University Artifacts at Special Collections and Archives Open House

Olivia DrakeApril 13, 20114min
Suzy Taraba, university archivist and head of Special Collections and Archives, helps Jessie Steele, library assistant, use an 1890s stereocard viewer during the Special Collections and Archives open house April 1. The stereocard viewer and stereocards were a gift of Marvin Housworth ’60, and featured images of campus.

Taraba speaks to Seth Redfield, assistant professor of astronomy, about a silver Wesleyan Communion service set, which was purchased in 1922 for $465.39. R. Frederick Rust donated the funds in honor of his father, Richard Hubbard Rust, Class of 1865, who died in 1917.
Kathleen Cataldi, access services coordinator, learns about the Wesleyan Centennial Plates, crafted in 1931. The plates cost $12 for a 12-piece set and came in blue, mulberry and green. The plates featured South College, North College, Memorial Chapel, Fisk Hall, Van Vleck Observatory, Fayerweather Gymnasium, Scott Laboratory of Physics, Clark Hall, Olin Library, Hall Laboratory of Chemistry, Shanklin Laboratory of Biology and Harriman Dormitory.
Taraba speaks to Scott Carlton ’11 about a proposed Mystical 7 model, featured at the open house. “We ended up with a really good turnout for the April Fool’s Day open house – 42 people in all,” Taraba says. “We had a nice mix – library staff, faculty (both current and emeritus), students, alumni and Friends of the Library.”