This is Texas Tech

One of the best aspects of the Internet is the ability to provide access to unique or rare material to a larger audience. One such item we ran across was a 1947 Tech promo video which had been placed on YouTube. The five minute film was narrated by Clint Formby, a noted Tech alum who graduated with a journalism degree in 1949. Clint went on to do a daily radio program on KPAN called the "Day-by-Day Philosopher" which ran for nearly 55 years before his passing in 2010. While Clint narrates an overview of the Raider life in 1947, the film shows footage of the Administration Building and its towers and bells, students crossing Memorial Circle to go to class, Red Raiders marching in the homecoming parade, a touchdown by the football team, and the Texas Tech "Matador Band" performing a Double T formation. The film can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3ZEEj_4RkE

The same person who posted this film also has posted rare footage of Jones Stadium being enlarged in 1960 at http://www.youtube.com/user/oglepro#p/u/8/Q9DfhP6AP3o

The University Archives houses thousands of school footage, including footage from the University News and Publications Office, now called Marketing and Communications. We have found another "This is Texas Tech" type film which we have been able to digitize. The recording is undated but the clothes and hairstyles are distinctly from the '80s. However, the recording does not have sound yet as currently we do not have the equipment that can transfer that part. Hopefully we will be able to do that in the near future. There's no telling what other blast from the past footage resides hidden among our holdings. Numerous recordings and reels are unlabelled and will have to be viewed to determine their content.

Do you have any such hidden treasures among your holdings? If so and you are interested in sharing it with other Tech alumns, please contact the University Archives. We would all be interested in seeing more "This is Texas Tech" gems such as the ones described above.

A look at Texas Tech in 1955

Added to the University Archives is a colored campus map showing the structures on the campus in 1956. The legend below lists when the structures were built, as well as the date of a major addition, and, in a few cases, the date of when the structure was demolished. It's quite amazing just how many of the original structures still exist.

Blast from the Past

Last weekend, two unique items were donated to the University Archives. Both document the lost history of Texas Tech in different ways. These wonderful items were donated from a family of three generation Techsan. The first item, a red and black beanie, dated from 1969, is what was called a "slime cap" or a "Fish cap." Up until the early 1970s, Freshmen students were required to wear this cap to designate their class standing. Sort of an early form of hazing really. The earlier versions of the beanies were solid colored [green is the only color I've seen so far of this one] and I had not seen another version until I received this donation. The second item, a footlocker trunk, is notable not for what it is but for what's on it. The stickers date from around 1938. The gentleman who owned this attended Tech in the late 1930 and was one of the early members of the Saddle Tramps organization. What is unique about these stickers is the depict a Matador figure with a raging bull and a "TTC" for Texas Technological College. Back in the early days of Tech's history, we were the Matadors and played in the Border Conference. Artifacts from this time period are hard to come by and, thankfully, there are still loyal alums who save snippets of the past for future generations to enjoy.