The Student Activities Council, Program Council poster collection is now open to researchers. It consists mainly of posters advertising events at the University of South Dakota sponsored by the Program Council. The events include concerts, movies, lectures, speakers, Dakota Days, the opening of the Muenster University Center (MUC), Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Wacipi. The events also include performances by comedians, acapella groups, local bands, and international dance troupes. In addition to posters, included in this collection are flyers, pamphlets, programs, events lists, calendars of events, digests of Program Council activities, and a few photographs. The 6 linear feet of material span the years 1979-2010. The Program Council began in 1968 as a combined effort between the Coyote Student Center and the Student Association. It is a student-run programming board that is responsible for bringing entertainment and a variety of cultural, educational, recreational, and social programs to the University of South Dakota campus. Contact the Archives and Special Collections for a copy of the guide to the collection.

The Archives and Special Collections at the University of South Dakota began in October 1968 when Herbert Schell was appointed the first University Archivist. He was largely responsible for organizing The University of South Dakota’s historical records into the USD Archives. His extensive letter writing campaign between 1968 and 1971 added many collections of professional and personal papers from prominent South Dakotans to the Richardson Collection. October is South Dakota Archives Month. See the Governor Daugaard ‘s proclamation on the State Archives of the South Dakota State Historical Society website.

Archives and Special Collections is pleased to announce that a small selection of material from the Larry Pressler Papers has been digitized and is now available in the Digital Library of South Dakota. These documents have been selected to coincide with the recent publication of Senator Pressler’s book, Neighbours in Arms: An American Senator’s Quest for Disarmament in a Nuclear Subcontinent, for which Senator Pressler used numerous materials from his papers located in the Archives and Special Collections. These selected materials relate to Pakistan, nuclear nonproliferation, and the Pressler Amendment. Neighbours in Arms: An American Senator’s Quest for Disarmament in a Nuclear Subcontinent was published in July, 2017. Senator Larry Pressler, born March 29, 1942 in Humboldt, South Dakota, graduated from the University of South Dakota in 1964. He later attended Oxford University (as a Rhodes Scholar), Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, and Harvard Law School. He served in the US House of Representatives from 1975-1979 and the US Senate from 1979-1997, becoming the first Vietnam veteran elected to the Senate. The Larry Pressler Papers are a closed collection housed within the Archives and Special Collections at the University of South Dakota that maintain a comprehensive account of the Senator’s life and work in service to the state of South Dakota. The photographs featured below, as well as several others, can be found in the University of South Dakota Photograph Collection, Series 3.

What if everyone in South Dakota read the same book?” This is the premise behind One Book South Dakota. Dammed Indians Revisited by Michael L. Lawson is the 2012 One Book South Dakota selection. Discussions on this book will be held on campus March 18 and April 15, 2013. Dammed Indians Revisited and five of the related readings listed in the study guide are in the Chilson Collection. Two more books can be found in the general stacks of the University Libraries. Books in the Chilson Collection: Carrels, Peter. Uphill against water: the great Dakota water war. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1999. Lawson, Michael L. Dammed Indians revisited: the continuing history of the Pick-Sloan Plan and the Missouri River Sioux. Pierre: South Dakota State Historical Society Press, 2009. Ridgeway, Marian E. The Missouri Basin’s Pick-Sloan plan: a case study in congressional policy determination. Urbana: University of Illinois Press, 1955. Schneiders, Robert Kelley. Unruly river: two centuries of change along the Missouri. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1999. Thorson, John E. River of promise, river of peril: the politics of managing the Missouri River. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1994. VanDevelder, Paul. Coyote warrior: one man, three tribes, and the trial that forged a nation. New York: Little, Brown, 2004.

Autobiographies by Lewis Akeley and Edward Churchill have vivid descriptions and fun stories centered around their teaching experiences at the University of South Dakota. Akeley’s book covers approximately 1887 to 1933. Churchill’s book covers approximately 1920 to 1961. My favorite stories are Churchill’s description of the campus in 1920 and how it felt to teach evolution after the Scope’s trial of 1925. The map is from 1920-1921 USD Catalog. Campus boundaries are Cherry Street to the north, Pine Street to the east, Clark Street to the south, and Dakota Street to the west. For a more general second-hand account of USD in the 1920s, see Cedric Cummins’ book University of South Dakota, 1862-1966. He has an entire chapter on the 1920s and covers a breadth of topics. I particularly like his descriptions of student life and sports activities. All three books listed below are in the USD Archives and in I.D. Weeks Library. Also, the Archives and Special Collections has the papers of Akeley, Churchill, and Cummins. Akeley, Lewis E. This is what we had in mind: early memories of The University of South Dakota. Vermillion, SD: The University of South Dakota, 1959. Call number LD5073 .A6. Churchill, Edward P. Three thousand coyotes and I: memoirs of a zoology professor. State University of South Dakota. Vermillion, SD: State University of South Dakota, 1962. Call number QL31 .C54 A3. Cummins, Cedric. The University of South Dakota, 1862-1966. Vermillion, SD: Dakota Press, 1975. LD5073 .C85x. If you are curious about a later period of USD history, check out the oral histories by Chuck Estee.

Betty Turner Asher was the first woman president of any public higher education system in South Dakota. She served at USD from 1989-1996, resigning after seven years of service. At the time, her tenure was tied with two other presidents for the fourth longest term of any president at USD. Asher was previously the Vice President of Student Affairs for Arizona State University, and held three degrees: a bachelor’s in history, a master’s in counseling, and a doctorate in education. Asher’s accomplishments while at USD are many, and some are listed here. Under President Asher: USD approved and began additions to the I.D. Weeks library Renovation was approved for the oldest building on campus, Old Main Construction was completed on the Health Sciences Center in Sioux Falls Funds were dedicated to expand the Lommen Health Sciences Library Enrollment hit a record high of 7,739 in 1989 A record 1,118 degrees were conferred in May 1995 USD Law rose to the top half of rankings in accredited institutions by the American Bar Association USD ranked in the top 5% of the nation’s colleges and universities, as reported by US News and World Report Psychology, Nursing, Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Administrative Studies, Counseling, Physician’s Assistant are just some of the programs that were added or experienced growth under her leadership Asher was known to students and faculty for her open door policy, and made leaps and bounds in improving diversity at USD. In an interview with the South Dakotan in July 1996, she states: “But I am happy that our gay and lesbian students are comfortable enough to meet openly as a group…I have received all kinds of letters and notes from the Native American community. I have been deeply touched by their response.” Asher goes on to speak about how the students and faculty make USD a success, and that she appreciated the close relationships she had with USD and its faculty and students. She recalled students coming up to her home and inviting her to join them downtown, and said that USD is where she never woke up in the morning and did not want to go to work. Asher is the first in a short list of female leadership at South Dakota public universities. Only seven women have served as university presidents in South Dakota since Asher’s term. They are: Peggy Gordon-Miller, South Dakota State University, 1998-2006 Kay Schallenkamp, Black Hills State University, 2006-2015 Laurie S. Nichols (interim), Northern State University, 2008-2009 Heather Ann Wilson, South Dakota School of Mines, 2013-2017 Maria Ramos (interim), Dakota State University, 2014-2015 Jose-Marie Griffiths, Dakota State University, 2015-Present Sheila K. Gestring, University of South Dakota, 2018-Present Betty Turner Asher’s papers are held at the Archives and Special Collections at USD. Betty Turner Asher, from USD’s Past President’s website, sourced below Sources: South Dakotan, July 1996 Issue Karl Mundt Library, Dakota State University https://www.sdstate.edu/about-us/hall-presidents http://www.northern.edu/pastpresidents https://www.bhsu.edu/About-BHSU/President-Jackson/Past-Presidents https://www.usd.edu/about-usd/past-usd-presidents https://www.sdsmt.edu/About/History/History-of-the-Presidency/

During the 1980s and 1990s, University of South Dakota commencement program covers often presented brief descriptions of USD buildings. In 2004, this building was remodeled and renamed the Dean Belbas Center. It houses Undergraduate Admissions, Financial Aid and the Office of the Registrar.

During the 1980s and 1990s, University of South Dakota commencement program covers often presented brief descriptions of USD buildings.

This list is from Knutson, Wayne S. “A story of faith and endurance: The University of South Dakota.” In From idea to institution: higher education in South Dakota, edited by Herbert T. Hoover et al, page 32. Vermillion, SD: University of South Dakota Press, 1989, call number LA364.5 .F76 1989. name date of initial appointment academic areas Lewis E. Akeley 1887 Dean, School of Engineering, Physics Marshall McKusick 1902 Dean, School of Law Arthur L. Haines 1906 Chemistry Mabel K. Richardson 1907 Librarian Winfred R. Colton 1908 Dean, College of Fine Arts, Music Grace E. Burgess 1909 English Carl Christol 1909 History Clarence E. Lyon 1911 Speech Ella Lokken 1912 Music William H. Over 1913 Geology, Director, Natural History Museum Alvin Wilson 1917 Music William H. Batson 1919 Dean, School of Education Edward P. Churchill 1920 Zoology Arthur M. Pardee 1920 Chemistry, Director, Graduate School, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences M. Genevieve Truran 1920 Music Harold E. Brookman 1921 Engineering, Applied Sciences Gladys E. Leonard 1921 Physical Education Edgar P. Rothrock 1921 State Geologist, Geology Claude J. Whitlow 1921 Business Vincent E. Montgomery 1923 Coach Earle S. Sparks 1924 Economics, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Dean of School of Business Charlotte Noteboom 1925 Education Herbert S. Schell 1925 Dean of Graduate School, History Elmer G. Trotzig 1925 Journalism Chester S. Ball 1926 Financial Officer Herman W. Frankenfeld 1926 Registrar J. Herndon Julian 1926 Vice-president, Administration Carl. B. Hoy 1927 Coach Thomas M. Risk 1927 Education Edwin H. Shaw 1927 Biochemistry Grace L. Beede 1928 Classics Claude Schutter 1928 Law Marjorie Dudley 1920 Music Harry Olson 1930 Business Marjorie Beaty 1931 Mathematics Edward Ehrensperger 1931 English Harry Gamage 1934 Coach Clark Y. Gunderson 1934 Law J. P. Jones 1936 Business William O. Farber 1937 Government, Founder of Bureau of Government Research Thomas Geary 1937 Government Warren M. Lee 1938 Theatre, Dean of the College of Fine Arts, Found of the Black Hills Playhouse William E. Ekman 1939 Mathematics Alexander Hartman 1939 Modern Foreign Languages Wilber M. Stilwell 1941 Art R. F. Patterson 1942 Dean of School of Business, History

USD in 1901 USD in 1912 The maps are from: Illustrated Historical Atlas of Clay County, South Dakota : Including a Brief History of Clay County by E. Frank Peterson, 1901. Standard Atlas of Clay County, South Dakota : Including a Plat Book of the Villages, Cities and Townships of the County, Map of the State United States and World, Patrons Directory, Reference Business Directory and Departments Devoted to General Information, Etc. by George A. Ogle & Co., 1912. Atlases can be viewed in the Archives and Special Collections or on the Digital Library of South Dakota.