Purdue University Reamer Club records

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: UA 179

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection includes documents and artifacts from the Reamer Club and associated Purdue historical items. These include engraved reamers and paddles, record albums from Purdue Bands and the Purdue Groove, programs from Reamer Club banquets dating between the 1930s and the 1990s, sheet music, a Purdue student handbook from 1940, the Reamer office copy of the 1976-77 Women's Intercollegiate Sports Program, the brass 5 from the Boilermaker Special and the side panel from the Boilermaker Xtra Special, Reamer items from astronaut Jerry Ross, and a seal made in Purdue's foundry that was kept in the Reamer Club office.

Dates

Creation: 1892 - 2018

Creator

Purdue Reamer Club (Organization)
Ross, Jerry Lynn, 1948- (Person)

Access Information

This collection is open for research.

Copyright and Use Information

Copyright held by Purdue University. Consult with Purdue University Archives and Special Collections prior to reproduction of materials.

Historical Information

The Purdue Reamer Club was founded in 1922 as a way to foster interest in athletics and intervarsity sports among students who were not part of Greek societies. In 1940, the Reamer Club presented the Boilermaker Special as Purdue's mascot, and have remained caretakers of the Special's many iterations since then. Notable members include astronaut Jerry Ross who brought his Reamer Club Gold Pin and an Indiana State flag aboard the Endeavor STS-88; he presented these items to the Reamer club in 1998.

Extent

3.65 Cubic Feet (One cubic foot box, one full-width letter-size manuscript box, three flat boxes, and one rolled poster)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Acquisition Information

Banquet programs, paddles, the 1940 Purdue handbook, sheet music, and vinyls were donated by Thomas Bucher in 2011. The brass 5 from the Boilermaker Special and the box of reamers were donated by Bryan Shaffer on behalf of the Reamer Club in 2011. The two framed items were donated by Jerry Ross in 2013. An individual reamer was donated by Patrick Hart in 2018. Boilermaker Xtra Special side panel donated by Aris Hoath on behalf of the Reamer Club in 2019.