Showing 26 results

This collection is composed of departmental histories written by various South Dakota State University faculty and staff during the years 1957 and 1958. These narratives provide overviews of departmental development, academic programs, faculty activity, and institutional contributions. The material reflects a wide range of detail and length, from comprehensive multi-part accounts to brief summaries. Departments represented include Agricultural Engineering, Agriculture, Education/Psychology, Foreign Languages, History, Pharmacy, Physics, Speech, Veterinary Science, and others. Some histories trace departmental evolution from the late 19th century through the mid-20th century, while others focus on more recent developments up to 1958 or remain undated. The Foreign Languages section is divided into three time periods—1885–1927, 1927–1950, and 1950–1958—documenting a more extensive narrative. This collection complements histories written during the university’s Centennial and serves as an early effort to preserve institutional memory from a departmental perspective.

The departmental narratives offer insights into the academic and administrative development of South Dakota State University from its early years through the mid-20th century. These histories preserve firsthand perspectives on institutional growth, teaching priorities, research initiatives, and curricular changes across multiple academic disciplines. They are significant for researchers examining the evolution of SDSU’s land-grant mission, the expansion of academic departments, and the documentation practices of mid-century higher education.