Memorabilia Monday: Mirabeau B. Lamar Travel Journal, 1835

Outside cover

In celebration of Texas Independence Day, we’re showcasing Lamar’s travel journal. To read it in its entirety, please visit our digitized version that includes a transcription.

At the top of page 4

A Record Is Broken

Regina Cavanaugh during shot put practice

The blog has been a bit quiet this week due to a staff-wide ArchivesSpace training that ends this afternoon.

While we were busy, Sid Richardson College senior, Claire Uke, broke Regina Cavanaugh’s long standing shot put record. Cavanaugh who was recently inducted in the SWC Hall of Fame, may have had her record beat, but she is still one of Rice’s best athletes of all time.

Memorabilia Monday: Track Medals

Gold medal, June 5, 1926

These are the medals of Rice track star, Nelson Greer. He competed in a wide variety of track distances from a mile to 100 yards.

Southwest Athletic Conference, One Mile Relay, 1st Place, 1928

The photograph below came with the medals, 28 in all. Although it is unlabeled, I would wager the blurred man is Greer. Based on photographs from the Campanile, he was one of the smallest runners on the team.

ca. 1927

Tech Thursday: TRS-80 Model 100

TRS-80 Model 100

This Tech Thursday is dedicated to RadioShack, the once-great Fort Worth* based electronics manufacturer and retailer. As things go from bad to worse for the company, let’s take a moment to remember the good times.

In the late 1970s, just at the beginning of the personal computer boom, RadioShack (then “Radio Shack”) was owned by Tandy Corporation. Tandy Corp. decided to enter the personal computer market and in 1977, released the TRS-80, one of the first mass-produced personal computers. The TRS-80 was sold through Radio Shack stores, and by 1980 Radio Shack dominated the market. In 1983, Tandy bought the rights to the Kyotronic 85, a poorly-selling Japanese portable computer, and sold it through Radio Shack as the TRS-80 Model 100.

LCD screen and programmable keys

Specifications

Featuring an 8-bit Intel processor, an LCD Screen, and up to 32 KB of RAM, the Model 100 was one of the first notebook-style computers and a big  success in the United States and Canada, selling over 6 million units. It came with a hefty price tag, too; $1099-$1299, depending on the features.

Inputs for a printer, monitor, telephone and cassette player.

On/off switch, display controls, and switch to convert from battery operated to DC 6

Input for a barcode wand.

It also ran on 4 AA batteries for up to 20 hours!

AA battery compartment

Its not clear where this particular model came from. There are no Rice property tags on it, and the only metadata I could find for it was a paper display card that seems to indicate the item was bought from or intended for an auction.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80_Model_100

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TRS-80

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*This post originally stated that RadioShack was based in Dallas, Texas. Corrected 2/19/2015

Taking selfies with Darwin

Last Monday evening, the Woodson hosted 25 undergraduate students for an after-hours visit. Students from Hanszen College one of the residential colleges on campus, examined treasures from the archives. Highlights included: Nicolaus Copernicus’ masterpiece, De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (1566), which marks the dawn of modern science, and dates from the edition which Galileo would have had in his library; Galileo Galilei’s Dialogo suppressed by the Inquisition in 1633; and Isaac Newton’s Philosophia naturalis principia mathematica, from our rich History of Science collection. A first edition of Darwin’s On the Origin of Species published in 1859 was also exhibited.

Students from Hanszen College visit Archives

The students also examined Woodson’s copy of three tragedies without a collective title from the first folio edition of the plays of William Shakespeare, including King Lear, Othello, and Anthony and Cleopatra (1623). The text of King Lear includes a number of alterations and additions in an early 18^th century hand.

Students examining History of Science collection

It was a great evening and the students enjoyed the opportunity to examine and carefully handle works they have read or heard about in classes and several asked to take selfies with the books to share with friends.

Memorabilia Monday: Ike’s “Look Ahead” Train

Secretary Hobby, 1955

Oveta Culp Hobby not only helped President Eisenhower get elected as a key player in the “Democrats for Eisenhower” movement, she later became the first Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in his administration.

Letter from Eisenhower Campaign, October 12, 1952, Oveta Culp Hobby Papers, MS 459, Box 22, Folder 1

When Eisenhower visited Houston, Hobby rode in his procession. She later boarded the “Look Ahead” train as an official guest and rode from New Orleans to Dallas.

Look Ahead Train Pass verso, Oveta Culp Hobby Papers, MS 459, Box 22, Folder 1

Look Ahead Train Pass recto, Oveta Culp Hobby Papers, MS 459, Box 22, Folder 1

If you would like to learn more about Hobby and her role in politics, please consult the Oveta Culp Hobby Papers.

Young Love, Rice Style

Guy Rollins and Judy McLean, Lovett Hall, 1965
Photo courtesy of Maurice Miller

Love is in the air or at least the photographer made it seem that way.