This single page leaflet marks the transition between the Normal and Model Schools in Trenton and the modern institution known as The College of New Jersey in Ewing. Aside from celebrating "Alumni Week-End" (the equivalent to today's homecoming, though held in the Spring), the celebrations marked the schools' 76th anniversary and the cornerstone-laying for the first building at Hillwood Lakes, Green Hall. No transcription.
New Jersey State Teachers College at TrentonThis booklet most likely came from the same student as the other dance cards; this student was also a member of the Arguromathos Society and may have donated the photos from the same time period. Regardless, this dance, held at Trenton's prestigious Stacy-Trent Hotel, shows that despite the Normal School's relocation to Ewing, connections to Trenton remained for some time. As with the related items, this booklet includes spaces to write dance partners' names--in this case, the student danced with "Keith," "Don," "Fred," "George," "Armas," and "Charles." No transcription.
Arguromuthos Sorority (Trenton State College)This booklet most likely came from the same student as the other dance cards; this student was also a member of the Arguromathos Society and may have donated the photos from the same time period. Regardless, this dance was billed a "Winter Carnival." As with the related items, this booklet includes spaces to write dance partners' names--in this case, the student danced with "[Ruth] Carty and Jimmie Clark," "Jan and Les Hiat," and "Connie and Les Olsen." No transcription.
Arguromuthos Sorority (Trenton State College)This booklet most likely came from the same student as the other dance cards; this student was also a member of the Arguromathos Society and may have donated the photos from the same time period. This dance was billed as a "Star Dust Banquet," and unlike the other dance cards in this collection, it includes a menu/program of events. As with the related items, the booklet includes spaces to write dance partners' names--in this case, the only name recorded is "Robert Deakins." No transcription.
Arguromuthos Sorority (Trenton State College)This collection documents the ceremonies and related events of Commencement and/or graduation exercises at The College of New Jersey spanning 1858 to the present day.
The collection includes the following materials:
Commencement invitations - These are formal printed invitations that may include a student’s calling card or handwritten details during the Normal School years, as well as commercially printed invitations used to date, c. 1869-2005 (bulk c. 1869-1920, 1977-2005).
Class Day and/or week programs - These are often beautifully printed and bound with cord and tassels, which likely served as a keepsake for students of the Normal and Model Schools. They list the schedule of activities for a graduating class during a day or over the span of a week. In some cases, they also include the Commencement program (c. 1894-1924).
The Normal and Model Schools classes of 1917 did not have a Class Day, but instead participated in Red Cross activities supporting World War I. The Model School as a K-12 school ended after the class of 1917, when it became “The Training School” offering only the elementary grades. In the 1930s, official Class Day or Week activities were replaced by less formal “Senior Week” activities, which continued off and on over the decades. Search The Signal newspaper for more information https://dr.tcnj.edu/handle/2900/275
Commencement tickets - These are admission tickets to the Normal or Model School Commencement ceremonies, usually at Taylor Opera House, c.1873-1901.
Commencement programs - These are printed programs of the Commencement ceremony, often containing the names of all graduating students. During the Normal School years, some have various embossed and/or multicolor illustrations of the school, insignia, or decorative lettering. Later programs have fewer design elements. The collection is mostly complete after 1891 with the exception of 2000, c. 1883-2023.
Promotion Exercises programs - These were for the Grammar A Class of the Model School, which held a graduation-style ceremony, c. 1909-1917.
Class and school songs - These are separate printed pages of songs to be sung during Commencement and other graduation events, usually containing a unique song for the graduating class and other school anthems and/or alma mater, c. 1899-1901.
Baccalaureate programs - These were printed as separate programs c. 1934-1964, but during the Normal School years, information about the Baccalaureate service was listed in the Class Day/Week or Commencement programs.
Programs for departmental, diploma, or other special graduation ceremonies - These are programs for Commencement events held outside of the main ceremony, often for graduate students or special groups, c. 1967; c. 2016-2023.
Original speeches - There are two handwritten speeches: “I Have Wandered in my Dreams,” is a Commencement speech from 1870 whose author is unknown. The Annual Report for that year lists Mary F. Chadwick and Rosalie A. Collins as presenters of "honorary essays," and Katie L. Wilson was valedictorian. And "The Child's Ability to Reason" was a valedictory essay written by Ira Collins, but read by O. Watson Flavelle, due to Collins’ ill health at June 1899 Commencement.
Graduation or Commencement Bulletins - These are newsletters that contain information and schedule of events around the Commencement ceremony. c. 1969-1999
Graduation Convocation program - During some years, the college held an August graduation combined with the annual Convocation ceremony. These programs document those ceremonies, c. 1960-1967.
Scrapbooks - There are two scrapbooks in this series: The older scrapbook (c. 1873-1921) contains ephemera related to Commencement such as invitations, tickets, and programs for Senior class activities and the Commencement ceremony from the era of the Normal School.
In the 1908-1932 scrapbook, many of the Commencement programs only have the page with the events of the day and do not have the cover and/or a page listing the graduate’s names. Starting in 1918, some of them have the page with graduates’ names, but they were at one time pasted into a notebook that has since been disassembled but the back pages of the brochures may not be accessible and/or readable.
College of New Jersey (Ewing, N.J.)This is the June 1911 Commencement program for the New Jersey State Normal School at Trenton. It contains the names of the graduates, as well as any presenters, including musical performances. The Commencement Exercises took place at 8 pm on June 21, 1911.
New Jersey State Normal School (Trenton, N.J.)This booklet was likely made by representatives of the Class of 1941 for this event, their Junior Prom. It includes a list of class officers and a list of those who arranged the event, as well as spaces for the original owner to write the names of their dancing partners. This person spent the night dancing mostly with one "Don," but also with "Walt and Jeannette," "Les and Helen," "Fred and Christine," and "John and Jean." No transcription.
unknownThis booklet was likely made by representatives of the Class of 1940 for this event, their Junior Prom. It includes a list of class officers and a list of those who arranged the event, as well as spaces for the original owner to write the names of their dancing partners (this section in this booklet is blank). No transcription.
unknownThe majority of the materials are related to Haskell’s education from primary through graduate school, with additional items from her early career and retirement. The Correspondence Series contains her first teaching recommendation letter in 1915, a teaching appointment notice, and a few personal letters ending in 1954. The Grade Cards and Transcripts Series span her eighth grade year in 1909 through a master’s degree program in 1938. The Ephemera Series comprises dinner and event programs she attended in her early career from 1923-1939. The Clippings Series (1937-1955) cover a variety of topics, as well as coverage of the 1955 Trenton State College centennial. The Prints Series includes four etchings or reproductions of St. Petersburg Florida churches inscribed: “for Mr. and Mrs. J. W. Wilhelm” by Will Kay Hagerman (Kent Hagerman). The Certificates and Diplomas Series span from her primary school years in 1904 through 1946. They include, among other items, her Normal School diploma and bachelor’s degree, as well as membership certificates to honorary sororities, Red Cross volunteer service, and her marriage certificate to Josiah Haskell.
Haskell, Lulu Clough, 1895-1970This small booklet records the Class Day exercises for the Normal School's Class of 1911, depicting the class roster, the order of exercises, the names of students performing, and officers of various bodies. Of particular note is the mention of the "Suffragette Office of 'The Seal,'" referring to what seems to have been an all-female cohort on the staff of the school newspaper. No transcription.
New Jersey State Normal School (Trenton, N.J.)