Category: archives

You’re Invited! “Bentley Leaders” Reception with Gloria Larson, 9/14 @ 4pm

Lisa

Please join President Gloria Cordes Larson for the opening reception of Bentley Leaders, the first of three centennial year exhibits chronicling the history of Bentley University. The reception will begin at 4:00 p.m. in The RSM Art Gallery. Light refreshments will be served.

Bentley Leaders exhibit case
The Bentley Leaders exhibit is on view in the RSM Art Gallery through October 26, 2016.

While this exhibit offers an introduction to many important individuals, there are countless more that are worthy of note. An additional group of Bentley Leaders have been profiled in a companion exhibit that is available online through the Bentley Archives website. Please visit the two online exhibits, Bentley Leaders and Bentley Leaders: Firsts. 

Now Showing: Bentley Centennial Exhibit, “Bentley Leaders”

Jaimie

The Bentley Library is proud to host Bentley Leaders, the first of three Centennial year exhibits profiling the history of Bentley University. The exhibit is on view in the RSM Art Gallery through October 26, 2016. An opening reception with President Gloria Cordes Larson will be held on Wednesday, September 14, at 4:00 p.m.

Bentley University Centennial Exhibit – Bentley Leaders
August 22 – October 26, 2016 October 24, 2016

Opening Reception with President Gloria Cordes Larson
Wednesday, September 14
4:00 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Bentley's first three presidents
Bentley’s first three presidents (from left):
Thomas L. Morison, Harry C. Bentley, Maurice M. Lindsay

Our 100th anniversary is a momentous occasion, and provides an unprecedented opportunity for our community to join together in celebration. Over this year, we hope that members of the Bentley community will learn about how we have grown as an institution, and use that knowledge to develop our hopes for Bentley’s future. Many know that our school began with a single individual – Mr. Harry C. Bentley, who started the Bentley School in a small rented classroom. He was buoyed in his ambitions by a natural entrepreneurial spirit and the enthusiasm of his students, who wanted a modern, comprehensive education in Accountancy. While his hard work and vision built our foundations, Mr. Bentley knew that he would need equally dedicated, innovative partners and successors to help his school realize its fullest potential.

Over the last 100 years, generations of leaders have devoted themselves to that very cause. For our innovative curriculum, our beautiful campus, and our wealth of educational opportunity, we have so many to thank. This exhibit profiles a selection of those leaders who helped the “Bentley School of Accounting and Finance” become Bentley University. We hope that learning about these individuals will inspire gratitude for their contributions, and ideas for how to help Bentley grow in our next 100 years.

While this exhibit offers an introduction to many important individuals, there are countless more that are worthy of note. An additional group of Bentley Leaders have been profiled in a companion exhibit that is available online through the Bentley Archives website. Please visit the two online exhibits, Bentley Leaders and Bentley Leaders: Firsts. 

Centennial Celebration

Remembering President Gregory H. Adamian

Jaimie

As many of you have recently heard, Bentley’s fourth President Gregory H. Adamian passed away on November 21, 2015 at the age of eighty nine. Dr. Adamian’s involvement with Bentley spanned six decades, including twenty-one impressive and influential years as our President.  During those years, President Adamian helped to develop Bentley’s curriculum, expand our beloved campus, and increase the school’s endowment. He was consistently committed to providing a valuable education to Bentley students so that they could become capable, engaged leaders.

Our campus and our programs grew significantly under President Adamian’s leadership – for example, he was instrumental in the establishment of both the Graduate School and the Center for Business Ethics. Bentley students past and present are all grateful for his dedication! For those who would like to learn more about President Adamian’s life and work, or simply remember his contributions to our community, the Bentley Archives has prepared an online exhibit that can be viewed here. If you would like more information about President Adamian or about Bentley’s development during his tenure please contact Jaimie Fritz, Project Archivist, at archives@bentley.edu.

Photos from the Remembering President Gregory H. Adamian online exhibit

1970 Inauguration Program
1971 – Presentation of the Class of ’71 class gift, the Bentley Falcon
c1980s – President Adamian at his desk

#AskAnArchivist on October 1st

Jaimie

October is American Archives Month and the celebrations are kicking off with #AskAnArchivist Day! Lots of people are unfamiliar with archives, so we’re here today to answer any and all questions you might have. Below are the answers to some common questions about archives in general, and about what’s in the Bentley Archives. If you have more questions that you’d like answered by the Archivist you can comment here or send your question to one of the Bentley Library’s social media accounts using #AskAnArchivist ! Want to know what the oldest item in our collection is? Want to see pictures of your fellow students from a specific historic time period? Go ahead and ask!

What is an archive? What’s in the Bentley Archives?

There are lots of ways to describe archives but essentially they are repositories for items of historical value that relate to a common topic. The Bentley Archives preserves the historic records of (you guessed it) Bentley University! We have objects spanning almost 100 years which are collected to document the history of life and learning at Bentley. These items are preserved and organized so that people can use them for research – although archives material cannot be checked out like library books.

Can I use the collections in the Bentley Archives?

Yes! Our collections are still being organized, but you can take a look at our Archives LibGuide to see what we have. If you know what kind of historical items you’d like to see, or if you have an idea or project and are interested in using the Archives, please email archives@bentley.edu. We are always happy to help identify photos, documents, or objects that might be helpful in your work. You’ll need an appointment to view material in the Archives, so try to send in requests early and we can work with you to get history into your hands!

What are some fun facts about Bentley that you’ve learned in the Archives?

  • A lot of political power players have visited Bentley. Our commencement speakers include Sen. Ted Kennedy and Sec. of State John Kerry, as well as former MA Gov. Mitt Romney. In 1958, President (then Sen.) John F. Kennedy spoke at a Bentley alumni event!
  • We have always been a school of hard workers. In a pamphlet distributed to students around 1930, at least 20 hours of homework per week are recommended. The tuition was a bit different though. Tuition in 1929-30 was $235, and room & board could be had for about $10 a week!
  • There’s tons of great Bentley history in downtown Boston! Our campus used to be spread across many buildings, primarily in the Back Bay neighborhood. You can still visit many of these buildings on Tremont Street, Boylston Street, and Commonwealth Avenue. Don’t look for our old classrooms at 815 Boylston Street though – it’s now an Apple Store!
  • Find out more facts about Bentley history in our online exhibit – Bentley Through the Years.

I have a lot of papers, photos and mementos – how do I start preserving my own history?

It’s never too early to start your own personal archive! First, let us know if any of your material is related to Bentley. We might be a good place to donate material if, for example, you’re the head of a department or a student organization, you took pictures of a campus event, etc. If the material is of a more personal nature, here are some quick tips:

  • Put a date (at least the year) on everything! Date papers and photos lightly with a pencil. For digital files, see if the creation date is in the file properties, or add a date to the file name.
  • Create safe spaces for records. Get a filing cabinet or some acid-free boxes for your physical items, and get an external hard drive to store digital files.
  • Design an organizational scheme. Try to divide items into a few broad categories that make sense & are memorable to you. If possible, create folders for these categories both in digital & physical space. Then you can always sort new items easily instead of letting them pile up!

For more tips on personal archiving, including where to find help with digitizing and storing photographs or other media, see our Archives LibGuide.

If you still have questions about the Archives, send them to us here or on social media with #AskAnArchivist, or email archives@bentley.edu!

Online Archives Exhibit: Bentley Through the Years

Jaimie

As you prepare to take part in all of Bentley’s amazing Homecoming activities, we thought you might be interested in becoming more “In the Know” about Bentley’s history! For example, did you know that the original class consisted of just 30 students who used to meet not far from what is now the Hynes Convention Center? Or that tuition was $120? Do you know when Bentley became co-educational (for the first time), or what the original buildings on the Waltham campus were? Over nearly 100 years, we’ve evolved from the “Bentley School of Accounting and Finance” to “Bentley University” through a series of impressive developments that were the work of many dedicated people.

Our new exhibit, Bentley Through the Years, will introduce you to these changes as you look at photos and documents from every decade of Bentley’s history. You’ll learn how the school navigated through two World Wars, how Bentley students lived & worked, and how the campus developed, along with many other fun facts. You – students, faculty, staff, alumni, family & friends – are all a part of Bentley’s rich history! We hope this exhibit will connect you to your campus community and inspire you to keep making Bentley a place of innovation and collaborative spirit.

A group of male students, seated at desks in a classroom, presumably in one of the Boylston Street buildings on the Boston campus.
A group of male students, seated at desks in a classroom, presumably in one of the Boylston Street buildings on the Boston campus. Click to view a larger image.

Please contact our Archivist, Jaimie Fritz, at archives@bentley.edu if you have questions about the exhibit, or if there is another part of Bentley history that you want to learn more about!

Library Welcomes Jaimie Fritz, Project Archivist

Laurie

As Bentley University prepares for its Centennial celebration in 2017, Bentley Library welcomes Jaimie Fritz as our Project Archivist to organize the archives associated with the University. Jaimie comes to us from the MIT Library most recently, and before that, the Schlesinger Library at Harvard. She is very excited to help us prepare for our centennial celebration, and brings the organizational and technical skills necessary to make it a success. Jaimie received her MS in Library and Information Science (with a Concentration in Archives Management) from Simmons College, and has an undergraduate degree in English Language and Literature from Smith College.

Over the next year, Jaimie will be inventorying and organizing our archives. She’ll also be creating digital exhibits around important events in Bentley history: the founding of the College, the move to Waltham, and more.