Purdue University Convocations records

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: UA 42

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The Purdue University Convocations Records (1892-2012, predominant 1903-2012; 28.75 cubic feet) documents the pre-history and history of Purdue Convocations. This collection offers researchers an excellent glimpse into the wide-variety of performances offered and showcased courtesy of Purdue Convocations. Types of materials include: budgets and other financial statements, committee meeting minutes, performance schedules, performer contracts, photographs, programs, etc.

Dates

1876-2012
Other: Majority of material found in 1903-2012
Other: Date acquired: 08/02/2012

Creator

Purdue University Convocations (Organization)

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Purdue University

Historical Information

Purdue Convocations began in 1902 with the “Lecture Concert and Course” and today offers a wide-variety of performers in the genres of ballet and dance, Broadway-style shows, cinema, comedy, popular and classical music, and stage theatre. A number of performers have made multiple appearances at Purdue University, courtesy of Purdue Convocations, including Bill Cosby, the Oak Ridge Boys, the Beach Boys, Amy Grant, Chicago, Alan Jackson, STOMP, and the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra. The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra performed on over forty-five occasions between 1932 and 2002. During its rich history, Purdue Convocations has also offered students, faculty, and local residents an opportunity to see a number of overseas performers, including the Berlin Philharmonic, the Chinese Acrobats of Taiwan, Danzas Venezuela, the Hungarian Quartet, the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, the National Ballet of Canada, the National Chinese Opera Theatre, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Stars of Soviet and Eastern European Ballet, and the Warsaw Philharmonic. Notable lecturers have included Dean Acheson, George Ade, Clement Attlee, Jimmy Carter, Barry Goldwater, John F. Kennedy, and Alex Haley. Purdue Convocations continues to provide the university and local community with quality entertainment presented in a wide-variety of genres.

Purdue Convocations Performance Database, at http://www.purdue.edu/convocations/performance-database/

Materials found within the collection

Extent

29.55 Cubic Feet

10 c.f. boxes, 37 mss. boxes, 10 loose scrapbooks other_unmapped

Additional Description

Abstract

Correspondence, contracts, financial statements, meeting minutes, newspaper clippings, photographs, press releases, programs, season schedules, and other materials and records relating to the lectures and performances offered by Purdue Convocations from its Lecture and Concert Course beginnings to the present day.

Arrangement Note

The Records are organized into six series: Administrative Records, 1948-1970; Performers and Performances, 1903-1979; Promotional Materials, 1892-2012; Scrapbooks, 1965-1979, 1981-2000; Chairman of the University Convocation Committee Scrapbooks, 1923-1955; and Program Scrapbooks, 1876-circa 1918. The series are arranged, for the most part, chronologically by material type. Some of the performer files in Series 6 are organized alphabetically.

Physical Access Requirements

The scrapbooks comprising Series 5 and Series 6 are very fragile and need to be handled with care. Loose materials from the scrapbooks have been removed and placed in acid-free folders, which accompany their respective scrapbooks in flat boxes.