Homer Jones

Our friend Homer Jones passed away peacefully in his sleep early Memorial Day morning. He was 102 years old.

Homer was an award winning photographer. He owned and operated Zion Photo in Cedar City for nearly 40 years. He later donated his collection of photographs and negatives to the Sherratt Library Special Collections. We have some of his photographs digitized and online. They can be found on the Library's website at the following link.  Homer Jones Photograph Collection

Homer married his childhood sweetheart, Barbara Belle Macfarlane and together they enjoyed 73 years of married life until her passing in 2003. Homer was a friend to everyone. When he turned 85 he volunteered to deliver meals on wheels to the "old people" which he did faithfully for several years. Homer loved to travel, see new places and meet new people, but in all of his travels he never found anywhere he liked quite as well as Cedar City, Utah.

We'll miss you Homer Swapp Jones.

Preserving Family Treasures

Your family heritage and personal collections are precious to you and to future generations and it’s important to preserve these mementos in the best way possible.

The most important thing you can do to safe guard your treasures is to store them in a stable, cool, and dry environment. Overly dry conditions cause leather to crack and damp conditions cause mold. Try not to place any family treasures in direct sunlight as it can cause fading. Good housekeeping is also important. You should dust objects and keep storage areas clean. This will help prevent insect infestations.

The following are some tips for handling your treasures.

Books

· Shelve upright supported by book ends if needed.

· Store large volumes flat.

Paper

· Store paper items flat, rather than folding and unfolding.

· Paper materials may be store in acid-free file folders.

Photographs

· House photos in protective enclosures to keep out gritty dirt and dust which can scratch images.

· Store all prints and negatives in acid-free boxes. If possible, keep negative separate from print materials.

· Avoid albums constructed of highly colored pages. Never use commercially available “magnetic” or “no stick” albums. These materials will deteriorate quickly over time and could damage photographs.

Proper care, handling and storage of your treasures will help to ensure that they are available for generations to come.

For more information on “Preparing, Protecting, and Preserving” your family treasures visit the following website: http://www.loc.gov/preservation/family/

Happy Valentines Day!

On February 14, Americans celebrate love and friendship by exchanging cards, flowers, and candy. Although the origins of Valentine's Day are murky, ancient Romans celebrated the feast of Lupercalia, a spring festival, on the fifteenth of February. Like so many holidays, a Christian gloss was added to the pagan fete when the holiday moved to the fourteenth of February—the saint day associated with several early Christian martyrs named Valentine.

The romance we associate with Valentine's Day may spring from the medieval belief that birds select their mates on February 14. During the Middle Ages, lovers recited verse or prose to one another in honor of the day.

Handmade valentines, probably the first greeting cards, appeared in the sixteenth century. Mass production of cards began as early as 1800. Initially hand-tinted by factory workers, by the early twentieth century even fancy lace and ribbon-strewn cards were created by machine.

I folded a little missive
And called it a Valentine
And sent it a-way with its hidden freight
From this fluttering heart of mine

Seasons Greetings from the Archives!

As an archivist I get to hold history in my hands. I'm primarily responsible for maintaining and preserving records of individuals, groups and institutions. I think the most appealing aspect of the profession is the ability to safeguard that which has survived throughout the generations. As an archivist, I help ensure that history lives and thrives!

As the year winds to a close, I'm grateful for the history of this past year and look forward to the New Year with great anticipation.

Special Collections and University Archives are taking a break and we will be closed beginning December 19th through December 2nd. I will be checking my email so if you need to get in touch with me....leave a message on my answering machine or email me.

435-586-7945
mitchell_p@suu.edu

Have a wonderful and safe Holiday Season!

Utah Archives Month

Archives: The Records of Our Lives.

1. What are archives?

Archives are the non-current records of individuals, groups, institutions, and governments that contain information of enduring value. Archival records are the products of everyday life. Formats represented in the modern archival repository include photographs, films, video and sound recordings, as well as the more traditional unpublished letters, diaries, and other manuscripts.

2. Who uses archival records?

Researchers use them both for their administrative value and for purposes other than those for which they were created. For example, Native Americans may use archival records to establish legal claims to land and privileges guaranteed by federal and state governments; medical researchers utilize records to study patterns of diseases; authors use archives to acquire a feel for the people and times about which they are writing; historians and genealogists rely on archival sources to analyze past events to reconstruct family histories; and businesses use the records to improve their public relations and to promote new products. In short, archives benefit nearly everyone, even those who have never directly used them.

3. What does an archivist do?

The primary task of the archivist is to establish and maintain control, both physically and intellectual, over records of enduring value. Archivists select records, a process that requires an understanding of the historical context in which the records were created, the uses for which they were intended, and their relationships to other sources. The archivist then arranges and describes the records, in accordance with accepted standards and practices; ensures the long-term preservation of collections; assists researchers; and plans and directs exhibitions, publications, and other outreach progams to broaden the use of collections.

Homecoming: A 50 year flashback!

This year's Homecoming celebration is creating a lot of interest and is being described as 'the most ambitious ever'. We thought this would be a good time to look back to what Homecoming was like 50 years ago.

Schedule of activities:
Oct. 2 - Robert Wagner Chorale Concert
Oct. 3 - Queens Assembly, 11:00 am
Open House - Manzanita Court; Science Building, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Oct. 4 - Thunderbird Review (new emblem was released) and crowning of Queen
Oct. 6 - Alumni banquet and Variety Show
Oct. 7 - Parade at 10:00 am; Football CSU vs Ricks at 2:00 pm; Homecoming Ball at 9:00 pm

50 years ago students at CSU attended classes in a new Science building. Students this fall are attending classes in a new Science building.

Sometimes the more things change...the more they stay the same.

Make sure you attend the exciting events planned for this year's Homecoming including rooting for SUU as we face Texas-San Antonio!

First Day of School - 1897

Chapel Exercises

The first day of school for the newly formed Branch Normal School located in Cedar City, Utah was September 21, 1897. Faculty that first year included:

Milton Bennion, Principal - Pedagogy and History
George W. Decker, Librarian - Mathematics and Natural Science
Howard R. Driggs, Secretary and Registrar - English Language and Literature
Annie E. Spencer, Assistant Librarian - Locution and Physical Culture

Chapel Exercises were held at the beginning of each school day. Attendance was optional, but all students were cordially invited to be present regularly.