Mortar Board Scrapbooks, 1938-1982

Container List

Series 1: Scrapbooks, 1938-1982 Add to Shelf

Series 1 consists of 16 scrapbooks documenting the membership and activities of the Oregon State chapter of Mortar Board from the late 1930s to the early 1980s.  Some of the scrapbooks are identified by numbers (e.g. C-079) that were assigned by the former University Archives.  Loose items within each scrapbook are foldered and stored with the scrapbook.  The 1965-1966 and 1967-1974 scrapbooks were in poor condition (most items were no longer affixed to scrapbook pages).  In 2017, these scrapbooks were disassembled and most items placed in folders.

Box-Item 1.01: 1938-1942 Add to Shelf

Labeled C-079. Contains articles about the installation of Mortar Board at Oregon State College as a local chapter of Cap and Gown to serve as an honor society for senior women.  Photos of the initial graduating classes of Mortar Board are included as well as the initial six women of the Mortar Board at Oregon State College.  Other photos and articles document dances the club hosted, new members and officers in Mortar Board, and the women's achievements.

Box-Item 1.02: 1945-1949 Add to Shelf

Mortar Board events including Dave Longtin and his 12-piece orchestra playing for the annual Mortar Board Reversia Ball (where women ask men).  Another article describes how vegetable corsages were used in place of banned flower corsages at all-school formals during World War II.  Group photos, "bowing" of new Mortar Board member and tapping, wedding announcements, and the Reversia Ball are recurring materials found in this scrapbook.

Box-Item 1.03: 1950-1951 Add to Shelf

A beach trip getaway, conferences, convocations, and wedding announcements are documented in this scrapbook.  Articles about Mortar Board's dances from both the women in Mortar Board and men waiting to be asked are also included.

Box-Item 2.01: 1951-1954 Add to Shelf

Labeled C-082. Tapping, Reversia Ball, corsage assembling, wedding announcements, and the Smarty Party for new members of Mortar Board are some of the events mentioned in this scrapbook.  Articles about Plaster Board-the women's dates for the Mortar Board Ball, dance cards, and photos of Mortar Board members either with their mothers or new members are also included.

Box-Item 2.02: 1954-1956 Add to Shelf

Scrapbook includes Oregon State College (OSC) Turnabout Ball photos that display some of the unusual corsages, brochures of the 32nd and 33rd Annual Women's Honor Assembly, homecoming, and Oregon State College's 87th Charter Day.  It also contains dance cards and group photos.

Box-Item 5.01: 1956-1957 Add to Shelf

Labeled as C-084. Contains Mortar Board group photos of new and old members, a sectional meeting brochure, and an initiation and membership history booklet.  There are articles on Mary Meier, a Mortar Board member, winning the Pfizer National Scholarship; Prom Queens; Mortar Board Ball Kings;the Associated Women Students (AWS) Honors Convocation; and recruiting new members.

Box-Item 3.01: 1957-1959 Add to Shelf

Labeled as C-085. Mortar Board group photos, photos of Mortar Board skit to promote Ball, nominated Kings for the Ball, dance cards, and Mortar Board members' scholarship and announcements.

Box-Item 5.02: 1959-1961 Add to Shelf

Labeled as C-086. Articles in this scrapbook cover Mortar Board's Late Date Night, Alumna Feast for Homecoming, Reversia Ball details, and Honors.  Mortar Board's meeting minutes and group photos of the newly tapped members are included.

Box-Item 5.03: 1961-1962 Add to Shelf

Labeled as C-087. This scrapbook contains photos and descriptions of Mortar Board's "kidnap breakfast", retreat to Belknap Springs, Winter term Program, Plasterboard date initiates, King finalists, tapping, and the AWS Honors Convocation.

Box-Item 6.01: 1962-1963 Add to Shelf

Labeled as C-088. Mortar Board members in the news, the Mortar Board Ball, serenades, and tapping articles are found in this scrapbook.  There are also photos of the 1962-1963 Mortar Board members.

Box-Item 3.02: 1963-1965 Add to Shelf

Labeled as C-089. Significant portion of 1963-1964 articles are clippings pertaining to Oregon State University Olympian Jean Saubert's skiing accomplishments.  Mortar Board Ball invitations are included as well as scholarship and honors achievements.  There are also event and group photos of Homecoming Coffee Hour, Mortar Board graduates, and Bigs and Littles.

Box-Item 4.01: 1965-1966 Add to Shelf

Article clippings and photos of the Oregon State University's events, organized by month, from 1965-1966.  Most items in the scrapbook had become detached from scrapbook pages and are foldered by month.  Events include New Student Week, ASOSU's installation, Mrs. James Jensen (OSU's first lady) becoming an honorary member of Mortar Board, homecoming queen, and Mortar Board's fall schedule for November of 1965.  There are also records of the Mortar Board King nominations, dance cards, group photos, and wedding announcements.

Box-Item 4.02: 1966-1967 Add to Shelf

Labeled as C-091. Mortar Board members' honors and involvement on campus organized by term (Fall, Winter, and Spring).  Some highlights are the Junior Weekend, a show by Bill Cosby, the regional Mortar Board meeting at the University of Puget Sound, and a hymn book that depicts the 1967 initiation ceremony.  This scrapbook includes a few color snapshots.

Box-Item 4.03: 1967-1974 Add to Shelf

Most items in this scrapbook had become detached from the scrapbook pages and are foldered by month.  Because of the quantity of materials, the scrapbook is split into two chronological parts that are foldered separately.

Folder 1: Part 1 of scrapbook, 1967-1972 Add to Shelf

The first section of this scrapbook contains the Mortar Board summer newsletter, the Mortar Board Forum, and election information. Homecoming articles, the Mortar Board  Ball, Initiation, and members being honored were also found in the documents.  Photographs of the King nominations, Mortar Board members, and Professor advisors accompanied the articles and scrapbook.  Loose items are foldered with the scrapbook pages.  This scrapbook includes color snapshots.

Folder 2: Part 2 of scrapbook, 1972-1974 Add to Shelf

The section part of this scrapbook lists activities and events and includes a variety of photos of 1972-1973 and 1973-1974 Mortar Board members at a Christmas dinner party, meetings, and surprise breakfasts.  A 1972 Summer Newsletter and an outline of the end of 1973 Fall term's meetings and events area also included.  Loose items are foldered with the scrapbook pages.  This scrapbook includes color snapshots.

Box-Item 6.02: 1979-1980 Add to Shelf

The Mortar Board Forum from 1979-1980 is included in a folder within this scrapbook.  In addition, this scrapbook contains article clippings of events, correspondence, and photographs.  Some of the events were OSU Dean Kuipers addressing Mortar Board, a "foreign student buddies" support program, a silent auction for a Wilson basketball signed by the Beaver basketball team, and Finals Week baskets.

Box-Item 6.03: 1981-1982 Add to Shelf

This scrapbook shows Mortar Board as a co-ed organization through group photos and membership profiles.  Contains articles and fliers of autographed basketballs by the Beaver basketball team, Neil Goldschmidt (former Portland mayor) speaking in Gill Coliseum, scholarships, and members in the news.  There are also photos depicting tapping, the orientation meeting, and the Mortar Board/Blue Key Ball.  Photographs of Tony Van Vliet making a presentation are included in this scrapbook.

Series 2: Artifact, circa 1945 Add to Shelf

Series 2 consists of candlestick that was used in the 1940s-1960s in initiation ceremonies.  The candlestick was a gift by Mollie Strand (the wife of Oregon State College President A.L. Strand) to the Cap and Gown Chapter of Mortar Board at Oregon State.

Box-Item 7.1: Initiation candlestick Add to Shelf