Archives and Special Collections – Page 10 – Special Collections & The Gallery

New Finding Aids: Spring 2014

The Archives and Special Collections Center continues to work hard to bring more of our resources to the community. A number of new finding aids have been published recently, thanks in large part to the efforts of our students, volunteers, and staff behind the scenes.

A number of Seton Hall collections have been presented with new finding aids, which will allow students, administration, and scholars to find more on the history of how this institution has developed over the years. Highlights include the Office of the President & Chancellor of Seton Hall University: Thomas G. Fahy records, 1970-1976, SHU 0003.015, which include records from Msgr. Thomas Fahy’s time as University President, during which he oversaw significant physical growth as well as progress in equal access to education for minorities, improved governance, and student affairs. Also new this year are finding aids for the WSOU records, 1948-1986, SHU 0041; Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center of Seton Hall University records, 1995-2002 (bulk 1997-1998), SHU 0038; and Stillman School of Business records, 1977-2006 (bulk 1980-1989), SHU 0015.

The Archdiocese of Newark collections have also been augmented with a new group of finding aids for the papers of priests and bishops, and the records of constituent groups and offices within the Archdiocese. Among these, the Jerome A. Pechillo papers, 1927-1991 (bulk 1951-1990), ADN 0003.009; Charles P. Granstrand papers, 1963-1967, ADN 0004.032; George A. Clyde papers, 1955-2001, ADN 0004.022; and Men’s religious orders of the Archdiocese of Newark records, 1842-2011 (bulk 1940-1999), ADN 0011 document the experiences of priests, bishops, and religious men in the Archdiocese, while the Franklin Lakes Farms of the Archdiocese of Newark records, 1944-1961, ADN 0022; Bishop’s Relief Fund of the Archdiocese of Newark records, 1944-1966, ADN 0009; and Archdiocese of Newark Expansion Project records, 1960-1963, ADN 0021, among others, document the growth and outreach efforts of the Archdiocese over the years.

A collection that belongs to both Seton Hall and Archdiocese history is the Immaculate Conception Seminary records, 1868-2008, SHU 0023, a partially processed and partially described collection; the finding aid for this collection, although incomplete, is also now available for researchers to use.

The major Manuscript collection to receive a finding aid and a digital collection this year was the Seton family photograph album, 1867, Mss 0074, which has received special attention in this blog and elsewhere; also presented this year was the Richard Markey collection of building dedication programs, 1980-2006, Mss 0057.

These and many other collections are available to researchers, and processing work continues to make yet more collections accessible. Stay tuned for more information and resources!

Better Living Through Chemistry & Setonia – An Exhibit Honoring the 50th Anniversary of the First Ph.D. Program on Campus

The history of Chemistry at Seton Hall had its start as a study option from the beginning days of its move to South Orange as part of the early “Mathematical Course” during the mid-nineteenth century. From here, Chemistry became a very popular attraction from which pupils found a means of scientific expression that would expand greatly after World War II on both the undergraduate and graduate level prior to the introduction of doctoral level offerings by the mid-1960s. This discipline has subsequently grown and endured as an important major choice of many students into the present day. With this in mind, a celebration of Chemistry and its place on campus is presently on display at the Monsignor William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections Center.

This exhibit will provide a brief textual and visual overview showcasing the evolution of how the wonder of Chemistry has made its impact on the life of students, faculty, and the world at large. Included are various early nineteenth century written works and mid-twentieth century primers from our Rare Book and Setonia Text Book Collections that celebrate the development of Chemistry experimentation and have practical applications to pioneering practitioners in the field.

On a more local level, viewers will find lecture notes taken by Seton Hall student Alden A. Freeman during the 1879-80 term, information about pioneering faculty members, and photographic examples that show the evolution of lab space and structures over the years from Alumni Hall to the present day McNulty Science complex. Of particular note is the dissertation and a biographical sketch acknowledging the contributions of our first Ph.D. recipient Dr. William N. Knopka during the mid-1960s. Additional textual examples from the University Archives and tools of the trade on loan through the courtesy of Mr. David Edwards from the Science Department show further details regarding the curriculum, public programming, and student life associated with the Chemistry Department over its last five decades of educational outreach to the scientific community.

Hopefully your reaction will be a positively charged one while taking in the historical relevance of how Chemistry and Seton Hall evolved successfully over time.

The Archives presents the Seton family photograph album

Last year, the Archives and Special Collections Center acquired materials of special importance to the Seton Hall community: the Seton family photograph album and two books belonging to the Seton family.

Image 42 from the Seton family photo album, depicting the Setons at their home: William Seton Sr., Elizabeth, Thomas Jevons, William Jr., Alfred Booth, Isabel, and Lydia Butler, mss0074_042_01_adjusted_cropped

Elizabeth Ann Seton, the first American born saint, founded the first congregation of sisters in the United States, the Sisters of Charity; opened the first free Catholic school in the U.S., St. Joseph’s Academy; and is the namesake of Seton Hall University. Before converting to Catholicism in 1805 and founding an order of sisters, she was married to William Seton and had five children, all of whom were educated in Catholic schools.

William Seton II (later called William Seton Sr.) was Elizabeth’s oldest son, born in 1796, and after completing his education he joined the United States Navy, rising to the rank of Lieutenant. He married Emily Prime in 1832 and the couple had seven children of their own before Emily died in 1854. William made a home in New York, in what is now the Bronx, called Cragdon. This estate had a large home, barns, and extensive grounds; it overlooked the village of East Chester and offered beautiful views of the surrounding area.

The Seton family photograph album was made in 1867. The photographer(s) is unknown, but the first page of the album is inscribed to William Seton from Thomas Jevons (who later married William’s daughter Isabel) and Alfred Booth. Jevons and Booth were British businessmen, and it isn’t clear how they came to be acquainted with the Setons, but the album was apparently a gift from the two, featuring photographs of the Setons’ home and surrounds.

The 51 photographs in the album include hand-written descriptions of each image and may have been written by one of William Seton’s children, as he is referred to as Father in at least one image. Many of the images are of the Cragdon house and the areas nearby, including trees, a brook, meadows, ledges, caves, and the nearby East Chester village. A number of the images also include members of the family, usually identified in the caption, and friends and family, as well as clearly beloved pet dogs, also usually named. Winter, spring, and summer are represented in the images, as are activities appropriate to each, including sledding (called “coasting”) and a fishing party.

Image 42 from the Seton family photo album, depicting the Setons at their home, original scan, mss0074_042_01

Although the original cover of the album is missing, the photographs are in good condition and only a little faded, with almost no silvering (a phenomenon of many old photographs in which dark areas turn silver due to chemical changes over time). These lovely images are quite striking now, as they show an area that would today bear little resemblance to the past captured here. For those interested in Mother Seton’s family and the history of Catholics in America in the 19th century, these images depict a genteel family and their home. For those interested in other historical figures, the images include Army officers of the Civil War and active businessmen of New York and England, as well as the costumes of men and women of the upper-middle and serving classes in 1867. For those interested in nature, the images show trees, flowers, and scenery long vanished from where they stood when these pictures were taken, although the current Seton Park in the Bronx may include areas depicted here.

This album is available for research in the Archives and Special Collections Center; view the finding aid for the Seton family album, 1867, Mss 0074. Only one photograph from the album has been digitized at this time but it is hoped that more will follow. Also acquired with the album were two books belonging to William Seton, the Odyssey of Homer and Select Pieces on Religious Subjects by Effingham Warner, both of which are due to be cataloged and made available to researchers. Other resources related to Mother Seton and the Seton family can be found in the A&SCC: Collection on Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton, 1840-2006, Mss 0006 and Seton Jevons family papers, 1780s-1930, Mss 0005.

The Donald M. Payne papers come to Seton Hall

The Archives and Special Collections Center at Seton Hall University is pleased to announce the acquisition of the Donald M. Payne papers, a new manuscript collection of congressional papers from the late Donald M. Payne, a member of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey’s 10th district from 1989-2012.

Donald Payne was born and raised in Newark, N.J., and graduated from Seton Hall University in 1957. He became the first African American Congressman from New Jersey when he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1988, and served ten consecutive terms. During his time in Congress, Representative Payne served on the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Committee on Education and the Workforce. Mr. Payne died in 2012 and was succeeded in Congress by his son, Donald Payne, Jr.

The Donald Payne papers document Representative Payne’s time as a congressional representative, including legislative documentation, research files, newsclippings, photographs, and audio-video recordings. About 43 linear feet of materials have been accessioned by the A&SCC, and the materials will soon be processed and made available to researchers. The A&SCC and University Libraries are very excited to have acquired this important collection of political papers and look forward to connecting this material to users. Stay tuned for more information!

Second Vatican Council Event Thursday, November 21 in the Chancellor’s Suite

General Congregation entrance pass for Msgr. Oesterreicher, signed by Bishop Pericle Felici — Entrance passes: General Congregation (18 – 28 November 1963) entrance pass for Msgr. Oesterreicher, signed by Bishop Pericle Felici, mss0053_b53_15_01

50 years after the Second Vatican Council, scholars, clergy, and Catholics all over the world are still considering the impact of one of the major Church events of the last century. For those with an interest in religious studies or Church history, this is an important time of discussion, analysis, sharing, and review.

The Department of Catholic Studies has put together the event “Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Second Vatican Council: Celebrating the Decree on Ecumenism,” taking place tomorrow, November 21 2013. This afternoon event will feature speakers and a panel discussion on Unitatis redintegratio, the Council’s document on ecumenism. The full program linked above lists the speakers, topics, and timeline, and the main portion of the event will take place from 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m in the Chancellor’s Suite.

The Archives and Special Collections Center is participating in this special event with a display of collection materials related to the Council. Including materials from the John M. Oesterreicher papers, the George Shea papers, the Martin W. Stanton papers, the Walter W. Curtis papers, and the Mrs. Frank Whitrock scrapbooks, this selection highlights the involvement of some of those from the Archdiocese of Newark who participated in the Council, as well as how those at home saw it unfold. This display shows photographs, Council documents, writings, pamphlets, newsclippings, and invitations from these five collections and is just a small sample of related materials held at the A&SCC. More information can be found in the flyer put together by the Department of Catholic Studies. For more information on research materials related to the Second Vatican Council held by the A&SCC, consult our LibGuide page on Vatican 2 collections.

The A&SCC wishes to thank Dr. Ines Murzako and the entire Department of Catholic Studies as well as Dr. John Buschman, Dean of University Libraries, for inclusion in this event.

New Judaeo-Christian Studies Digital Collection

Msgr. Oesterreicher, Rabbi Finkel, and Fr. Frizzell of the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies, from the John M. Oesterreicher papers, Mss 0053 (mss0053_s43_04)

The Archives and Special Collections Center has a strong relationship with the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies here at Seton Hall University. Five manuscript collections here at the A&SCC came to us through the Institute, and are rich resources for the study of Judaeo-Christian relations. The Edward H. Flannery papers, 1965-1996, Mss 0012, the Nancy Forsberg papers, 1913-2011, Mss 0022, the John M. Oesterreicher papers, 1920-2000, Mss 0053, the Rose Thering papers, 1944-2005, Mss 0016, and the Michael Wyschogrod papers, 1941-2002, Mss 0013 are important collections documenting the efforts of individuals striving to increase understanding among all people, especially Christians and Jews.

Now these five collections have a new digital resource, the Judaeo-Christian Studies Collections. Portions of each collection are being digitized and made available through this digital collection, and include manuscripts, photographs, pamphlets, correspondence, newsclippings, and other materials. We think this collection will prove to be an invaluable resources for scholars in Judaeo-Christian Studies or in any aspect of religious studies, and will continue to add to the collection. Bridgette, a graduate student in the Judaeo-Christian Studies department, has put a great deal of work into processing these collections, digitizing selected items, and making them available online. Thanks to Bridgette, and to Fr. Frizzell of the Institute for Judaeo-Christian Studies, these materials are now widely available to interested researchers. Check out the collection, and subscribe to the updates to see newly digitized items as they are uploaded!

Leonard Dreyfuss and New Jersey Civil Defense Display in the Archives

Currently on display in the Archives and Special Collections Reading Room are items from the Leonard Dreyfuss papers, 1786-1972 (bulk 1931-1972), Mss 0001.

Leonard Dreyfuss materials on display in the Archives Reading Room

Leonard Dreyfuss was a resident of Newark and the city’s Outstanding Citizen of the Year in 1942. A businessman in advertising, Dreyfuss was also very active in war efforts on the home front during World War 2, and continued his civil defense involvement after the war.

The United States Civil Defense was a non-military organization created to prepare and educate Americans on potential military attacks. Their purpose was to create and inform civilians of evacuation plans, fallout shelters and routes, survival skills, and alerts. Local chapters of Civil Defense created newsletters, passed out pamphlets, and held demonstrations and test alerts so citizens would be prepared. Leonard Dreyfuss was heavily involved with the organization’s activities in New Jersey, particularly in Newark, and served on the Governor’s Civil Defense Advisory Committee during the 1950s.

Items on display include materials related to Civil Defense activities in New Jersey, including photographs and newsclippings, and items published or distributed by Civil Defense, including pamphlets, armbands, and a poster. These items demonstrate the kind of organized efforts made by local citizens to prepare for conflict. During the Second World War, Americans were concerned with supporting the war effort and about the possibility of the conflict suddenly coming to American soil; after the war, nuclear war and weapons of mass destruction became a major concern for most Americans. The materials on display reveal one aspect of how local people tried to address those concerns and prepare for the worst.

Leonard Dreyfuss and group next to Civil Defense Rescue Service truck, from the Leonard Dreyfuss papers, Mss 0001

How do you see these activities and materials from the 1940s-1960s, and how does that compare to similar concerns today? How do you think people deal with fear of conflict at home, and do you think it has changed over time? View the materials on display and get a historical perspective!

These items will be on display through November, 2013. Special thanks go to Lucia Alvarez, intern at the Archives and Special Collections Center, for putting much of this display together.

Opening up the Reading Room

The Reading Room of the Archives and Special Collections Center has undergone a minor facelift! With a brand-new conference table in the Mr. and Mrs. George L. Steciuk Conference Room, and shifting and re-appropriating of furniture in the William T. and Marie J. Henderson Special Collections Reading Room, we have opened up the space to give researchers (and staff) a little more room.

Use of the Reading Room is a very important part of conducting research in any archives or special collections. Because our materials are often old, fragile, and sensitive to light damage or other causes of deterioration, and because all of our materials are meant to be kept safe for use by researchers 50 or even 100 years from now (or more!), the use of archival and special collections materials must be carefully monitored and controlled. So a Reading Room provides a space for researchers to access materials in a controlled environment that also allows them to make use of library resources often necessary as supplementary research items. We provide wireless and desktop access to all library resources as well as many vital reference books, volumes, yearbooks, and microfilm. With our new desk set-up, we can accommodate more researchers in the Reading Room while providing better security for our materials. Our new conference table will more comfortably accommodate classes that visit the Archives or groups who make use of the conference room. The new arrangement also frees more of our beautiful glass walls and makes the space feel more open.

There is still some re-decorating to do, to showcase some of our framed pictures and items, but the Reading Room is ready for our fall visitors and researchers. Come by the Archives to see some of our early yearbooks, to conduct original research on the Archdiocese of Newark or Seton Hall University, or check out the rotating displays in our exhibit cabinets. You’re always welcome!

Ace Alagna photographic collection: Online Finding Aid

Mss 0018: Ace Alagna with camera. 00182583

The Ace Alagna photographic collection, 1944-1998, Mss 0018, is a unique, rich resource depicting the history of Newark, the Italian American community in and around Newark, New Jersey politics, people, places, and events in beautiful black and white. This collection, which has more than 2,000 images already available online through the Ace Alagna photographs digital collection, has about 40,000 items including photographic negatives, prints, videos, and layout sheets from the Italian Tribune newspaper. Now, a finding aid describing the almost 30,000 negatives in the collection has been completed and is available online.

Ace Alagna was a photographer from Newark who worked in the White House Press Corps before buying the Italian Tribune newspaper. He edited the newspaper for almost 30 years, during which time he and the Italian Tribune were the organizers and main sponsors of the Newark Columbus Day parade. The annual parade usually had a celebrity grand marshal, often someone of Italian heritage, who would be present for the parade and attendant celebrations. Ace Alagna knew a wide a range of people in New Jersey, and traveled around the country and around the world.

Mss 0018: Ace Alagna and Frank Sinatra at Tribune Award in Atlantic City. mss0018_E0388_011

The Ace Alagna photographic collection, 1944-1998, Mss 0018, includes images of notable politicians, actors, athletes, musicians, and writers such as John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard Nixon, N.J. Governors Richard Hughes and Brendan Byrne, Congressman Peter Rodino, Danny Aiello, Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Phil Brito, Joe DiMaggio, Joe Piscopo, Tony Curtis, Bob Hope, and Tony LoBianco, among many others. The collection includes numerous pictures of Newark and the Columbus Day parade from the 1970s-1990s, and a large number of pictures of N.J. politicians in the state senate and assembly.

Many of the images in the collection have been scanned, and so far a small percentage of those scans are available online. There are also unprocessed portions of the collection that have not yet been described in the finding aid, particularly black and white and color prints of many of the negatives, videos related to the Columbus Day parade, and some materials that appear to be layouts for images to appear in the Italian Tribune. Materials that are not available online are available for research, with the assistance of Archives staff, at the Archives and Special Collections Center. Additional scans will be made available online in the future, as time permits, and unprocessed materials will be added to the finding aid as they are processed. Keep an eye out for more images and materials, and meanwhile, take a close look through this rich window into Newark’s history and culture!

Online exhibit from the Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA)

The Archives and Special Collections Center at Seton Hall University is proud to be a part of the new web exhibit Treasures from the Catholic Research Resources Alliance (CRRA): Women Religious. This exhibit, conceived of by SHU Librarian Marta Deyrup, highlights archival and special collections materials related to women’s religious orders held by a variety of institutions, both by members of the CRRA and non-members. Thirteen institutions contributed images on a variety of topics and in a variety of formats, making for a diverse and fascinating exhibit.

Each contributing institution gave information about the collection from which they included images. Some collections focus on a particular school, highlighting the academic and service contributions of the sisters and educators, while other collections focus on a particular order, documenting the missionary, nursing, or other work performed by the sisters of that order. Some collections belonged to an individual, highlighting the range of activities of one remarkable woman. All of the materials provide insight into the depth and breadth of women religious, and the many accomplishments or contributions they have made to their orders, schools, families, and communities.

The exhibit can be browsed or searched in several ways. Images can be viewed by contributing institution, geographic region, time period, format, or subject, or browsed through from the home page. There is also a search box available. Each image allows commenting, and viewers are invited to comment, or to share information about additional resources not included in the exhibit. Information about several institutions not included in the exhibit is provided on the Additional Resources page, but the exhibit creators would welcome further suggestions. Information about the exhibit and links to the CRRA and the home institutions are also provided. The exhibit will be live through the end of October 2013, and will be available online after that, but comments and questions will no longer be answered.

Marta Deyrup of Seton Hall Libraries was the main motivator behind this exhibit, and Tracy Jackson (that’s me!) of Seton Hall Archives helped deal with the images, as did Tom McGee (who created the site) and Mike Soupios of Seton Hall’s Teaching Learning and Technology Center (TLTC). Jennifer Younger and Pat Lawton of the CRRA were very helpful and supportive as well, as were all of the institutions who contributed, and the hardworking archivists, librarians, and special collections folks at each who selected and scanned the images, wrote the description, and sent them along.

Check out the exhibit, and then explore the related resources via the CRRA’s Catholic Portal!