Norwich University Photograph Collection, ca. 1850-2011, bulk: 1967-1991 (67 Boxes and 20 oversize drawers)
©2012 Norwich University Archives
About the Photographers
Over the course of its history, Norwich University has employed multiple approaches to creating and accumulating photographs documenting its campus, students, faculty and staff as well as events and activities. Photographers represented in this collection include both university employees and independent professional and student photographers. However, the most sizable contributions to the collection were made by official university photographers, especially Homer Earl Smith between 1967 and 1991. The position of the university photographer (as of December 2012) is within the Office of Communications. A chronology of the most significant photographers represented in the collection is available below. Some photographs within the collection may be of uncertain origins.
About the Collection, ca. 1850-2011, bulk 1969-1991
The collection consists of photographs (primarily prints, negatives and slides) of Norwich University campus, events, students, faculty and staff from around 1850 to 2011. The bulk of the photographs date from 1969 to 1991, a time in which almost every facet of Norwich life was documented by University Photographer Homer Smith. Photographs from this time period include images of Vermont College, the bulk of which date from the NU/VC merger in 1972 to 1991, although some others do predate this relationship. Images include a wide and varied array from the serious and formal to the mischievous and humorous and everything in between.
The collection is organized into ten series: I. Academic Affairs, II. Administration, III. Athletics, IV. Classes of Persons, V. Corporate Culture, VI. Events, VII. Fields of Study, VIII. Infrastructure, IX. Portraits, and X. Student Life. The Academic Affairs series documents academic programs (including the Russian School and the Adult Degree Program) and general classroom instruction. The Administration series includes photographs relating to the administrative functions of the school such as awards given, fundraising and holidays, and employees’ recognition and retirement. Athletic teams and games are abundantly documented in the Athletics series. Photographs specifically of special groups of students, faculty and staff, including female students and international students can be found within the Classes of Persons series. University organizations, such as the Friends of the Kreitzberg Library and the Board of Fellows, are represented in the Corporate Culture series.
A wide array of university events (including Commencement, Homecoming, Junior Weekend, Parents’ Weekend, Rook Week and Winter Carnival among others) are documented within the Events series. The Fields of Study series includes images of classroom, laboratory and other instruction identified as within a specific discipline. The changing face of buildings on the NU and VC campuses is documented in the Infrastructure series. There are also extensive portraits of students, alumni, faculty and staff in the Portraits series. Last but not least, the Student Life series provides expansive documentation of student life over the years. Military activities at the school are heavily represented within this series, including photos of the Color Guard, Company Groups, Drill Team, Horsemanship, Military Training, Mountain and Cold Weather, and ROTC. Other student clubs and groups, including theater, honor societies and fraternities are also included.
A complete listing of file in each series of the collection may be found in the content listing below.
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