Guide to the Ralph C. J. Wallace Scrapbook
| Collection Title: | Ralph C. J. Wallace Scrapbook |
| Dates: | 1902-1920 |
| Identification: | 31/6/79 |
| Creator: | Wallace, Ralph C. J., 1883-1963 |
| Extent: | 1 Boxes |
| Language of Materials: | English |
| Abstract: | Spanning the period from 1902 to 1920, with the bulk of materials dating between 1903 and 1907, the Ralph C. J. Wallace scrapbook
documents the college social lives of Ralph Wallace and (to a lesser extent) Bess Linder Wallace at Northwestern University
and the University of Illinois. Arranged in their original order (which is not strictly chronological), scrapbook materials
comprise a mixture of fraternity and sorority memorabilia; newspaper clippings; photographs; and college-related flyers and
announcements. Fraternity and sorority memorabilia include dance cards, announcements, and invitations from such organizations as Zeta Phi Eta, Sigma Alpha Iota, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Delta Tau Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Alpha Chi Omega. The scrapbook also contains a 1907 pamphlet entitled“Songs of Delta Tau Delta.” Noteworthy clippings relate to hazing and other rowdy behavior at Northwestern; the death of Wallace's fellow student and fraternity brother Dwight C. Hubbard in 1906; and events such as the junior class play“Follies” in 1906, for which Wallace served as Business Manager. The photographs depict campus scenes and buildings; football players and games; Northwestern's Life Saving Crew“in action”; fraternity and sorority members; and the interior and exterior of Delta Tau Delta houses at Northwestern and Illinois. |
| Acquisition Information: | The Ralph C .J. Wallace scrapbook (Accession 88-120) was transferred to the University Archives from the Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections on June 9, 1988. The NU Library Preservation Department restored the scrapbook in 2003. |
| Processing Information: | Rae Sikula Bielakowski, September 2003 |
| Separated Materials: | None. |
| Conditions Governing Access: | None. |
| Related Materials: | Alumni biographical files, box 20 (Series 51/2) |
| Repository: | Northwestern University Archives Deering Library, Room 110 1970 Campus Dr. Evanston, IL, 60208-2300 URL: http://www.library.northwestern.edu/archives Email: archives@northwestern.edu Phone: 847-491-3354 |
Biographical/Historical Information
Born on December 1, 1883, Ralph C. J. Wallace passed his childhood in Homer, IL, where he graduated high school in 1902. Entering Northwestern University's College of Liberal Arts at the age of 19, he became a member of the Beta Pi chapter of the fraternity Delta Tau Delta (625 Church Street) in 1905; Associate Editor of The Daily Northwestern; and Business Manager of the Junior Play. In 1907 Wallace graduated from Northwestern with a Bachelor of Arts degree and attended the University of Illinois afterward for one year.
He later served as District Agent for The Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Co. of California (Walla Walla, WA); and as Secretary and Treasurer of Layne and Bowler, Inc., of Stuttgart, AR and Memphis, TN. By his death in 1963 he also was a 32nd Degree Mason (Scottish Rite) and a Shriner.
Wallace died on February 9, 1963, at his home in Champaign, IL. He was survived by his wife, Bess Linder Wallace (NU Music, class of 1908; Alpha Chi Omega); his daughter, Jeroma (Mrs. Kendall Bradley); and a granddaughter, Roma Linder Bradley (NU Speech, class of 1963; Zeta Phi Eta).
Scope and Content
Spanning the period from 1902 to 1920, with the bulk of materials dating between 1903 and 1907, the Ralph C. J. Wallace scrapbook documents the college social lives of Ralph Wallace and (to a lesser extent) Bess Linder Wallace at Northwestern University and the University of Illinois. Arranged in their original order (which is not strictly chronological), scrapbook materials comprise a mixture of fraternity and sorority memorabilia; newspaper clippings; photographs; and college-related flyers and announcements.
Fraternity and sorority memorabilia include dance cards, announcements, and invitations from such organizations as Zeta Phi Eta, Sigma Alpha Iota, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Delta Tau Delta, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Alpha Chi Omega. The scrapbook also contains a 1907 pamphlet entitled “Songs of Delta Tau Delta.”
Noteworthy clippings relate to hazing and other rowdy behavior at Northwestern; the death of Wallace's fellow student and fraternity brother Dwight C. Hubbard in 1906; and events such as the junior class play “Follies” in 1906, for which Wallace served as Business Manager.
The photographs depict campus scenes and buildings; football players and games; Northwestern's Life Saving Crew “in action”; fraternity and sorority members; and the interior and exterior of Delta Tau Delta houses at Northwestern and Illinois.
Flyers and announcements of note pertain to rivalry among collegiate classes; and to “Trigs,” Northwestern students' ritual burning of mathematics textbooks.
A Masonic pamphlet (1920) is inserted loose at the very back of the scrapbook, along with two additional posters relating to “Trigs” events.
Subjects
Corporate Name
Northwestern University (Evanston, Ill.)--History
Personal Name
Subjects
College students--Illinois--Evanston
Greek letter societies--Illinois--Evanston
