave. You’ll be walking across the stage at graduation and wishing you could go back to freshman year to re-live your experiences.  So don’t be scared! You got this!

Remember, the William C. Jason Library is always ready to help you.  Information is our business.  It doesn’t matter if you need help with research projects, are looking for a quiet place, or need help getting connected to services on campus. We can direct you.

Written by Joy Scherry

Happy 125th Anniversary to the 1890 Land-Grant Universities!

Written by Joy Scherry

Above: First Officers of the State College for Colored Students,
known today as Delaware State University.
SCCS Cadets wore military style uniforms to reflect their studies. 

It’s the 125^th anniversary of the 1890 land-grant universities!  This year Delaware State University joins eighteen other American universities in celebrating their common heritage in the Morrill Act of 1890.

In 1862 Congressman Justin Smith Morrill introduced an act which intended to provide land for the purpose of encouraging industrial colleges in each of the United States.  The proposed institutions would teach military tactics, mechanical arts (engineering), and agriculture.  The first Morrill Act was signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln in July of 1862.

Well after the Civil War, in 1890, Congress recognized that persons of color were not afforded equal opportunities to attend college.  Therefore, a second Morrill Act was passed in order to require that the established land-grant universities either demonstrate that race was not a criterion for admission, or create separate institutions for African Americans.

In total, seventy colleges and universities were created as a result of the Morrill Acts. Today Delaware State University and other historically black colleges and universities across the United States proudly celebrate a mutual heritage.

Above: Delaware State College students participate in a tractor driving competition and an egg judging.  The contests were a part of a Future Farmers of America (FFA) convention held on the DSC campus during the 1949-1950 academic year. The DSC agricultural building circa 1949 is seen in the background. 

Do you want to learn more about the Morrill Acts and the 1890 land-grant universities? Click here. You can also view a calendar of commemorative events in honor of the 125th anniversary and learn about the current goals of the 1890 land-grant universities.  

Click above to visit the current webpage of the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources at Delaware State University 

Meet the New Archivist

Dear DSU Community and Friends,

My name is Rejoice Scherry, but you can call me Joy.  I am the newest University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian at Delaware State University.  I am so excited to be joining the library team at the William C. Jason Library!

I hail from the tiny town of Olivebridge, New York in the rural Catskill Mountains (about 2 hours north of New York City).  I am a graduate of Hartwick College where I majored in history and minored in museum studies.  I also attended the University of Pittsburgh for my Masters in Library and Information Science.  I have a deep interest in the history of the American Revolutionary War, but more specifically the spies who helped ensure victory against the superior British forces.  Want to know more? Drop me a line!  

Diversity. Integrity. Scholarship. Community. Outreach.  DISCO! These are the qualities encouraged among all of the DSU students, faculty, and staff.  I intend to incorporate each of these qualities in my work here in the archives. 

•  Diversity: I will seek out opportunities for collaboration.  My job requires me to make decisions about whether record groups will be of lasting informational value to the University.  As a one-woman operation here in the archives department, it can be easy to pursue my own interests and forget the audience I serve.  I will look for opportunities to learn the viewpoints, lifestyles, and perspectives of others in order to assure the archives is inclusionary of all outlooks here at DSU.

•  Integrity: I will take the time to do my job correctly.  I will not cut corners.  Constructing an archive can be a slow-going process that requires attention to detail and careful examination.  I promise to give 100% to my work.

•  Scholarship: Do you have a question about the history of Delaware State University? Do you need access to primary sources? I am here to help you pursue any DSU-related research question you may have.

• Community: The DSU archive preserves papers, photographs, and objects. But I’d like the university archives to be a place where community is preserved too! My office in the library should not be a closed off space where “The Past” lives.  An archive also needs to live in the now in order to support the future.  Please come visit me and help me preserve the current culture of DSU for the continued advancement of the community.

• Outreach: The DSU archive is open to all! I will construct descriptive finding aids to assist patrons in locating the information they are searching for.  The archive is still getting started but I will do my best to provide access to the records you seek. Stop by my office (227 in the library), call my phone (extension 6130), or shoot me an email (rscherry@desu.edu).

I want to be of service to you! Please let me know how I can help you learn about our community’s history and realize your academic heritage.  I look forward to getting to know all of you!

Yours,

Joy