From 1962 to 1967, a hallmark of the Yuletide season was the television broadcast of Mister Magooโs Christmas Carol. TV viewers of a certain age will remember the unlikely pairing of cartoon character Mister Magoo with the age-old Charles Dickensโ tale A Christmas Carol. It was a bit of holiday magic.
Publicity for Mister Magooโs Christmas Carol. Box 1, Darrell Van Citters papers, Collection No. 12908.
The character Mr. Magoo made his first appearance in 1949 in the United Productions of America (UPA) film Ragtime Bear. Magoo was a bulbous-nosed old codger, who plunged into all sorts of predicaments with consummate confidence. His nearsightedness led to an abundance of comic situations. Audiences loved him and UPA obliged by producing more films, this time with Magoo as the star. Mr. Magoo films won Academy Awards in 1954 and 1956. By 1959, there had been 53 short subject Mr. Magoo films made. That same year, Mr. Magoo made the leap to television. He was firmly ensconced in pop culture. Still, it was an unconventional decision by producer Lee Orgel to propose a cartoon version of A Christmas Carol featuring Mr. Magoo as Ebenezer Scrooge. It was equally unconventional to make the cartoon a musical.
Orgel worked tirelessly to sell the idea to NBC and sponsor Timex. He also puzzled over how to convince audiences that their beloved Mr. Magoo could be Scrooge. Orgel solved the problem by presenting the play A Christmas Carol as a show within a show. Viewers would see Magoo as the principal player on the stage as the drama unfolded. Magoo was playing the part of Scrooge, just as any actor might.
One of the opening scenes from Mister Magooโs Christmas Carol. Box 1, Darrell Van Citters papers, Collection No. 12908.
Originally Orgel had intended Magoo to play a more comedic Scrooge. But he eventually thought better of the idea. Orgel said, โWe got to thinking how almost sacred Dickensโ Christmas Carol has become with many people and decided it might not be good taste to have Magoo caricature Scrooge too broadly.โ So, it was established that the comical Magoo would play his first serious role in a cartoon. Mister Magoo was given just a few comic moments. As the show opens, he, in his classic nearsighted manner, mistakenly enters a restaurant, rather than the Broadway theater stage door. But before long, Mister Magoo is where he is supposed to be, on stage as Ebenezer Scrooge. The opening night of A Christmas Carol begins.
Once the play starts, viewers meet the stingy, grumpy old Scrooge, busy hoarding his money and refusing any holiday cheer. As the play unfolds, heโs visited by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, who warns him to change his selfish ways or suffer the consequences. From there, Scrooge is taken underwing by three more ghosts โ Christmas Present, Past, and Future โ each one giving him a glimpse into how his life choices have affected those around him. During Christmas Present, Scrooge sees his clerk, Cratchit, with Cratchitโs family and infirm son, Tiny Tim. The Cratchit family count their blessings despite their impoverished circumstances. During his Christmas Past, Scrooge visits scenes from his greedy youth. Then, the final ghost, Christmas Yet to Come, shows Scrooge a lonely future that helps him realize the error in his ways. By the end, heโs had a total change of heart and wakes up on Christmas morning ready to spread joy and generosity to the Cratchit family and beyond.
When the Mister Magooโs Christmas Carol initially aired on NBC in December 1962 it was the culmination of a full yearโs work by more than 300 people. Barbara Chain was hired to write the adaptation, and she stuck closely to the original Dickensโ story. Music and lyrics were composed by Jule Styne and Bob Merrill, both famed on Broadway. They provided a hummable and catchy soundtrack.
Sheet music for โThe Lordโs Bright Blessingโ from Mister Magooโs Christmas Carol. Box 1, Darrell Van Citters papers, Collection No. 12908.
The comedian-actor Jim Backus, who by then had become the well-established voice of Mr. Magoo, was enlisted on the project. Animation director Abe Levitow and his team of animators brought Dickensโ characters to life.
The hour-long TV special was, as producers had hoped, a hit with kids as well as their parents. Some 35 million people watched the show. For owners of color televisions (which in 1962 were still a luxury), Mister Magooโs Christmas Carol offered a rainbow of delightful scenes.
Mr. Magooโs Christmas Carol became the first prime-time animated holiday special, breaking ground for other Christmas classics like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and A Charlie Brown Christmas. Magooโs success in playing Scrooge also led to an entire NBC television series, Famous Adventures of Mr. Magoo, in which Magoo played historic characters running the gamut from Noah to Frankenstein.
The Darrell Van Citters papers at the American Heritage Center contain an interesting assortment of materials for Mister Magooโs Christmas Carol fans. There are scripts, sheet music, production materials and interviews with cast and crew members as well as Lee Orgelโs scrapbook full of reviews and articles. Van Cittersโ research files for his book titled Mister Magooโs Christmas Carol: The Making of the First Animated Christmas Special, give further insight into the behind-the-scenes creation of a holiday classic.
Post contributed by AHC Writer Kathryn Billington.
When the University of Wyoming opened its doors in 1887, agriculture was more than just another field of studyโit was a cornerstone of the institution’s mission. The Morrill Act of 1862 had established land-grant universities across America with a clear purpose: to provide practical education and support agricultural research. UW would fulfill this mission for the state of Wyoming, bringing agricultural education and research to its communities.
In those first pioneering years, the College of Agriculture, established in 1891, didn’t need much physical space on campusโbecause most of its work happened in the field. The real laboratories were the experiment stations scattered across Wyoming’s varied landscape: Laramie, Lander, Saratoga, Sheridan, Sundance, and Wheatland. While few students were enrolled in formal college programs, these stations were buzzing with activity, tackling the practical challenges faced by Wyoming’s farmers and ranchers.
Man holds up his hat to show the heigh of the barley. Another holds a label reading โHanna Barley, Spring Plowing.โ This 1911 photo was taken at the Laramie Agricultural Experiment Station. Box 20, B.C. Buffum papers, Coll. No. 400055.
By 1912, it was clear that agricultural education needed a proper home on campus. Enter William Dubois, the architect who would leave an indelible mark on UW’s campus. Having already completed Merica Hall in 1908, Dubois designed what would become a pioneering structure in campus architectureโAgricultural Hall.
Construction of Agricultural Hall, 1913. S.H. Knight Collection, Coll. No. 142, Negative No. D1-2403.Agricultural Hall, shown around 1928. This west facing building fronted Ninth Street and had a drive off the street. By 1941, the facility was struggling to accommodate growing student enrollment and equipment needs. Box 14, Ludwig & Svenson Studio Photographs, Coll. No. 167, Box 14.
When its cornerstone was laid on January 24, 1913, few might have guessed that this building would introduce an architectural tradition that would influence campus design for decades to come. While earlier campus buildings featured red brick, Agricultural Hall broke new ground with its tan pressed brick exterior, setting a precedent that future university buildings would follow.
But Agricultural Hall’s innovations weren’t just skin-deep. Of the five earliest surviving campus buildings, it was the only one constructed with fireproof concrete and steel, rather than wood. Its spacious classrooms, flooded with natural light from large, paired windows, and its generous corridors would prove remarkably adaptable over the decadesโa testament to the forward-thinking design.
Agricultural Hall’s adaptability proved significant over time. Though the 1969 Pharmacy Building was initially planned with the hallโs demolition in mindโintending to create a courtyard where the historic building stoodโthese plans changed. Instead, a 2005 renovation project creatively connected Agricultural Hall and the Pharmacy Building into the Health Sciences Center.
Images showing current Health Sciences Center and the integration of Agricultural Hall. Photos from College of Health Sciences websites.
The integration preserved one of the university’s earliest academic buildings while demonstrating how historic structures can be adapted for contemporary needs. Today, Agricultural Hall’s west faรงade maintains its historical integrity, standing as testament to both William Dubois’s original design and thoughtful preservation efforts.
But long before Agricultural Hall found its new purpose in health sciences, the College of Agriculture faced its own expansion needs. By 1944, with World War II still raging but victory on the horizon, UW was already planning for the future. The impending G.I. Bill promised to bring waves of veterans seeking education, and the College of Agriculture needed room to grow. After years of planning and construction, 1949 saw the laying of the cornerstone for a new Agriculture Building on Prexy’s Pasture.
Designed by Frederick Hutchinson Porter, the new building bridged architectural eras. While it paid homage to the Collegiate Gothic style with its symmetrical composition and decorative stonework, its clean lines hinted at the modernist designs that would soon follow. By fall 1950, two units were open for use, though full occupancy wouldn’t be achieved until 1952.
The story didn’t end there. As the college grew from 300 students and 30 faculty in the early 1950s to 700 students and 120 faculty by 1982, the building grew with it. A massive six-story addition in 1981 more than doubled the building’s size, though some now view the addition’s towering presence and architectural disconnect from the original structure as unfortunate.
Agriculture building shown in 2015 with the 1980s addition looming in the background. Photo by Carol M. Highsmith. Library of Congress.Campus view looking east, ca. 1982. Agricultural Hall is still untouched in its original place just north of the round Classroom Building in the bottom section of the photo, but the new Agriculture building with its addition is now in place on the north side of Prexyโs Pasture. Photo File: Colleges and Universities – University of Wyoming – Aerial and General Views.Display iconography, such as this by sculptor Robert Russin on the Agriculture Building harkens back to the system of agriculture in the early twentieth century. Photo from page 81 of University of Wyoming Historic Preservation Plan by Megin Rux, July 2015.
Behind the main building, the agriculture complex once included a beloved campus fixtureโa sales room where the university community could purchase cheese, ice cream, and other dairy products fresh from UW’s dairy farm. Though the sales room closed in the 1970s and was eventually demolished in 2013, many alumni still fondly remember its treats.
Today, the building houses not just classrooms and offices, but also the fascinating University of Wyoming Insect Museum, home to more than a million preserved specimens, including 400-year-old glacial remains of the now-extinct Rocky Mountain locust and 40-50 million-year-old insects preserved in amber. The UW Insect Gallery, located in room 4018 of the Agriculture building is the public-viewing area for the museum. The gallery is open weekdays from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Display of butterflies at the UW Insect Museum. The museum offers the only research collections of insects in the state of Wyoming. Photo from museumโs Facebook page.
UW’s agriculture buildings are more than just campus landmarksโthey’re physical reminders of how agricultural education has evolved since 1887. From the innovative design of Agricultural Hall in 1913 to the massive expansion in 1981, each architectural decision reflected the changing needs of Wyoming’s agricultural community. While not every choice was universally praised (the towering 1981 addition being a notable example), these buildings have successfully adapted to serve generations of students and researchers.
Looking at these buildings now, it’s clear that they’ve done exactly what they were meant to do: provide a home for agricultural education in Wyoming, even as that education has grown far beyond what the original builders could have imagined.
Explore More Campus History
Want to see how Agricultural Hall and other historic UW buildings have evolved over the decades? Check out our virtual exhibit โKeeping History Alive: 136 Years of Progress,โ which combines historic photos from the American Heritage Center’s collections with contemporary campus images to show how the University of Wyoming has changedโand stayed the sameโsince 1887. For even more about campus sites, visit our exhibit โUniversity of Wyoming: A Brief History of Campus.โ
From Old Mainโs original tower to the architectural innovations that Agricultural Hall pioneered, discover the stories behind the buildings that shaped campus life.
I had the opportunity to listen to many interviews conducted for the American Heritage Centerโs Wyoming Voices Project. Itโs an oral history project, which means it is a collection and study of historical events and information using recordings of interviews done with individuals with personal knowledge of the past.
These interviews included individuals from all walks of life, people born in Wyoming or people who moved to Wyoming, people who were doctors, lawyers, business owners, teachers, and many other professions. All the individuals interviewed shared amazing stories from their lives and how Wyoming is a special place. All were interesting in their own way, but one interview stood out to me. This was the interview completed with Donovin Sprague, a member of the Miniconjou of Lakota tribe.
Donovin Sprague. Photo courtesy Sheridan College.
Sprague was born on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation in 1953, in Dupree, South Dakota. His great-great-great-grandfather was Chief Hump and, as he explains, โThat name was originally Canku Wakatya in Lakota, which translates to High Backbone, further translated, they said thatโs the buffalo hump.โ Sprague devoted a large amount of time to learning his family history and the history of the Lakota tribes.
Sprague graduated from Dupree High School in 1971, and he began working in construction, ranching, and jobs that were around the reservation. He received his undergraduate degree from Black Hills State University and his masterโs degree from the University of South Dakota. Sprague is now a historian at Sheridan College in Sheridan, Wyoming.
Being in a college setting and having a strong knowledge of Native American history allows Sprague the opportunity to initiate and support American Indian studies and societies. Sprague began two chapters of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society called AISES, one at Black Hill State University and another at Iowa University. Sprague is also a musician, stating: โMusic is a big part of my life, itโs as big as anything.โ Sprague owns multiple outlets for vinyl records across South Dakota and in Gillette Wyoming.
During the oral history with Sprague, he was asked about the best aspect of being Native American. Sprague responded, โThe best thing about Native American or American Indian is just the uniqueness of one kind of people of the First Nation, what are the first people here, and knowing that on the land of separate characteristicsโฆโ The Lakota think of well-being, or medicine, as a wheel that consists of bravery, generosity, respect, and wisdom. If an individual is ill, it is important to look at those four values.
In the South Dakota penitentiary, around 60% or more of the population is native. When Sprague has provided talks at the penitentiary, the prisoners โjust clung to me, like for the historical and this family genealogy type stuff.โ Spragueโs knowledge allows others to connect with their history and know who they are, โI know where I come from and itโs in my heart and it gives me that strength.โ
Sprague has a strong connection to his past and a vast knowledge of Native American history that he shares with others. His interview shed light on many topics that I had no previous knowledge of and allowed me to learn the life story of an individual who has a strong presence in his own right. Learning the different stories of people around Wyoming allows me to have a deeper appreciation for the rich history and cultures that make up the state.
Interviews that are part of the Wyoming Voices project will be available in 2025.
Post contributed by former AHC intern and University of Wyoming student Adrianne Blum.
Welcome back to our series exploring the University of Wyoming’s architectural legacy. Today, we’re exploring the fascinating history of Knight Hall, a building with a story that weaves together tales of pioneering women, Depression-era public works, and even a touch of the supernatural.
The story of Knight Hall begins with its namesake, Emma Howell Knight, UW’s first dean of women. Born in Ontario, Canada, in 1865, Emma’s path to Wyoming began when she met Wilbur Knight at the University of Nebraska. In 1892, they moved to Laramie when Wilbur took a job the following year teaching mining engineering and metallurgy at Wyoming University, as UW was then called. Emma and Wilbur had four childrenโFlorence, b. 1890 (who later changed her name to Wilburta), Samuel H. Knight, b. 1892, Everett Knight, b. 1894 and Oliver Knight, b. 1901.
After Wilbur died unexpectedly of a ruptured appendix in 1903, Emma carved out her own remarkable career, serving as Albany County superintendent of schools while simultaneously completing her own education at UW. She graduated in 1911โin the same class as her daughterโand went on to become the university’s first full-time dean of women in 1918. Her students’ yearbook tribute of 1911 perhaps best captures her impact: โShe has even routed the old idea that the dean of women should be the natural enemy of every male student. Now that’s going some.โ
The building that would later bear her name began taking shape in 1940, during the tail end of the Great Depression. President Arthur Crane championed its construction not just as a dormitory but as a solution to campus dining needs, replacing the old commons with a new cafeteria. Constructed through the Works Progress Administration (WPA), the red stone building emerged as a testament to both federal relief efforts and collegiate architectural tradition. UW students contributed directly to its construction, cutting stones from a quarry northeast of Laramie. Designed by architect Wilber Hitchcock in the Collegiate Gothic style, the building’s central core was completed in 1941, with its western wing following five years later.
Knight Hall soon after construction was complete. Photo File: College and Universities-University of Wyoming-Buildings-Arts & Sciences.Dorm room in Knight Hall, 1941. All rooms were doubles with two separate closets. Box 24, Ludwig & Svenson Studio Photographs, Coll. No. 167.Lounge and dining hall. Box 24, Ludwig & Svenson Studio Photographs, Coll. No. 167.
Life in Knight Hall reflected the strict social norms of its era. All women dormitory students were required to eat in its cafeteria, with failure to pay board fees potentially resulting in suspension. The building’s importance to campus life became even more apparent in September 1946, when the flood of returning World War II veterans created such a housing crisis that the fall term’s start had to be delayed. The University pressed every available space into service, including Knight Hall’s lounges and hallways.
Despite the installation of 100 trailer homes such as these as well as prefabricated government houses, veteran housing fell short causing overcrowding in dorms such as Knight Hall. Photo from the 1946 Wyo yearbook.
The 1960s brought dramatic social changes to campus life. Female students increasingly resisted the nightly room checks by the dean of women, designed to prevent them from โstaying out all night or sneaking around.โ By 1969, these restrictions began to ease, with upperclassmen finally permitted to live off-campus. This new freedom, combined with national trends, led to emptying dormitories. By 1971, the Branding Iron reported 800 vacant dorm rooms across campus, prompting the closure of Knight Hall’s cafeteria and its conversion to office space.
Beyond these administrative changes, Knight Hall would become known for something far more unsettling. During excavation, workers unearthed five bodies, several bearing evidence of bullet wounds. These grim discoveries weren’t entirely surprisingโthe building stands on what was twice a cemetery. The land first served as a relocated burial ground in 1873, when inmates from the territorial prison moved bodies from the original cemetery under Sheriff Tom Dayton’s supervision. In 1886, the cemetery was moved again to make way for the university, though records suggest not all remains made it to their final resting place at Greenhill Cemetery. This was confirmed in 2004 when crews laying new pipe west of Knight Hall encountered yet another body.
Birds-eye view of Laramie (then Laramie City) in 1875 looking east from the Wyoming Territorial Prison. The future site of the University of Wyoming, which opened in September 1887, is seen in the area indicated by โPark.โ Photo File: Wyoming – Laramie – Aerial Views.Detail from the 1875 map showing the future University of Wyoming grounds. Graves were discovered at multiple locations, including the Knight Hall site and beyond. In 1878, when the East Side School (the area’s first high school) was constructed just past Seventh Street, additional graves, believed to be those of outlaws, were uncovered.
Today, Knight Hall houses various university offices and serves as home to Wyoming Public Radio, which moved its studios to the building’s basement in 1977. The station, tracing its roots back to Wyoming’s first radio station KFBU, has broadcast from this location ever since, though some say they’re not the building’s only occupants. Reports of paranormal activityโfrom mysterious food aromas to unexplained sounds and moving objectsโhave earned Knight Hall a reputation as the campus’s most haunted building. A 2012 investigation by Haunted Xplorations even concluded that the building hosts โone or more non-hostile, yet intelligent, spirits.โ
Branding Iron, April 18, 1940.
Laramie Daily Bulletin, April 20, 1940.
Walk through Knight Hall today and you’ll feel layer upon layer of history. The red stone walls that WPA workers carefully assembled during the Great Depression have witnessed it all: young women hurrying to meet curfew, students protesting restrictive rules, radio hosts delivering the evening news, and yes, maybe even a ghost rearranging papers on someone’s desk.
Want to See How Other Campus Buildings Have Changed?
Knight Hallโs journey from strict womenโs dormitory to modern office space is just one example of how UW buildings have adapted over the decades. If you enjoyed learning about Knight Hallโs transformation, youโll like our virtual exhibit โKeeping History Alive: 136 Years of Progress.โ Weโve paired historic photos from our collections with more recent campus shots to show how university life has evolved since 1887. Itโs fascinating to see how these old buildings have found new purposes while keeping their stories alive. For additional perspectives on campus development and architecture, explore our exhibit โUniversity of Wyoming: A Brief History of Campus.โ
With the recent premiere of the long-awaited movie adaptation of Gregory Maguireโs book, Wicked, there is much talk about not only Glinda and Elphaba, two of Ozโs most famous witches, but also the larger Wizard of Oz universe. While we know a lot about Glinda, Elphaba, and Dorothy Gale, we do not hear as much about the other woman in the land of Oz.
Many Oz character studies have been done, including on the women, that look at their journeys and transformations throughout the book series. This blog post explores a few of the characters and their written adventures found in the collections of the Toppan Rare Books Library. Scholars have noted the way in which the women Oz characters often challenge traditional female gender roles, and this is perhaps one of the primary reasons the characters remain popular and relevant. Many of the women of Oz encompass one of the overarching themes of the series: following the path to find your way and being true to yourself along the journey.
L. Frank Baum, Ozma of Oz, 1907, Fitzhugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
Introduced in The Marvelous Land of Oz from 1904, Ozma was the rightful ruler of Oz. She began her journey as a fairy woman and the daughter of King Pastoria, King of Oz before the Wizardโs arrival. The Wizard overthrew King Pastoria upon his arrival, forcing Pastoria to go into hiding and leave his baby daughter behind. The Wizard, paranoid that Ozma would grow up and try to reclaim the throne, gave the baby girl to an evil witch named Mombi. Mombi turned Ozma into a boy named Tip in hopes that she wouldnโt remember ever having been a girl and that neither she nor the inhabitants of Oz would recognize Tip as Pastoriaโs child. This worked for about fourteen years, until Tip escaped Mombiโs clutches and ventured into Oz.
Tip and Jack Pumpkinhead. L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz, 1904, Fitzhugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz, 1904, Fitzhugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
After using the โpowder of lifeโ to bring Jack Pumpkinhead and the Sawhorse to life, Tip ran away from an enraged Mombi. He and his magical creations encountered the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow โ the new King of Oz since the Wizard was gone โ and finally, Glinda, the Good Witch of the South.
After a pursuit of Mombi, Glinda finally discovered that Tip was Ozma all along. Tip was initially shocked and scared to discover that he had always been Ozma and frets that his friends will no longer like him if he is a girl. The Tin Woodman reassured the child: โIt donโt hurt to be a girl Iโm told; and we will all remain your faithful friends just the same. And, to be honest with you, Iโve always considered girls nicer than boys.โ Reassured, she reluctantly allowed Glinda to transform her back into Ozma. โI might try it for a while, just to see how it seems, you know. But if I donโt like being a girl you must change me into a boy again.โ Glinda reassures her that โno respectable sorceress likes to make things appear to be what they are not,โ but agreeing that she will honor Ozmaโs wishes. Tip transformed into an ethereal, fairylike princess with long hair and wore. a crown with the Oz insignia and a flowy white gown.
L. Frank Baum, Ozma of Oz, 1907, Fitzhugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
Fortunately, Ozma quite liked being a girl and ruling over Oz. When Dorothy Gale returns to Oz after the events in The Marvelous Land of Oz, she and Ozma became close friends. After Dorothy learned of her familyโs financial troubles, Ozma allowed Aunt Em and Uncle Henry to stay as โpermanent guests.โ Ozmaโs role in the series underscores the importance of friendship, generosity, and staying true to yourself.
Betsy Bobbin. L. Frank Baum, The Tik-Tok of Oz, 1914, Fitzhugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
Betsy Bobbin
At the beginning of The Tik-Tok of Oz (1914), a little Midwestern farm girl and her barnyard companion were swept away to Oz after a major weather event. You would be forgiven for thinking that the girl in question is Dorothy Gale, the heroine of the Oz series, but you would be mistaken.
In the 1910s, L. Frank Baumโs Oz stories received several profitable stage adaptations โ most notably, Fred R. Hamlinโs musical adaptation. To stage these productions, Baum contracted his characters out to different writers and producers, rendering them un-useable for other Oz adaptations. So, when producers approached Baum for a stage adaptation of Ozma of Oz (1907), the Royal Historian of Oz found himself struggling to adapt the story due to the contractual difficulties regarding his Wizard of Oz characters โ including Dorothy. Baum pivoted and authored a new play called The Tik-Tok Man of Oz. The play was scheduled for 1913 and introduced a new protagonist: a teenage girl named Betsy.
The characters were different, but still somewhat similar in various ways. Betsy Bobbin is from Oklahoma, differing from Dorothy being from Kansas. Dorothyโs companions were a dog named Toto and a chicken named Billina, and Betsy Bobbin had a mule named Hank. Dorothy arrived in Oz in a cyclone, while Betsy arrived during a sea storm. The finer details have been changed, but the stories were the same. The very few differences between Dorothy and Betsy were intentional since Baum simply needed a lead role for his new play.
L. Frank Baum, The Tik-Tok of Oz, 1914, Fitzugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
After the success of the play, The Tik-Tok Man of Oz, Baum decided to turn it into a proper book, keeping Betsy as the protagonist instead of Dorothy. Betsy does pop-up from time to time in the Oz books โ mostly as a friend to Dorothy and Ozma โ but ultimately remained a Dorothy stand-in. Ruth Plumly Thompson, the author who took on the role of Royal Historian of Oz after Baumโs death, used Betsyโs character more often, even granting her the title of Princess in the later novels.
L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz, 1904, Fitzhugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
General Jinjur
During Tipโs journey through Oz in The Marvelous Land of Oz, he encountered an all-female feminist militia called the Army of Revolt. This army was led by a General named Jinjur. Despite being a native Munchkin, Jinjur was a pretty girl of average size with blue eyes and a short, blonde bob. Jinjur became radicalized after watching men exclusively ruling over Oz and the Emerald City for too long. She believed itโs a womanโs chance to take power.
Due to the events of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the Wizardโs departure, there was ample opportunity for her to rule. The Scarecrow had replaced the Wizard as the ruler of the Emerald City and there was no other known rightful monarch. Jinjur wanted to take advantage of this unstable power vacuum and staged a coup against the Scarecrow. After successfully enslaving the men and boys of the Emerald City and looting all its wealth, she enlisted the help of Mombi and her magic. โGirls! We are about to begin our great revolt against the men of Oz! โฆ and to obtain power over our former oppressors!โ, Jinjur says during her short stint as Queen.
L. Frank Baum, The Marvelous Land of Oz, 1904, Fitzhugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
Once Mombi was discovered as having hidden Ozma, both Mombi and Jinjur were captured. Fortunately, Glinda and Ozma took mercy on Jinjur and her army. Jinjur requested that she and the soldiers be allowed to return to their families and promised to behave. It helped that, after the revolt, the Scarecrow agreed that he should no longer be King of Oz, and Ozma ascended the throne, which resulted in what Jinjur had always wantedโa female ruler for Oz and the Emerald City.
In Ozma of Oz (1907), we learn that Jinjur had settled down, gotten married, and was running a dairy farm with her husband. This was likely disappointing for some readers, but Baum was sure to clarify that Jinjur โwears the pantsโ in her marriage and that she took on a great deal of the physical labor in the home. When we meet her again in The Tin Woodman of Oz (1918), she was still wearing her Army of Revolt uniform on the farm. Jinjurโs character arc turned her from a radical to a generous, kind, and calm individual, though she never abandoned her values and belief in womenโs rights.
L. Frank Baum, The Tin Woodman of Oz, 1918, Fitzhugh Collection, Toppan Rare Books Library.
While certain aspects of Jinjurโs character have not aged well, scholars have interpreted Jinjurโs inclusion in Oz to be a friendly satire rather than a rebuke of the womenโs suffrage movement. Baum was both a supporter of womenโs rights and directly involved in the movement.
One of the most significant women in the Oz universe is not a fictional character. L. Frank Baumโs mother-in-law, Matilda Joslyn Gage, is cited as being pivotal in her encouragement of Baumโs Oz series. Gage lived in Baumโs Chicago house along with her daughter, Maud, during her later years of life. Following her advice, L. Frank Baum wrote down the fanciful stories of Dorothy and her adventures in Oz creating a book series that has spawned numerous movies, book adaptations, and entertained generations of children and adults.
History of Woman Suffrage, Vol 1, 1896. Coe Post-1850, Toppan Rare Books Library.
Much like the Oz characters, Matilda Joslyn Gageโs life was filled with adventures and like Jinjur, she fought for the advancement of women and others. Matilda Joslyn was born in 1826 in Cicero, New York to her parents Dr. Hezekiah and Helen Joslyn. Matilda grew up around books and was encouraged to expand her knowledge in a myriad of subjects from a young age by her father. She also witnessed both her parents work and support contemporary issues like the abolitionist and temperance movements. According to a biographical note in volume 1 of History of Woman Suffrage (1896), the family home in New York was a stop along the Underground Railroad. Following the example of her parents, Gage became involved in the burgeoning womenโs rights movement.
Gage was a prolific writer, and her words are found throughout significant documents and publications of the suffrage movement, including the Declaration of Sentiments (1848) that was signed at the first womenโs rights convention in Seneca Falls. As the movement progressed, Gageโs thoughts regarding the negative effects of the church and her views that all people, regardless of race, should have the right to vote led her to break away from activists like Susan B. Anthony and others aligned with the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA).
Although she died in 1898 and did not live to see the publication and success of Baumโs Oz world, there are several nods to Gage and her activism in the books. It is somewhat fitting that Glinda, the Good Witch is said to be based on Gage. Her character harkens back to witchcraft and how it was often used as a tool to oppress women, a topic that Gage explored in her 1893 work, Women, Church and State. Gageโs involvement in the movement was alluded to in a facetious way in Baumโs satirical interpretation of women activists. Considering the connections between Matilda Joslyn Gage and L. Frank Baum, the Oz storylines and their women characters seem a most fitting dedication to Baumโs mother-in-law and his appreciation of her and her lifeโs work.
The women of Oz encompassed many of the ideals and values of the late 19th and early 20th century. While much attention is focused on the stories and adventures of these women, these characters and their real-life inspirations add intrigue and complexity to the wonderful world of Oz.
Post contributed by Toppan Library’s intern Rhiannon Skye McLean and curator Mary Beth Brown.
For more information on Matilda Joslyn Gage and the women of Oz, check out these resources:
Massachi, Dina Schiff. The Characters of Oz: Essays on Their Adaptation and Transformation. McFarland & Company, Inc., 2023.
Warm Thanksgiving wishes from the American Heritage Center to you and your loved ones!
Weโre excited to share a collection of treasured Thanksgiving memories preserved in our archives. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, weโre spotlighting cherished memories from Wyomingโs past, preserved in papers of Grace Raymond Hebard, Lora Webb Nichols, and John Stephen and Frances Jennings Casement. We would also like to highlight longstanding traditions across the country that Wyomingites have participated in.
We begin with memories made on Thanksgiving in the territory of Wyoming. Twenty-four years before Wyoming became a state, a wife penned a note to her husband, detailing her day, and briefly mentions how she and their family spent the day of thanksgiving. She wrote on November 29th, 1866:
[O]ne Thanksgiving has passed like all other days- Pa spoke of going to church last evening- but when morning came he seemed to have made up his mind to go to work and has been hard at it all day. The rest of us have stayed close at home. You and I were invited to the party at the Seminary tonight- but of course I can’t go for I have no beau … I am much better of my cold but not entirely over it. Little John keeps well and grows finely. I can see him grow every day- and he is right handsome too I think, he is good natured and giggles at everybody that looks at him.1
This letter is from the John Stephen (known as โJackโ) and Frances (โFrankโ) Jennings Casement papers and was written by Frank to her husband while he oversaw the construction of Union Pacific Railroad tracks, which traversed what is now southern Wyoming. The letter provides a glimpse into the daily lives of a family often separated by Jack’s railroad career, even during holidays. Frank goes on to mention visits from other women in the community, and a possible trip to the grave of the son they lost the year prior. She describes her continued grief over the loss of a child, and implores her husband to return home soon, because she missed him. Frank also attempts to balance the letter between joy and sorrow, to keep her husbandโs spirits high while away from the family. This rather quiet observation of the day of thanksgiving differs from the other collections highlighted here, which make a much larger emphasis on the day.
In 1928, the Thanksgiving declaration by Wyoming Governor Frank C. Emerson encouraged the longstanding tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States and extols some of the history of the day, as well as encouraged the people of Wyoming to pause and give their thanks as is tradition. The proclamation reads as follows:
Since Pilgrim fathers first paused in their stern pursuit of livelihood to give thanks…for the simple blessings that had come to them through the year, the people of America have observed Thanksgiving as a great national festival…This year of 1928 has witnessed progress throughout our broad land in greater measure than ever before. In our own beloved state of Wyoming the harvest has been bountiful, labor has been plentiful, and the material wellbeing of our citizens has been greatly advanced. Well it is that at this season, …we should again set that day apart on which to take time from our busy daily pursuits of work and pleasure to gauge the manifold blessings that the year has brought to us…2
The proclamation above can be found in the Grace Raymond Hebard papers at the American Heritage Center, along with other thanksgiving proclamations and reactions to proclamations issued by state governors and the President of the United States between 1913 and 1930. Many of these proclamations describe the state of Wyoming, or the Union, before giving reasons to give thanks that year. Most often thanks are given in praise of jobs or plentiful crops, and a bright future for the children of the state. Such as the proclamation made by President Coolidge, pictured below, given in the same year as Governor Emersonโs.
โPresident Coolidge Proclaims Thanksgiving,โ Box 18, Folder 8, Grace Raymond Hebard papers, University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Coll. No. 400008.
While the selections from Grace Raymond Hebardโs papers highlighted here include more of a state and national viewpoint of the Thanksgiving holiday, the Lora Webb Nichols papers provide a glimpse of ordinary family life. Nichols, an early 20th century photographer, captured the domestic, social, and economic aspects of life in Encampment, Wyoming. In 1935, she moved to California for health reasons and worked at the Stockton Childrenโs Home, eventually becoming its director. In her collection, there is an image of a table set for Thanksgiving dinner, shown below. The image is taken November 25th, 1943, at the children’s home. It shows a long table with many seats set elegantly for the first course with dishes and pitchers waiting off to the side for further courses. This table could be reminiscent of those being set all over Wyoming and the United States for this year’s Thanksgiving feast.
Box 14, negative #14462, Lora Webb Nichols papers, Coll. No. 01005, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Also found in the Nichols papers are a series of photographs of Lora and friends at a Thanksgiving dinner party in 1958. By this time, Lora had moved back home to Encampment. One image, shown below, depicts Lora and friends and family at her family home, Willow Glen. Pictured in the image with her are Al Hovey, Nancy, Bill Wilson, her daughter Vera and Faye. Lora and her friends are all dressed up, seated around another elegantly set table after the meal has begun. Again, the scene is reminiscent of many current Thanksgiving traditions, including dressing up and sharing the day with friends and family.
Box 16, negative #17642, Lora Webb Nichols papers, Coll. No. 01005, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Images like those in Loraโs collection donโt look too different from what people have shared on Thanksgiving across social media in the age of the internet. Other images commonly shared are those from iconic celebrations like the Macyโs Thanksgiving Day Parade held in New York City. Marching bands across the country compete to earn a spot in this famous event, travel to the city and perform on the parade route to enormous crowds. For example, the state of Wyoming has been represented by the Wyoming All State Marching Band at many parades like this over the years. In 1994 and 2012 they represented the state at the Macyโs parade. And in other years they have performed in Thanksgiving parades in Hawaii (2008 and 2014) and Philadelphia (2018).
โWyoming All State Marching Band at Macyโs Thanksgiving Day Parade,โ November 2012. Image from Wyoming All State Marching Band Facebook page.
Whether your Thanksgiving tradition involves gathering around an elegantly set table or cheering on a parade, you are part of a legacy that stretches across generations. From the American Heritage Center, we wish you a Thanksgiving filled with warmth, gratitude, and cherished memories.
Post contributed AHC Processing Archivist Brittany Heye.
To see other examples of Lora Webb Nichols’ photography, visit our Virmuze exhibit “Lora Webb Nichols,” which features 16 photographs from her collection of more than 23,000 images documenting life in Encampment, Wyoming, from 1899 onward.
References
University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, John Stephen and Frances Jennings Casement Papers, Accession Number 308, Box 1, Folder 3 (use copies in Box 1A).
โThanksgiving Proclaimed,โ University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center, Grace Raymond Hebard Papers, Accession Number 400008, Box 18, Folder 8.
This western historical television drama was based on bestselling books by Laura Ingalls (1867-1957). NBC picked it up 50 years ago in 1974 and the television series ran until March 21, 1983.
This western historical television drama was based on bestselling books by Laura Ingalls. Audiences were typically in awe of the show and how it represented โlife out westโ and enlightened the viewer with what was, to many European Americans, the unexplored expanse of our country. Many also agree that the daily life lessons tackled in each episode remained just as relevant to viewers when the series aired in the 1970s and 1980s as they were to the time period in which the show was set.
Box 32, folder 1, Clarice Whittenburg papers, Coll. No. 400066, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
The American Heritage Center maintains several collections that include materials relating to Little House on the Prairie. Although there are maps, illustrations and photographs in some, the vast majority are NBC scripts of the television series. One of these scripts, โBlind Justice,โ deals with Maryโs disability and can easily apply to modern day issues with impairments.1
Carrie, Mary & Laura Ingalls, Box 32, folder 1, Clarice Whittenburg papers, Coll. No. 400066, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
In the television episode titled, โThe Happiest Anniversaryโ the all too familiar scenario of finding a little time away from the children to have a moment with your spouse is addressed. In quite a humorous way, the story is told where Pa & Ma are to spend a whole night alone while the children are with the Reverend and his wife. Between chores, torrential rain, a leaky roof (in the bedroom, of course) and Paโs coat on fire, morning arrives with the children returned and all are headed to church. As they pull away from the house, Ma & Pa โโฆturn to each other, noses almost touching. ‘Happy Anniversary!’ Pa says softlyโฆโ and they head to town.2
โPa & Maโ were Charles Phillip and Caroline Lake (nรฉe Quiner) Ingalls, Clarice Whittenburg papers, Coll. No. 400066, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Scripts also included are, โThe Handyman,โ โMeet Me at the Fair,โ โI Remember, I Remember,โ and โThe Pride of Walnut Grove.โ The latter stems from a story from an idea by Michael Landon in May of 1975. This episode approaches the ever-present family dynamic of sibling rivalry. Mary becomes eligible to compete in a regional math competition in Minneapolis. The family cannot afford the overall cost, so the townspeople finance the trip. Although Laura admittedly is jealous of Mary, she takes on additional responsibility around the house when Pa suggests it to โโฆsnap her out of her sadness.โ The episode also covers Maryโs disappointment in herself as she places second in the competition.3
Charles P. Ingallsโ claim shanty, where Pa built the extra room for the organ, Box 32, folder 1, Clarice Whittenburg papers, Coll. No. 400066, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Laura was very adamant about telling her stories correctly as they occurred and as she experienced her childhood. Even into early adulthood, Laura would write that, โI lived everything that happened in my books. It is a long story, filled with sunshine and shadowโฆโย She also writes about family and friends and what they went on to do and where they lived. โMa & Pa livedโฆon their homestead and then moved into townโฆMary graduated from the College for the BlindโฆCarrie worked for the DeSmet Newsโฆand then she marriedโฆand moved to the Black Hills. Nellie Oleson went east, married, and moved to Louisianaโฆ.โ It was important to Laura that she leave an accurate and significant legacy. She closes her letter to her daughter with, โThe way we live and schoolsโฆare much different now. But the real things havenโt changed. It is still best to be honest and truthful; to make the most of what we have; to be happy with simple pleasures and toโฆhave courage when things go wrong. โโฆevery American has always been free to pursueโฆhappiness.โ4
Post contributed by Vicki Glantz, AHC Reference Department.
Laura & Almanzo Wilder at their golden wedding anniversary in 1935, Box 32, folder 1, Clarice Whittenburg papers, Coll. No. 400066, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
References
Final Draft: December 1980, box 32, folder 5, James Brodhead papers, Coll. No. 7389, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Revised Outline from June 17, 1974, box 4, folder 2, Arthur Heinemann papers, Coll. No. 7207, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Outline & notes, Michael Landon, 1975, box 4, folder 6, Arthur Heinemann papers, Coll. No. 7207, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Composite letter written by Laura Ingalls Wilder, box 8, folder 19, Clarice Whittenburg papers, Coll. No. 400044, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
November marks Native American Heritage Month, a time to honor the rich cultures, traditions, and histories of Native communities. In celebration, the American Heritage Center is spotlighting collections that support the revitalization of Indigenous languages, particularly the Arapaho language, through the archives. By preserving and sharing these invaluable resources, the AHC contributes to ongoing efforts to keep these languages alive. Among the valuable resources housed at the AHC are the Zdenฤk Salzmann Arapaho Indian research papers, the Wyoming Folklife Archive, and the John Roberts papers. Each of these collections offers unique tools for re-discovering and teaching the Arapaho language.
These three collections contain a variety of tools and resources that enable the revitalization of the Arapaho language. For example, the Salzmann papers contain English to Arapaho dictionary cards that are broken up alphabetically and contain many words translated from English to Arapaho. The example below is the โantelopeโ card from box 18 of the collection.
Salzmannโs collection also contains musical performances and interviews with members of the Arapaho tribe concerning their language and culture. The 21 reel-to-reel and 92 audio cassette tapes can be used to help develop an understanding of the language, the culture, and provide a place to start learning the language.
The records of the Wyoming Folklife Archive contain documents related to Arapaho language classes that have been developed, materials related to an Arapaho language camp, as well as a copy of the famous Disney movie, Bambi translated into Arapaho.
In 1994, Dr. Steve Greymoming, a professor of Native American Studies and Anthropology at the University of Montana, worked with the Walt Disney Corporation and Wyoming Indian Schools to create a dubbed copy of the iconic Disney movie into Arapaho. Dr. Greymoming led the translation efforts with assistance from students and staff at Wyoming Indian Schools. Arapaho actors then spoke the translated dialogue, leaving only the music in English. This project premiered in November of 1994 and Disney provided the Arapaho nation with 2,000 VHS tapes of the movie. In October of 2022, this version of the film was added to Disneyโs streaming service, Disney+. Bambi became the first Disney movie to be dubbed in a Native American language and became another tool in revitalizing the language.
The John Roberts papers contain material regarding Robertsโ mission work on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. Roberts was an Episcopalian missionary who in 1883 was sent to the reservation to work among the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Indians and to organize missions among the white settlers in the adjacent territory.
While at his post, Roberts translated many of the biblical texts and church materials into the Arapaho and Shoshone languages with assistance from Michael Whitehawk, Fremont Arthur, and Charles Lajoe. While these documents were created to help anglicize the Native population, researchers and linguists have begun to utilize them to re-discover and revitalize the Arapaho language. For example, Robertsโ papers contain a document of Arapaho words listed on a few sheets of paper, page four of which is depicted below. This list can teach the language without religious connotations, like many of the other texts in the collection.
These three collections are a small sampling of what the AHC holds that could help in the efforts to revitalize the Arapaho language. Archives possess a wealth of materials that can be utilized to rediscover and revitalize Native American languages. By nature, they hold historical recordings, documents and other materials that can be used to teach endangered languages. Modern language revitalization efforts often involve close partnerships between archivists, linguists, and tribal communities to ensure responsible access and respectful use of archived materials. Archives involved in these types of include the American Philosophical Society and the California Language Archive.
Projects like these have also led to the creation of the Indigenous Language Digital Archive. A project where multiple tribes can access and contribute to a digital repository of their languages, allowing for broader collaboration and knowledge sharing. Similarly, the California Language Archive (CLA) at the University of California, Berkley, โholds one of the nationโs largest repositories of Indigenous American language materials. For most of the archiveโs history, however, these materials were largely inaccessible to tribal members. With National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) funding, the CLA has been able to digitize most of its collection, making it much easier for tribal communities to make use of those materials in their language revitalization efforts.โ [1] These projects highlight the success of digitization efforts in the archive and display the benefits of digitizing records.
Archivists and archives, however, have access to and contain materials that are sensitive to native people and their culture. As such, archives involved in revitalization efforts have worked to ensure that sensitive materials can only be accessed by authorized individuals and respect tribal sovereignty and cultural information. They have also had to address potential biases in their collection material, as it may have been collected by non-native researchers. The University of Nebraska Press published a book of essays in 2021 titled Indigenous Languages and the Promise of Archives.[2] This collection of essays discusses the impact and the roles that the archive has played in, and could continue to play, in revitalization efforts.
The American Heritage Center is proud to contribute to the preservation and revitalization of Indigenous languages. As we continue to digitize more of these invaluable resources, we invite researchers, tribal members, and anyone interested in linguistic heritage to explore our collections and join in the effort to keep these languages alive.
These primary source materialsโincluding photographs, documents, manuscripts, and more related to Wyomingโs Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribesโare available through digitized resources, online exhibits, and with assistance from Reference Department staff to help teachers educate students about the cultural heritage, history, and contributions of Wyomingโs tribal nations while supporting Wyoming Social Studies Standards.
For more information about using the Centerโs resources, contact the AHCโs Reference Department at ahcref@uwyo.edu.
Post contributed by AHC Processing Archivist Brittany Heye.
[2] Link, Adrianna, Abigail Shelton, and Patrick Spero, โIndigenous Languages and the Promise of Archivesโ from the New Visions in Native American and Indigenous Studies series, University of Nebraska Press, 2021.
Author Robert Bloch (1917-1994) wrote, over the course of more than five decades, novels, stories, essays, and scripts for film and television.
Best known for his novel Psycho, which was adapted into a feature film by director Alfred Hitchcock in 1960, Bloch wrote stories in the genres of horror, crime, science fiction, and fantasy.
Robert Bloch shown on the book jacket of Psycho, which was later adapted into the Alfred Hitchcock film. Robert Bloch papers.
The American Heritage Center recently completed the processing of his papers (233 cubic feet!), and in this first blog post, we focus on his early life and his novel Psycho.
Born in Chicago, Bloch moved with his family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1929. Bloch had, as he described it in a 1949 autobiographical article, โa disgustingly normalโ childhood.
As a child, he was particularly taken with the silent cinema, especially Lon Chaney in The Phantom of the Opera (1925). In his 1993 autobiography, Once Around the Bloch, Bloch said, โWhen I ran all the way home through the dark after the film ended, the image that floated behind me was the phantomโs face. He kept me company in bed and haunted my dreams.โ
By 1958, Bloch had published several novels, including The Scarf, The Kidnaper, and The Willto Kill, as well as numerous short stories in pulp magazines such as Amazing Stories, ElleryQueenโs Mystery Magazine, Fantastic Adventures, and Weird Tales. Bloch described himself at that time as โforty-oneโฆ[o]ver the hill now, for sure; ready to descend into middle age.โ Yet, it was that same year that he began writing Psycho. Inspired by Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein*, whose crimes were discovered in 1957, Bloch later wrote:
I based my story on the situation, rather than on any person, living or dead, involved in the Gein Affair; indeed, I knew very little of the details concerning that case and virtually nothing about Gein himself at the time. It was only some years later, when writing my essay on Geinโฆthat I discovered how closely the imaginary character Iโd created resembled the real Ed Gein both in overt act and apparent motivation.
Soon after the novel was published in 1959, Bloch received an anonymous offer for the purchase of the movie rights to his novel. The price was $9,500, and, as Bloch described it:
My agent got ten percent, my publishers took fifteen, the tax people skimmed off their share of the loot, and I ended up with about $6,250. Hitchcock got Psycho, and the rest is history. Ancient history, really, yet people have never forgotten his brilliant film. And today, more than thirty years later [1993], the novel is still in print.**
A theatrical poster promoting the US release of the movie Psycho (1960). The poster credits neither Bloch nor his novel as the source material. Blochโs note on the back of the poster states, โQuestion: Who wrote this story? Hitchcock [the director]? Stefano [the screenwriter]? Paramount [the studio]?โ Box 365, Robert Bloch papers, Coll. No. 2256.
The Robert Bloch papers includes numerous items related to Psycho, both the novel and the movie. Blochโs novel has been translated into many foreign languages and published throughout the world. The collection includes translations into French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Finnish, and Japanese, as well as American and British English-language editions.
Japanese
Spanish
Dutch
British
Italian
Finnish
German
U.S.
Also included are English- and foreign-language editions of Blochโs two sequels, Psycho II and Psycho House, as well as a promotional towel that Warner Books created for the publication of Psycho II.
The collection also includes a copy of the contract between Bloch and Shamley Productions, Hitchcockโs production company, for the movie rights to the novel.
The first page of a copy of the contract between Robert Bloch and Shamley Productions, Inc., Alfred Hitchcockโs production company, for the movie rights to Blochโs novel Psycho. Box 350, Robert Bloch papers, Coll. No. 2256.
There are also stills, posters, and lobby cards from the movie.
A theatrical poster promoting the Belgian release of the movie Psycho. Blochโs note on the poster states, โBelgian โone-sheetโ of โPsychoโ โ made to look like a sex-film.โ Box 351, Robert Bloch papers, Coll No. 2256.A still from the movie Psycho (1960). Blochโs note on the back of the still says, โHere is a still from Alfred Hitchcockโs production of my novel, Psycho. To date, the film, which was produced for around $900,000, has grossed in the neighborhood of $17,000,000.00 โ thus becoming the 2nd largest all-time money-maker in black-and-white films, topped in this category only by The Birth of a Nation, which has been around for 52 years, according to trade-paper reports. The film, which was adapted by Joseph Stefano, follows the novel faithfully โ at least 90%, by a fair estimate โ even to the โtag-lineโ at the end.โ Box 351, Robert Bloch papers, Coll. No. 2256.
In later blog posts, we will cover Robert Blochโs work in film and television, as well as the magazines, pulp and otherwise, that he contributed to and collected.
Happy Halloween!
*Gein was also the partial inspiration for the character Leatherface in the 1974 movie The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and the character Buffalo Bill in the 1988 novel and the 1991 movieThe Silence of the Lambs.
**It is worth noting that more than thirty years after Bloch wrote the above passage, Psycho is still in print and available as an e-book.
Post contributed by AHC Processing Archivist and resident film expert Roger Simon.
Wyoming is a state with a long history of absentee voting and a reputation for high voter participation, and the League of Women Voters of Wyoming has played an influential role in enabling both. Since at least the 1940s in Wyoming, the nonpartisan League has been a champion of voting and political education.
League of Women Voters of Wyoming flyer. Box 37, folder 7, League of Women Voters of Wyoming records, Collection No. 10437, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
In the 1980s, the Casper League was particularly interested in elections conducted by mail, preparing a report on the topic. It outlined the history of vote-by-mail experiments in Oregon, California, Washington, Kansas and Montana. The focus then was on vote by mail for special elections, where voting was to be conducted exclusively and entirely by mail (the polls were not open at all during a special election in those states). More recently, vote-by-mail and absentee voting, as an alternative to going to the polls on election day, have been in the news.
Page of an โElection by Mailโ report prepared by the League of Women Voters of Casper. Box 21, folder 11, League of Women Voters of Wyoming records, Collection No. 10437, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
The debate over vote-by-mail took center stage during the 2020 presidential election, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Social distancing measures and concerns about large gatherings led many states to expand their mail-in voting programs. Proponents of mail-in voting argue that it makes voting more accessible, especially for individuals who cannot vote in person due to health concerns, disabilities, or work commitments.
However, critics argue that mail-in voting is vulnerable to fraud and abuse. They point to isolated cases of voter fraud, ballot harvesting, and logistical challenges in counting mail-in votes. The debate over mail-in voting continues, with several states enacting stricter voting laws, while others are making it easier to vote by mail.
Absentee voting in Wyoming has been available since at least the mid-20th century. In the 1950s, absentee voting was primarily used by individuals who could not physically get to a polling place on Election Day, such as military personnel, those with medical issues, or individuals who were out of state. Voters needed to provide a reason for requesting an absentee ballot, which was a common requirement in many states during that era. The process was manual, with voters having to request a ballot, receive it by mail, and then return it before Election Day.
During the 1960s and 1970s, as Wyoming’s population grew, and transportation became more accessible, absentee voting expanded. However, the requirement to provide a valid reason for requesting an absentee ballot remained in place for several decades. The state legislature gradually made the process easier over time, particularly in response to requests from military voters and those living in remote areas of the state, where getting to a polling place could require hours of travel.
In the late 20th century, the national conversation around absentee and early voting began to shift. Wyoming adapted to these trends by further simplifying its absentee voting process. By the early 2000s, Wyoming allowed any registered voter to request an absentee ballot without needing to provide a specific reason. This change was significant because it aligned Wyoming with other states that were moving toward more accessible voting practices.
โA Message from Secretary of State Max Maxfield,โ from a Wyoming Voterโs Guide flyer, 2010. Box 59, League of Women Voters of Wyoming records, Collection No. 10437, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
Today, Wyoming continues to offer a robust absentee voting system. Any registered voter can request an absentee ballot for any reason, making it an attractive option for those who might have difficulty voting in person on Election Day. The process is straightforward:
Voters must request an absentee ballot either by mail, phone, or online.
Once the request is processed, the ballot is mailed to the voter.
The voter can return the ballot by mail, in person at the county clerkโs office, or via designated drop boxes.
Ballots must be received by the county clerk by 7 p.m. on Election Day, and voters can track the status of their absentee ballot to ensure it has been counted.
Table of Contents for โChapter 9 Absentee Votingโ, from the Wyoming Election Code manual, 2012. Box 59, League of Women Voters of Wyoming records, Collection No. 10437, American Heritage Center, University of Wyoming.
During the 2020 election, the Wyoming Secretary of State mailed an absentee ballot request form to every registered voter. As a result, approximately 60% of Wyoming voters cast their ballots by mail, a significant increase from previous years, reflecting the national trend driven by the pandemic.
Wyomingโs vast rural landscape presents unique challenges when it comes to voting. With many voters living in remote areas, the state has long recognized the need for flexible voting options. Absentee voting and mail-in voting can provide a crucial service to these residents, allowing them to participate in elections without facing long travel times to polling locations. Wyomingโs relatively small population also means that election officials can manage and verify absentee ballots with greater ease than in more populous states. While the national debate around mail-in voting continues, Wyomingโs experience shows that with proper safeguards in place, absentee voting can be both secure and accessible.
Among the materials found in the League of Women Voters of Wyoming records at the American Heritage Center is a 2012 Wyoming Election Code manual and various analyses of Wyoming election law from the 1950s and 1960s.
Post contributed by AHC Writer Kathryn Billington.
References
Wyoming Secretary of State. “Absentee Voting Information.” Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office, Accessed 11 Sept. 2024
