Library News & Events

Happy Friday, Oilers! We're all fairly used to construction and repairs on Campus, but I bet you've never seen some early mock-ups for buildings on campus! These had-painted mock-ups would have worked as proof of concept for investors, alumni, and students to see and give feedback on. 

The University archive houses quite a few of these and other architectural design plans for buildings that both kept their initial designs and ended up on campus today as we know them or had designs that were drastically changed before they ended up being constructed. 

Can you identify which buildings these became and what year they may have been painted? Do they differ from what we see on campus today?

This is our final Flashback Friday of the 2023-2024 academic year! Do you remember doing summer reading in middle school? Don't worry, we aren't assigning any summer reading. However, we'd like you to check out these archived rubber stamps that were once used at Shafer Library. Before computers printed labels to keep track of our print materials, librarians used ink stamps to mark ownership of books. Each stamp represented a different department of the library (Archives, Curriculum Materials Center, and Shafer Library), and were used on print materials. We don't know how long ago these stamps were made, but were used before Findlay College became the University of Findlay (before 1989). These stamps show how the library organized materials to meet the needs of courses, faculty, and staff.

We hope you all enjoyed our Flashback Friday posts this year, and have a wonderful summer!

Shafer Library Rubber Stamps (pre-1989)

Underside of Stamps

As commencement approaches for our graduating seniors, this week's Flashback Friday commemorates the Class of 1894. The University of Findlay (then Findlay College) started out as a small institution with very few students. The Class of 1894 (photograph below) was only 8 students, and graduated from Findlay College 130 years ago. Could you imagine being in a class size that small? UF has certainly grown since then, with over 4,000 total students enrolled at the university.

Tune in on May 3rd for our final Flashback Friday of the 2023-2024 academic year!

Official Photograph, Class of 1894

Happy Friday, Oilers! This week, let's go back 20 years and recognize our student athletes. Specifically, we'd like to showcase our women's volleyball and basketball teams from 2004. Photos like this would typically be featured in the yearbook, but the university ceased yearbook publications in 1997. How do the uniforms compare to the ones you see on our athletic teams today?

If you know the names of any of those pictured, we would love to know! Please email the library at library@findlay.edu.

UF Women's Volleyball Team (2004)

Women's Basketball Team (2004)

Do you remember shopping for school supplies in elementary school, and the long list of items you needed for your classes? A ruler is a common item on school supply lists, and UF has their very own! Check out the photos below of an official University of Findlay ruler. It is a foot long and only measures in inches. The phone number featured on the item is still the official phone number for the Office of Admissions, so this means the ruler was likely made in the past 20 years. We don't know the origins of this item, but we can guess that it was either sold at the campus bookstore, or was given to prospective students during recruiting events. Would you include this bright orange ruler in your school supplies?

University of Findlay Ruler (n.d.)

Back of Ruler

International Night 2024 is approaching, and the University Archives has a fair share of photographs from the popular event! International Night is an annual event held on UF's campus, and it is a celebration of cultures with food, dancing, and cultural performances. It is typically held during the spring semester in March or April. There is no date associated with these photographs of International Night, but we can guess that they were taken at International Night in the 1990s or early 2000s. This event has been held in several venues across campus over the years, and this one was specifically held in the Koehler Center (on the large track). It provided a large enough space for tables and booths, activities for attendees, and cultural performances. Shafer Library is excited that International Night will be held again this semester!

If you know any information about these photographs or the dates they were taken, please let us know at library@findlay.edu.

International Night Event Banner (n.d.)

Korea Table (n.d.)

Nepal Table (n.d.)

Germany Table (n.d.)

On January 1st, 2024, the Disney film Steamboat Willie entered the public domain. While other versions of Mickey Mouse are still protected under copyright law, Disney characters remain a popular costume choice for children and adults! Check out the homecoming photo below featuring Findlay College students and their Disney-themed attire. We are unsure of the date, but the outfits provide some context. The Disney characters featured are Dumbo, Jiminy Cricket and Pinnochio, Dopey from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and Mickey Mouse. Their outfits also represent Delta Zeta, a sorority on campus at the time. How do these compare to the Disney costumes of today?

If you have any additional information about this photograph, please share it with us! Send us an email at library@findlay.edu.

Disney Homecoming Photograph, Delta Zeta (n.d.)

With Valentine's Day right around the corner, we wanted to share a sentimental artifact this week! If you're feeling homesick, did you think about cooking up a recipe from home? In similar fashion, the photos below feature a UF cookbook titled "Home Sweet Home: The University of Findlay Faculty, Staff, & Student Recipes From Home." Compiled in 2002 at the 10th Chairman's Barbecue, it is a compilation of recipes contributed by UF faculty, staff, and students. Each page is filled with recipes from different households, providing a taste of "home." It contains a variety of dishes, including entrees, soups, side dishes, breads, and even desserts!

Want to try a recipe?

If you are up to the challenge of making one of these dishes, please share it with us on Instagram (@ufindlayshaferlibrary) or email us a photo at library@findlay.edu. If you are interested in visiting the University Archives to see more UF cookbooks, email brigitte.galauner@findlay.edu to set up an appointment. We look forward to seeing your dishes!

"Home Sweet Home" Cookbook (May 2, 2002)

Table of Contents

"Desserts" Starting Page

"Breads" Starting Page

"Soups" Starting Page

Happy Friday, Oilers! This week's Flashback Friday features a 100 year old snapshot of Guyer Library. Before the construction of Shafer Library, Findlay College's library was located in Old Main. It was located under an archway dedicated by the class of 1923. The photos below highlight its popularity over the years until its relocation to Shafer Library in the late 1960s. Since then, Shafer Library has expanded to offer thousands of materials and resources to support student learning (which we hope you use!). Check out the photos below to see more!

Guyer Library, Old Main (1924)

This photo was taken in 1924, making it 100 years old this year. It features a plaque at the top of the archway, which was a gift by the class of 1923. Can you believe that this is where it all started?

Guyer Library Reading Room (1967)

The reading room was where students accessed library materials and studied in the 1960s. In the first photo, there are three students wearing similar hats. Could this be related to freshman orientation?

Welcome back, Oilers! As you settle back into your dorms this semester, we have a housing-themed Flashback Friday for you! Did you know that Findlay College once had a trailer park on campus? In the 1940s, an area of campus was utilized for married student housing. The college received 20 federally-supplied trailers and were placed northeast of Bare Hall (near the old athletic field). The area was named "Trailer City" and the college allowed residents to use campus facilities. Each furnished trailer contained a stove, refrigerator, and heater and the rent was $26.00 per month (including water and utilities). Check out the photos below to see what the neighborhood looked like in 1948. Would you live in "Trailer City?"

Trailer City (1948)

Trailer City with Residents (1948)

You've made it to the end of the semester, Oilers! What are your plans for winter break? In the spirit of the holidays, we would like to share one more Flashback Friday with you. Check out this photograph below of a group of Findlay College faculty from the 1950s. While we are unsure of the exact date and time, we know that these men were called the "Faculty Quartet" and were singing for the Christmas banquet held on campus. What songs do you think they were singing? Would you like to see this quartet make a comeback on campus?

Happy holidays to everyone, and we hope you all have a wonderful winter break!

If you know the names of any of the individuals pictured, we'd love to know! Please email us at library@findlay.edu.

Faculty Quartet Singing at Christmas Banquet (mid-1950s)

Hello, Oilers! Today officially marks the 100th anniversary of the Griffith Memorial Arch! Dedicated on November 28, 1923, the Arch continues to be a longstanding landmark and tradition on UF's campus. We are proud to see it hit this great milestone! If you haven't already, check out our virtual display on the Griffith Memorial Arch below. You may also stop by Shafer Library to see some of the artifacts in person!

Click HERE to view the virtual display.

This week's Flashback Friday is a celebration of anniversaries! This November marks 100 years of the Griffith Memorial Arch (1923) and 50 years of the campus radio station, WLFC 88.3 (1973). We have prepared a physical display in the library lobby, but you can check out the virtual version by clicking here. It is astounding that our campus has achieved these milestones, and we hope to reach many more!

Happy (almost) Halloween, Oilers! We wanted to share another cool item from the University Archives this week that ties to the theme of fall. Check out the photo below from 1977, which features Findlay College students bobbing for apples. We aren't sure what kind of conversation they were having at the time, but they certainly won't be talking while getting those apples!

How good are you at bobbing for apples, or have you ever tried? Let us know by commenting below or emailing us at library@findlay.edu. We hope you all have a great weekend!

Congratulations on making it to another Friday, Oilers! Did you know that our UF mascot took on different names before "Derrick the Oiler?" Before Findlay College's athletic teams adopted the name "Oilers" in 1937, they were commonly called "The Orange" or "Kisselmen" (The Argus, 1993). This is likely where UF's colors (orange and black) originated. Check out the photos below to see our previous mascots and what they looked like. You may be surprised to see how it has changed!

Oiler Man (1984)

Findlay College had a very basic mascot in the 1980s. It mostly required a volunteer or student to wear an "Oiler Man" t-shirt and a head costume. Oiler Man was commonly spotted at campus events, such as pep rallies and homecoming festivities.

Ollie the Oiler (1991)

Ollie the Oiler joins in on campus festivities in the gymnasium. What do you think of the costume head?

Original Drawing of New Mascot (2000)

In fall 2000, UF held a "Design the Mascot" contest where students submitted creative designs to become the new mascot. The winner was Sarah King (class of 2002) with the iconic drawing above. It became UF's official mascot in 2001 as "Derrick the Oiler," named after an oil derrick.

Derrick the Oiler (2016)

Since 2001, Derrick the Oiler has been involved in several events on campus including homecoming, athletic events, and more! To learn more about the history of UF's mascot, click here.

You can also follow the official UF mascot Instagram by clicking here.

This week's Flashback Friday features some cool video footage of Findlay College in the 1960s! While there is no audio, we believe it provides a good sense of what campus was like during that time. It features the greenery on campus (flowers), the dedication of Morey Hall, and commencement in 1961. To watch the video, click here.

We've also included a historic cover page of The Lampost, one of Findlay College's student newspapers from the time period. This issue is particularly special because it documents the opening of the Alumni Memorial Student Union in January 1961. Check out the article below and let us know what you think!

Need to catch up on some sleep this week? Look no further than this week's Flashback Friday! Today's featured artifact from the University Archives is a University of Findlay branded pillowcase. We do not have much information on this piece, but we know that it was made between 1989 and 2015. The logo on the pillow is one of UF's older graphics, which was used between 1989 and 2016. The university began using its current logo in 2016, which was unveiled in this video (click HERE).

The pillow is made of 50% cotton and 50% polyester and was manufactured by Image Boxers in Bloomington, Indiana. The company is known for making promotional and branded apparel, bags, and other items. It is likely that this specific pillowcase was available for purchase at the university bookstore in the 1990s-2000s. We have never seen another one like it, so we believe it is a hard-to-find item!

What other UF merchandise would you like to see featured on our blog? Let us know by emailing library@findlay.edu or mention it to our library staff during your next visit!

University of Findlay Pillowcase (1989-2015)

This photo features the front portion of the pillowcase. The back is blank, so this side is meant to be visible.

UF Pillowcase Logo

Closeup of the pillowcase graphic (UF logo).

UF Pillowcase Tagline

This is the tagline placed on the edge of the pillowcase, where the seam is open for switching out pillows.

We hope you are having a good week, Oilers! We'd like to end this week with another Flashback Friday. If you have ever participated in a school sport (middle school, high school, or college), you may remember your parents or guardians participating in a "booster club" or similar group that helped support your team. Booster clubs typically provide fundraising efforts and other support to academic sports teams. UF athletics offered the same opportunity to parents of student athletes with the Findlay College Oilers Club. The organization has at least existed since 1988 (the year before Findlay College became the University of Findlay) but the exact year of the organization's founding is unknown. What we know, however, is that the Oilers Club provided many benefits to members. One of these benefits was receiving branded merchandise to show Oiler pride. The photo below is of an Oilers Club drink coaster that members may have received. The coaster was given to club members before the name change in 1989, which can be determined by the inscription "Findlay College." The weight of this item makes it a high quality piece of merchandise, so it has remained in good condition!

If you are interested in learning more about the Oilers Club or would like to join, click here to visit the Oilers Club page on the UF athletics website.

Findlay College Oilers Club Coaster

The coaster features the name "Findlay College" indicating that it was made before the college's name change in 1989. The Oilers logo has not changed much since then!

Happy first week of classes, Oilers! Today is our first Flashback Friday for the 2023 fall semester. Check out this "Academic Excellence Day" program below from November 7, 2001. Academic Excellence Day was an annual event held during the fall semester. It gave students the opportunity to showcase the projects and concepts they had been learning in their courses. It is very similar to the Symposium for Scholarship & Creativity that is currently held every April on campus. The event was held all day, and all of campus was encouraged to attend. There were many panels and presentations to choose from, and you can view part of the event's schedule below!

With this in mind, we hope that you will also achieve "academic excellence" in your courses this semester!

"Academic Excellence Day" Program Cover (November 7, 2001)

You may notice that the University of Findlay Arch is featured on the cover of this program. You can't have a piece of UF memorabilia without the Arch!

"Academic Excellence Day" Schedule Summary

Summary of the event schedule in 2001.

Event Schedule Page

This is the first page of the Academic Excellence Day schedule.

With commencement right around the corner, check out this diploma from 1959! It is one of the few diplomas that the University Archives has preserved, and we'd like to showcase it in honor of the class of 2023. You may notice that it is very similar to today's diplomas with few changes. UF's diplomas now display "University of Findlay" instead of "Findlay College," but they have same color scheme (black and orange). We hope this creates some excitement for commencement this year!

Findlay College Diploma Cover

This cover was used to store the diploma in 1959. The inscription reads "Findlay College Class of 1959" and "Frank P. Corso," which is the graduate's name.

Findlay College Diploma (Class of 1959)

A Bachelor of Science degree was granted to Frank Corso on June 7, 1959. It contains the signatures of Ollie J. Wilson (university president), secretary and president of the board of trustees, and the college dean. This item was donated to the University Archives by Frank Corso's family.

Spring is in the air, and the campus grounds are green again! While we may take our beautiful campus for granted, there was one year where the campus did not become as green as it should have.

In May 2014, the University of Findlay had to replace about 75% of its campus grass due to a fertilizer mishap.  A private company accidentally applied weed killer to the grounds, destroying the grass in the process. As many as 54 acres of grass had been killed, and repairs were very expensive. Check out the photo below of some newspaper articles that covered the story. After being picked up by television stations, the story even went national!

This story reminds us that we should never take our environment for granted, and that it should always be appreciated!

Newspaper Articles (May 16-17, 2014)

These newspaper articles come from The Republic (Columbus, Indiana) and The Courier (Findlay). Both articles highlight the significance of the campus grass, and how hard the university works to maintain a healthy landscape.

This week's Flashback Friday is a sequel to one of our previous posts! If you remember our Flashback Friday from October 21st, 2022 (click HERE to view it), we had shared photos of vinyl records that contain music from the Findlay College band and choir. We have found the original audio from these records, and we would like to share it with you! Click on the links below to listen to these unique compositions.

Campus Music from the Findlay College Band and Choir (1961)

PART 1

PART 2

We will share the audio from the second record, "The Findlay College A Capella Choir" at a later date. Stay tuned!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! We hope that today will be a fun day for everyone. We have a cool Flashback Friday item to share with you this week that aligns well with the holiday.

We do not know too much about this deck of playing cards (photos below), but they are preserved in the University Archives as an artifact from UF's 1999 spirit week. Sponsored by the Campus Program Board, the cards were likely handed out to students during homecoming as a way to get them involved in campus events. Based off the tops of the cards, it appears that the theme of spirit week in 1999 was "good luck." The deck is still sealed, so they have never been played with! If there is further interest in these cards, we can open them and share more photos!

Check out the photos below to see for yourself, and let us know if you want to see more of these cool cards!

"Get Lucky" Playing Cards (Spirit Week 1999)

Back of Bottom Card

Side of Card Box

As winter continues this month, it's important to stay warm on those cold days! While blankets can help with the cold, Shafer Library has one blanket that serves a better purpose...preserving our history!

The photo below is of a large blanket featuring the 2009-2010 University of Findlay Dance Team. It is a team photo that shows their uniform as well as the names of team members. The team consisted of 10 to 20 dancers, who were selected at annual tryouts during the fall semester. They provided entertainment and school spirit at basketball games and other indoor athletic events. Judging by their shoes (jazz shoes) the team may have also performed at football games and other outdoor events. They also participated in outreach events in the community, such as fundraisers and sports camps (see their Facebook page here for more information). Based on their social media presence and information available online, the dance and cheerleading teams appear to have merged at one point to become a comprehensive cheerleading & dance squad. This likely occurred sometime between 2013 and 2015, be we have no definitive date for this event.

If you want to see the UF dance team in action, click here to watch a short video of one of their 2016 performances!

University of Findlay Dance Team Blanket (2009-2010)

Team members (left to right): Dana, Danielle, Kylee, Brittany, Katie, Lauren, Kim, Chelsea, Brailley, Traci, Kelly, Meghan, Danie, Bridget, and Victoria

Welcome back, Oilers! We would like to begin our first Flashback Friday of 2023 with something we recently discovered in the University Archives. The photos below feature a bobblehead of previous head basketball coach, Ron Niekamp. He was the head men's basketball coach for the Oilers for 26 years (Buck, 2011) and he led the men's basketball team to over 500 wins! This bobblehead was meant to commemorate and honor Mr. Niekamp's success. While we cannot identify the origin of this bobblehead, we suspect that the bobbleheads were given out at a special event game or athletics ceremony.

Ron Niekamp was inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. Click here to learn more about the induction and his time at UF!

Bobblehead Box (Front)

The front of the box features a real photo of Coach Niekamp taken at a basketball game. Compare this to the photo of the bobblehead below!

Ron Niekamp Bobblehead

After comparing bobblehead and the real photo, do you think the bobblehead looks like the real Coach Niekamp?

Bobblehead Box (Back)

The back of the bobblehead box lists the honors and accomplishments of Coach Niekamp during his time as the head basketball coach. It is quite a long list!

References

Buck, D. (2011). Findlay’s Niekamp retires after successful 26-year run. https://www.gliac.org/sports/mbkb/2010-11/news/Niekamp_Retirement_11

Ron Niekamp: 2013 : Inductees : Hall of Fame : Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. (2013). Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame. https://ohiobasketballhalloffame.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/2013/ron-niekamp.html

As the library prepares for the holiday season, we were thinking about holiday cookies and cookie decorating! It turns out that the University of Findlay participated in their own version of cookie decorating in 2010, as part of their homecoming festivities.

Little information from the time period documents this event, but we can guess that the "Create-A-Cookie Contest" was held on UF's campus, where participants would compete against each other to bake and decorate the best cookie. There was likely a panel of judges that determined the winner, which consisted of faculty and/or staff. It makes us wonder what criteria they used to judge each cookie: presentation, appearance, taste, texture, or all of the above? The winner(s) received this trophy, which is now held in the University Archives.

That is the funny thing about archives...there are some materials that you just don't know much about! There are times where you have to guess based on the facts and information that are available. This trophy is a perfect example of this due to the lack of information available, even after conducting extensive research!

We hope that you enjoyed this week's Flashback Friday! Maybe you'll get a chance to bake and decorate your own holiday cookies this weekend.

"Create-A-Cookie Contest" Trophy (2010)

This trophy was awarded to the winner of the "Create-A-Cookie Contest" event from homecoming in 2010. It is the trophy for the "Singles Division," so it is likely that other awards were given for other divisions.

Everyone knows of the mysterious secret agent "James Bond" who goes by the code number , but did you know that James Bond set foot on UF's campus?

Unfortunately, this is a different Bond from the one you know in the films! In February 1970, Dr. James Bond (head of student affairs at Bowling Green State University) visited Findlay College to speak to the Board of Trustees. He gave a speech that highlighted the importance of adapting to change in the world of higher education. Even though this speech was given over 50 years ago, it is still applicable today. Higher education has always had to adapt to change so that students are prepared upon graduation. Check out the photos below to read a brief article from The Obelisk (Findlay College's student newspaper before The Pulse) about Dr. Bond's visit to campus.

You can also click here for a short article about Dr. Bond from BGSU's newspaper, The B-G News from November 14, 1967. The first 007 films were also released in the 1960s, so it is ironic that Dr. Bond and agent 007 share the same name!

Article, "J. Bond Visits Campus" The Obelisk (February 13, 1970)

"J. Bond Visits Campus" Page 2

Everyone has heard of the "Cola wars" between Coca-Cola and Pepsi, but many have not heard about UF athletics getting featured on a Coca-Cola can!

Through the University's contract with Coca-Cola in Fall 1999, they began a promotion to honor Dick Strahm, the Oilers' retired football coach. The promotion consisted of commemorative Coca-Cola cans with the UF logo and information about Dick Strahm's legacy. There were only about 5,000 cases of these cans ever made, so they were very much a "limited edition" item for the time! The cans were first sold at UF home games, then sold at grocery stores in the area. Check out the photos below to see what the cans looked like!

Coca-Cola UF Commemorative Can (1999)

The front of the can features UF football players along with the tagline "Always a Champion" which is a reference to coach Strahm's many accomplishments. The backside of the can highlights his accomplishments as the Oilers' football coach. How does this compare to the Coca-Cola cans you might have at home?

The Pulse vol. 14 no. 4 (September 23, 1999)

UF's student newspaper (The Pulse) wrote an article about the promotional Coca-Cola cans on September 23, 1999. The article was titled "Strahm honored with commemorative Coca-Cola cans."

Due to Halloween, this week's #FlashbackFriday is considered a bonus! Are you dressing up for any Halloween events this year? Even when it wasn't Halloween, students at Findlay College had a habit of dressing up for other occasions (and not in ways you'd expect!).

The two photos below are of campus groups: one from the 1920s, and the other from a similar time period but unspecified. The group members are dressed in clothing that would be considered "unique" for attending class. The meaning behind the outfits is unknown in both photos, but it demonstrates how students were not afraid to wear costumes! It is possible that the students were dressed for a special event, party, or yearbook photo.

These outfits are certainly different from the typical "1920s" costumes you see on Halloween! Maybe the next time you plan to dress up like the 1920s, use these photos as a reference!

Postcard, Findlay College (1920s)

This photograph is on a postcard that could be sent as regular mail. The costumes resemble clown/circus outfits from the 1920s and 1930s (click here and fast forward to 4:20 to see a sample for reference).

Photograph on Findlay College Campus (circa 1920s-1930s)

This photo features costumes resembling Greek and Roman fashion. It is possible that these students were part of a literary society on campus.

We are highlighting the musical side of campus in this week's Flashback Friday! Most music history related to the University of Findlay dates back to the 1940s, when John Van Nice became a new member of the faculty in 1947. He directed the Findlay College Choir (now the Concert-Chorale) and wrote the university's alma mater hymn. The choir music was recorded on vinyl so that they may by heard by students, faculty, staff, and members of the community. For those unfamiliar with vinyl records, they require a special player to play and contain music on both sides (meaning you need to flip the record over to hear the second half of the track). Check out some of the photos below to see what was recorded! The records include songs that are still performed by our campus music groups today.

CLICK HERE to listen to a recent rendition of UF's fight song, performed by the marching band.

Click here for official lyrics for the fight song and alma mater.

Record Cover, Campus Music by the Findlay College Band and Choir (1961)

The record cover features Old Main on the front and the song listings on the back. It includes information about the music composers: John Van Nice (Findlay Alma Mater Hymn) and Louis Chenette (Fight, Findlay Oilers). Louis Chenette was the director of the college band and an expert on band organization and administration. The track list includes the following songs:

Side One

1. "The Creation" by Willy Richter
2. "Sing and Rejoice" by Will James
3. "Beside Thy Cradle Here I Stand" by J. S. Bach-O.C.C.
4. "The Lord's Prayer" by Leroy Robertson
5. "Kum Ba Yah" (Come By Here) by Harm. Bliss Wiant
6. "Nola" by Felix Arndt and Clay Warnick
7. "Findlay Alma Mater Hymn" by John R. Van Nice

Side Two

1. "Brass Aflame" by John Cacavas
2. "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring" by Johann Sebastian Bach (transcribed by Erik Leidzen)
3. "Kiddie Ballet" by Ralph Hermann
4. "Festival Music" by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov
5. "Fight, Findlay Oilers" by Louis Chenette

Vinyl Record, Campus Music by the Findlay College Band and Choir

Vinyl record from Campus Music by the Findlay College Band and Choir.

Record Cover, The Findlay College A Cappella Choir (1970)

This record contains music from the 1970 Findlay College a cappella choir. It is still sealed in the wrapping, so it has never been opened! The track list includes the following:

Side One

1. "Night Divine" by Arcadelt
2. "O Magnum Mysterium" by Victoria-Grayson
3. "There Shall a Star Come" by Mendelssohn
4. "The White Dove" by Arr. Brahms
5. "Christmas Day (Fantasy)" by Holst

Side Two

1. "Hodie Christus Natus Est" by Willan
2. "O Bone Jesu" by Palestrina-Grayson
3. "The Lord is Risen Today" by Billings-Clokey
4. "Babylon is Fallen" by Arr. Malin
5. "Swing Low" Arr. R. Wagner
6. "Amen" by Arr. Hairston
7. "Cotton Fields" by Ledbetter-Wheeler
8. "Sophomoric Philosophy" by Dvorak

We hope you have your "sea legs" for this week's Flashback Friday! While searching for "buried treasure" in the depths of the University Archives, we found a scaled replica of Henry Hudson's ship De Halve Maen (Dutch for The Half Moon). The ship replica was built to scale by Harry Clifford Fox, president of Findlay College from 1947 to 1959. The exact purpose of building this replica is unknown. However, other replicas of the ship have been built for display at various museums and events (one in 1909, and one in 1989). Some replicas have perished since their construction, so having a replica built by one of our own is quite a treasure! Who knows what other treasures might be lurking in the University Archives?

If you're interested in learning more about Henry Hudson and The Half Moon, click here to visit the 2003 issue of Wise Guide. Wise Guide is a web magazine by the Library of Congress that highlights fascinating facts from history.

The Half Moon Ship Replica

This is a scaled replica of The Half Moon, a ship used for Henry Hudson's expeditions in the early 17th century.

Replica Signage

The signage gives credit to the replica's creator, Harry Clifford Fox. If you're interested in learning more about President Fox, click here.

In celebration of homecoming weekend, we want to share that our homecoming exhibit is now live! During our operating hours, stop by Shafer Library to view our new display located in the main lobby. Can't make it in person? You can check out our virtual display page here. It has everything from our physical exhibit, with photographs included! The virtual display is available 24/7 from our University Archives page.

This year's theme celebrates the institution's 140 years, as well as the 50th anniversary of the class of 1972. It features artifacts that date back to the founding of Findlay College (1882) and highlights the university's rich history. Some of the items are one of a kind, so they are only put on display during certain times of the year. We hope that you can take the time to see us this week!

We hope that the title of this week's Flashback Friday got your attention! While many may be familiar with the animated superhero series The Powerpuff Girls that aired on Cartoon Network in the 1990s and early 2000s, the 1960s had "Powerpuff Girls" of their own! The photos below feature a 1966 issue of The Blade and contains an ad from Lion Store, a department store chain in Toledo, Ohio. The ad highlights the latest women's fashion at the time, which were brightly colored dresses with white heels. Each woman in the ad models one of the store's dresses, each in a different color and style. Betty ("Blossom") wears pink, Alice ("Bubbles") wears blue, and Cathy ("Buttercup") models the color green.

The University Archives has preserved this issue of The Blade because it features a Findlay College graduate on the cover. It is likely that the Lion Store advertisement was strategically placed in this issue because women may be looking to purchase a new outfit for their upcoming commencement ceremony. With these new dresses from the Lion Store, do you think these women could "save the world before bedtime" just like the Powerpuff Girls? Make the decision for yourself by checking out the issue below!

If you are interested in learning more about Lion Store, click here to visit The Department Store Museum's web page on the store.

Cover Page, The Blade (June 5, 1966)

The cover of this issue of The Blade features Jeanne Helfrick, a senior education major. According to the excerpt from the issue, she planned to become a fifth grade teacher at a school in Findlay. The photo was taken by Tom O'Reilly (photographer of The Blade) on the college campus.

Lion Store Advertisement

This is the Lion Store advertisement featuring three brightly colored dresses for women. The women's names are Alice, Betty, and Cathy. We have included a photo of the Powerpuff Girls for reference! From left to right: Bubbles (blue), Blossom (pink), Buttercup (green). The women are even standing in the same order as the characters!

"Cap and Gown Time" (Page 12)

This page of the issue explained the meaning behind different graduation attire. It focuses on local universities and their graduation gowns, including Findlay College, Bowling Green State University, and Defiance College.

Welcome to our first installment of a new biweekly blog series, "Flashback Friday," where we bring the University Archives to you! Every other week, we will highlight a cool artifact from the University Archives and write about it here. We hope that you will join us to learn more about the college's rich history!

In memory of Dr. Richard C. Kern, professor emeritus of the University of Findlay, we would like to showcase one of his works that documents the history of the institution. He was the author of Findlay College: The First Hundred Years among other publications. Published in 1984, the book contains a detailed history of Findlay College, from its founding in 1882 until its centennial in 1982. For those looking for primary and secondary source material on the college's history, this is a great book to check out. The University Archives aims to preserve the history of the institution, and this book is a wonderful compilation of the college's first 100 years. Check out the photos below for more details!

If you are interested in more information on Dr. Kern's book, or if you would like to borrow a copy, you can view it in our catalog here. For more information on Dr. Richard Kern, visit his official memorial page here.

Book Cover of Findlay College: The First Hundred Years

The front cover of Dr. Kern's book features architect M. Rumbaugh's drawing of Findlay College from 1882. Rumbaugh's plans were approved by the Board of Trustees in 1882, and construction was completed in 1886.

Inside Cover (Autographed Page)

This copy of the book is signed by the author, Dr. Richard C. Kern. The inscription reads: "Regards, Dick Kern" April 6, 1984.

Table of Contents

The table of contents provide an overview of what the book covers. It contains a timeline of the college's history, plus lists of significant faculty and staff members.

Dr. Richard C. Kern Display, University Archives

Materials related to Dr. Kern are stored on the second floor of Shafer Library, and are placed on a display within the archives.