Student Handbooks, 1894-1996

Predominant Dates: 1901-1984

The Student Handbooks (also known as Rook Guides, Rook Handbooks, or Rook Bibles) provided an introduction to incoming first-year students about Oregon State University, especially history and traditions, social regulations and expectations, student activities and services, and academic policies and procedures. The handbook was published by the Young Men’s and Young Women’s Christian Associations (YMCA and YWCA) through the early 1920s and subsequently by the Associated Students and the Office of Student Services.

Items from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.

Creators

ID: PUB 010-23a

Extent: 0.85 cubic feet

More Extent Information

Scope and Content Notes

The Student Handbooks (also known as Rook Guides, Rook Handbooks, or Rook Bibles) were published annually from the early 1900s through the mid-1980s and provided an introduction to incoming first-year students (known as rooks) to Oregon State University. The handbooks include history and traditions, social regulations and expectations, student activities and services, and academic policies and procedures.

The handbooks include a variety of information that evolved during the 80-plus years that the handbook was published. In the early years, the handbooks included a calendar; welcome to new students; information on the history of the College and its traditions; songs and yells that were used at athletic events; information about student government, publications, and organizations; and lists of fraternities and sororities. The handbooks that were published by the Young Men’s and Young Women’s Christian Associations included extensive information about those organizations and their programs and activities. Through the early 1940s, the handbooks had empty pages for notes as well as blank calendar or academic schedule pages. Social regulations and tips were common in the handbooks from the beginning. Student religious organizations and Corvallis churches were listed in the handbooks through the 1960s.

Beginning in the 1960s, the handbooks included more policies and procedures and the actual student regulations for Oregon State University as well as summary information about the full range of services available to students – such as student health, advising, counseling, and the bookstore. Information about the University administration became more prominent in the handbook in the latter years.

Through the early 1920s, the handbooks were published by the Young Men’s and Young Women’s Christian Associations (YMCA and YWCA). Publication of the handbook was assumed by the Associated Students of Oregon State University in the early-mid 1920s and continued to the mid-1970s, when responsibility for publication of the handbook shifted to the Office of Student Services. In the late 1920s and 1930s, the professional journalism fraternity Sigma Delta Chi supervised publication of the handbook. The 1933-1934 handbook specifically states that it includes activities of interest to both men and women and was published by the Associated Students and the Associated Women Students.

A separate Rook Bible, distinct from the Student Handbook, was published in 1919, 1920, and 1922 by the Vigilance Committee. This Rook Bible was written by the sophomores of the Vigilance Committee to instill “true Beaver spirit” in the freshmen via this small booklet on the history and traditions of Oregon Agricultural College that also included songs and yells. Beginning in 1923, the title “Student Handbook and Rook Bible” was used for several years. Rook Bible, Rook Handbook, and Rook Guide were used intermittently as part of the handbook title through the early 1960s. Several handbooks in the mid-1960s have the title “Beaver Code”.

The earliest handbook in the collection was published in 1894 by the Young Men’s Christian Association. It provides information about the Association, the College campus and Corvallis, literary societies, athletics, and the military department. A brief note about the Cauthorn Hall Reading Association is included.

The latest handbook in the collection was published in 1996 for the 1996-1997 academic year by the Student Foundation, Student Alumni Association, and Memorial Union Program Council. Excerpts from the 1943 Rook Handbook were reproduced in this issue.

Items from this collection have been digitized and are available in Oregon Digital.

Statement on Access: Collection is open for research.

Arrangement

Preferred Citation: Student Handbooks (PUB 010-23a), Oregon State University Special Collections and Archives Research Center, Corvallis, Oregon.

Acquisition Note: The Student Handbooks were received by the former University Archives from the 1960s through 1990s. They are now part of the Special Collections and Archives Research Center.

Languages of Materials

English

Other

Container List

Series 1: Student Handbooks, 1901-1996 Add to Shelf

Series 1 comprises the bulk of this collection and consists of Student Handbooks and Rook Bibles for most academic years between 1901-1902 and 1984-1985. All of these items are available online in Oregon Digital.

Box-Folder 1.1: 1901-1902 thru 1919-1920 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Student's Handbook for 1901-1902, 1901 Add to Shelf: Compliments of the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations of the Oregon Agricultural College.
Item 2: Students' Hand-Book of the Oregon Agricultural College for 1902-1903, 1902 Add to Shelf: Published and presented by the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations.
Item 3: Hand-Book for 1906-1907, 1906 Add to Shelf: Published annually by the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations.
Item 4: Handbook of the Oregon Agricultural College of 1908-1909, 1908 Add to Shelf: Published annually by the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations.
Item 5: The Handbook for 1914-1915, 1914 Add to Shelf: An annual publication under the auspices of the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations of the Oregon Agricultural College.
Item 6: The Handbook of the YMCA and YWCA of Oregon Agricultural College for 1915-1916, 1915 Add to Shelf
Item 7: College Hand Book for 1919-1920, 1919 Add to Shelf: Published by the student body as a complete compilation of essential information. This item does not include a cover.
Item 8: Rook Bible, 1919 Add to Shelf: Published by '21 Vigilance Committee, January 1, 1919. First edition.

Box-Folder 1.2: 1920-1921 thru 1925-1926 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Rook Bible for Class of 1924, 1920 Add to Shelf: Published by the '23 Vigilance Committee; approved by the Student Council; September 20, 1920.
Item 2: Rook Bible for Class of 1926, 1922 Add to Shelf: Published by '25 Vigilance Committee.
Item 3: Student Hand Book for 1920-1921, 1920 Add to Shelf: A compilation of general information; published by FORUM.
Item 4: Student Hand Book for 1922-1923, 1922 Add to Shelf: Published by the Young Men's Christian Association and the Young Women's Christian Association.
Item 5: Student Handbook and Rook Bible for 1923-1924, 1923 Add to Shelf: Includes three copies of this handbook.
Item 6: Student Handbook and Rook Bible for 1924-1925, 1924 Add to Shelf: Published by the Associated Students of Oregon Agricultural College.
Item 7: Student Handbook and Rook Bible for 1925-1926, 1925 Add to Shelf: Published by the Associated Students of Oregon State Agricultural College.

Box-Folder 1.3: 1926-1927 thru 1929-1930 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Student Handbook and Rook Bible for 1926-1927, 1926 Add to Shelf: Two copies of this issue are available.
Item 2: Student Handbook for 1927-1928, 1927 Add to Shelf: Published by the Associated Students of Oregon State College under the direction of Sigma Delta Chi professional journalistic fraternity.
Item 3: Student Handbook for 1928-1929, 1928 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Student Handbook for 1929-1930, 1929 Add to Shelf: 2 copies

Box-Folder 1.4: 1930-1931 thru 1939-1940 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Oregon State Student Handbook for 1930-1931, 1930 Add to Shelf
Item 2: Oregon State Student Handbook for 1931-1932, 1931 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Oregon State Student Handbook for 1932-1933, 1932 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Oregon State Student Handbook for 1933-1934, 1933 Add to Shelf: General activities of interest to both men and women. Published by the Associated Students and the Associated Women Students of Oregon State College under the direction of Sigma Delta Chi professional journalistic fraternity.
Item 5: Oregon State Student Handbook for 1934-1935, 1934 Add to Shelf
Item 6: Student Handbook for 1935-1936, 1935 Add to Shelf: Presented by the Associated Students.
Item 7: Handbook of Oregon State College for 1937-1938, 1937 Add to Shelf: Published by Associated Students, Oregon State College.
Item 8: Oregon State Rook Bible for 1938-1939, 1938 Add to Shelf
Item 9: Rook Handbook of Oregon State College for 1939-1940, 1939 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 1.5: Oregon State College Student Handbooks - Bound Volume, 1930-1939 Add to Shelf

Includes handbooks for 1930-1931, 1931-1932, 1933-1934, 1934-1935, 1935-1936, 1937-1938, and 1939-1940. Handbooks for 1932-1933, 1936-1937, and 1938-1939 are not part of this volume.

Box-Folder 1.6: 1940-1941 thru 1945-1946 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Student Handbook of Oregon State College for 1940-1941, 1940 Add to Shelf
Item 2: Student Handbook of Oregon State College for 1941-1942, 1941 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Student Handbook of Oregon State College for 1942-1943, 1942 Add to Shelf: For the Class of 1946.
Item 4: Student Handbook of Oregon State College for 1943-1944, 1943 Add to Shelf
Item 5: Student Handbook of Oregon State College for 1945-1946, 1945 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 2.1: 1946-1947 thru 1949-1950 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Student Handbook for 1946-1947, 1946 Add to Shelf
Item 2: Entering Oregon State - Student Handbook "Rook Bible" for 1947-1948, 1947 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Entering Oregon State -- Student Handbook "Rook Bible" for 1948-1949, 1948 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Student Handbook for 1949-1950, 1949 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 2.2: 1959-1951 thru 1954-1955 Add to Shelf

Item 1: "Rook Bible" Student Handbook for 1950-1951, 1950 Add to Shelf
Item 2: "Rook Bible" Student Handbook for 1951-1952, 1951 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Student Handbook Rook Bible for 1952-1953, 1952 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Rook Bible Student Handbook for 1953-1954, 1953 Add to Shelf
Item 5: Rook Bible - Oregon State College Student Handbook for 1954-1955, 1954 Add to Shelf: 1955 on cover; but this is for the 1954-1955 academic year.

Box-Folder 2.3: 1955-1956 thru 1959-1960 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Rook Bible - Oregon State College Student Handbook for 1955-1956, 1955 Add to Shelf: 1956 on cover, but this item is for the 1955-1956 academic year.
Item 2: Student Handbook "Rook Bible" for 1956-1957, 1956 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Student Handbook "Rook Bible" for 1957-1958, 1957 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Student Handbook "Rook Bible" for 1958-1959, 1958 Add to Shelf
Item 5: Student Handbook "Rook Guide" for 1959-1960, 1959 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 2.4: 1960-1961 thru 1965-1966 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Student Handbook "Rook Guide" for 1960-1961, 1960 Add to Shelf
Item 2: Student Handbook "Rook Guide" for 1961-1962, 1961 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Student Handbook "Rook Guide" for 1962-1963, 1962 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Student Handbook "Rook Guide" for 1963-1964, 1963 Add to Shelf
Item 5: Beaver Code for 1964-1965, 1964 Add to Shelf
Item 6: Beaver Code for 1965-1966, 1965 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 2.5: 1966-1967 thru 1969-1970 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Beaver Code for 1966-1967, 1966 Add to Shelf
Item 2: Beaver Code for 1967-1968, 1967 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Student Handbook for 1968-1969, 1968 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Student Handbook for 1969-1970, 1969 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 2.6: 1970-1971 thru 1974-1975 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Student Handbook for 1970-1971, 1970 Add to Shelf
Item 2: Student Handbook for 1971-1972, 1971 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Everything You've Always Wanted to Know About OSU, But Were Afraid to Ask - Student Handbook for 1972-1973, 1972 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Student Handbook for 1973-1974, 1973 Add to Shelf
Item 5: Student Handbook for 1974-1975, 1974 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 3.1: 1975-1976 thru 1979-1980 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Student Handbook for 1975-1976, 1975 Add to Shelf
Item 2: Student Handbook for 1976-1977, 1976 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Student Handbook for 1977-1978, 1977 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Student Handbook for 1978-1979, 1978 Add to Shelf
Item 5: Student Handbook for 1979-1980, 1979 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 3.2: 1980-1981 thru 1984-1985 Add to Shelf

Item 1: Student Handbook for 1980-1981, 1980 Add to Shelf
Item 2: Student Handbook for 1981-1982, 1981 Add to Shelf
Item 3: Student Handbook for 1982-1983, 1982 Add to Shelf
Item 4: Student Handbook for 1983-1984, 1983 Add to Shelf
Item 5: Student Handbook for 1984-1985, 1984 Add to Shelf

Box-Folder 3.3: Rook Handbook of Oregon State University for 1996-1997, 1996 Add to Shelf

Published by the Student Foundation, Student Alumni Association, and Memorial Union Program Council. Several sections are excerpts from the 1943 Rook Handbook that were included "for your reading pleasure and to broaden your knowledge of our campus heritage".

Series 2: Student Handbooks - Digitized from Microfilm, 1894-1913 Add to Shelf

Series 2 consists of handbooks published between 1894 and 1913 that are not available in printed form in this archival collection or the History of Oregon State University (HistOSU) rare book collection. The microfilmed versions have been digitized and are available to researchers in the Reading Room.

Digital File 1: The Students Hand-Book, 1894 Add to Shelf: Presented by The Young Men's Christian Association, of the State Agricultural College.
Digital File 2: Students' Hand-Book for 1903-1904, 1903 Add to Shelf: Presented by the Christian Associations of the Oregon Agricultural College, Published Annually by the Young Men's and Women's Christian Associations.
Digital File 3: Hand-Book for 1905-1906, 1905 Add to Shelf
Digital File 4: A Hand Book of the Oregon Agricultural College for 1912-1913, 1912 Add to Shelf: Presented by The Christian Associations.
Digital File 5: The Handbook Oregon Agricultural College for 1913-1914, 1913 Add to Shelf: Presented by the Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations.

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