The end of the steam era in Connecticut — a new collection in the Railroad History Archives

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Laura Smith

“The 12:25 to Waterbury.” Engine 1338 of the New Haven Railroad in Newington, Connecticut, on July 10, 1946. Photograph by Seth P. Holcombe.

Seth P. Holcombe loved steam trains, and as a youth who grew up near the railroad station in Hartford, Connecticut, he particularly admired those of the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad (better known as the New Haven Railroad), the predominant railroad in southern New England from 1872 to 1969. Mr. Holcombe was born in 1918 and lived his life in the Hartford area, graduating from Trinity College in 1941 and serving as registrar of the Morgan Horse Club (now known as the Connecticut Morgan Horse Association) as an adult. He was also an avid photographer and took numerous photographs of the trains he loved. His interest never wavered from the steam trains of the New Haven Railroad, so when the railroad switched to a diesel fleet in 1952 Mr. Holcombe’s interest in the railroad waned.

Seth Holcombe died in 2009 and his wife Lucy made a gracious gift of his photographs to the Railroad History Archive this year. The collection shows trains in and around Hartford, as well as other railroad lines across New England when Mr. Holcombe would travel on excursions. A finding aid to the collection is available at https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/908 and all are welcome to come to Archives & Special Collections to view this terrific set of photographs.

A Manchester Native Heads to the South Pacific

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Jean Cardinale

A recent addition to the Connecticut Soldiers Collection at the Dodd Center are the Raymond E. Hagedorn Papers. Chronicling the training and war service of Major Raymond E. Hagedorn of Manchester, Connecticut, the papers will be of great interest to scholars and the public at large. Describing in vivid detail his training prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor, and his service in the South Pacific, the Hagedorn Papers provide an invaluable account of America’s preparation for war and life in the Army. From Camp Blanding, Florida to Guadalcanal, and back to Manchester, the letters between Hagedorn and his family and friends provide one family’s perspective on the Second World War.

From the quality and quantity of the food, and his constant battle to stave off boredom, Hagedorn brings life in the army and the war to life. Through detailed descriptions of army victuals, island life, his health, and his wife Gertrude’s descriptions of life at home, the Hagedorn Papers illustrate the sacrifices made by Americans at home and abroad. Exposing the reality and quotidian nature of war, the Hagedorn Papers will be an invaluable source for anyone interested in daily life during World War Two. Providing often humorous details about the environments he encounters, including squawking birds, swarms of mosquitos, the variety of fruit available, and the activities of the native populations, Hagedorn’s letters confirm the military axiom that war is ninety-nine percent boredom and one percent sheer terror.

Cartoon Birthday Card, Jan. 1943. Raymond E. Hagedorn Papers

An officer in the Army’s 43rd Infantry Division, Hagedorn traveled from San Francisco to New Zealand, New Caledonia, and Guadalcanal between October 1942 and April 1943 before being diagnosed with low blood pressure and a nervous disorder. Focusing on his declining health, and the activities he engages in to stay busy, Hagedorn’s letters lose much of their early humor and by March 1943 take on a much more serious tone.

Evacuated to the United States in April 1943, Hagedorn describes life at military hospitals in and outside of the United States and the process of medical retirement from the Army, providing a wealth of information on an often overlooked aspect of war. Plagued by poor health, and the effects of the South Pacific’s tropical climate, Hagedorn’s letters present one soldier’s ongoing struggle to remain patriotic in the eyes of the army while also maintaining his health and well-being for his family.

Retired from active duty in May 1944 Hagedorn remained in the Connecticut National Guard following the war and was eventually promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. During the Korean War, Hagedorn served as an intelligence officer and aide to Connecticut’s Adjutant General. Briefly resuming his electrical business after the war, Hagedorn went on to become the plant engineer for the New Departure Division of General Motors in Meriden, Connecticut. Retiring in 1962 Raymond Hagedorn spent the rest of his life in Manchester, until passing away on September 21, 1985.

– James Brundage, Graduate Intern

Webster-Doyle Papers hold key to ending bullying

Posted on July 10, 2012 by Kristin Eshelman

Established in 2004, the Terrence Webster-Doyle Papers contain materials having to do with bullying prevention, conflict management, peace studies, emotional response, and how psychological conditioning prevents peace and creates conflict, individually and globally. Influenced by Jiddu Krishnamurti in 1968, Webster-Doyle began to teach classes at Sonoma State University in the search for understanding the cause, nature, and structure of conditioning. Webster-Doyle also studied the work of Dr. David Bohm, a physicist who studies the relationship between thought and reality; A. S. Neil, the founder of the Summerhill School, an intentional community in England; and Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World which explored the nature and effect of negative conditioning.

Webster-Doyle is a sixth Dan in Take-Nami-do karate, and utilizes his extensive martial arts experience as a focus for the exploration of the nature of conflict and its ramifications for the individual, schools, society and the world. With his wife Jean, they founded the Atrium Society and its subgroups, Martial Arts for Peace, Youth Peace Literacy Project, and Education for Peace (http://martialartsforpeace.com/index-2.html). His published works usually contain not only a main work but also guides for students, teachers, martial arts instructors, and parents, with worksheets, group and individual activities, with tools to chart progress in conflict resolution.

Webster-Doyle’s books, archives, and audiovisual materials are held by the Northeast Children’s Literature Collection. His books are also on permanent display at the International Museum of Peace and Solidarity in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, the Commonwealth of Independent States and at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Japan.

–Terri J. Goldich, Curator, Northeast Children’s Literature Collection

Webster-Doyle Papers hold key to ending bullying

Posted on July 10, 2012 by

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–Terri J. Goldich, Curator, Northeast Children’s Literature Collection

Archives & Special Collections to suspend reproduction services temporarily

Posted on July 5, 2012 by Kristin Eshelman

To give us an opportunity to transition the reproduction service to new management, the service will be closed from July 7-29, 2012. The automatic reply from archives@uconn.edu includes a note as well as the website. We won’t be accepting requests during that period and apologize for any inconvenience.

International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

Posted on June 26, 2012 by Jean Cardinale

On 12 December 1997, the UN General Assembly proclaimed 26 June the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, with a view to the total eradication of torture and the effective functioning of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Background, information and links are available from the UN website.

–Betsy Pittman, University Archivist

Claudia Rueda wins Nati Per Leggere Award

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Claudia Rueda

Claudia Rueda, a former Billie M. Levy Travel Grant recipient, reports some very good news:

The Italian edition of my book NO (published in English by Groundwood) has been the recipient of this year’s Nati Per Leggere (Born to Read) Award!!! This award aims to support the best editorial production for preschoolers in Italy and to recognize the creativity and commitment to the Born to Read project.

The national programme “Nati per Leggere” is meant to inspire an early interest in books and reading. The project is supported by the Italian Library Association (AIB), the association of pediatricians (ACP) and the child health centre (Centro per la Salute del Bambino, CSB).

Here’s the link to their site http://www.natiperleggere.it/index.php?id=174

Congratulations, Claudia!

Celebrate the first day of summer!

Posted on June 18, 2012 by Laura Smith

Who wouldn’t want to spend the first day of summer at the beach? Surely these telephone operators from Norwich were enjoying just that as this photograph, from the Southern New England Telephone Company records, from 1913, shows us. These ladies, dressed all in white down to their stockings and shoes, seem happy to be on such a pleasant outing that briefly took them from their switchboards for sun and sand.

Judy Blume to speak at Mark Twain House

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Kristin Eshelman

The Mark Twain House & Museum is hosting Judy Blume next week as a fundraiser for the historic home and museum. Judy is a wonderful writer who has changed the lives of children all over the world for many decades.

They still have a number of seats left for the event. She’s speaking on Thursday, June 21st at the University of Hartford. Tickets can be purchased at http://harttweb.hartford.edu/tickets.aspx (they are $25, $40, or $85 depending on seating, and an opening reception with Judy at the highest ticket level). Judy will also be doing a book signing after the event.

The Mark Twain House is offering a discount code for local organizations, especially those with kids involved, in order to make the event more affordable for families. The discount code is FUDGE and can be entered online when buying tickets, or over the phone.

Where Have You Gone Connecticut Husky?

Posted on June 4, 2012 by Jean Cardinale

Campus songs have been a tradition at American colleges and universities for over a century, and at one time the University of Connecticut had enough to fill its own songbook. Published in 1949, Songs of UConn featured about a dozen songs, and its highlight was the first publication of a new fight song written by Prof. Herbert France, head of the music department. The songbook introduction notes that “UConn has many songs, but there are three which you’ll find sung at all rallies and football games. These are the fight song, Connecticut Husky, better known by its first line ‘On the Rolling Hills Beneath the Blue”, the driving UConn Husky, and the nostalgic Alma Mater. By the end of the 1950s, only two songs would be known on campus. Today, while few will know the Alma Mater, the success of Connecticut basketball has made UConn Husky a nationally recognized tune. Connecticut Husky, a favorite for a little over two decades, has faded from memory. It was written at the request of a student by musician Fred Waring, who composed and premiered college songs on his popular NBC radio program in the late 1930s. You can hear an excerpt of the Waring premiere of Connecticut Husky here [http://advance.uconn.edu/1999/990405/waring1.mp3] and a recording of the full song here. [http://advance.uconn.edu/1999/990405/waring2.mp3]

–Mark J. Roy, University Communications (retired)

New Acquisitions: University Archives

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Jean Cardinale

The University Archives is a rich resource of information about the activities, events, interests and programs of UConn’s faculty, students, staff since the establishment of the University in 1881. Here are some of the materials that have been recently added to the collections:

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Records

Documents, reports, studies and correspondence pertaining to the finances of the institution from 1999 to the present.

https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/728

Asian American Studies Institute Records

Materials associated with the “Day of Remembrance” program that were collected, produced and/or distributed by the Institute.

https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/218

Bruce Bellingham Papers

Notes, photocopies, transparencies, research, scores, correspondence and publications pertaining to Professor Bellingham’s scholarly research in the history of music.

https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/799

Carl W. Rettenmeyer Papers

Professional correspondence with the National Science Foundation, colleagues and both personal and professional trip notes, i.e. – some from leading groups on trips (Galapogos) and some regarding collecting field trips (Panama). (Inventory not yet available.)

https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/208

Richard D. Brown Papers

Documentation of the professional and administrative career of historian, Richard D. Brown. (Inventory not yet available.)

Cell Stress Society International Records

Publications, administrative records, legal and financial records, ephemera, posters, and correspondence documenting the establishment, management, development and growth of the Cell Stress Society International and its associated journal publication on the Storrs campus of the University of Connecticut from 1995 to the present under the direction of Lawrence Hightower and Helen Neumann. (Inventory not yet available.)

School of Nursing War Veteran Oral History Collection

Oral history video interviews with graduates of the UConn School of Nursing who are (or were) nurses in the military. (Inventory not yet available.)

Donald W. Cameron Papers

Bound manuscript written by UConn alum. https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/880

Eduard Mark Papers

Materials used by Mark (UConn alum) in his research as a historian of the Cold War era in U.S. history. A majority of the collection spans the years 1945-1960, with some materials falling before and after this timeline. The collection includes correspondence, notes, administrative records, transcripts, legal documents, manuscripts, photographs, clippings and books. These sources, which contain military and government correspondence, military reports, declassified documents and other materials, shed light on a myriad of topics relating to the Cold War, including military strategies and positioning, negotiations, intelligence and national security, territorial problems, military propaganda, international relations and European affairs. https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/836

Waterbury Campus Records

Administrative records, awards, clippings, ephemera, notes, and publications about the programs, activities and history of the Waterbury campus since its establishment in 1946. https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/archival_objects/7536

Collins-Levine Family Papers

Correspondence, school papers, memorabilia, photographs and ephemera associated with two generations of the Collins and Levine families who attended the University of Connecticut between 1922 and 1948. The materials in the collection are useful in providing a perspective of college life and experiences from the student’s point of view. https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/757

Albert F. Blakeslee Papers

The collection contains reprints of scholarly articles published by Albert F. Blakeslee. Also included are several journals with articles about Blakeslee, correspondence, calendars, travel diaries, as well as photographs and negatives associated with or documenting the career of noted scientist A. F. Blakeslee, professor at UConn 1907-1915. https://archivessearch.lib.uconn.edu/repositories/2/resources/871

University of Connecticut Educational Properties, Inc. Records

Administrative, financial and legal records pertaining to the development of property adjacent to the north side of campus for a Technology Park. Of particular note is the documentation of the communication and documention between the parties involved in the development of the Park, the range of programs and properties and the complexity of the overall project. (Inventory not yet available.)

Eric W. Carlson Papers

Notes, correspondence, reports, studies and similar materials pertaining to Dr. Carlson’s tenure as a professor of English at the University of Connecticut from 1942-1979. (Inventory not yet available.)

Greater Hartford Campus Records

Course syllabi and schedules of classes for the Greater Hartford campus of the University of Connecticut. (Inventory not yet available.)

–Betsy Pittman, University Archivist

NCLC remembers Maurice Sendak

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Kristin Eshelman

My favorite memory of Mr. Sendak comes from a dinner at Dean Emeritus Dr. David Woods’ house. Dean Woods had invited a few folks over following Sendak’s visit to UConn to deliver the inaugural Robert Gray Memorial Lecture. Another of the guests was Etienne Delessert, also a well-known children’s illustrator from western Connecticut. They discussed politics.

The NCLC holds original Sendak illustrations from the book he did with Ruth Krauss in 1952, A hole is to dig. It was one of his first major books arranged by Ursula Nordstrom. The NCLC also hold a few illustrations for Somebody else’s nut tree by Krauss, published in 1958.

What a wonderful, scary, brilliant man.

–Terri J. Goldich, Curator