Skip to main content

Purdue University Convocations records

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: UA 42

Scope and Contents

The Purdue University Convocations Records (1892-2012, predominant 1903-2012) 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, newsletters, etc.

Dates

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

Creator

Language of Materials

Collection materials are in English.

Access Information

Collection is open for research.

Copyright and Use Information

Some material in this collection are in the public domain, while other material copyrights are held by Purdue University. Consult with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections prior to reproduction of materials.

Historical Information

Purdue Convocations began in 1902 with the “Lecture Concert and Course” and continues to offer a wide-variety of performances 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 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. 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 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)

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.

Custodial History

Purdue University Convocations to Archives and Special Collections, Purdue University Libraries

Acquisition Information

Records transfer from Purdue University Convocations on August 02, 2012.

Processing Information

Materials comprising Series 2’s performer files remain in their original folders.The arrangement of the performer files was also retained as found. Loose items in the Series 5 scrapbooks were removed and placed in acid-free folders according to material type. All scrapbooks in the series, along with their corresponding folders, were then placed in flat boxes.

Three bound booklets of newsletters was added to Series 3 (box 23) on September 14, 2022.

Subjects

Collecting Areas

Related Names

Creator

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Purdue University Convocations records
Status
In Progress
Author
Archive Staff
Date
05/08/2014
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English
Edition statement
Third edition. Collection description was first completed 2014-05-08.

Physical Storage Information

Links

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Purdue University Archives and Special Collections Repository

http://www.lib.purdue.edu/spcol
Contact:
504 Mitch Daniels Boulevard
West Lafayette Indiana 47907 United States
765-494-2839

Related Unprocessed Material