Library Newsletter Spring 2005

In This Issue:

• From the Director's Desk
• The History of Georgia Southwestern State University - Part V 
• What's New
• Amy's Book News Corner
• In The Spotlight: LIBR 1000

In this issue, we continue our GSW history series which we trust is of interest to our readers as we rapidly approach GSW's Centennial in 2006.  We are making good progress on the GSW Historical Collection and wish to thank all of those who have donated memorabilia and materials pertaining to this collection. Our other Centennial project is the rehabilitation of the President and Mrs. Carter display.  Interns from the Fine Arts department are scanning the Carter materials onto CD's in order to both preserve the materials and provide a permanent record. We hope to have this exhibit, located on level 2, remounted by the end of this summer.

Over the past 5 years we have reinvigorated the Library's display program under the coordination of Mrs. Tishana Smith, the Library's Government Documents/Reference Assistant.  Mrs. Smith maintains the permanent displays and creates the rotating displays. Our permanent displays, in addition to the President and Mrs. Carter display, include the GSW Historical Photos display housed in the cabinet between the ILL Office and the Copy Room on level one and the Lillian Carter display mounted on the wall above the public computer workstations. Our revolving displays can be found in the two cases between the front doors of the Library.  We traditionally begin the Fall semester with a display of regional historical and cultural sites to introduce our new students and faculty to the area. This year, Mrs. Smith has also developed displays providing information on the November presidential elections and candidates and on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  December featured Lee Ann Dalzell's (the Library's Cataloguer/Database Manager) Christmas Village. Currently we have 2 displays in honor of Black History month and Presidents' Day. We invite all our readers to drop by the Library to enjoy and learn from our displays.

This issue also includes a fascinating book review by Amy Wise, our Collection Development Assistant, and an article on the Library's for-credit course written by Valerie Blanchard, the Library's Interlibrary Loan Assistant. Ms. Blanchard assisted Mr. Stoddart in developing and teaching the course so hers is a first hand account.

Our thanks and gratitude go out again for your support and gifts.  We greatly appreciate your assistance in making the James Earl Carter Library one in which we all can take great pride.

This decade in GSW's history began with the ground breaking ceremony for the Mildred Lowery Memorial Chapel as part of Homecoming on June 4, 1950. This chapel was named in honor of Mildred Lowery of Richland who was the first president of the organized Young People's Christian Association. In October of that same year, a ground breaking ceremony was held for the men's dormitory, Collum Hall, named for John Collum, head of the school from 1908-1921. In July of 1954, the construction of Jackson Hall was begun.  Jackson Hall was named in honor of Mrs. P.A. Jackson and was dedicated on October 14, 1955.

In January of 1950, the English and Art Departments sponsored an art festival. Early in May each evening after supper for an entire week, faculty members gave book reviews on the south campus.

The Student Activity Board was organized in 1951 with the college comptroller as faculty sponsor and intercollegiate athletics became a dominant part of the physical education program. The Southeastern Junior College Basketball Tournament was held at GSW in March of 1951.

In February of 1951 the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia authorized GSW to offer courses in technical fields in collaboration with South Georgia Trade and Vocational School and nursing education in collaboration with the Americus and Sumter County Hospital. The Department of Nursing Education was organized in September 1953. The first class of nurses graduated in September of 1956.

The University President's wife, Mrs. Lloyd A. Moll, helped students celebrate their birthdays.  Each month she baked a beautiful cake that was enjoyed by students whose birthdays came in that month.

During 1954, the summer session was revived for the convenience of students enrolled in the nursing program and other interested students.

Ten GSW students were listed in the 1952 edition of American College Leaders.

GSW began participating in the "Keep Georgia Green" program in 1953 by planting slash pines and long leaf pines.  In 1957 there were approximately 127 acres of pines on the college farm.

385 students were enrolled in the Fall of 1955.

The 1956 annual report of the University System of Georgia revealed that the Wade Lott Memorial Library of Georgia Southwestern excelled all other libraries of the same category in the University System in volumes added, total number of volumes, student circulation, circulation per student and faculty circulation.

Coming attractions: "The 1960's" in our Fall 2005 issue. The information for this article was taken from Macy Bishop Gray's book, Through the Years: A Brief Informal Record of Georgia Southwestern College 1908-1957. Miss Macy was GSW's librarian from 1931 to 1966 and her book is located in the Rare Books room of the Library.

Covered Bridges of Georgia

Covered bridges date back 2000 years when they were originally built in China and Babylon. The first one in the United States was the Waterford Bridge. It was built in 1804 by Theodore Burr and spanned the Hudson River in New York for 105 years. 

There are 18 remaining covered bridges in Georgia. These wonderful bridges are a great attraction to many people. The nearest bridges to Americus are the Callaway Bridge, also known as the Wedadkee Creek Bridge, located at Pine Mountain and the Cohelee Creek Bridge, also known as McDonald's Ford Bridge near Blakely.

I've visited a few of these bridges - walked through them, marveled at the gigantic timbers and then rambled down to the creeks below. Historical markers located near the bridges are real eye openers as to the history of the bridge and surrounding area.

Reasons Why Bridges Were Covered:

Keep snow off the bridge.
Keep the oiled planks from becoming slippery in the rain.
Provide shelter to travelers caught in a storm.
Provide a place to court - they were sometimes referred to as "kissing bridges".
Insulation and shade for the bridge timber.
Keep farm animals calm while crossing rushing water.
Other purposes: weddings, political rallies, National Guard  drills, religious meetings, a night's sleep for tramps, poker parties, town meetings, dances, fights, landmarks and billboards.

To learn more about the covered bridges in Georgia, check out Georgia's Covered Bridges, by Thomas L. and Edward French. This book is located in the library's rare books room and can be checked out. The call number is F284.3 .F7 2003.

Don't ever burn a bridge in case you have to cross back over. - Amy

In The Spotlight: LIBR 1000