Archives & Special Collections
Shippensburg University Archives Record Group 4
President of the College
4. 14 Dr. Gilmore B. Seavers, 1970-1980
Subgroup: Assistant to the President
Sub-subgroup: Shippensburg State College Centennial Committee
Introduction
The records of the Shippensburg State College Centennial Committee described in this inventory cover the years 1970-1971 and total 3 cubic feet. They are part of Record Group 4, President of the College, in the University Archives.
The Centennial Committee records were transferred to the Archives when Donald Ernakovich retired. They are now open for research without restrictions under the conditions of the Archives’ access policy.
History of the Collection
Shippensburg University was founded in 1871 as the CumberlandValley StateNormal School. In 1970 Donald Ernakovich, Assistant to President Gilmore Seavers, was appointed Executive Director of the Centennial Committee by the president. The committee was charged with planning the Centennial celebration.
Scope and Content of the Records
The records of the Centennial Committee cover the years 1970-1971. The records are arranged in series by type of file (minutes, memoranda) or subject (special events). The file order established by the office has been followed to an extent. However, file names were too general and duplicates of documents were located in several different files. Also, files unrelated to the Centennial were found in the boxes, and these have been removed for arrangement elsewhere.
Most of the materials are textual files. The files include memos and correspondence and press releases as well as published programs and brochures. Also included are memorabilia, such as commemorative plates and a medallion; flags and banners; newspapers and clippings; and audiotapes and a vinyl recording.
The material as a whole contains important information that can be very useful for research on the history of the university. It
includes the text of speeches by personages such as Morris Abram, President of Brandeis University during a time of student activism. Astronaut Charles Conrad autographed a program. A congratulatory letter signed by Richard Nixon is in the collection. Brochures and announcements document the appearance of luminaries such as Isaac Asimov, George McGovern, and Antal Dorati conducting the National Symphony Orchestra at special events that should not be forgotten.
Series Description
Committees
This series contains documentation of the activities of the Steering Committee and the other committees formed to plan and carry out the Centennial Celebration.
Material included:
- Committee members’ names
- Meeting announcements and agendas
- Memos and correspondence
- Calendars
- Finances
The folders are arranged starting with the steering committee and general information and continuing alphabetically with each sub-committee committee as follows:
- Academic Department Activities:
This folder contains additional information about events that have individual folders. This is because Centennial Series events were
closely tied to academic departments. For example, information about the Centennial Concert Series is connected to the Music Department, and so documents about events are found in the Centennial Concert Series folder under Special Events as well as here.
This folder also documents events not covered elsewhere. One important event is the lecture by Ralph Nader on April 2, 1971.
He appeared as part of the Pennsylvania Business Education Association (PBEA) Conference.
- Alumni Affairs:
- Included here is information on the Centennial Record, "The Sounds of 100"
- Archives and Exhibits
- Community Events
- Cultural and Academic Events
- Fundraising and Finance
- Publicity, Publications, and Communications
- Included here is information on the flag and banner; the publication of John Hubley’s history of the college, Hilltop Heritage: Shippensburg State’s First Hundred Years; and the Centennial Medallions.
- Student Activities
- Special Events
The committees planned a series of special events beginning in Fall, 1970 and concluding in Spring, 1971. The folders were arranged by discrete events and also by series, such as the Centennial Lecture Series. There were some events for which there were no individual folders; rather, any documentation was included in the sub-committee files. An attempt has been made to preserve the original order while also cross-referencing material in committee folders, events folders and Centennial Series folders.
- Convocation - September 22, 1970
- Speaker:Morris Abram, Former President of Brandeis University
- Charter Day - May 22, 1971
- Jane L. Fecker Memorial Garden
- Jesse S. Heiges Distinguished Alumnus Award Presentation
- Levi Gilbert
- Ralph E. Heiges
- W. Eugene Foor
- Cornerstone Dedication
- Speaker:Hiram Ball, Grand Master, Masons
- Contents placed in Cornerstone
- Charter Day Convocation
- Speaker:John C. Pittenger (for Gov. Milton Shapp)
- Centennial Concert Series
This series includes a calendar of events and programs for college music organizations:Cumbelaires, Chamber Orchestra, Concert Choir, College-Community Orchestra, and Concert Band. It also includes documentation of the planning for the concert by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Antal Dorati on April 6, 1971. This was also the occasion of the dedication of the ConvocationCenter in Heiges Field House.
Centennial Conference Series
There were several conferences scheduled between November 1970 and May 1971. Some conferences were annual conference, which were dubbed "Centennial Conferences" since they occurred during the Centennial year; for example, the Sixth Annual Conference of SSC for Secondary and Elementary Teachers of Mathematics. Documentation for these conferences is in the Academic Department Activities folder. >
The only one for which an individual folder exists is the Centennial Conference on Human Ecology:Problems of Overpopulation (also referred to as the Centennial Conference on the Environment), June 14, 15, and 16, 1971. Senator Robert Packwood was the keynote speaker. Additional information on this conference and other conferences not documented in separate folders is in the Academic
Department Activities folder.
There is a folder for the appearance of Jeane Dixon, astrologer, on August 25, 1971, but it was decided that this would not be considered part of the Centennial Conference Series.
Centennial Departmental Lecture Series
Library - October 29,1970
Howell Heaney, Bibliographer, Rare Books Dept. , Free Library of Philadelphia
Library - February 3, 1971
William Hunter, Chief Historian, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC)
English - April 23, 1971
W. D. Snodgrass, poet
Centennial Drama Series
Featured performances by the Masquers and the SSC Music Theatre
Centennial Lecture Series
Atkinson Colloquium - November 3, 1970
Speaker:James McClellan, Prof. of Educational Philosophy, TempleUniversity
Wright Award - November 12, 1970
Speaker:Lawrence Lafore, Prof. of History, University of Iowa
Fogelsanger Distinguished Visitor Award - Originally scheduled March 4, 1971, Rescheduled April 15, 1971 due to snow storm
Speaker:Charles "Pete" Conrad, Astronaut
This event included a display of a scale model of the Apollo Command Module and the Lunar Module, as well as an Apollo space suit and lunar samples ("moon rocks").
Centennial Lyceum Series
There is very little documentation on these events in the file. Some is in the Academic Department Series or the Academic and Cultural Events folders. This list is from the Centennial Calendar.
Riverside Singers - October 3, 1970
"To Be Young, Gifted, and Black" - October 15, 1970
Afro-American Dance Ensemble - December 10, 1970
Senator George McGovern - January 14, 1971
Allard String Quartet - January 21, 1971
"Toward the Year 2000", Multi-media Art Production - February 11, 1971
Gymkana Troupe - March 12, 1971. Also listed as a Departmental Activity
NOTE:The official dedication of the Heiges Field House was May 7, 1971. Even though it was used throughout the Centennial year. Documentation about the dedication was removed sometime in the past and consolidated with other materials about building dedications. It is now in RG1. 1. 27.
Centennial Year Science and Mathematics Symposium - March 25-26, 1971
Isaac Asimov appeared as part of the Lyceum Series.
The Franklin ScienceCenter was dedicated.
Erik Hawkins Dance Group - April 26, 1971
Commencements, 1970-1971
Programs, Commencement Committee memos and correspondence, seating plans
4. Press releases
5. Reports
Board of Trustees Report, April 16, 1970
Centennial Progress Report:"A Continuing commitment to Quality Education, 1871-1971", by Donald Ernakovich, May 19, 1970
"The Centennial Celebration in Retrospect" by Donald Ernakovich
6. Photographs
President Gilmore Seavers
Norman C. Kegerreis, President of the Shippensburg Coin Club
Dale Starry, member of the Shippensburg Coin Club
Donald Ernakovich
Frank E. Masland
Apollo Space Suit
Apollo Command Module
7. Memorabilia
The Centennial Medallion
Centennial Stickers
Flag
Framed letter signed by Richard Nixon
Framed letter signed by Governor Raymond Shafer
8. Audiotapes and records
Stored with other audiotapes -
Audiotapes used in preparation of the LP recording, The Sounds of 100
The LP itself
Container List
Centennial Calendar
Centennial Committee Membership
Centennial Committee Ideas
Centennial Committee Ideas
Centennial Committee Agendas
Centennial Committee Meeting Notices
Centennial Committee Miscellaneous
Centennial Committee on Academic Department Activities
Centennial Committee on Alumni Affairs - Centennial Record
Centennial Committee on Alumni Meeting
Centennial Homecoming
Centennial Committee on Archives and Exhibits
Centennial Committee on Community Events
Centennial Committee on Cultural and Academic Events
Centennial Committee on Fund Raising and Finance
Centennial Fund Raising Campaign
Centennial Year - Departmental Allocations
Centennial Committee Expenses
Centennial Committee on Publicity, Publications, and Communications
Felicitations
Flag and Banner
Hubley Publication
Medallion
Resolutions
Centennial Committee on Student Activities
Centennial Convocation
Centennial Ball
Centennial Charter Day Program
Centennial Cornerstone Program
Centennial Concert Series
National Symphony Orchestra
Centennial Environmental Conference
Centennial - Jeane Dixon
Centennial Department Lecture Series
Centennial Drama Series
Centennial Lecture Series
Centennial Lyceum Series
Dedication of the Franklin Science Center
Centennial Commencements
Press Releases
Reports
Photographs
Memorabilia