It’s that time of year again! Halloween is slowly approaching once again. If you are a book lover and very festive during this time of year, come take a look in the Archives and Special Collections. We have some very interesting and spooky stories up here. From documents of ghost towns to books with murder mysteries. We also have some interesting books in the Mahoney Music Collection. Such as the Vampires Violin by, Michael Romkey. A story about a Vampire who is in dire need to find his lost violin once again. Yet a young woman named Maggie O’Hara now possess it, and she has no idea what is lurking in the dark, determined to have his violin back by any means. This book is a good choice for this time of year.

Beginning to work at the Archives and Special Collections department at USD’s I.D. Weeks Library seemed to be a little mysterious at first. What would I find in that special back room? Will I be putting books back on shelves all day? Will I be able to listen to music?! These concerns were alive and very real for me as I walked into room 308 for the first time in December of 2015. Within the first day, my concerns were answered and I realized how lucky I was to be an employee of such a place. I found that the special room was perhaps the greatest collection of history I had ever seen. In one place, the documents of many prominent South Dakota politicians and 6 Latin manuscripts were brought together. Books on how to build violins by hand to the personal account of a Sioux woman in the 19th century and everything in between could be found. Even a vinyl record of 25 Native American songs and prayers was among the collections! Indeed, this job overwhelmingly offered not just the chance to make money, but learn something as well. Work and learning collided right away. My first major project was to write and compile a list of summaries on major South Dakota political figures, from the territorial days to Governor Janklow (most recent collection housed by USD, soon to be that of Senator Tim Johnson). Each office had to be included: governor, US representative and US senator, demanding a summary for 40 political figures! I would most definitely learn something if i was even paying half-attention! Luckily, I was and then some; the rest of this blog entails an objective look at the political history of South Dakota while examining the contemporary politicians along side such policies. My research at the Archives (in sources to be listed at the end) most definitely aided this text. In addition, my work will pay off. Heavily edited (I suspect) versions of my summaries will appear in an appendix of the new volume of The Plains Political Tradition: Essays on South Dakota Political Culture, coming out later in 2016 (hopefully). From someone who supports, handles, and studies archival material, I want to say thank you for the read and strongly encourage you to find your nearest archival center and spend a day there to see what you can find. Below is but a taste of what the I.D. Weeks Archives and Special Collections at The University of South Dakota can uncover. Jackson The history of a state is no doubt coupled with the pathway of politics piloting the entity through history. Politics, in a large way, govern how a state develops economically, socially, and culturally. For example, the institutions that determine the identity of a state cannot be more easily identified than they can at the current time as a result of the 2016 Presidential Election looming in November. An informed being can connected a certain state’s morals and values to a certain candidate’s. In those terms, a state can be identified as Republican or Democrat (red/blue, elephant/donkey). With that being said, studying not only the current political status of a state, but their political history as well can lead to a more complete understanding of the true nature of the state. Once such state, South Dakota, has risen through a territorial, a populist/agrarian, and a modern era. To no surprise, the politics of the state have matched the line of its history. To those not familiar with the history of South Dakota, they would learn that the modern area of the state was once part of a much bigger mass (including parts of North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana). (Photo couresty of the State Historical Society of North Dakota) This U.S. territory received its first governor in 1861. The man, Dr. William Jayne, was born in Springfield, Illinois on October 8, 1826. Before politics, Jayne was a medical doctor and served as Abraham Lincoln’s personal physician in Springfield, Illinois. He became a member of the Illinois State Senate in 1860, and resigned in 1861 to accept the appointment of governor of Dakota Territory from President Lincoln. In a sense, as the country fought to preserve the Union, the land of Dakota merely began thinking about admittance into that same Union; a strange predicament to be in. Through out this time much of the politics of Dakota Territory included Native American relations and the opening up of land for agricultural use. Policies such as the Homestead Act of 1862 took Native-ceded land and offered it freely to Americans willing to transform the land for the country’s benefit over a period of 5 years. The Dawes Act of 1887 created Native reservations, altogether ushering in the domination of the Native culture and agricultural economy of the West. These acts led to a population burst in not only Dakota Territory, but Colorado, Kansas, and even California. In under 25 years, Dakota Territory was ready for statehood. In the process for statehood, Dakota territory was carved into two new states, North and South Dakota. Each was home to a territorial capital at one time, Yankton (South Dakota) then Bismark (North Dakota). Throughout the first two decades of South Dakota, farmers began to feel the constraints placed by East Coast capital interests that were governing the price and labor of their product. As a result, a national third-party emerged, the Populist Party. Their platform was built of the economic mastery of the agricultural sector of America. Populists aimed to reform the mono-crop export, a stipulation in place that required farmers only sell one crop to the open market at a low rate. In addition, the wanted to end the cycle of importing manufactured goods. Most farmers had to pay large sums to have tractors and other machinery sent to their farm from factories in the East. As well, farmers wanted their debt level lowered (they were feeding the country, was that not enough?) and their commercial transportation fees waived (why did they have to pay for their product to be moved? should not people who need the food take that on?). As one can see, the Populist Movement was based heavily on the fairness to farmers, the backbone and true economists of South Dakota. Nationally, this coincided with a larger trend, progressivism. This political movement of the early 20th century rested on the belief in science, efficiency, and economic regulation. Wide-spread economic reform was called for in regulating the national railroads and the breaking up of emerging monopolies. The use of silver as well as gold became part of the platform. Most importantly, the direct election of senators, the process of initiative and recall, (in western states) and women’s suffrage were added as the first decade of the 1900s came to a close. In South Dakota, the Populist movement was managed by many hard-working individuals, however, it was brought to the governor’s office by Peter Norbeck. Peter Norbeck was South Dakota’s first native-born governor (b. 1870 Vermillion) and attended the University of South Dakota, and then successfully ran a well-digging business, where he saw first hand the over-reaching hand big business was trying to play in American economics. He moved to Redfield in 1909, when he entered into the state senate, advocating the state to call for national reforms. He was elected governor from 1917-1921 and served as a US Senator from 1921-1936, where he carried the Populist banner for not only the state but every farmer in American who felt they were being oppressed by the industrializing economy. 2016 Below are some pictures to help illustrate just what the Populist Party was all about! Thank you for reading and I hope you learned something! If you want to view primary sources (that being letters, documents, department files, etc. of individual South Dakota politicians from 1860-1980) come into the Archives at I.D. Weeks library and see what kind of speech and language brought the Populist Party into being! (photo courtesy of Digital Library of Congress) (a modern rendition, with Soviet inspired art…courtesy of the JG APUSH American History Timeline and User Blog)

While wandering through the labyrinth of books in the Archives and Special Collections, I came across a title that caught my eye. Taking it off the shelf, the tale of Ellen McGowan Biddle was unveiled in her memoir . The story mainly focuses on experiences that occurred after the Civil War as well as factual information of her peers and the deeds they had done. Her tale relays facts about certain war veterans she had met, be it Lieutenant-General Philip H. Sheridan, who was one of the causes of Robert E. Lee’s retreat in the Appomattox Campaign, to General W. T. Sherman, who is known for “Sherman’s March to Sea,” a campaign that left much damage in his wake. The novel also reveals aspects of Ellen’s life, from diverting masquerade balls and tea with soldiers to the dangers that followed her as she accompanied her husband on a journey across the frontier for his job. Her whole story reminded me of a quote I once read by L. P. Hartley: “The past is a foreign country, they do things differently there.” The tale revolves around a history of a person, and how she is connected to several others who have their own stories; each page has a new discovery of tradition, perils or diversion that is now exotic in today’s world. It is an interesting read that retells the lifestyle of a woman in the late 1800s, and her acute observations of the events occurring around her. If one is interested in the American Civil War, lifestyle of the late 19th century, or the confrontation of the West, I would highly recommend this book. There are plenty of other treasures in the Archives and Special Collections that are waiting to be found, one only has to look! Biddle, Ellen M. Reminiscences of a Soldier’s Wife. Philadelphia: Lippincott Company, 1907. Print.

Bill Nye. There’s a name that automatically brings back memories. No, not Bill Nye the Science Guy, but don’t worry… I was fooled too! I stumbled across this story while rambling through the Chilson Collection. The voice and history of the Western enthusiast, Edgar Wilson Nye, more commonly known by his pseudonym Bill Nye, comes to life in the story written by David B. Kesterson. Bill Nye may have been humorous, but his goal was not to promote science like the one of this era. He was a journalist, writer, and an advocate of the West. He gives interesting, and contrasting, insights on life in the West, being witty as well as satirical in the stories he spun. Founder of a newspaper that still exists in his beloved Wyoming, Nye went on to become well known for his comical tales that always seemed to hide another meaning behind them. reveals the life journey of a writer who loved the West but acknowledged its faults with humor to cover his tracks. He lived during the time of the “Wild Frontier,” the infamous Jesse James, the humorist and realist Mark Twain, and renowned poet James Whitcomb Riley and either had influence or direct contact with all of these recognizable symbols of America. Not only did Nye indulge in promoting the West, while broadcasting its faults, he would go on to become an advocate for women’s suffrage. Bill Nye’s biography takes an interesting perspective on life of the West among many other outlooks on life in general. This is one of the many treasures that can be found in the Archives and Special Collections, one just has to keep an open mind to what they are looking to discover! Works Cited Kesterson, David B. Bill Nye: The Western Writings. Boise: Boise State University Western Writers Series, 1976. Print.

The Well-Tempered String Quartet was published in Germany in 1936 and in the United States in 1938. The book’s title may remind the thoughtful reader of the title of Johann Sebastian Bach’s eighteenth-century collection of preludes and fugues, The Well-Tempered Clavier. The reader would be correct in drawing such comparisons, as stated in the Translator’s Note: “The ‘Well-tempered’ of the English version was chosen after much deliberation, for its manifold appropriate implications, and with a thought of homage to the Father of Music and his ‘Forty-eight.'” The book begins with descriptions of the joys of playing music, and potential ways in which a string quartet might come into being. The authors playfully remark upon readers’ potential doubts regarding the formation of string quartets, before reminding readers that all members of string quartets must meet one another somehow. Next are various descriptions of the temperaments that could be expected in each of the members of the quartet (a cellist, violist, and two violinists). Notably, each member of the quartet has somewhat of a secret ambition to be the star of the group. The authors have a great deal of fun elaborating on the likely personalities of string quartet members, before finally bringing readers to the conclusion that while each player may have a pet ambition, their strengths and weaknesses complement one another. The authors go on to discuss at length practice techniques, performance tips, and ways to deal with various quartet-related problems that may arise (what to do if a member is absent, for example). This book is surprisingly cheerful and humorous, and provides quite a few interesting and/or useful suggestions for musicians who have any interest in quartet-playing. Source: Aulich, Bruno and Ernst Heimeran. The Well-Tempered String Quartet. Trans. D. Millar Craig. New York: The H.W. Gray Co., Inc., 1938. Print.

Mrs. M. Reed, M. D. Physician and Surgeon Salmer Block Vermillion, S. D. The Volante. Volume XV, Number 1. October 2, 1901. https://explore.digitalsd.org/digital/collection/volante/id/3048/rec/1 One little ad in the Volante sparks so many questions. A woman doctor in Vermillion in 1901? Who was she and where did she come from? Where did she go to medical school? What happened to her after she left Vermillion? The ads for Dr. Reed ran in the Volante from October 1901 to June 1902. In the 1900 United States Federal Census, there is a Nannie B. Reed whose profession is listed as Physician living in Vermillion. This has to be the same woman. But why is her name listed as Nannie when in the ad she is Mrs. M. Reed? The census states she is married but no additional household members. More questions! The census also tells us she was born in Iowa in February 1871, lived in Vermillion ward 2 and was 29. Further research found that Nannie Reed died at the age of 33 on January 8, 1905 at her parents’ home. She is buried in Montgomery County, Iowa. That is all I could find about Dr. Reed. Another question that came about when researching these questions, is where is the Salmer Block in Vermillion? That question was a little easier to answer thanks to the Clay County Historical Society. I also found the Salmer Block is now known as 2 East Main Street and McVicker Plaza. Many doctors had their offices on the second floor. More about the history of the building can be found at http://www.cchssd.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Spring-2019.pdf Click to access 2EMain_History_FINALc.pdf Newspaper are a great resource for historical research. In an effort to help researchers, the University Libraries is resuming digital cataloging of the Volante. Volumes 1, 1887 through volume 19, 1906 are now available on the Digital Library of South Dakota. https://explore.digitalsd.org/digital/collection/volante/search/searchterm/Volante/field/all/mode/exact/conn/and/order/date/page/1

From Cleata B. Thorpe’s Education in South Dakota 1861-1961: Teachers will fill lamps, clean chimneys and trim wicks each day. Each teacher will bring a scuttle of coal and a bucket of water for the day’s use. Make your pens carefully. You may whittle nibs for the individual tastes of children. Men teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes or two evenings a week if they go to church regularly. After ten hours in school, the teacher should spend the remaining time reading the Bible or other good books. Women teachers who marry or engage in other unseemly conduct will be dismissed. Every teacher should lay aside from his pay a goodly sum for his declining years so that he will not become a burden on society. Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents a pool or public hall, or gets shaved in a barber shop will give good reason for suspecting his worth, intentions, integrity and honesty. The teacher who performs his labors faithfully and without fault for five years will be given an increase of 25 cents a week in his pay providing the board of education approves. You can find more from the South Dakota Historical Collections in the Chilson Collection in the Archives and Special Collections..

Check out this Library of Congress blog post containing great advice for people organizing their own family papers. “Your own personal archiving project: where do you start?” by Mike Ashenfelder, May 11, 2016. On the Library of Congress blog The Signal. https://blogs.loc.gov/thesignal/2016/05/how-to-begin-a-personal-archiving-project/ (accessed 10/09/2019). It tells you to start simply, evaluate material for broad categories that might already exist (They call them clumps.), sort all the material into clumps, be consistent, be realistic about workspace and time, and remember nothing is perfect. Read the post for more helpful tips. Happy Archives Month. Update: The Library of Congress blog link above is broken. This archivist's process is similar: https://www.wgfoundation.org/blog/2020/3/25/organizing-your-personal-archive

Within the Chilson collection, there is a great wealth of information on the Battle of Little Bighorn. Within these books, there are a delightful little bunch of narratives regarding the animals of Little Bighorn, most of them focusing on Keogh’s horse Comanche. One book, Marching with Custer by Elwood L. Nye, outlines the hardships the animals with Custer’s command experienced. In particular, the long march before the battle and the subsequent exhaustion of the horses is emphasized. Nye writes: “The ponies were so exhausted toward the end that when Custer ordered some of the scouts forward in pursuit of fleeing Sioux as the regiment approached the Little Big Horn, they refused to go because of the condition of their animals. Some of the scouts dropped out completely during the last few miles of the approach, saying their horses were too poor (meaning in too poor condition), to go on” (Nye 32). Included at the end of the book is a collection of woodcuts, drawings, and photographs of Custer mounted on a horse. Another book, His Very Silence Speaks: Comanche— The Horse Who Survived Custer's Last Stand by Elizabeth Atwood Lawrence, is a very detailed account of Comanche’s life, including his role in the regiment, the legends and stories that followed him, and the artwork created of him. In one amusing story, Comanche’s growing taste for alcohol is described. During his recovery after the Battle of Little Bighorn, Comanche was given whiskey bran mash. If he ventured into the soldier’s canteen, he was given buckets of beer to enjoy (Lawrence 107). An old-fashioned narrative written from Comanche’s perspective, titled Comanche: The Story of America's Most Heroic Horse by David Appel, is full of illustrations. Though it might not be entirely historically accurate, the pictures are lovely. Illustration from Comanche: The Story of America’s Most Heroic Horse page 221. Works Cited: Appel, David. Comanche: The Story of America's Most Heroic Horse . New York: The World Publishing Company, 1951. Print. Lawrence, Elizabeth Atwood. His Very Silence Speaks: Comanche— The Horse Who Survived Custer's Last Stand. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1989. Print. Nye, Elwood L. Marching with Custer: A Day-by-Day Evaluation of the Uses, Abuses, and Conditions of the Animals on the Ill-Fated Expedition of 1876. Arthur H. Clark Company, 1964. Print.

Freshmen Initiation Friday, September 19, 1913, otherwise known as Black Friday, the newly acquired graduating class of 1917, gathered outside of Main Hall (today one could assume they meant Old Main) promptly at 7:30 pm to begin their journey through the time honored tradition of hazing the incoming freshmen. Though this practice has gone by the way side in recent decades, the memory of the events live on in the stories that remain and a poster found while cleaning in the Archives. The poster details the rules of decorum which the freshmen class were required to follow. As well as a large paragraph of colorful descriptions (for the time period, mind you) the upper classmen threw at the freshmen. As the poster states, any rumors that certain freshmen were exempt from the activities of freshmen initiation were utter lies and all freshmen were required to participate in any events demanded by the upper classes. In accordance with the poster laying out the rules of the initiation, the Volante followed up with tales of the event in the first issue of the Volante published that school year. In an article titled “Initiation—Black Friday” the article’s author briefly lays out what went down and encourages the freshmen to pick up their caps at the end of the article. The jocularity of the event didn’t last long, as two weeks later another article was published in the Volante that described a certain student who was blatantly ignoring the rules. The student body called for the punishment of the student, which led to an article that detailed the suspension of five students who brutishly and publicly tried to bring the student to heel in accordance with the rules set up for the freshmen class. A week after the first article detailing the suspensions was released, a follow up of the proceedings were published and detailed further what had caused the suspensions. As well as they would enforce the student’s suspensions until January 6, 1914, when they would be able to return to classes at the university. The poster and volante are now on display in the archives for a limited time so stop in and read about the events that freshmen today no longer have to fear. Black Friday Poster. USD Archive Oversize Material: Photographs—USD Panoramas. The Volante. Vol. 27-30. May 1913 – July 1916. 1915 Coyote. Pg. 229