Special Collections

Washington College Archives is delighted to give you a glimpse into some items from our Special Collections.

Over the past two years, thanks to the generosity of several donors, we have begun to conserve some unique and interesting items.As October is Archives Month, we will be displaying the highlights of this ongoing effort, as well as some materials we hope to preserve. This showcase will be on display in Miller Library for three special viewings. The items include:

Medical scales of Dr. Elisha Dick, physician to President George Washington;
Two handkerchiefs commemorating the life and death of President Washington;
Video clips of campus life from the 1930s and 1960s;
Audio clips of speeches made at Washington College by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Eleanor Roosevelt.

The recording of Mrs. Roosevelt is particularly noteworthy; the lacquer coating of the glass disk had broken into many pieces. The Northeast Document Conservation Center was able to reassemble it and scan it using their IRENE system to digitally reformat it, enabling us to hear Mrs. Roosevelt’s distinctive voice address the class of 1942.

Under the leadership of Lindsay Sheldon, College Archivist and Curator of Special Collections, the college has made great strides in processing, preserving, organizing, and digitizing our Archives and Special Collections. This showcase is made possible through the donations of a small number of individuals whose generosity funded the conservation of the items on display. Please enjoy the display in celebration of their philanthropy. For those interested, donations are always appreciated and allow us to expand upon the work of Library and Academic Technology. Please contact Mary Alice Ball, Dean of Library and Academic Technology at mball2FREEwashcoll to learn more about possible giving opportunities.

Showcase Times

Friday, October 18, 10–11 a.m. in the lobby area of Miller Library
Tuesday, October 22, 2–3 p.m. in the lobby area of Miller Library
Tuesday, October 29, 2–5 p.m. in the Sophie Kerr Room

WC-ALL Home

Eleanor Roosevelt's speech

Recording of Eleanor Roosevelt's speech.

Dr. Dick's scales.