Taylor Memorial Library Recognizes 70th Anniversary With Archive Exhibition

Joseph Coco, adjunct professor of art and music, brought Centenary’s history into the spotlight in his Golden Dome Lecture at the Taylor Memorial Library to celebrate the library’s 70th anniversary on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

In his usual unparalleled delight, Coco compared Centenary’s true mission with three of Benjamin Franklin’s 13 Virtues & Precepts: frugality, volunteerism, and industry. 

“It is often said that a small group of friends is better than a wide circle of acquaintances,” read the preface of Centenary’s The Hack yearbook from 1904. “In our case we think differently. We prefer a wide circle of acquaintances, because experience has taught us that all who know of us, love us, and become our friends upon meeting us.”

“[Coco] turns Archives into art and enhances the campus,” said Pastor Tim in his introduction.

The Archives

The presentation brought awareness of the university’s Archives. Many students aren’t familiar with the Archives on the lower level of the Taylor Memorial Library, which houses yearbooks, old photographs, paintings, essays, ledgers, school newspapers, blueprints, and more dating all the way back to 1874 when the college held its first semester, also making this year the 150th anniversary. The Archive is a crowded file room with wall-to-wall bookshelves and a long table in the center, which is covered in papers, books, and speeches. 

Coco described the library as a “sidekick” for interviews, history, and the Archives. 

The Archives, according to Coco, demonstrates the college’s goal, which isn’t just about learning; it’s about having a memorable and fun four years of college. 

This concept is visible in every event here on campus from an SGA meeting to the student activities to the president addressing students at orientation. 

Centenary’s Mission and History

The mission of Centenary has always been to bring people together and make memories. Coco discussed an old photo from the 1950s of the field hockey team where every student isn’t just smiling, but are instead radiant and joyful. This environment is what Centenary hopes the college embodies for all students. 

“From Collegiate Institute to Women’s College to today’s vision as the intellectual, economic, and cultural heart of the Skylands Region,” read the event’s flyer, “Centenary continues to offer educational excellence that transforms the world through a commitment to service and leadership.” 

Students Through the Years

An example of Centenary’s history, according to Coco, can be marked by former student Bette Cooper, who put Hackettstown on the map when she won the 1937 Miss America pageant- a contest she entered on a dare. However, after winning, she chose to return to Centenary to get her degree and perform for the Centenary Stage Company instead of touring and going to Hollywood.

Student experiences can be seen in the many photographs detailing Centenary’s May Day festivals from the 1940s, which brought together countless students and faculty, and the school dances where History Professor Raymond Frey met his wife. 

Another example of Centenary’s mission in action, according to Coco, is a photograph, which depicts several smiling students in the snack bar of the Seay Administrative Building enjoying tea. The “Snack Bar” was renamed Tillie’s- in honor of Tillie Smith- in the early 1970s and was well known for its neon sign, which read Tilly’s. 

Standing the Test of Time
During a visit to the archives, it’s fascinating how well every book and paper held up over time. Yearbooks dating back to 1904 sat on shelves or tables, as did student handbooks dating back to 1874. The handbooks outlined the required classes needed for graduation, which included Latin and Greek Lessons. 

Back when the college first opened, according to the handbook, every student was also provided with a Bible. The book also reads, “All articles of wearing apparel must be distinctly marked in a conspicuous place with the owner’s full name, no initials. (Not with stencil, but with pen of Payson’s indelible ink).” Also, according to the handbook, too much pocket cash can “demoralize” the college and its students, which demonstrates how much the school has changed over the last 150 years. 

It was also fascinating to see the student newspaper dating back to 1900, which would’ve been handed out, not just to Centenary, but also to the community, according to Victoria Ramsay, a Centenary librarian and archivist. 

Essays entitled “‘Evangeline’ (1896)” and “‘Florence Nightingale’ (1893)”, written by former student Mary Thomas Noe, are also housed in the Archive, handwritten in cursive, and bound with ribbon.

The archived photograph framing has been entirely funded by donations and saved the university $21,087.43, according to the receipt outlined in the lecture’s pamphlet. 

In addition to serving as curator, Coco is also an amateur sleuth. He discussed a photograph of an unknown trustee he hopes will be named someday. 

Stories and Curiosities 

Coco entertained the audience with countless stories. One described the time the grandson of the namesake for the Reeve’s Gymnasium visited Centenary. So, Coco located Reeve's plaque and instructed the maintenance man, Eric, to put it up as a surprise for the grandson. Eric asked who gave Coco permission to do so, and Coco responded with, “I did!” 

“The smartest man in the room,” according to Coco, “is the one who takes initiative.”

Another interesting topic of discussion in the presentation centered around the confusing nature of the second and third floors of the Seay Administration Building, a concept many students have often wondered about. According to Coco, it may have something to do with Oscar Teale, who designed the college and was friends with Harry Houdini, the great magician. Coco encourages interested students to look over the old blueprints to discover the truth- if any are interested. 

“I went into this knowing absolutely nothing,” said senior Mark Squindo, a musical theater major and student of Professor Coco’s, “so, it’s fascinating to see how much effort and how much love he put into his presentation.”

Preserving the Archives

The library staff are working towards digitizing the Archives, but only 10 percent have been done so far, which will eventually keep our university’s history alive forever, according to Coco and the librarians. 

Also, with the unpredictability of housing valuable and irreplaceable artifacts in a basement under a pipe, Coco and the library hope to have a new room or facility for the Archives in the future. 

This lecture was the first of the Golden Dome Lecture Series this year. Keep a lookout for Stay in the Know emails from Jamie Weingarten, director of campus activities, for the next event.