17 Artifacts for 2017
July 07, 2017
As part of Roanoke College's 175th anniversary celebration, several students of Dr. Whitney Leeson, professor of history, conducted a "17 for 2017" independent study. The students-M'Elise Salomon, Diamante Cornish, and Kristin Price-all members of the Class of 2017, explored 17 objects from the College Archives. The objects-from 1838 silver spoons that were part of Louisa Bittle's dowry, to a 1986 menu from Mac and Bob's restaurant-intriguingly illustrate the history of this institution. Oh, the stories they tell...
See photos below. (All photos by Sam Dean)
17 for 2017
1. Gym Shorts, 1916
Well-worn with age, these gym shorts belonged to Hunter Monroe Painter from Troutville, Virginia, who played center on the College basketball team. Fellow classmates who knew him as C.E.D., the nickname embroidered on the waistband, remembered Hunter for his tremendous athletic ability and "unlimited pep."
2. Typewriter, 1920, possibly 1922
Leonidas McReynolds, a professor and business manager of the college, owned this 1918 vintage Blickensderfer typewriter. Unlike most typewriters of the time, the Blickensderfer had interchangeable font spools, a technological innovation that did not become popular until the IBM electric Ballpoint typewriter of the 1970s.
3. Cavern Furniture, 1970s
The chairs and graffiti-inscribed table date back to the 1970s when the Cavern was an entertainment venue located in the basement on the ground floor of the Student Center. The legal drinking age was 18 and students regularly enjoyed sipping their favorite frothy beverages while dancing to local bands and playing pinball-three games for a quarter.
4. Student Lamp, originally 1877
John Dutton Fray, of Madison County, Virginia, owned this lamp while a senior at Roanoke College. Even though the lamp is missing its glass shade, people can still imagine Fray diligently practicing his Greek oration for the 1877 Commencement Ceremony.
5. Commencement Program, 1877
Following the death in 1876 of Dr. David Bittle, Roanoke College founder and first president, the pomp and circumstance of the 1877 commencement was remarkable. Every graduating senior gave a speech, three of which were in Latin, Greek and Hebrew; musical interludes separated each speech, as well as those of invited dignitaries; and the inauguration of the College's second president, Dr. Thomas Dosh, concluded four days of honorifics. In the margins of this commencement program, an anonymous note-taker dutifully recorded the length of time per entry. Total time in his or her seat - 4 hours and 7 minutes.
6. Mac and Bob's Menu, 1986
Bob Rotanz and Jim McEnerney, both graduates of the Class of 1978 and members of the national championship lacrosse team, founded Mac and Bob's in 1980. The restaurant quickly became a local favorite, and after McEnerney left Salem, Joe Dishaw joined Bob as his business partner. This menu reflects Mac and Bob's third renovation and Virginia's new alcohol policy, which increased the legal drinking age from 18 to 21.
7. Silver Spoons, 1838
A gift to the College from the fifth-generation grandson of President David Bittle, this set of silver spoons comprised a portion of Louisa Catherine Bittle's dowry at marriage. President Bittle's descendant happily donated this priceless family heirloom to the Roanoke College Archives to commemorate our founder's legacy.
8. Sweater, 1940s
By the 1940s, letter sweaters had become quite popular among the student body population. A Roanoke Student Handbook from the era even included a step-by-step guide to earning the much-coveted letter. Gentlemen could only wear the sweater after earning a letter in the sport of his choice. Female students did not earn letters until after World War II, when women's sports became more widely accepted on campus.
9. Computers, late 1980s
Curiously enough, the most modern of our featured artifacts comes with the least information. This early Macintosh all-in-one desktop computer came to the archives as an out-of-date piece of computer equipment, along with its companion, a Toshiba laptop, vintage 1987. It has the RC label used by IT, but little other information.
10. Football, 1935
During the 1934-1935 academic year, Harry Suther led the Roanoke College football team to a 4-5 season. The RC football team faced regional schools including Virginia Tech, Richmond College, and William and Mary. Keeping with custom, the entire team celebrated the close of the season by signing the football.
11. Elson Textbook, 1904
The 1904 United States History textbook written by Henry Elson was a bestseller of its kind in the early 20th century. While the textbook was not overly critical of the South, it did offer a more nuanced view of the institution of slavery, which greatly offended Judge William Moffett, a trustee of the Roanoke College. When Judge Moffett demanded that the textbook be removed from his daughter's assigned readings, Professor Herman Thorstenberg politely declined and Roanoke College President John Morehead supported his right to academic freedom in textbook selection.
12. Early Scrapbook, 1913-1916
Mr. Joel L. Borden, class of 1914, owned this scrapbook depicting his time at Roanoke College. Even though the blue and yellow binding is a nod to our academic colors, Borden spent far more time documenting extracurricular rather than curricular experiences. Individual pages feature snapshots of his class prank, which involved placing a cow on the second floor of the Administration Building in the winter of 1914 when a large snowstorm struck Salem.
13. "Rat" Hat, 1966
John H. Turner donated his "rat" hat to the College Archives at this 50th class reunion. From about the late 1920s to 1973, every freshman at Roanoke College donned a "rat" hat for the first half of their fall semester. At any time, upperclassmen could approach an unsuspecting "rat" and ask them to belt out the College cheer or sing a rousing rendition of the alma mater. Roanoke College retired the "rat" hat tradition in 1973.
14. Trout Marbles, 1876 and 1895
After Professor William Yonce's death in 1895, students, faculty and alumni proudly commissioned a monument to honor their beloved professor and mentor. They placed the marble marker in Trout Hall next to the 1876 marker dedicated to first president and founder, Dr. David Bittle.
15. Bittle Papers
In March of 2017, as part of our 175th celebration, Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg brought "The Bittle Papers" to the Roanoke College Archives. This treasure trove of documents, a collection of most of the Rev. Dr. David Bittle's extant papers, includes sermons, lectures and essays; outlines of many baccalaureate and graduation speeches delivered at Roanoke College; and a few more mundane items such as annual budgets and lists of building materials.
16. Stereopticon, 1890s
Stereopticons, similar to children's View-Masters of the 1940s, were all the rage with students and faculty in the 1890s. Students collected a variety of cards depicting scenes ranging from the life of Christ to illustrations of grand hunting expeditions. Some cards featured images of famous sites throughout Europe, which professors used in the classroom to enliven lectures on European history. The card shown here depicts the Roanoke College campus.
17. Signed ODAC Softball, 2002
On April 28, 2002, Amy Layman hurled a three-hitter to ensure a 9-3 victory over Lynchburg at the ODAC championship, held at Salem's Moyer Sports Complex. The Maroons victory paved the way to our first NCAA playoff championship in softball. Roanoke made it all the way to the final round-a remarkable accomplishment for a program then only in its fifth year.