Sum m er New s
Arizona State University

Vol. 1, No. 5

July 12,1973

Isohtion amid bi/gHe
The old Alumni House sitting in mid-campus is generally not a cause for curiosity in daily thousands of passersby.
Inside the former home of presidents, however, is gn ever-increasing collection of ASU momentos that date from 1885.

century ofm em orobf/fo

A

Aged house holds ASU history
An ancient fellow sits in the
middle of campus, witness to the
passage of decades, himself
bypassed, unnoticed by many.
He, or it, is a solemn two-story
house where the memories and
momentos of nearly a century
reside.
Today it is known as the Alumni
House; from 1907, when it was built,
till 1960 it was the Old .President’s
Home.
In the days when the house was
surrounded by vast expanses of open
land ra th e r than ultra-m odern
classroom
buildings,
ASU
presidents Arthur Matthews, Ralph
Swetman and Grady Gammage
lived and worked within its walls.
Hie presidential home now is a
villa a mile south of campus, but the
Alumni House in a .different way
only has begun to come into its own.
It has become the center for
University Records Archives, and
Alfred Thomas, Jr., archivist for
University records, is collecting
m em orabilia th at trace ASU’s
development from its beginning as a

normal school in 1885.
Thomas, form erly University
registrar, has worked one year on
compiling the records archives, but
has gathered items since his arrival
on campus in 1934. He also wrote a
seven-volume documentary history
of the school.
The 12-room house now contains
many chapters of ASU history.
Photographs of the 13 presidents,
from Hiram Bradford Farmer to
John W. Schwada, line the hallway,
diplomas dot the walls, and glass
cases throughout the house contain
old lecture notes, classroom syllabi,
photographs, medals and dishes.
The archives also include
administrative records, such as
p re s id e n tia l c o rre sp o n d e n c e,
faculty publications, studeAt
records, financial reports, minutes
of meetings and materials on land
acquisition.
E arly class pictures that
enunciate the changing times are
prominently displayed, as is the

official canvass of the initiative
which changed the school’s name
from Arizona State College to
Arizona State University.
Thomas hopes eventually to
compile a complete index of
University, happenings, with a half
million cards cataloging the
collection.
. Recently, four people who lived in
the old normal school days had the
chance to see the results of his
efforts thus far.
Mrs. Joseph Birchett. 92, her
sister-in-law, Mrs. John Birchett,
and Mr. and Mrs. John Barry toured
the Alumni House with ASU
President John Schwada.
Mrs. B irchett donated her
husband’s 1894 diploma, and Mrs.
John Birchett, her husband an 1895
graduate, brought commencement
programs from 1890-1900.
Their husbands were prominent
Tempeans who owned the Birchett
Brothers Strore.
In the glassed-in porch of the -

house hangs a photograph of then-1
young John Barry with Gen. John J.
Pershing, commander during World |
War I, and his aide de camp, George
Marshall.
B arry, for many years the
Maricopa County superintendent of j
schools, was a young cadet when
Pershing inspected the troops. He
graduated here in 1920.
Most of the materials in the house |
have been obtained from alumni
such as the Birchetts and Mr. Barry,
but Thomas still seeks many other
items, especially diplomas from
1887, 1891, 1892, 1896, 1897, 1904, 1905
and 1906.
The- archivist also would like to |
add old silverware from the ASU
dining hall. Dishes and napkin rings
now exhibited in the collection are
embossed with the Tempe Normal
School insignia.
The materials in the Alumni
House are available to researchers
Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.
to 5 p.m., but are non-circulating.

Page 2 — Thursday, July 12

ASU appoints English prof
as new dean of admissions
Dr. Roger Swanson of the
University
staff
has
accepted an appointment to
the newly created position of
dean of admissions at ASU.

Swanson form erly was
ASU associate dean of
student affairs (admissions
and
orientation)
and
assistant dean of the College
of Liberal Arts.
In his new position he will
be responsible for all
programs and personnel in
the areas of undergraduate
admissions, high school and
community
college
relations, orientation and
foreign students.

Dr. Roger Swanson

From his office in the
Moeur building, Swanson
also, will continue as
chairman of the special
admissions committee, the
U niversity
appeal
committee on tuition status
and
the
U niversity
adjustm ent and survival

course offered by the
College of Liberal Arts.
Swanson joined the
faculty in 1968 as assistant
professor of English after
receiving his Ph.D. from the
University of Illinois. He
will continue to teach one
class each sem ester in
English lite ra tu re and
composition.
His book, “The Freshman
Writes,” designed for use in
freshman English classes,
was published in January by
the Odyssey Press.

All-comers trdck meet
set here for Saturday
ASU’s athletic department and tfaeffempe Parks
and Recreation Department sponsor an all-comers
track meet at Joe Selleh Field 6 p.m. Saturday.
Participants must be 10 years of age or older,
but may take part in as many events as desired.
Registration begins at 6 p.m. at the southwest
gate of the track.
A completed entry form is required for each
event entered and must be accompanied by a 50
cent entry fee, to be paid at the meet.
^
Entry forms are available at the meet, and also
at the Parks and Recreation^ Office, 31 E. 5th St.,
Tempe.
The high-point winners in each age category will
be awarded trophies, and the winners of the first
five places in each event will receive ribbons.

&

In 1971 he was a
Rockefeller Foundation
administrative intern in the
office of the ASU academic
vice president.

ASU grad's wife
takes top honors
The wife of an ASU
graduate
engi neeri ng
student has
received
nationwide honor for her
community contributions as
a military wife and private
citizen.
Mrs. Willie Mae Gardner
received a “Military Wife of
the Year” certificate from
Col. Gene Weaver, professor
of military science, during a
recent
ASU
ROTC
ceremony.
Weaver
said
Mrs.
Gardner received the honor
for
her
outstanding
contri but i ons
t oward
improving people-to-people
relationships in
both
m ilitary
and civilian
communities while fulfilling
her role as an Army wife.
In addition, she was
selected first alternate
Army Wife of the Year.
“ This
is
a
m ajor
accomplishment, because a

CLASSIFIED

highly competitive selection
process is involved,”
Weaver said.
The Military Wife Of the
Year program began seven
years ago. Under its
provisions, the selection
process starts in the fall
throughout the Army at the
unit level.
“Selection continues until
each major Army command
names an Army wife to
compete for the national
title,” Weaver said. “The
ultimate winner is selected
from the finalists of each (of
four branches of) service.”
Mrs. G ardner was in
Germany with her husband,
Major Arthur Gardner, at
the time of selection. He was
assigned to the 130th
Engineer Brigade.
Gardner now is majoring
in industrial engineering in
ASU’s College of Engineer­
ing Sciences.
The Gardners are parents
of two children: Michelle,
12, and Adrian, 8.

And momma
adds another
laurel cluster

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P reserva tion Hall
plays A SU tonight
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band performs at
Gammage Auditorium tonight at 8.
Led by Billie and DeDe Pierce, this group of.
musicians in their 60s, 70s and 80s plays jazz as it
was when it first came to life just before the turn of
the century.
They have the reputation of being the best in the
jazz world, and not without good reason.
Students with summer school* receipts and
University personnel with campus service cards
may attend the program free. General admission
tickets are $2 from the Gammage box office, 9653434.

Proud fam ily members Michelle, Adrian and
Major Arthur Gardner beam as another and wife
Willie M ae accepts recognition of community
and m ilitary contributions from A SU ROTC
professor, Col. Gene Weaver.
-Advertising-

Speed Reading Course
To Begin at A.S.U.
Arrangements have been
made by the Institute of Speed
Reading, Inc. to conduct a 24hour summer course in speed
reading. The course is open to
anyone above the age of 13 and
guarantees every graduate a
reading speed triplethat of his
present rate, with at least an
increase in comprehension.
After the eight-week program
a person can read any average
length book in less than an hour
and understand it better. In
addition to speed reading the
course also emphasizes im­
proved study techniques, better
test-taking skill and increased
concentration and retention
abilities.
The course requires a person
to attend on class per week on
the evening of his choice. For
those who would like more
information, without obligation
to enroll, a series of FREE onehour orientation lectures has
been scheduled. There will be a

special introductory offer this
time only.
These meetings are free to the
public, and the course will be
explained in complete detail,
including entrance
requirements, classroom
schedule and location. You need
to attend only one of the
meetings; whichever is most
convenient for you. These
free one-hour orientations will
be held as follows:
Thursday the 26th at 7:30
pjn.; Friday at 7:30 p.m.,*
Saturday at 10:30 ajn. and 2:30
pjn.; Monday at 7:30pan.; and
FINAL MEETING Tuesday,
July
7:30 p.m. ALL
MEETINGS AT THE WESLEY
FOUNDATION,
215
E.
UNIVERSITY DR.
Special student and family
tuition rates available for those
who qualify. Persons under 18
should be accompaniened by a
parent.

World-famed harpist
takes stage Tuesday
In a continuing variation of its summer
entertainment then*; ASU next Tuesday offers a .
Gammage performance by the world’s greatest living
harpist.
Mildred Dilling, whose, harp has resounded around
the world for royalty and plebian alike, takes the stage at
8 p.m.
Her varied program, opening with selections from
Bach and Couperin, will include a short discussion of the
harp, illustrated by old instruments from her collection.
She usually takes about 20 harps on tour, including
one that belonged to Marie Antionette, an Irish' harp
played by the poet-harpist Thomas Moore, a centuriesold Scandinavian minnesinger’s harp and unique
instruments from Africa, Israel and other countries.
The evening continues with works by 19th century
composers Felix Godefroid, Alphonse H a ssrim a n s and
Albert Zabel.
After intermission comes “Fire Dance,” written
specifically for her by David Watkins; “The Forest,
Pool” by Marcel Tournier; “Song in the Night” by Carlos
Salzedo; “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy; and
“Legende” by Henriette Renie.
Miss Dilling has undertaken three world tours,
appeared on radio and television in this country and
abroad and made several recordings.
Her .best selling books for beginners include “Old
Tunes for New Harpists” and “Thirty Little Classics.”
She has given seven recitals at the White House and
has devoted her career to demonstrating that the harp
can be as popular a solo instrument as the piano or violin.
She frequently performs with symphony orchestras
and regularly holds m aster classes at UCLA.
General admission tickets at $2 are available from
the Gammage box office, 965-3434, in advance and on the
evening of the performance.
The program is free to students with summer school
receipts and to University personnel with campus
service cards.
—v

Apache
The University’s Hayden
Library has acquired a rare
collection of papers that tell
the poignant story of the
Arizona Apache during the
late 1800s and early 1900s —
from an Apache viewpoint.
The Apache, a doctor
named Carlos Montezuma,

was a most unusual person
indeed, for he walked the
white man’s road and yet
was attuned to the plight of
his native culture.
When he was six years old
Montezuma was captured
by Pim a Indians and
eventually “sold” to an

Mildred Dilling, world's greatest
harpist, and one of the 20 rare and
historically rich instruments she

customarily takes with her on globespanning tours.

Library gets rare papers
of Old West Indian doctor
Young Carlos was a
prodigy. In 1884 at age 19 he
graduated
from
the
University of Illinois with a
chem istry degree.. Five
years later he had his M.D.
from the U niversity of
Chicago.
And for the next seven
years he served as a
physician
in
several
locations for the Bureau of
Indian Affairs.
It was during that period
that most of the materials in
the library’s new collection
were produced.
Charles Colley, University
archivist and director of
special collections, said the
collection includes about
2,000 letters and a small
number of photographs and
pamphlets.
They were sold by Frank
Novak, a Chicagoan, who
discovered them in an old
trunk he bought 11 years
ago.
Montezuma’s correspon­
dence is so valuable
primarily because it consist
mainly of his exchanges
with other Indians.
“ There are so few
collections of m aterials
about Indians by Indians 'in
this period,” Colley said.
“ Most of the' known
collections
are
interpretations by whites.”
And though the Indian
» doctor received his formal

itinerant
Chicago
photographer in 1871.
The photographer named
him Carlos Montezuma
because his own first name
was Carlos, and because he
thought any Indian would be
proud to bear the last name
of the famed Aztec emperor.

Charles Colley, University archivist and director of Hayden Library's
special collections, examines faded letters and photographs that once
belonged to Carlos Montezuma, Arizona Mohave Apache, medical
doctor and humanitarian.

education in white society,
he soon rebelled.
He became dissatisfied
with the BIA and left to
make speeches throughout
the country condemning
that organization and trying
to draw needed attention to
the Indians’ plight.
In the process, he made
many notations on the back
of Ids medical stationery
that brought out his feelings
on the problems of his
people.
Sue Abbey, Colley’s
assistant in ordering the
collection, said, “In just
looking through two of the
boxes we have, I’ve already
come across 100 such notes.
They tell a very sad story.”
The librarians’ current
interest in the materials has
to do with their, possible
connection with the Carl
Hayden collection, for in the
Hayden papers there is
correspondence between the
late
senator
and
Montezuma.
Colley now is busy delving
into the 10-box assortment to
find links with such subjects
as irrigation projects on the
M c-D o w e l l
Indian
Reservation.
He said he hopes final
sorting of the papers will be
completed in three to four
months and a valuable study
aid made available to
students of Arizona and
Indian history.

Excising the bullseye
in pint-size competition
p

1

.*-

It certainly w asn't the full-throated roar of
the old ought-six in the Nationals at Cam p Perry.
It was an unobtrusive P P F P T .
And it signalled the start of the Eighth
In te rn a tio n a l
. Shooting
E d ucation
Cham pionships. W ith B B guns, no less.
But for the youngsters who took part in the
competition last Saturday and Sunday here at
A SU , it w as the big-time.
From 41 states they came, with their U.S.
Jaycees sponsors, carrying special target-grade
weaponry provided by Daisy.
When they got down to the serious business
of shooting, it became obvious why these kids are
called champions.

In all four shooting positions — prone,
sitting, kneeling and offhand — the distance was
15 feet, and the bullseye the size of a penny.
There also was the Arizona sun to consider.
Vet, when the compressed a ir had cleared,
an 11-year-old sharpshooter had placed 10
consecutive shots in the black. Then there was
another. And throughout the two days, 8s and 9s
were commonplace, lesser shots the exception.
Shooting skill alone did not win the match,
however.
In order that these young people should know
not only how to pull the trigger, but also the
consequences of doing so, they were required to
take a shooting education test.
The Iowa team actually did the best
shooting: 1,909 points out of a possible 2,000, but
the education test was its downfall. M issouri,
with 1,896 shooting points,, aced the written test
and took home the trophy.
In their off-hours during the two days the
teams were treated to coqkoiM , perform ances
by Western singers and"1dem onstrations by
professional shooters.
Actor Hugh O 'B ria n — him self a form er
M arine Corps m arksm anship instructor — said
these were am ong the great ipajority of
A m erica's responsible youth. ''T h e real natural
resources of this country," he called them.