Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture Records

Leave a comment February 14, 2020 Kahlee Leingang

The Special Collections and University Archives Department is excited to announce that RS 9/1/5 Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture records have been processed and are open to researchers. The collection contains the administrative records from the Leopold Center including grant applications and reports from the center’s thirty year history. Types of materials include photographs, correspondence, grant reports and applications, annual reports, meeting minutes and agendas, notes, newsletters, and electronic media.

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  From the Leopold Center Staff Conference, Box 36 Folder 18

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  A researcher studying crops, Box 36 Folder 23

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  Part of the collection during processing.

The Leopold Center, named after environmentalist Aldo Leopold, was established at Iowa State University in 1987 by the State of Iowa’s Groundwater Protection Act. The Leopold Center was originally charged with researching the negative impacts of Iowa’s agricultural practices, assisting in the development of alternative practices, and informing the public, in cooperation with ISU Extension, on the results of Leopold Center research. According to its 2002 vision statement, the Leopold Center “…explores and cultivates alternatives that secure healthier people and landscapes in Iowa and the nation.” The Center’s goals “are to identify and develop new ways to farm profitably while conserving natural resources as well as reducing negative environmental and social impacts.” In accordance with this new direction, the Leopold Center focused its research initiatives into three distinct areas: marketing and food systems, ecology, and policy. During its 30 year history, the Leopold Center also funded grant projects to help further the center’s research mission.

In 2017, the Iowa Legislature voted to de-fund and close the Leopold Center. Governor Terry Branstad used a line item veto to allow the center to remain open although it lost its primary funding source.  Following a listening tour and discussion with an advisory board, the Center shifted their mission to focus on the education and research of alternative approaches and practices to promote resilient rural communities across Iowa.

To learn more about these materials, visit the finding aid or contact archives staff. 

AESHM Student in Project Runway!

1 Comment February 12, 2020 Kari Edge

Brittany Allen, PhD student currently enrolled in Iowa State University’s Apparel, Merchandising, and Design program, is one of the contestants on the current season of Project Runway. Project Runway, in its 18^th season, is a highly competitive show in which contestants push themselves to the limit for a chance at $250,000 dollars.

Allen’s goal as a designer is: “to bring fun and excitement back into the fashion industry, and…to make women feel more empowered and beautiful.”

Iowa State University’s Apparel, Merchandising, and Design program is one of 15 highly ranked programs offered by the Department of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management (AESHM), under the College of Human Sciences.

In 2011, the name of this department was changed from Department of Apparel, Educational Studies and Hospitality Management to Department of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management, though it is still abbreviated as AESHM. The name change was prompted by the programs move to the College of Human Sciences. According to the department’s website, the mission of AESHM is to: “create, share, and apply knowledge to provide consumers with products, services, and experiences to enhance overall well-being.”

One of the things AESHM is best known for on campus is the annual Fashion Show, which has been an Iowa State Tradition since 1982. The first Fashion Show was actually put on by the Textiles and Clothing club on the steps of the Memorial Union. The event ended up being such a big hit that the fashion show became an annual tradition that continues to give AESHM students the opportunity to showcase their designs today. Here are a few photos from the show that started it all.

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  Image from RS 29/2/4 Box 1

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  Image from RS 29/2/4 Box 1

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  Image from RS 29/2/4 Box 1

We’ve posted about the Fashion Show previously, and will likely post again come April, when this year’s show will be held. We also have some additional posts about AESHM for anyone interested.

Image Credits:

Brittany Allen image credit – https://www.bravotv.com/people/brittany-allen

AESHM Graphic – Screenshot from https://www.aeshm.hs.iastate.edu/

Fashion Show Images from RS 29/2/4 Fashion Show Records Box 1 – https://n2t.net/ark:/87292/w90j7g

#FashionFriday – Graduation Fashion from 1914

Leave a comment February 7, 2020 Kari Edge

Very excited to return to the Mary A. Barton Fashion Illustration Collection for this #FashionFriday! We’ve posted about this collection a few times before but the beauty of this collection never ceases to surprise me.

While browsing through box 12 of the collection, I found a variety of eye-catching illustrations, each a beauty to behold. One illustration that really caught my eye was on a page from McCall’s Magazine, dated June 1914.

The first page is titled “For the Day of Graduation”, and depicts three women in black and white with a pop of orange in the background. The woman on the far right of the image is holding a diploma.

On the other side of this page, there’s information on the different patterns available to create these outfits, along with information on the materials required.

I love being a student employee in Special Collections and University Archives. Not only because of the amazing people I’ve met here, but for the collections I’ve been able to explore. It is the most incredible experience to be handling materials from over a hundred years ago, and sharing them via social media.

Black History Month 1983

Leave a comment February 4, 2020 Kari Edge

“Black Americans are major contributors to historic and contemporary life… Because we wish to deepen our own appreciation of ourselves, and because we need to share our rich culture and heritage with the world.”

Debra Gibson, 1983 – Bomb 1984 pg. 72

In 1983, what was intended to be a week of commemoration turned into a month-long celebration of everything African-American history. Debra Gibson, alumni information specialist and coordinator for Black History Month at the time, chose “Our Attitude, Our Future” as the theme for the month’s activities.

Image from the 1984 Bomb pg. 72

According to this snippet from the 1984 Bomb, pg. 72, the highlight of the month’s activities was the performance of the first black theater production to be held at Iowa State University. The play, “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black,” by Lorraine Hansberry received positive reviews from those in attendance.

Several lectures were also hosted throughout the month on topics relating to Black History Month, as well as several other exciting events.

For information on similar events at Iowa State, consider checking out our collection on Multicultural Student Organizations RS 22/3 Box 1.

Rare Book Highlights: new purchase by William Morris

2 Comments January 31, 2020 Amy

Frontispiece and first page of William Morris’s “A Dream of John Ball; and, A King’s Lesson.”

Just look at that frontispiece! Is that classic William Morris, or what? The book featured here is among our newest additions to the rare books collection.

William Morris was a Victorian British designer, craftsman, and author, known for his wallpaper and textile design and associated with the Arts & Crafts Movement. You may be familiar with his famous quote:

Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.

In rare book circles, he is known as the founder of the Kelmscott Press and the designer of the famous Kelmscott Chaucer.

William Morris believed in the importance of manual labor and skilled craftsmanship. In the wake of mechanization during the Industrial Revolution, he made sure that his own decorative arts company performed impeccable handwork in crafts that he first made sure to master himself. In 1891 at the age of 56, Morris founded the Kelmscott Press to produce books that were a pleasure to look at and to read. Following his principles of skilled craftsmanship and handiwork, he learned the skills of hand printing, type design, and paper making. Taking inspiration from the type of the famed 15th century type designer Nicholas Jensen, who created one of the earliest Roman typefaces, he designed three typefaces for use by the press–Golden, Troy, and Chaucer–that were clear, readable, and beautiful. He also designed ornamental letters and borders. You can see that the ornamental borders in the image above look very similar to Morris’ wallpaper and textile designs (see examples here).

The book we purchased is William Morris’s A Dream of John Ball; and A King’s Lesson (1892). It includes two of Morris’s own writings. The illustration for the frontispiece was designed by Morris’ friend, longtime business partner, and Pre-Raphaelite artist Edward Burne-Jones. See more pictures of this book below:

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The founding of the Kelmscott Press marks the begininng of the private press movement that flourished around the turn of the 20th century, in which private individuals set up presses that were focused on producing high-quality handmade books emphasizing the book as a work of art and generally without a strong profit motive. Other famous private presses include the Doves Press and the Ashendene Press.

SCUA Has Upgraded Shelves!

Leave a comment January 30, 2020 Rosalie

As I wrote about in my last blog post, the department closed over the winter break to have new motors installed on our compact shelving – several kept getting stuck and they were becoming harder and harder to repair.

Now that the work is over, I thought I’d share some of the photos I took during the process.

We used the reading room to store collections we had to remove from the shelves.

The old handles were removed, seen dangling here.

After the old handles were removed the shelves were prepped for new ones.

Here you can see the shelving was removed, and the motor components are ready to be replaced.

You can see just some of the equipment and supplies needed for the project.

Thank you to all researchers for your patience while we improved our space!

Weird, Wacky, Wonderful: "Standardness"

Leave a comment January 29, 2020 olivia

MS 636, Box 64, Folder 29, photo by Olivia Garrison

Normally I find material for these posts through searching the records for the answers to reference questions. However, I stumbled upon this when walking through our processing room, where one of our processing archivists was working with the Underground Comix collection.

This record is part of a series in the collection that contains non-comix materials produced by underground comix publishers. This record was produced by Krupp Comic Works (KCW). Of course, the key reason I chose this artifact for the blog is the “High Standard of Standardness”; surely the mark of a great song!

#FlashbackFriday – Postcards

Leave a comment January 24, 2020 Kari Edge

Today I took a look at the Iowa State University Archives Postcard Collection. I’ve been wanting to check out this collection for a while and I am happy to say that it did not disappoint. There were hundreds of postcards in just this box and at least six boxes in the collection. Here are a few of my favorites from box one.

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  “Ames” Postcard with writing

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  Line of cars with American Flags

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  Collage style postcard of buildings on campus

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  Postcard captioned “College Chapel”

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  Horse Barn Postcard

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  “Central Hall” building on campus

I look forward to exploring more of this collection in the future! Materials from Box 1 of the ISU Archives Postcard Collection.

Study Breaks from 1985

Leave a comment January 15, 2020 Kari Edge

Almost no one wants to spend their whole day studying. As important as it is to stay on top of assignments and readings, there’s only so long the average student can study before some kind of study break is needed. The authors of the 1985 Bomb likely would have agreed with the need for occasional study breaks, as they gifted us with this two-page spread on the types of study breaks preferred by students at the time.

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  Image from the 1985 Bomb pg. 18

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  Image from the 1985 Bomb pg. 18

According to the Bomb, many students looked to watching T.V. shows such as All My Children and General Hospital, to relax after a long study session. Others preferred to take a quick nap to rest their minds and bodies.

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  Image from the 1985 Bomb pg 19

However, by far the most popular types of study breaks at the time were ones centered around food. The most iconic of these food centered breaks being what the authors refer to as “the famous “Quick Trip Run.””

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  Image from the 1985 Bomb pg. 19

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  Image from the 1985 Bomb pg. 19

All of these certainly sound more fun than studying! Which, if any, would you choose to relax and refresh yourself? If none of these sound quite right, what works for you?

#FunFriday – 1974 Novelty Sports

Leave a comment January 10, 2020 Kari Edge

Let’s start this #FunFriday with a look at the past! On March 18^th, 1974, over 500 students participated in the novelty intramurals of Residence Hall Week. The RHW novelty intramurals were set up in the Linden-Oak-Elm courtyard on a Sunday. Of all the events held that day, I’d be willing to bet the messiest was the mud slide, shown below, which set a new record for longest mud slide.

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Other activities included an egg toss, a molasses pour, frisbee toss, pogo stick race, and pyramid building. From these pictures it looks like the next day must have been a laundry day for many participants!

On Wednesday, the RHW Novelty Intramurals moved inside. These indoor events were considerably less messy, but no less fun. Students participated in activities such as a clothes race, bat race, sleeping bag race, and tug of war. Also included in this week was an all-university ping-pong championship between members of residence associations.

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Overall, this week sounds like it was a lot of fun!

If you’d like to read about more Iowa State events from the past, check out our digital collection of yearbooks from 1894-1994.