150th photo gallery

150 years at Tufts in photos

As a part of the yearlong series of events celebrating the founding of Tufts, the Tisch Library is presenting a photo exhibition that captures university life in its many guises.

The exhibition, "150th at Tisch: A Photo Gallery Commemorating Tufts' 150th Anniversary," will be on display on the main floor adjacent to the reference desk until May 30, 2002.

Jackson women sew a service flag in 1918. © Melville S. Munro

A 1987 photograph of a student rally against racism. © Steven J. Bushell, E90

Stephanie St. Laurence, a member of the Tisch staff who helped coordinate the exhibit, said a committee culled through many archival photographs to choose the 40 in the exhibit.

"The group that selected the photographs chose them on the basis of historic interest, as well as their aesthetic merit, from a larger collection housed in the university's special collection," she said.

St. Laurence said three themes were chosen to represent 150 years at Tufts: Student life, community activism and academic life. Among the photos is a group of students selling war bonds in 1944, sophomores engaging in a tug of war in 1930 and a student attired in suit and tie working on an equation on a blackboard in 1930.

In the middle of the exhibit space is a fire extinguisher required by law. St. Laurence said the committee decided to make the mandatory fire extinguisher part of the exhibition by putting photographs depicting fires at Tufts around it, including the one that destroyed Barnum Hall as well as a bon fire.