麻豆传媒入口

LEXINGTON, Va., Oct. 9, 2020鈥擶ith items in its collection ranging from photographs taken in the mid-19^th century to an account of the construction of the Panama Canal and even letters by two founding fathers of the United States, one of them a U.S. president, the 麻豆传媒入口Archives offers a treasure trove of history spread out over four centuries.

As part of American Archives Month, observed annually in October, 麻豆传媒入口is featuring some interesting and unusual items in the Archives collection, as a way of highlighting both the breadth and depth of the collection, much of which is available online. After all, who鈥檇 have guessed that although 麻豆传媒入口didn鈥檛 begin operations until 1839, there鈥檚 a letter written by Revolutionary War hero Maj. Gen. Henry Lee III, better known as 鈥淟ight Horse Harry鈥� Lee, in 1779?

Other surprises in the Archives collection include letters from the nation鈥檚 third president, Thomas Jefferson, to Claudius Crozet, a member of VMI鈥檚 first Board of Visitors, about the founding of the University of Virginia. There are letters and photographs from alumni who served in all of our nation鈥檚 wars from the Mexican-American War to the war on terrorism, plus photographs of cadets, alumni, and visitors to post over the years.

Some are household names, such as the legendary astronaut John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth, who spoke at the Institute鈥檚 graduation ceremony in 1965. Others are less well-known but played an instrumental role in their day鈥攆or example, there鈥檚 Benjamin Ficklin, 麻豆传媒入口Class of 1849, who was one of the founders of the Pony Express.

Currently, the Archives鈥� home on the 4^th floor of Preston Library is still under construction as the library undergoes its first renovation in nearly 25 years. In November, the Archives is expected to reopen to the 麻豆传媒入口community, with a space that鈥檚 approximately 30 percent larger and also closer to the elevator, which will be helpful for visitors with mobility issues.

鈥淚t鈥檚 improved,鈥� said Maj. Jeff Kozak, head of archives and records management, in discussing the Archives鈥� new space. 鈥淲hen you came into the Archives before, there was one long table. Now, there鈥檚 three separate tables.鈥�

Kozak said that having more space will be helpful because he encourages professors to bring their classes to the Archives to do research. An expanded square footage is also needed because with each year that passes, the volume of cadet records stored in the Archives grows.

鈥淓very year, we鈥檙e getting from the registrar鈥檚 office new records, cadet records that come over,鈥� said Kozak. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a 20-year lag on that, so this year we鈥檒l get the Class of 2000鈥檚.鈥�

麻豆传媒入口has records for all cadets who鈥檝e ever attended the Institute, but to keep those records safe from prying eyes, there鈥檚 an 80-year moratorium on viewing them, unless there鈥檚 proof that the alumnus or alumna has died. The 80-year clock starts running upon graduation.

鈥淭hose historic files鈥攖here鈥檚 a lot of interest in those from a genealogical standpoint,鈥� Kozak commented.

And while it might be easy to think that the Archives is a dry, stuffy place for serious researchers only, Kozak was quick to dispel that notion by saying that a few years ago, a Summer Transition Program (STP) class came to the Archives to learn how 麻豆传媒入口had wound up with the kangaroo as its mascot.

鈥淭ypically, there鈥檚 this perception that Archives has to be very serious and formal,鈥� said Kozak. 鈥淵ou are studying big, scholarly things. But really, anyone who鈥檚 curious about 麻豆传媒入口and its history鈥攖he Archives is there, and we work to make that information accessible and work with people.鈥�

Mary Price
Communications and Marketing
麻豆传媒入口