Evolution of Black History Month events at UW-Stout

Since the beginning of February, the halls of Stout have been decorated with posters advertising events for Black History Month, hosted by the Black Student Union. With everything from educational classes about hair care to “Twerkout” dance classes, they’ve put on a plethora of interesting and informative events, and this isn’t something new. The UW-Stout BSU has been hosting events during Black History Month for as long as the club has been around, and the events started at Stout even before February was officially designated Black History Month.

The earliest mention I could find in the Archives is from February 1974, where a “Black Awareness” dinner was held, headed by Dean Richard Anderson.

However, according to our collections, the first year where we see a big boom of activity from the Black Student Union regarding Black History Month was 1994. They held six events over the course of the month (one every Wednesday, and one every other Saturday), including a praise choir concert and a fashion show. They printed and passed out calendars of events. Being able to look back and see all the various things they did really put into perspective how far diversity initiatives have come in the last thirty years or so, especially in universities!

This continued into the future and is still occurring today. Every event is a celebration of Black culture, and seeing how that has evolved over the course of Stout’s history allows us to have an even greater appreciation for diversity on campus.

For more information on the collections mentioned in this blog contact archives@uwstout.edu or you can look through our Stout Series Finding Aids online!

Written and Researched by Meghan Dincler (she/her/hers), UW-Stout Archives Student Worker

Celebrating Valentine's Day with 1940s student scrapbooks

Phyllis Anne Johnson attended UW-Sout from 1944-1947. She was involved in many of Stout's student organizations. She was a member of the Stout Symphonics, Stoutonia, the Intersociety Council, the YWCA, and was president of the Pallas Athene. Her involvement in the school led her to be included in the Stoutonia newspaper several times. You can search through the past issues of Stoutonia here!

Phyllis documented her time at Stout with scrapbooks. She kept keepsakes, invitations, little notes, napkins, and corsages. She even kept a bit of straw from her first barn dance she attended! Her scrapbooks give an in-depth view of what life was like as a Stout student in the 1940s. Going through them is like stepping back through time.

Phyllis saved these lovely Valentine's Day cards and napkins in one of her scrapbooks. They take us back all the way to February 14, 1944, over 75 years ago! 

Phyllis, who often went by nicknames like Phyl, Phil, Johnny, and Jiny, graduated in 1947 with a Bachellor of Science degree. She married Norman E. Watson, and the two of them moved to Iowa and had three children together. 

Phyllis and Norman Watson donated her scrapbooks to the UW-Stout Archives where they are available to view and research. To learn more about the Phyllis and Norman Watson Personal Papers or to set up an appointment to view the scrapbooks, contact archives@uwstout.edu.

Written and Researched by Jo Michelle Henderson, UW-Stout Archives Student Worker

Study-break snacks to fuel end of semester studying

Whether you are a K-12 student, college student, teacher, parent, or work in the education system, celebrate the end of the semester by preparing yummy study-break snacks like Unbaked Oatmeal Drop Cookies. Packed with wholesome oatmeal, but coated in chocolate goodness, they will keep you going through Finals week. Find the recipe in Stout’s Favorites cookbook, p. 26, available via the Internet Archive at https://archive.org/details/StoutsFavoritesFirstEdition/page/n27/mode/2up

Unbaked oatmeal drop cookie recipe

The cookbook was published by the Home Economics Club of Stout State College, 1955, featuring favorite recipes of faculty and students, and "dedicated to all those people who enjoy preparing and eating good food.” The recipe was submitted by Ellen Bruce, a Senior at Stout State College in 1959. Bruce was involved in Band and the Home Economics Club during her time at Stout.

Ellen Bruce, 1959 Tower yearbook, p. 127

Ellen Bruce wrote with her recipe submission, “I have always appreciated this recipe in time of short notice or limited minutes. The product is a very tasty cookie, which can very easily be substituted for a candy treat. My younger sisters love to help me when I make these cookies.”

I agree with Ellen Bruce. These cookies are easy to make! I made them according to the recipe. I used a muffin scooper to drop the cookies onto the baking sheet, but you can use a spoon to make smaller cookie drops. Many coworkers and family members approve – these cookies are delicious! Bon Appetit!

Mixing the cookie batter

The finished cookies

The cookies up close

Discover how cooking and eating food has changed since the 1950s, from the National Museum of American History’s online exhibit “Food: Transforming the American Table”: https://americanhistory.si.edu/food

 

Need other quick and easy study break treats? Try:

Spiced Honeyed Cider and Scotch Crunchies: http://stoutarchives.blogspot.com/2020/12/stress-free-study-break-snacks-that.html

Cheddar Cheesy popcorn: https://stoutarchives.blogspot.com/2020/12/easy-peasy-cheddar-cheesy-popcorn.html

Peneuche: http://stoutarchives.blogspot.com/2019/10/halloween-penuche-from-fannie-farmer.html

By: Julie Hatfield, Archives Assistant, UW-Stout Archives

Bake to impress this holiday season with Pecan Pie

Bake to impress this holiday season with a recipe that has stood the test of time. Try Pecan Pie from Stout’s Favorites cookbook, p. 43, available via the Internet Archive: https://archive.org/details/StoutsFavoritesFirstEdition/page/n45/mode/2up

Pecan Pie Recipe

The cookbook was published by the Home Economics Club of Stout State College, 1955, featuring favorite recipes of faculty and students, and "dedicated to all those people who enjoy preparing and eating good food.” This recipe was submitted by Mary E. Killian, a faculty member in the Food and Nutrition Dept., Director of Food Service and the Cafeteria, and an advisor for the Dietetic Club and Alpha Sigma Alpha during her time at Stout, ca. 1948-1967.

1955 Tower Yearbook photo, Mary Killian

According to Killian, “This is a favorite with students at Stout. Although it is a Southern recipe, it has won the applause of the Northerner. It is simple in preparation and delectable to eat. One reason I like it personally is it can be made a day ahead and still retain its perfect flavor.”

Cooking tips: I used a 10 inch graham cracker pie crust and lined the bottom and sides with whole, and not chopped, pecans. I used room-temperature vs. cold butter, and my first four ingredients did not cream together, the mixture stayed flaky. After I poured my mixture into the pie crust, the pecans started floating to the top, and more did as the pie was baking. I freaked out at first, but it worked out in the end with the pecans lining the top of the pie. When I cut a slice of pie to taste test it, a lot of the bottom of the crust had disappeared and melded together with the filling. I have only baked a few pies before this, and rarely eat Pecan Pie, but I think it turned out pretty good in the end. In the future I will line the pie with fewer pecans. Bon Appetit! 

Pecans lined in pie shell

The baked pie, pecans lining the top

The pie, complete with cool whip spread on top. Bon Appetit!

Discover how cooking and eating food has changed since the 1950s, from the National Museum of American History’s online exhibit “Food: Transforming the American Table”: https://americanhistory.si.edu/food

By: Julie Hatfield, Archives Assistant, UW-Stout Archives

Hearty potato soup to fuel autumn days

Fuel yourself against the colder weather with Country Potato Soup from Stout’s Favorites 2^nd edition cookbook, 1958, p. 34, available via the Internet Archive:   https://archive.org/details/StoutsFavoritesSecondEdition/page/n35/mode/2up

Country Potato Soup recipe

The cookbook was published by the Home Economics Club of Stout State College, 1958, featuring favorite recipes of faculty and students, and "dedicated to all those people who enjoy preparing and eating good food.” The recipe was submitted by John Kruse.

Cooking tips: Instead of using two cans of potato soup, I used one bag of Shore Lunch Creamy Potato soup mix. I cut up one extra potato I had and threw it in, but did not add milk to the soup mix. While cooking the soup, fry in a frying pan about ½ a package of bacon and then set aside on a plate with paper towels to soak up the bacon grease – I used Hormel Black Label Lower Sodium bacon. Instead of cooking the green peas separately (thaw beforehand), I added them and the dried celery to the soup mix, with eight minutes left of cooking time. When soup is finished, cut up bacon and sprinkle bacon bits and parmesan cheese to taste for each individual bowl. I cut up three pieces of bacon for my bowl of soup. This soup makes a good hearty meal for the cold autumn and winter nights, and it is easy to put together. Bon Appetit! 

Cooking the soup and bacon on the stove

The soup, with peas added

The finished soup, complete with bacon and parmesan cheese on top!

Discover how cooking and eating food has changed since the 1950s, from the National Museum of American History’s online exhibit “Food: Transforming the American Table”: https://americanhistory.si.edu/food 

Find a similar Potato Soup recipe (minus the bacon) in Stout’s Favorites 1^st ed, 1955, p. 34:

https://archive.org/details/StoutsFavoritesFirstEdition/page/n35/mode/2up

 

By: Julie Hatfield, Archives Assistant, UW-Stout Archives

Happy American Archives Month!

Happy American Archives Month! During October, we like to share how awesome archives and history research can be. At the University of Wisconsin-Stout Archives, we have a wealth of online resources available to you to start your research journey. Two ways to view a slice of past UW-Stout student life is by exploring The Tower yearbooks and The Stoutonia student newspaper. The Tower was an annual publication produced by Stout students from 1909-1989, and The Stoutonia is a current publication produced by Stout students from 1915-present. They provide information and photographs about student activities, classes, organizations, staff and faculty, and the surrounding community. The archives houses physical copies of The Tower and The Stoutonia, and they are digitized and available on the archives website via the Internet Archive and Preservica:

Tower: https://archive.org/details/toweryearbook?&sort=date

Stoutonia: https://archive.org/details/stoutonia?&sort=date

Preservica:  https://uwstout.access.preservica.com/archive/

The UW-Stout archivist Heather Stecklein has also recorded video tutorials of where to find the Tower and Stoutonia on our website and how to conduct searches: https://library.uwstout.edu/tutorials/digitalprimarysources

1955-'56 Tower Yearbook staff

Tower Yearbooks

Another great resource to view past student and local life, and to understand the time period you are researching, is by looking at community and national newspapers. There are many great resources available via the UW-Stout Archives and Library website. Discover them here:

You can search the archives newspaper index, and request items to be scanned for you: https://library.uwstout.edu/arcarchives/arearesearchcenter

John Russell Articles Index (for Dunn County News): http://archives.lib.uwstout.edu/ics-wpd/russell_collection/index.shtml

New York Times Library database, etc.: https://library.uwstout.edu/az.php?a=n

Dunn County News via the Menomonie Public Library: https://menomonielibrary.org/databases/genealogy/

Rice Lake Chronotype via the Rice Lake Public Library: http://ricelake.advantage-preservation.com/

Newspapers via the Eau Claire Public Library: https://www.ecpubliclibrary.info/print-archives/

Wisconsin Newspaper Association Archive of WI Newspapers, 2005 to 90 days ago: https://badgerlink.newsmemory.com/wna/badgerlink/

Minnesota Digital Newspaper Hub: https://www.mnhs.org/newspapers/hub

Printing the Stoutonia, 1950-'51

Stoutonia staff members getting the newspaper ready to distribute, 1950-'51

Happy American Archives Month!

Happy American Archives Month! During October, we like to share how awesome archives and history research can be. The University of Wisconsin-Stout Archives is part of a larger archival network in Wisconsin called the Area Research Center (ARC) Network. The ARC Network is a collaboration between the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison, the University of Wisconsin System, and the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center. Each ARC houses university, county, government, and regional interest related records for the surrounding counties such as yearbooks, newspapers, and genealogy records. UW-Stout houses records for Dunn, Barron, and Pepin Counties. If you wanted to look at records housed at a different ARC, such as UW-Green Bay, most archival items can be requested and shipped between the ARC’s in the network, so researchers do not have to travel all over the state for research purposes. Now that sounds like a cool system! Discover more about the Area Research Center Network here: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/Records/Article/CS4000

March 8, 1973, Stoutonia article, "University Archives Preserved at Library"

Dec. 3, 1971, Stoutonia article "History Records find new Home"

There are also a wealth of online resources available to you to start your research journey. From the  Archives home page, there are 3 different links you can click on to find online resources and search indexes for items held at UW-Stout, and the surrounding community. You can search through the Tower Yearbooks, Stoutonia student newspapers, alumni publications, links to library databases and genealogical indexes, and the 1925 History of Dunn County. You can also access Ancestry with a Stout ID.

Digital Collections Link: https://library.uwstout.edu/friendly.php?s=digitalprimarysources

Collection Indexes Link: https://library.uwstout.edu/arcarchives/universityarchives

Area Research Center Link: https://library.uwstout.edu/arcarchives/arearesearchcenter

Preservica:  https://uwstout.access.preservica.com/archive/

County and state online resources available for historical and newspaper research:

Menomonie Public Library: https://menomonielibrary.org/databases/genealogy/

Dunn County Historical Society:  http://www.dunnhistory.org/

Mabel Tainter: https://mabeltainter.org/

Eau Claire Public Library: https://www.ecpubliclibrary.info/explore/

Wisconsin Historical Society: https://www.wisconsinhistory.org/