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Tag: Archives Research Center

Cosmopolitan Club Postcards

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Written by Breana McCracken

The Cosmopolitan Club was founded in 1907, making it the oldest international student organization on the University of Illinois campus. The purpose of the club was to cultivate social and Cosmopolitan Club post cardintellectual relationships between persons of different nationalities though a variety of activities and services. These activities included ethnic dinners, international coffee hours, parties, and various outings to cultural and social events and local attractions. The Cosmopolitan Club, or “Cosmo” Club for short, wished to offer opportunities for Americans and those from other countries to share experiences and exchange ideas. In addition to the programs, the Cosmo Club house on John Street served as a “home away from home” for several members and as a meeting place close to campus.

Recently, the Student Life and Culture (SLC) Archives acquired more materials related to the Cosmopolitan Club. These items included brochures, international dinner menus, club calendars, newsletters, and various items related to social activities and administrative proceedings of the club. All of the newest material was donated by Susan Taylor, faculty advisor of the Cosmopolitan Club and Assistant Professor of English as an International Language from 1964 to 1999.

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The Robert R. Hudelson Papers

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Robert in his football uniform as an undergraduate student.
Robert in his football uniform as an undergraduate student.

Written by Breana McCracken

The Student Life and Culture (SLC) Archives recently received the papers and photographs of Robert R. Hudelson (RS 41/20/255), a University of Illinois student and former Dean of the College of Agriculture. Robert Hudelson was born in 1886 in Chambersburg, Illinois to Henry and Katherine Brook Hudelson. He first attended Illinois State University at Normal, Illinois where he received  a bachelor’s degree in agriculture in 1908. From 1909 to 1912, he attended the University of Illinois where he received a bachelor’s degree in agronomy. He then went on to earn a master’s degree  in chemistry  and soils from the University of Missouri in 1915.

After this time, Robert became a soldier during World War I, where he kept a diary documenting the daily life of a soldier. The SLC Archives has been lucky enough to have received this diary. In addition, SLC has also acquired a few other journals of Robert’s and several scrapbooks of his family and from his time as a student.

Continue reading “The Robert R. Hudelson Papers” →

The James Watson Snively Papers

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A photo of the Snively family, sent to James while he was a POW.
A photo of the Snively family, sent to James while he was a POW.

Written by Caitlin Stamm

The Student Life and Culture Archives recently processed the papers of James Watson Snively (RS 26/20/198), a University of Illinois student who served during World War II. James Watson Snively was born in 1924 in Rockford, Illinois. His parents, John Rowe Snively, Jr. (Phi Alpha Delta, Pre-Law 1921, Law 1923) and Mabel Ruth (née Holland) Snively (LAS 1924), both attended the University of Illinois.[1]  In addition, SLC has also acquired John R. Snively’s scrapbook from his time as a U of I student(41/20/246).

James “Jimmie” Snively attended West High School in Rockford and entered the University of Illinois in 1942, where he was a member of the University R.O.T.C.’s Pershing Rifles. [2]. This new collection contains the letters that Mr. and Mrs. Snively wrote to Jimmie while he lived in Urbana-Champaign, as well as the letters he wrote back to his parents, describing his life as a student.  Continue reading “The James Watson Snively Papers” →

An Archival Prairie

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On July 20, 2014, Mary Lucille Hays wrote an article about the Archives Research Center and the beautiful evolving natural prairie just outside our front door in the News-Gazette!

“Letters from Birdland: Abuzz with Life” details her experiences as an instructor who regularly visits the Student Life & Culture Archives with her students.

I like the idea of a Prairie Archive in front of the Student Life Archives building, to archive the original plants that evolved here, in this soil, alongside our native animals and insects. The Prairie Restoration Project at Florida and Orchard is a physical reminder of our very roots in this land.

To read the entire article, visit either the News-Gazette article or Mary Hays’ personal re-posting on her blog.