The Beginnings of the Archives
President Charles E, Diehl and Dr. Peyton Nalle Rhodes.
President Charles E, Diehl and Dr. Peyton Nalle Rhodes. Rhodes became president of the college in 1948 when Diehl retired after serving thirty-one years as president.
In the 1940s, when the College’s Centennial anniversary was being planned, it was suggested to President Charles. E. Diehl and V. P. Peyton Nalle Rhodes by Henry S. Bunting, Class of 1891, to have an exhibit highlighting historical College artifacts. Bunting sent two of his own medals to begin the collection.
Press-Scimitar article announcing new "museum."
An August 24, 1948 Memphis Press-Scimitar article announced the creation of a "museum of college antiquities” and asked alumni and college friends for contributions of any photograph, document, plaque, any object connected to the history of the college.
This early "museum" was the beginning of the college’s current Archives. It remained a small collection that grew slowly and was stored in a closet in the President’s Office for the next three decades.
Henry S. Bunting, Class of 1891
Henry S. Bunting, Class of 1891, contributed two of his gold medals to the new "museum."
Henry S. Bunting Essayist medal.
This essayist medal was awarded jointly by the Washington Irving Literary Society and the Stewart Literary Society to Henry S. Bunting for his winning essay that he read at graduation. He received another medal was for winning the 100 yard dash.
Kennedy Science Building
This early "museum" was the beginning of the college’s current Archives. It was a small collection that was stored in a closet in the President’s Office in Palmer Hall for the next three decades until it was moved to the basement of Kennedy Science Building.
President Daughdrill's letter to co-archivists
In 1977, President James H. Daughdrill, Jr. asked Monroe Goodbar Morgan 1931, Albert Johnson 1930, and Librarian, Ann Boatner Groves to act as the college′s "guardians of the word" or co-archivists. These three had retired after serving the college for a combined total of 63 years. By 1978, the collection had outgrown the closet in the President's Office and was moved to three small rooms in the basement of the old science building, Kennedy Hall.