
Answers to the American Archives Month 2013 Trivia Contest

5 11 2013

AAM_poster_2013

Our 2013 Trivia Contest featured questions about athletics at Michigan State University.  Twenty-eight people entered and two people answered all eight questions correctly.  We will be contacting the winners soon.

The staff at the University Archives & Historical Collections would like to thank everyone for playing and we hope that you will participate in our contest again next year!

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1. What was the first year the Michigan State football team played in the Big Ten Conference?

b. 1953

Michigan State was officially admitted into the Big Ten Conference in 1949.  Since the football schedules are set years in advance, the Spartans had to wait until 1953 to play their first Big Ten football game.

2. Which Michigan State boxer was undefeated in every college bout he fought?

d. Chuck Davey

Chuck Davey (center)

Chuck Davey (center)

Boxer Chuck Davey went undefeated in every college bout he fought, was 3 times voted the NCAA’s outstanding boxer, and fought at the 1948 Olympics.

The other three boxers listed as choices in the contest also had notable accomplishments. John Horne won three consecutive NCAA titles between 1958 and 1960, was a two-time All-American, and competed without a regular coach, program or sparring partner.  Herb Odom (1952-1955) was back-to-back NCAA Champion at 147 pounds (1954-1955), led MSU to a 1955 team National Championship, was a two-time All-American (1954-1955), and compiled a 29-5-2 career record.  Choken Maekawa of Hawaii won the 1956 NCAA individual title and was awarded the John S. LaRowe Trophy (outstanding boxer of the tournament).  He was chosen for the 1956 U.S. Olympic team, but did not make weight at the official weigh-in and was disqualified from competition.

Note: According to the U.S. Social Security Death Index, his last name was spelled Maekawa.  In some sources, his last name is spelled Mackawa, hence the misspelling in the trivia contest.

Women's Basketball article from February 1, 1898 issue of the MAC Record

Women’s Basketball article from February 1, 1898 issue of the MAC Record

3. What year did women form their first basketball team at Michigan State?

b. 1898

The first women’s basketball team at Michigan State played against teams such as Lansing High School, the teachers from the Flint School for the Deaf, and the Michigan State Normal School (now known as Eastern Michigan University).

4. Prior to being “The Spartans,” what was Michigan State’s nickname?

d. Aggies

Being an agricultural school, Michigan State’s original nickname was the Aggies. After the 1925 name change from Michigan Agricultural College to Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science, a contest was held to pick a new nickname.  Dissatisfied with the winning choice of “Staters,” LSJ sports writer George S. Alderton looked through the other entries and picked “Spartans.”  Unfortunately, it is unknown who submitted the entry.

Gideon Smith

Gideon Smith

5. What year did Michigan State’s first African American athlete, Gideon Smith, begin playing?

c. 1913

Gideon “Charlie” Smith helped the Michigan State football team score their first win against the University of Michigan in 1913.  He played until 1915, leaving with a 17-3 record.  For more about Gideon Smith, please read Steve Grinczel’s article on MSUSpartans.com 

6. In 1895 Shoichi Yabina was the first Michigan State student to participate in which sport?

Shoichi Yebina (front, right side)

Shoichi Yebina (front, right side)

a. Fencing

Shoichi Yabina (class of 1895) participated in the first fencing match at the 1895 MIAA field day.  He defeated his opponent, Mr. Swift, from the Michigan State Normal School (EMU).  The sport was revived in 1924 by French professor Omar M. Lebel, and Joseph Waffa, an Egyptian student.

Note: His last name may have been spelled Yebina.

7. In May 1910 Michigan State faculty approved regulations for student athletes.  Which of these were included?

d. All of the above

The faculty regulations stated that students must compete under their own names, could not be compensated for playing and freshmen were not allowed to play intercollegiate sports.  Additionally, student’s eligibility was limited to three years, the football team could not practice until the school year started, they could only play teams from other colleges, and the number of games played was limited (9 for football, 16 for baseball and basketball).

8. What was the name of the first baseball club formed at Michigan State in 1865?

c. Stars

The Stars baseball club played against teams in the surrounding community.





American Archives Month 2013

1 10 2013

AAM_poster_2013

American Archives Month is celebrated every October to promote the value of archives and archivists.  The Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections (UAHC) is responsible for collecting and preserving the historical records of the nation’s pioneer land-grant university.  In essence, the university archives is the memory of MSU.  Our collections contain documents, photographs, scrapbooks, diaries, and audio and visual recordings on a variety of topics, including athletics, student life, and Michigan History.  UAHC is a valuable resource for the MSU community, historians, publishers and producers, K-12 students, teachers, genealogists, and the general public.

To celebrate American Archives Month, the MSU Archives & Historical Collections is holding a trivia contest that focuses on the history of athletics at MSU. The contest is open to MSU faculty, staff and students, MSU alumni, and the greater Lansing community. This contest will end on Thursday, October 31. Three winners will be chosen at random from among the correct entries and will be notified the following week.  The contest is available online at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/CN5SH6C.

Additionally, we will be showcasing our collections during two events offered through Alumni LENS (formerly Evening College).  First is a two-night presentation by Assistant Director Portia Vescio titled “Toil and Trouble at MSU.”  On October 16 and 23, Portia will tell stories of rascals and riots, horrific pranks and libelous publications—just a few of the colorful items from MSU’s historical and (sometimes) troubling times. You will be able to view some of the original materials from the University Archives’ collections that document these times.  For more information, please visit http://alumni.msu.edu/programs/lens/courseSummary.cfm?activity=76.

The second offering is a tour of the MSU Archives hosted by Collections & Outreach Archivist Megan Malone.  The tour includes the Archives’ closed stacks, which are usually off-limits to the public.  You will have the opportunity to view archival gems such as the earliest campus maps and photographs, unique student publications, Rose Bowl programs, diaries and letters of MSU presidents and the letter that Charles Darwin wrote to William Beal. You will also see our Historical Collections, materials not directly related to MSU, but of great historical significance. These materials include Civil War diaries and letters, ledgers from the Battle Creek Sanitarium and photos from the REO Motor Car Company.  For more information, please visit http://alumni.msu.edu/programs/lens/courseSummary.cfm?activity=69.





Upcoming MSU Archives Events – Fall 2013

17 09 2013

We have a very busy fall schedule here at the MSU Archives!

The MSU Archives has two offerings in October through Alumni LENS (formerly Evening College).  First is a two-night presentation by Assistant Director Portia Vescio titled “Toil and Trouble at MSU.”  On October 16 and 23, Portia will tell stories of rascals and riots, horrific pranks and libelous publications—just a few of the colorful items from MSU’s historical and (sometimes) troubling times. You will be able to view some of the original materials from the University Archives’ collections that document these times.  For more information, please visit http://alumni.msu.edu/programs/lens/courseSummary.cfm?activity=76.

The second offering is a tour of the MSU Archives hosted by Collections & Outreach Archivist Megan Malone.  The tour includes the Archives’ closed stacks, which are usually off-limits to the public.  You will have the opportunity to view archival gems such as the earliest campus maps and photographs, unique student publications, Rose Bowl programs, diaries and letters of MSU presidents and the letter that Charles Darwin wrote to William Beal. You will also see our Historical Collections, materials not directly related to MSU, but of great historical significance. These materials include Civil War diaries and letters, ledgers from the Battle Creek Sanitarium and photos from the REO Motor Car Company.  For more information, please visit http://alumni.msu.edu/programs/lens/courseSummary.cfm?activity=69.  The correct address for the MSU Archives is: 888 Wilson Rd. Conrad Hall, Room 101.

We have several classes coming in this fall for instructional sessions on how to use archives.  During these sessions, students will have an opportunity to view archival materials from our collections.  MSU professors who would like to have their classes come into the MSU Archives are encouraged to contact Megan Malone.  These instructional sessions can be tailored to the specific needs of the students.

A training session on Records Management and Retention at MSU, provided through Human Resource Development, will be held October 17 from 2:30-4:30 pm.  Presented by Assistant Records Archivist Jennie Russell, this session will cover the rules, regulations, and strategies necessary to manage your unit’s records.  MSU employees can register through ebs.msu.edu.

On October 30 from 2:00-4:00 pm, a Research Data Management CAFE is being held in room 215 of the Computer Center. CAFEs are Communities for Advising, Facilitating and Enabling supported by the Vice Provost for Libraries and IT Services.  The Research Data Management CAFE is intended to facilitate cross-campus communication and knowledge sharing about research data management at MSU. The group will discuss topics related to research data management such as, but not limited to, documents for grant proposals, case studies, best practices, scholarly communication issues, application development, technology infrastructure, and services and support for researchers. The CAFE will meet quarterly during fall and spring semesters and it is open to all interested MSU faculty, staff, and students. The intended outcomes of the Research Data Management CAFE are to develop new professional networks and contacts, discover ways to improve campus offerings, and increase awareness of mutual challenges and goals.

Finally, October is American Archives Month!  American Archives Month is celebrated every October to promote the value of archives and archivists. We will be holding our annual trivia contest which will focus on MSU history.  More details will be available at the beginning of October.





American Archives Month 2012

2 10 2012

American Archives Month is celebrated every October to promote the value of archives and archivists.  The Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections (UAHC) is responsible for collecting and preserving the historical records of the nation’s pioneer land-grant university.  In essence, the university archives is the memory of MSU.  Our collections contain documents, photographs, scrapbooks, diaries, and audio and visual recordings on a variety of topics, including athletics, student life, and Michigan History.  UAHC is a valuable resource for the MSU community, historians, publishers and producers, K-12 students, teachers, genealogists, and the general public.

To celebrate American Archives Month, the MSU Archives & Historical Collections is holding a trivia contest that focuses on the history of student organizations at MSU.  The contest is open to MSU faculty, staff and students; MSU alumni; and the greater Lansing community.  This contest will end on Wednesday, October 31.  Three winners will be chosen at random from among the correct entries and will be notified the following week.  This year’s prize is a goodie bag of Archives swag!   The contest is available online at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/9SRBG5F.

Good luck and thank you for playing!!

For more information about UAHC, please visit our website: www.archives.msu.edu.





Answers to 2011 Trivia Contest

9 11 2011

Sorry that we are a little late getting out the answers to the trivia contest this year.  It has been very busy at the archives, which is a very good thing!  We want to thank everyone for participating in the 2011 American Archives Month Trivia Contest.  Over 40 people entered and three people answered all questions correctly.  The staff at the University Archives & Historical Collections would like to thank everyone for playing and we hope that you all participate in our contest next year.

1.  Which MAC alum entered college at the age of 15 without a high school diploma?  This alum would later become a leading figure in scientific research at the White House and serve on a commission that was a precursor of the Manhattan Project.

B.  Lyman Briggs

2. While waiting for Snyder and Phillips Halls to open, a housing crunch in 1946 forced nearly 500 male students to live where on campus?

A.  Jenison Gymnasium

3. In 1949, MSC Shadows replaced which popular song as our alma mater?

 C.  Close Beside the Winding Cedar

4.  Which Hollywood beauty joined MSU halfback Billy Wells for a dream date at a pregame Rose Bowl dinner in December 1953?

B.  Debbie Reynolds

5.  In what year did the MAC Aggies first claim a football victory over the University of Michigan Wolverines?

C.  1913

6.  Who was head of athletics when MAC (now MSU) dropped out of the MIAA (Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association)?

D.  Chester Brewer

Please Note:  There was a typing error on the printed version of this form for Question 7.  In the interest of fairness, this question was not counted for or against any person who played the trivia contest.

7.  When Michigan Agricultural College opened in 1857, how many on-site faculty/staff members were employed by the college?

B.  7

8.  Which of the following campus traditions was no longer in effect after 1935?

B.  Freshmen men could not be seen openly with a co-ed

 





American Archives Month 2011

4 10 2011

It’s that time of year again where we at the MSU Archives try to impress on the MSU community the importance of archives to them.  To put it very simply – the university archives is the memory of MSU.  Do you want to know what happened when MSU first opened its doors back in 1857?  You can come to the archives to find out.  Do you want to know what campus life was like back in the 1960s and 1970s when students were protesting a variety of causes?  You can find that out in the archives as well.  Previous students, faculty and alumni gave their personal papers to the archives so that future generations could learn from their experiences.

This year is important to historians because 2011 is the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the U.S. Civil War.  We have many collections of Civil War letters and diaries available for people to come in and read.  You can get lost in the training, daily life, and battles of the men (and some women) who lived through the Civil War.  Read in their own words how they felt and what they thought.  I don’t know about you, but knowing that those things are still out there is pretty special to me.

Each year during October we hold an MSU trivia contest open to members of the MSU community – faculty, staff, students, and alumni- and to members of the greater Lansing community.  We give prizes to three winners chosen at random from the correct entries.  This year’s prize is a set of beverage coasters featuring historical MSU images.  Our 2011 trivia contest is available online through October 31.

Good luck to everyone who plays our trivia contest.  Keep an eye out here for more upcoming events.





Answers to 2010 Trivia Questions

3 11 2010

The Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections would like to thank everyone who participated in our 2010 American Archives Month trivia contest.  This year saw over 40 people compete to win reproductions of posters from the class rivalry between the freshmen and the sophomores.  Three people answered all questions correctly and won the top prize.  We hope you continue to play in the future!

Answers:

1.         How many bells were originally in the carillon of Beaumont Tower when the building was dedicated in 1929?

B.  Ten

2.        When Sparty went to serve his country during World War II, what was the name of his girlfriend who kept him updated about campus events?

B.  Spartina

3.        This was the first year women were allowed to wear slacks to class, but only due to an exceptionally cold winter.  The formal dress code regulations were not dropped until the late 1960s.

C.  1943

4.       Which of the following Hollywood personalities did NOT attend MSU?

D.  Bruce Campbell

5.       Which early president resigned amid controversy surrounding student unrest, including the suspension of two students who were to have excessively celebrated the inauguration of President Grover Cleveland?

C.  Oscar Clute

6.       In what year did the college hold Excavation Week, where students helped dig out the foundation for the Union when lack of funds threatened to curtail the project?

B.  1923

7.       The 1920 Wolverine called this former campus tradition “the biggest social event of the college year.”

A. Junior Hop

8.       MSU was involved with the starting of this Michigan university, but the institution was later granted autonomy by the Michigan legislature.

Oakland University








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