2004

A Storehouse for EC's Memorabilia

tially destroyed by fire in the 1960s, these smoke-stained photographs were salvaged. The pictures are today filed in boxes as part of the col– lege's history in pho– tographs. Books, film, and video tapes will also form a part of the historical collections to be housed in the archives. During the administration of Dr. Eddie M. Smith, the prac– tice was begun of taping interviews with citizens, for– mer students, and former faculty of the college. These taped interviews include dis– cussions with Mrs. Frances Smith, ,a member of the first graduating class with an in terview with Miss Ethel Burton, the college's first librarian who lived to be 103 years old. Faculty-authored books such as a freshman composi– tion text written by Mr. Leon Eubanks and a speech text written by H. Keith Slothauer form part of a col– lection of old textbooks owned by the college library. If any former student, faculty member, or friend of the college wishes to con– tribute to the establishment and furnishing of this memo– rabilia room, tax-deductible contributions can bt rna e to the East Central Comrnunit\ College Foundation Photographs, books, lette;" and objects related to the his-

A conference room in the East Central Community College L1brar)

credit will transfer to any four-year college or universi- ty.

Bookca!'es are planned for two.' walls. These glass– fronted cases will be used to store a complete collection of the WO-HE-LO, the colleg~ yearbook. Bound cupies of the TOM-TOM, thl• college newspaper, will also be c;helvcd 1\erc along with col– lege catalogues f1 om 1934 to the present, and coptes of the college alumni r.1 aztne THE WARRIOR. This collec– tion \'

Among the more interesting objects in East Central's collec– tion of memora– bilia is a hat worn by Mrs. Ste l la Newsome, one of the college's first two teach– ers, \-\ hile she was a student at Mississippi State College for Women. After

recently became avail– able for other uses. Gloria Johnson and Gail Wood, the East Central librarians, decided the room would make an ideal place to store and exhibit items related to the colleges 75 year history. Knowing that Lucille Wood had spent 50 years on the campus, including her student days and the 48 years she has spent

by Ovid VIckers

as a member of the faculty, the librarians !'Olicited Wood's help in establishing a memorabilia room in the library. These three ladies met with Or. Phil Sutphin to seek the President's 1ppn' al for their project. Sutphin was enthusiastic clboUt the project and assured them of his full cooperation while at the same time explaining that the memorabilia room would have to be a project of the Alumni Association due to the fact that all Mississippi s(hools are operating at pre– sent on very tight budgets. ~' ~ ... that the project has been apprO\·ed, students, faculty and alumni, ns well as friends of the college, Me asking just exactly what will the room house and how will it be furnished. According to prec;ent plane;, the room will be furnished with comfort– able chairs and tables for re ding and glass di::.play bmets to displa) such otr..octc: as the first P' cl used Board of Trustees

her Mrs. '\Jewsome received an hon– orary Doctor of Letters from t rskin College in south Carolina for her contribu– tions to the teaching of the Humanities. The doctoral hood presented to her at this ceremony was given to the college by her granddaugh– ter Marion Frances of Jackson. The first college year– book was made by hand and mcludes pictures of the freshman and sophomore classe::. of 1929-30. This year– book was hand written and all the pictures were made with a hand held Kodak. This is a very valuable book beCause it reflects the activi– ties participated in by the students and the fashions that were in vogue for col– lege c;tudents at the time. For many years, East Central staged a May Day program, complete with var– ious kinds of entertainment, .1 Mny pole and a May Queen complete with her court. Picture::. of the ~1av Queen wer" taken 'lnd hung ' m the student "~~: . \'\ ~1en e tudent center was par- retirement,

tory of th~ college are cili being sought b} tre rolle!:e : 'OCR..!.I librarians.

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This room proiiU5 be an important 'hcn'case~. for the historv of a _ ~ that has served East Centr

--------- ~fisstssippi and its rn~ su- JG:: ~ ---- ---– porting counties far mo.~ than -s years.