UCA Archives

Happy Earth day from the UCA Archives team!

We’d like to take this day to highlight one of the coolest biology educators of the past we have: Dr. Jewel E. Moore! Dr. Moore was a biologist and botanist by trade who repurposed a 20 Acre stretch of Conway prairie land into an outdoor field lab for her courses on Conservation as well as plant Morphology, Physiology, and Taxonomy (and general biology of course!) Today, the Jewel E. Moore Nature Reserve, dedicated in her honor in 1980, is an 18 Acre stretch that is the last remnant of the historic Conway Prairie. The Reserve and the UCA Archives are open to both students and the community at large, so if you want to see Dr. Moore’s lasting legacy or learn more about her from her own collection, drop by the Reserve or make your Archives appointment today! When visiting the Reserve, remember to take only pictures, and leave only footprints!

This photograph is taken from M113-03 Dr. Jewel E. Moore collection, Series 1, Box 1, File 9B.

Alt text: The image depicts Dr. Moore standing in front of a group of trees. Dr. Moore is smiling and holding up a leaf for the camera. There is a small body of water in the background.

This year's winner of the Ophelia Fisher Award for Best Undergraduate History Paper is Archives intern Haden Ainsworth Reynolds! His paper, titled "Learning and Faith: Fostering Social Hierarchy in Antebellum South Arkansas," examines how Methodism and education worked in tandem to "perpetuate and solidify a hierarchical society based on slave labor in Antebellum South Arkansas."

In between attending classes and accepting awards, Haden spends time in the Archives processing collection material from The Scroll.

Congratulations on your achievement, Haden! The Archives Team is beyond proud of you, and we can't wait to see what you accomplish next!

The UCA Archives will be CLOSED for Spring Break! We will resume our normal operating hours on Monday, March 30th.

Alt text: The image depicts a cartoon bear reading under a tree. There is text above that reads "UCA Archives will be CLOSED March 21st through March 28th for Spring Break.

Sleuthing in the UCA Archives! Student-authored publications, like The Echo and The Scroll, are excellent primary sources you can use to discover the rich history of UCA.

History intern, Haden, is hard at work! Haden is accessioning a recent donation of primary source materials from the Scroll, UCA's yearbook.

Friday Fact: The matriculation fee for the Arkansas State Normal School summer term was $5.00 in 1912.

Summer Schedule for the Arkansas State Normal School, 1912 (P15-UCA Images)

Did you know the UCA Archives offers archival instruction classes that help our students navigate primary sources, develop archival searching skills, and book an archival research appointment!

Instruction Request Form: https://library.uca.edu/services/instructionform

See you in the new year, Bears! Have a relaxing and restorative winter break.

Looking for a spooky read this Halloween? Check out the latest blog post on the Torreyson Library website, written by Archives staff member Shelbea Gentry!

"Take a stab at Gender, Horror, and the 'Final Girl'" explores horror film criticism through a lens of feminist film theory, and ends with tricks and treats on how to locate material for your own spine-tingling research.

Caution–this post contains spoilers for Psycho (1960); enter at your own peril!

The UCA Archives will be closed Saturday, August 30th, and Monday, September 1st for Labor Day Weekend. Normal hours of operation will resume Tuesday, September 2nd.

Alt text: The image depicts a maintenance worker hanging a University of Central Arkansas banner from a telephone pole, with red text reading "Happy Labor Day" in the center.