Papers of the Valdosta State University Alumni Association, 1917-2001 | Valdosta State University Archives

By Deborah Davis, Elizabeth Barwick

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Collection Overview

Title: Papers of the Valdosta State University Alumni Association, 1917-2001

Predominant Dates:1924-1932, 1960's -1970's

ID: UA/24/

Extent: 20.0 Boxes

Arrangement:

Boxes 1-5 contain Correspondence and Minutes dating back to 1918. Both "official" correspondence from the Association officers, and chatty "catch-up with friends" letters from Alumni are included. Edith Patterson, the first long term President of the Alumni Association, served from 1924 to 1932. Her correspondence from 1922 to 1932 (she died in 1933), found in Boxes 3 and 4, include especially vivid letters from the early Alumnae. Included here are speeches, and a History paper by Joseph Kelly on Edith Patterson and the early Alumni Association. See also the Archives Web Page for "Past Pictures: The Edith Patterson Years, 1924-1932." The minutes are found in Box 2 and Box 5.

Boxes 6-10 contain organizational information, outlining the history, concerns, membership and financial records of the Association. Here are found items from plays, membership lists, ledgers, the constitution, special topics and articles. Of particular note are the poems, speeches and essays by Alumni found in this section.

Boxes 11-16 contain the Printed or Published Material from the Alumni Association. The early newsletters varied so much in format and title, that they are listed by year as Printed Material.

Boxes 17 and 18 contain photographic plates and woodcuts used in early Alumni Association publications as well as Alumni Memoirs. The memoirs include publications, pictures, letters, slides, and a box of pictures of Alumni's children.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The SGSNC Alumnae Association began in May of 1918, although some publications put it in 1917. It has continued on to the present day, as the VSU Alumni Association. The VSU Alumni Association collection contains materials from 1918 to the present. The purpose of the association is to keep the school's Alumni involved personally and financially with the college. Thus, the bulk of the collection is correspondence and published newsletters. The early Alumni performed other functions, such as recruiting for the school and funding scholarships.

The correspondence, the bulk of which is from 1924-1932, with years up to 1960 well represented, documents a personal attachment between the alumni and the school and between the alumni and their friends who serve as officers. Many of the presidents of the Alumni Association, such as Edith Patterson, and Mildred Price, were also employees of the college, so they regularly passed on appeals and messages from the President in their letters. Later, an Alumni Council, composed of VSC Faculty served as this link in the 1960's and 1970's. Fluker Stewart was the first Alumni Director and served out of the office of College Relations. The Office of Alumni Relations was formed to assist the Alumni Association in the early 1980's, and many of the current publications of the Alumni Association are now assisted or handled by this Office.

The Publications include early Alumni newsletters, which changed format quite often, and so are listed Alumni Publication, by year. The most frequent title was Alumni News. Later publications are listed by title: Valdosta State College Alumni News 1961-1962; Valdosta State College Newsletter: 1965-1966; Alumni Newsletter Valdosta State College 1966-1974; Alumni Association Newsletter and Alumni Football Newsletter--1981; Valdosta State College Bulletin, 1975-present.

The Association raised and dispersed money for scholarships and alumni entertainment and the records of these transactions, especially in the 1950's and 1960's are included in the Collection. Membership and record keeping were other important functions of the Association, and many folders exist of Membership Lists. In fact, in the 1930's a WPA project traced all graduates of the college to generate a complete alumni list. The WPA project papers are included.

Alumni Memoirs donated to the Archives over the years make up one box, and include slides, publications and photographs; a whole box of photographs capture the children of alumni. The many personal letters in the Correspondence also tell biographical information about the alumni. Two boxes of the collection contain letters to Edith Patterson, from 1922 to 1932, and give rich details of the lives of early alumni.

Official letterhead, invitations and programs, along with the woodcuts and photographic plates used in early printing of alumni publications are included in the Collection.

Box and Folder Listing

Box 28: Miscellaneous, 1960-1996

This box contains a little bit of everything, and focuses on the 1960s and 1970s. Pictures, memos, and promotional material are just a few of the topics covered in this box.

Folder 1: Alumni Association Newsletters, 1967-1977: This folder contains the newsletters sent out to alumni for the years 1967-1977. Topics include homecoming for the various years, growth and donations.
Folder 2: Alumni: Fraternities and Sororities, 1979?: This folder contains memos to fraternity and sorority presidents concerning the homecoming challenge to have as many alumni present as possible. Also contains the small mailer memos to members on the same subject.
Folder 3: Alumni Memos, 1980s: The folder contains memos and public service announcements for upcoming Alumni Association get togethers in various cities.
Folder 4: Art Department Handouts, 1995: The folder contains a single poster sent out by the art department advertising upcoming shows.
Folder 5: Homecoming Photos, 1971: This folder contians photographs taken during 1971's homecoming. Some pictures are marked for croping and sizing for alumni newsletters, or writing on the back. PIctures taken by Bookmand Studios.
Folder 6: Homecoming Photos, 1972: This folder contains pictures taken during homecoming 1972. Some are marked for cropping, sizing or have writing on the back. Pictures taken by Bookman Studios.
Folder 7: Jacksonville, FL VSU Alumni Reception, 1985: This folder contains photos taken during the 1985 Jacksonville Alumni Reception. It also contains the negatives of the pictures.
Folder 8: Miscellaneous: This folder contains several items: A letter from President Martin to a prominent student, A baby announcement from the student, meeting minutes from staff meetings and a list of students who played during one man's coaching career.
Folder 9: Newsletter Pictures and Bios, 1970s: This folder contains pictures taken for the alumni newsletter. Some pictures are marked for cropping and sizing. Some are attached to short biographies or have other information written on the back.
Folder 10: Physics Newsletter, May 1970: This folder contians two items, both labeled Physics newsletter. Attached to the letters are short letters written by the dean of the Physics department, one is dated May 5, 1970. Both of the newsletters concern the graduates of the physics department and what they are doing "now."
Folder 11: Press Releases, 1970s: This folder contains originals and copies of official press releases and stories written about VSC, or the Alumni Association and related happenings.
Folder 12: Publications: This folder contains various publications. Two are identical and come from Georgia State. One is a Valdosta local newsletter that features VSC. Also contains one copy of the Spectator.
Folder 13: Trail Blazer: This folder contains several copies of TrailBlazer, and one Blazer Report. Both are VSU circulars that discuss the school and what is happening in and around campus.
Folder 14: Undated Photographs: This folder contains a few undated photographs. There are also four proof sheets included with markings on which pictures are choosen. The pictures are all from the proof sheets.
Folder 15: VSU Alumni: Decade of Full Maturity, 1976: This folder contains two copies of a short newsletter or magazine titled "Decade of Full Maturity." It covers the growth and changes that took place at VSC between the years 1966 and 1976. The magazine is a terra cotta colror with apicture of a girl sitting with her back to a pine tree and a short poem is to the side.
Folder 16: VSU Alumni Newsletter: This folder contains Valdosta State Alumni Newsletters dating back to 1960. The articles include information on homecomings, fundraising, growth and changes.
Folder 17: VSU Bulletin: This folder contains bulletins regarding the happenings in and around Valdosta State. Four are from the 1970s and 80s when Valdosta was a College (VSC). One (three copies) are from 1996.
Folder 18: VSU College Relations: Homecoming and Fine Arts, 1970: This folder contains photographs of gatherings. Many of the pictures are from the homecoming parade with pictures of the homecoming court. Also pictures from inside a banquet hall and some people giving speeches.
Folder 19: VSU Graduates: Later: This folder contains pictures with attached biographies of former VSU graduates. Many are men who went into the military. There are a few women who "earned their wings" and started working as stewardesses for Delta. The paper is yellowing and delicate. There are also a couple copies of newspaper articles featuring former VSU graduates. The majority are from the 1960s and 1970s.
Folder 20: VSU Handouts: This folder has handouts and pamphlets concerning events around Valdosta State. Also included is a 1979 student and staff directory. The folder also contains a Special Services Manual.
Folder 21: West Hall Sketch: This folder contains many copies of the West Hall Sketch.
Item 1: 1943, 1993: A scrapbook made up for honoring the 50th reuinion for the Class of 1943. The scrapbook includes photocopies from the yearbook, a "where they are now" section, a remberance section for those who've passed, and other memorabilia from the time period. This book also includes the notes on pages indicating what changes need to be made.