Descriptive Summary
Texas Tech University
Mortar Board Records,
1928-2005
The collection consists of materials pertaining to the establishment and ongoing
activities of the Mortar Board at Texas Tech University.
U 121.1
Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University
3 boxes and 6 newspaper boxes of scrapbooks (9.0 linear feet)
English.
Biographical Sketch
Leadership, scholarship, and service are the motto of Mortar Board, a national honor society made up of top ranking senior students.
The organization was founded nationally in 1918, through the efforts of four local women’s honor societies at Swarthmore College, Cornell
University, Ohio State University, and the University of Michigan.
Texas Tech University’s service organization, Forum, was founded by Mrs. Mary W. Doak in 1927, and was accepted in the spring of 1949
into the national chapter of the Mortar Board by A.A.U.W. In 1975, the organization went co-ed, inviting males to join its ranks. At Texas
Tech, membership in Mortar Board is comprised of the top 50 seniors.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of materials related to the original organization, Forum, Forum Chapter of Mortar Board, and the Alumni Chapter
of Mortar Board. Manuscript material dates back to 1928, and includes items such 45 prints, 25 negatives, 1 contact sheet, and numerous audio
and video recordings. Also included is a collection of 10 chapter scrapbooks dating back to 1939.
The oral histories in this collection are the master copies. For patron usage, they are being transferred onto CD.
Organization
The materials are arranged into two series: manuscripts and scrapbooks.
Index Terms
The subject headings used by the Southwest Collection/Special
Collections Library are derived from the Library of Congress and/or locally
developed.
Subjects (People)
Doak, Mary Woodward, 1886-1967
Hoyle, Dorothy
Phillips, Florence Louise
Subjects (Organizations)
Mortar Board (Society)
Texas Tech University--History
Texas Technological College--Students--Social life and customs
Texas Technological College--Students--Societies, etc.
Subjects (Places
Lubbock (Tex.)
Subjects
College students--Texas--Lubbock--Social conditions
Collection accession #(s):
2001-0194-B, 2004-0156-B, 2005-0069-B and 2007-0025-B
Gifts, 1992-2007
Access Restrictions
Open for research
Preferred Citation
Mortar Board Records, 1928-2005, Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas
Processed by
Kent Bowersock, Brenda L. Haes, Lauren Joiner, and Sameera Muthya, August 2006
Lynn Whitfield, January 2007
Collection Inventory
Collection
1
1
Administration, Initiation,
2000-2001
1
2
Advisor List,
1991
1
3
Alumnae List,
1961
1
4
Alumni List,
1983-1988
1
5
Alumni Rosters: Local,
1956-1992
1
6
Board Minutes and General Information,
1988-1989
1
7
Chapter Excellence Award,
1988-1989
1
8
Chapter Roster,
1952-1978
1
9
Correspondence,
1956-1968 and undated
1
10
Correspondence,
1961-1963
1
11
Correspondence,
1966-1971
1
12
Correspondence: Forum,
1930-1941
1
13
Correspondence: Forum,
1940-1941
1
14
Correspondence: Forum,
1941-1942
1
15
Correspondence: Forum (12 photos),
1941-1943 and undated
1
16
Correspondence: Forum,
1943-1944
1
17
Correspondence: Forum,
1944-1945
1
18
Correspondence: Forum,
1946-1947
1
19
Correspondence: Forum,
1947-1948
1
20
Correspondence: Forum,
1948-1949
1
21
Correspondence: Forum,
1949-1950
1
22
Correspondence: Forum,
1950-1952
1
23
Correspondence: Forum,
1951-1952
1
24
Correspondence: Forum,
1952-1955 and undated
1
25
Correspondence: Forum,
1953-1954 and undated
1
26
Credentials,
1961-1963 and undated
1
27
Election Procedure and Honorary Members,
1979-1980
1
28
Expansion, Alums, and Foundations,
1979-1980
1
29
Former Members: Forum and Mortar Board,
1954 and undated
1
30
Forum,
1928-1957 and undated
1
31
Forum,
1953
1
32
Forum,
1955-1956
1
33
Forum Activities,
1945-1946 and undated
1
34
Forum Chapter and Chapter Programs,
1992-1994
1
35
Forum Constitutions,
undated
1
36
General Information for the National Organization,
1979-1980
1
37
Handbook and Yearly Events,
1999-2000
1
38
Historical Background,
1956-1991 and undated
1
39
History, Election Information, and Orientation,
1983-1984
1
40
History, Ritual, and Initiation,
1979-1980
1
41
Information on Section Meetings,
1994-1995
1
42
Initiation Booklets,
1992-1994
1
43
Initiation of Forum,
1950 and undated
1
44
Initiation of Forum into Mortar Board,
1956-1958
1
45
Leadership,
undated
1
46
Literary Material: From the National Office,
1966-1971
2
1
Local Membership Lists and Convention Minutes,
1964-1968
2
2
Manual,
1986-1987
2
3
Manual,
1990-1991
2
4
Manuals and Calendars,
1961-1964
2
5
Membership and Selection,
1998-2001 and undated
2
6
Membership Booklets,
1993-1995
2
7
Membership Roster,
1957-1991
2
8
Membership Selection, Tapping, and Initiation,
1961 and undated
2
9
Minutes,
1956-1978 and undated
2
10
Minutes of Section Conferences,
1957-1958
2
11
Money-Making Project,
1961-1964
2
12
Mortar Board,
1949-1966 and undated
2
13
Mortar Board,
1957-1961 and undated
2
14
Mortar Board,
1961-1964 and undated
2
15
Mortar Board,
1964-1965
2
16
Mortar Board: Advisor’s Notebook Papers,
1956-1958
2
17
Mortar Board: Advisor’s Notebook Papers,
1958-1959
2
18
Mortar Board: Advisor’s Notebook Papers,
1959-1960
2
19
Mortar Board: Advisor’s Notebook Papers,
1960-1961
2
20
Mortar Board: Advisor’s Notebook Papers,
1961-1962 and undated
2
21
Mortar Board: Advisor’s Notebook Papers,
1962-1965
2
22
Mortar Board Conference at the University of Texas,
1958-1960 and undated
2
23
Mortar Board Discussion (VHS),
undated
2
24
Mortar Board Events (CD),
undated
2
25
Mortar Board: Forum Chapter,
1955-1957 and undated
2
26
Mortar Board National Convention,
1955
2
27
Mortar Board National Council,
1950-1956 and undated
2
28
Mortar Board Records,
1964-1967
2
29
National Citation Award and Budget,
1984-1985
2
30
National Conference,
1991-1992
2
31
Officer/Committee/Member Selection Sheets,
1994-1996
2
32
Order Forms,
undated
3
1
Audio and Video Recordings,
1993-2005
Mortar Board, Inc. 1993 National Conference - "Share the Tradition... Shape the Future (VHS),
1993
Mortar Board Initiation (VHS Archive copy),
April 12, 2002
Mortar Board Initiation Ceremony, St. John's Church (DVD),
2002
Mortar Board Initiation Ceremony, St. John's Church (DVD),
2003
Mortar Board History- Powerpoint Presentation (DVD),
2003
Mortar Board Pictures (DVD),
2000-2003
Mortar Board (CD),
2005-2006
Rebecca Akard oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 21, 2001
Betty Bell oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 12, 2001
Melinda Corwin oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 11, 2001
Elizabeth G. Haley oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 22, 2001
Carolyn Harding oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 19, 2001
Victoria McClure oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 17, 2001
Barbara McDougal oral history (1 cassette tape),
April 6, 2001
Pat Nunley oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 13, 2001
Judy Poffenbarger oral history (2 cassette tapes),
June 18, 2001
Elizabeth Thomasson oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 23, 2001
Winfred Vigness oral history (2 cassette tapes),
March 30, 2001
Jo Beth Walker oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 22, 2001
Fran Waters oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 12, 2001
Rebecca Wylie oral history (1 cassette tape),
June 14, 2001
3
1
Past Project Ideas,
undated
3
2
The Petition of Forum to Mortar Board,
undated
3
3
Photographs (32 prints, 25 Negatives, 1 Contact Sheet, and 1 Photo CD),
undated
3
4
President’s Folder,
1957-1958
3
5
President’s Folder,
1958-1959 and undated
3
6
President’s Folder,
1959-1961 and undated
3
7
Publicity,
undated
3
8
Recognition Award Sheets,
undated
3
9
Rosters,
1958-1987 and undated
3
10
Scrapbook,
2005-2006
3
11
Section Meeting,
1962 and undated
3
11
Section Meeting (3 photos),
1965-1968 and undated
3
13
Tech Traditions (1 photo),
1934-1945
3
14
Traumas and Egos,
2004-2005
3
15
Mortar Board Alumni of Lubbock,
1956-1999
Scrapbooks
1
Scrapbook,
1939-1953
2
Scrapbooks,
1954-1956 and 1956-1957
3
Scrapbooks,
1957-1958 and 1959-1962
4
Scrapbooks,
1962-1964 and 2004-2005
5
Scrapbooks,
1964-1967 and 2005
6
Framed charter,
1957