Events and Announcements
The Ward M. Canaday Center has extended the current exhibition to
September 30, 2014
Letters of Luminaries: Notable Correspondence in the
Collections of the Ward M. Canaday Center: An Exhibition
THE WARD M. CANADAY CENTER FOR SPECIAL COLLECTIONS,
THE UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO LIBRARIES
Invites you to a lecture and book signing by
National Book Critics Circle Award Winner
James Tobin
Author of The Man He Became:
How FDR Defied Polio to Win the Presidency
Wednesday, April 2, 3 p.m.
Ward M. Canaday Center, 5th Floor
William S. Carlson Library, The University of Toledo
Parking available in Lot 13 and the West Parking Ramp
For more information, contact
the Canaday Center at 419.530.4480
Canaday Center exhibition features correspondence of luminaries
Letters of Luminaries: Notable Correspondence in the
Collections of the Ward M. Canaday Center: An Exhibition
“Letters and documents are the most direct link we have to the heroes and heroines,
villains, and ordinary people of the past. They show these men and women as human beings, dealing with matters on a scale that all of us can relate.
We begin to appreciate that their lives may not be all that different from our own—that
people of the past confronted the same feelings and fears that we all do, and that
they persevered to achieve the goals—both great and small—of their lives.”
Kenneth W. Rendell, History Comes to Life: Collecting Historical Letters and Documents
The staff of the Canaday Center spent the past year culling though its 6000 feet of
manuscript collections to locate letters signed by important persons. They located
letters from political leaders, business leaders, intellectuals, celebrities, sports
figures, authors, foreign dignitaries, and famous Toledoans.
Also on display: “Celebrity Sightings,” an exhibit of signed photographs and memorabilia
from movie stars, political leaders, and musical performers
In addition the “Letters of Luminaries,” the Canaday Center has also organized a smaller
exhibit on the fifth floor of Carlson Library adjacent to the Center titled “Celebrity
Sightings.” It features enlargements of signed photographs of famous people from the
Canaday Center’s holdings, including photographs of Orson Wells, Katherine Hepburn,
H.G. Wells, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Of note is an enlargement of a photograph
taken in Toledo on September 22, 1967, of Martin Luther King, Jr. that was signed
by King and given to then-UT President William S. Carlson. The only appearance by
King in Toledo, he spoke that day at a rally at Scott High School. The photograph
was taken at a reception after the speech.
Also included in this exhibit are copies of pages from scrapbooks maintained by the
UT Office of Special Events from 1976 to the early 1990s that document concerts performed
in Centennial (now Savage) Hall. These scrapbook pages include signatures and sentiments
from Bob Dylan, Cher, Steve Martin, and Bill Cosby, among others.
Both exhibits are free and open to the public. They are on display Monday
through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., through July 31, 2014. Special and group showings
can be arranged by called 419-530-4480.
Medicine on the Maumee: A History of Health Care in Northwest Ohio
Speakers’ Series
All events held in the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections, Fifth Floor,
William S. Carlson Library
September 26, 3 p.m.: “The History of Hospital-Based Nurse Education in 20th Century Toledo,” by Joanna Russ, archivist, ProMedica.
October 3, 3 p.m.: “The History of HIV Infection in Northwest Ohio,” a panel discussion led by Dr. Joan
Duggan, director of the Toledo Ryan White HIV Center.
October 10, 3 p.m.: “A Man, His Work, and His Legacy—Conrad Jobst,” by Dr. Anthony Comerota, director
of the Jobst Vascular Institute at ProMedica Toledo Hospital.
October 17, 3 p.m.: “Posing for Eternity: The Art and Science of Plastination,” by Dr. Carlos Baptista,
president of the International Society for Plastination.
October 24, 3:30 p.m.: “From M*A*S*H to the Great Black Swamp: The Life of John Howard M.D.,” by Dr. S. Amjad
Hussain, UT professor emeritus.
November 7, 3 p.m.: “The Magician with a Meningioma,” by Dr. James Ravin, Toledo ophthalmologist and medical
historian.
All Events Free and Open to the Public
Reception to Follow Each Talk
New Exhibit: Medicine on the Maumee
February 23rd, 2012
The faculty and staff of the Ward M. Canaday Center are pleased to present a new exhibit.
Medicine on the Maumee: A History of Health Care in Northwest Ohio, opens on Thursday,
March 1, 2012. The exhibit will explore the history of medicine in the local area
from the time of its settlement to the present day. A variety of institutions have
contributed artifacts to the exhibit, which features rare books, first-hand accounts,
and other fascinating objects.
The exhibit opening will be held in the Center at 3 p.m. on March 1st and will feature
John Jaeger recreating his great-grandfather Dr. Frederick Jaeger as “The Black Swamp
Doctor.’ Dr. Jaeger’s patient logbooks are included in the exhibit. The opening
is free and open to the public, with a reception to follow.
The exhibit will remain through December 2012, and is open Monday – Friday, 8 a.m.
– 5 p.m. Group tours may be arranged. Call the Canaday Center at 419-530-4480 for
more information.
Exhibition Website: http://libraryexhibits.utad.utoledo.edu/MEDX/index.html
The 5th floor of Carlson Library will re-open on Monday, August 22, as a quiet study
area after being closed for the summer for renovations. Some work continues on the
floor, which may be disruptive. Some collections of the Ward M. Canaday Center may
continue to be inaccessible. Patrons wishing to use Canaday Center materials are advised
to request these in advance to allow staff time to locate the materials.
University Archives remains unable to accept transfers of university records from
campus offices until further notice.
August 19, 2011
Effective 6/6/2011 and until further notice, the fifth floor of Carlson Library is
closed to patrons due to renovation work. The Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections
is open to researchers by appointment only. Because collections may be inaccessible
during this time, telephone and email reference assistance may also not be possible.
Visitors wishing to view the exhibit "Wholly Toledo: The Business and Industry that
Shaped the City" should call 419-530-4480 to arrange access.
At this time, University Archives is unable to accept the transfer of any records
from university offices. Please call the university archivist at 419-530-2170 to schedule
a future date for record transfers.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
June 3, 2011
In conjunction with the current exhibition "Wholly Toledo:
The Business and Industry that Shaped the City"
Toledo Business History Speaker Series
March 16, 3 p.m.: Jack Paquette will talk about the early history of Owens-Illinois and will sign copies
of his books;
March 23, 3 p.m.:
Charles Hartlage will talk about the history of the Dana Corporation;
March 30, 3 p.m.:
Robert Terry will talk about the history of Toledo Scale and will sign copies of
his book;
April 6, 3 p.m.:
Bill Hamilton will talk about the history of Owens Corning;
April 13, 3 p.m.:
Marjorie Waterfield will talk about the history of the DeVilbiss Corporation.
All lectures will take place in the
Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections
5th floor, William S. Carlson Library
The University of Toledo
Free and open to the public
For more information, contact the
Ward M. Canaday Center at 419-530-4480.
March 2, 2011
Toledo's economic history detailed in exhibit
The city of Toledo was built by glass. And auto parts, Jeeps, scales and more.
This gold Toledo Scale from around 1929 is seen in Georges LaChance's painting titled
"O.N. Teall — Final Inspection." Both are part of the "Wholly Toledo" exhibit; the
painting belongs to the Canaday Center, and the scale is on loan from the Maumee Valley
Historical Society.
Check out "Wholly Toledo: The Business and Industry That Shaped the City." The exhibition
will open Wednesday, Nov. 17, at 2 p.m. in the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special
Collections in Carlson Library.
"We have been collecting records of Toledo businesses for many years," said Barbara
Floyd, director of the Canaday Center and university archivist. "We preserve the historical
records of the three largest glass companies: Libbey-Owens-Ford, Owens-Illinois and
Owens Corning. We have the records of Toledo Scale and The Andersons, too, among many
others, so it seemed like we should do an exhibit that looks at the economic history
of the city overall, showcasing some of the companies that had a huge impact on the
city."
This 1940 photo in the exhibit shows the Willys-Overland Jeep test vehicle being driven
up the steps of a building in Washington, D.C., to show off its versatility. The company
produced 1,500 models for the government in 75 days to help the war effort.
Highlights of the exhibit include:
• "Future Great City of the World," a pamphlet from 1868 by Jesup W. Scott, Toledo
real estate developer and newspaper editor, who founded the Toledo University of Arts
and Trades, which later became The University of Toledo;
• Libbey Glass Co.'s doll and men's ties made from spun glass, the precursor to fiberglass,
that were displayed at the 1892 World's Columbian Exposition;
• A signed copy of a book on die-casting written by Herman Doehler, who invented the
die-casting process and in 1907 started Doehler Die-Casting (later Doehler-Jarvis),
which was the first major manufacturer of vehicle hood ornaments, several of which
are display;
• A catalog from the 1912 inaugural exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art, which is
still free today thanks to glass pioneer and founder Edward Drummond Libbey;
• Two watercolor paintings by James M. Sessions for the "Jeep at War" advertising
series, which promoted the vehicle's versatility;
• A scale weighing more than 200 pounds from Toledo Scale and a series of paintings
by Georges LaChance from 1928 to 1930 that pay tribute to the company's workers; and
• "M*A*S*H" scripts from Toledo native Jamie Farr, whose character Maxwell Klinger
mentioned Tony Packo's during several episodes and helped the local restaurant become
a national brand.
The exhibit also features a case dedicated to alternative energy.
"We actually discovered Libbey-Owens-Ford was one of the first companies to really
tout solar energy, especially in housing. They developed the Thermopane window that
turned windows from sources of heat loss into sources of energy," Floyd said. "Owens-Illinois
also did some development of solar collector tubes."
UT's world-renowned research in photovoltaics and thin-film solar panels also is noted.
Leslie
"While alternative energy is a bright spot for the city in the 21st century, since
the late 19th century, Toledo has gone from a manufacturing economy to a service economy,
from a period of growth to one of steady decline, from large to somewhat smaller,
from union to non-union, from local ownership of its major businesses to outside investor
control," Floyd said. "But if we look at our city today, we see important marks left
by the great industrial and commercial leaders that continue to make for a good quality
of life in spite of these trends."
Some of those marks will be discussed by Dr. Stuart W. Leslie, professor of the history
of science and technology at Johns Hopkins University, at the exhibit opening. His
talk is titled "Heart of Glass: The Architectural Legacy of Toledo's Signature Industry."
"The talk looks at five buildings that have defined the Toledo skyline — the Libbey-Owens-Ford
Building, Fiberglas Tower, Owens-Illinois' One Seagate Center, the Owens Corning world
headquarters and the Toledo Museum of Art's Glass Pavilion," he said. "These buildings
said, in steel, glass and fiberglass, this is who we are; this is what we do; this
is how we do it. They are a revealing corporate and civic memoir of Toledo."
The exhibit will be introduced by a short documentary, "Wholly Toledo," which was
created by Ashley Bouknight, a recent University of South Carolina graduate, who interned
at the Canaday Center over the summer.
"I think there's something to be learned on how we move into the future by knowing
where we came from the past. For example, I think you can see the connections between
the glass industry and the solar industry," Floyd said. "A lot of young people today
probably don't realize how many industries were in Toledo and how important the city
was to the country. This is an opportunity to remind everyone."
"Wholly Toledo: The Business and Industry That Shaped the City" will be on display
in the Canaday Center through Friday, Aug. 12. Viewing hours are Monday through Friday
from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The program is made possible in part through the support of the Ohio Humanities Council,
a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.
For more information on the free, public exhibition, call 419.530.4480.
By Vicki Kroll, November 10, 2010
Exhibition opening: Wholly Toledo
You are invited to the opening of the exhibition
"Wholly Toledo: The Business and Industry that Shaped the City"Wednesday, November
17, 2010, 4 p.m.Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections
Fifth floor, William S. Carlson Library, The University of Toledo
Opening lecture by Stuart W. Leslie
Professor of the History of Science and Technology
Johns Hopkins University
Reception immediately following
Please respond by November 10, 2010
419-530-2200
Or
Specialevents@utoledo.edu
Parking available in Lot 13 and West Parking Ramp
Program made possible in part through the support of
The Ohio Humanities Council,A state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities
November 5, 2010
Noted novelist shares lifetime of revelations
The University extended sanctuary to some shady characters — Jazz Age bootleggers,
sexual obsessives and high-rolling grifters among them — when acclaimed writer Craig
Holden donated his personal papers to the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections
in Carlson Library.
Holden, who grew up in Toledo and took his UT bachelor's degree in psychology, biology
and philosophy in 1983, is the author of faced-paced novels that include The River
Sorrow (1993), Four Corners of Night (1999), The Jazz Bird (2001), The Narcissist's
Daughter (2004) and Matala (2007).
Holden's papers provide a remarkably complete look at his development as a writer,
according to Barbara Floyd, director of the Canaday Center. "The collection includes
everything from early writing from his days as a student at Rogers High School in
Toledo, through his undergraduate years at UT, and from his time in graduate studies
in creative writing at the University of Montana at Missoula," she said. "The collection
also includes multiple drafts of his novels, which document how his creative processes
work."
Floyd first asked about the papers some years ago when Holden was teaching writing
classes at UT, said the author, who's now on the English faculty at New Mexico State
University in Las Cruces. The process of moving from Michigan to New Mexico proved
to be the impetus for the transfer, he explained from his new home: "I cleaned everything
out that was stored in a loft over the garage, and in my office. My mom had boxes
of stuff as well. I wasn't going to move it all down here, so I talked to Barbara
again and the bulk of it went down to UT last summer."
Holden admitted that the career-spanning contents had gotten away from him: "I wasn't
in a place in my life where I could sit down and organize everything, but Barbara
said they would, which is wonderful. To have it all in one place appealed to me. When
I took more things down this summer, I had a look at what they had organized and filed."
The collection should prove interesting to UT students seeking their own careers as
authors, Floyd noted. "To see how someone takes a plot idea and develops it through
draft after draft is fascinating," she said. "This collection allows a researcher
to get into the mind of the creator in a way that is rarely possible."
For Holden, now deeply into the process of creating his next novel — a multi-generation
family saga set partly in Europe and partly in the Michigan he knows so well — being
part of a historical record is a new sensation.
"Yeah, it's a strange thing — I'm archived," he said, then laughed. "In a way it's
weird, but it makes me happy to think about the records sitting in a nice temperature-controlled
placed where they're not going to get lost.
"I don't have to worry about them anymore and I can visit whenever I want."
July 29, 2010
Ward M. Canaday Center acquires historical records of Dana Holding Corp.
The University of Toledo's Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections recently
added approximately 180 linear feet of records documenting the history of the Dana
Holding Corp. to its holdings.
The collection joins those of other major Toledo corporations preserved in the Canaday
Center, which keeps the records of Libbey-Owens-Ford, Owens-Illinois Inc., Owens-Corning
and Toledo Scale, according to Barbara Floyd, director of the center.
"This is a wonderful addition to our collections documenting Toledo business and industry.
The collection should prove valuable to researchers interested not only in Toledo's
history, but the history of the automobile industry nationally and internationally,"
Floyd said.
The Dana collection documents the company from its founding in 1904 by Clarence Spicer
to recent years. The materials were previously stored at a facility in Virginia, but
Dana decided recently to relocate them to the local area where the company has been
headquartered since 1929. "It is wonderful that our community's history is back in
Toledo," Floyd added.
The collection includes administrative materials, company publications, advertising
and sales materials, public relations files, photographs and a few artifacts. Of particular
interest is the original patent for Spicer's universal joint from 1903 that was the
basis for the company's founding.
Prior to Spicer's development of the universal joint, automobiles transmitted engine
power to the wheels through two sprockets connected by a chain. The system was loud
and unreliable, and frequently broke down because it was difficult to lubricate. Spicer,
who was attending engineering school at Cornell University at the time, developed
a system that employed a universal joint at each end of a tubular shaft. The joints
were encased in a housing to retain lubrication and shield it from road debris.
While the universal joint has existed since the 1500s, Spicer's improvements were
immediately recognized by the fledging automotive industry as important to improving
sales of their products. Many contacted Spicer seeking permission to manufacture the
system, but Spicer decided to open his own plant in Plainfield, N.J. Soon manufacturers
began to redesign their autos to accommodate Spicer's ever-improving designs.
During his life, Spicer was issued 27 U.S. patents and five French patents.
But for Spicer, the success of his products meant difficulties in keeping up with
demand. He needed to expand, but lacked the capital to do so. In 1913, Charles Dana,
a prosecuting attorney from New York who was the grandson of the man who founded the
New York Sun newspaper, lent the company $15,000. Within two years, Dana owned nearly
half the company and became president.
By1929, three automobile manufacturers were dominating the American car market — Ford,
Chrysler and General Motors, all of them located in Detroit. To be closer to its main
markets, Dana moved that year from New Jersey to a new complex on Bennett Road in
Toledo. While the Depression dampened demand, the outbreak of World War II led to
the need for military vehicles. Most importantly, Spicer Manufacturing produced the
transfer cases, universal joints, propeller shafts, and front and rear axles for Willys-Overland's
General Purpose, or Jeep, war vehicle.
Barbara Floyd showed off a bicycle fitted with a three-speed Dana transmission circa
1970. The bike is among the Dana Holding Corp. items now housed in the Canaday Center
for Special Collections.
Atthe end of the war, the company changed its name in recognition of the person who
served as president for 32 years, Charles Dana.
The company continued to expand and diversify. Between 1966 and 1979, Dana's sales
grew from $450 million to more than $3 billion annually. In the 1970s, the company
became known for its innovation and unique leadership style under president Rene McPherson.
It was under McPherson that the company's corporate headquarters moved out to Dorr
Street across from the Inverness Country Club.
Inthe past 10 years, the downturn in the North American automobile industry has clearly
impacted the company. In March 2006, Dana's U.S. operations filed for Chapter 11 reorganization.
Dana successfully emerged from Chapter 11 in February 2008 with a new board of directors,
a new chairman, and a renewed focus on returning the company to a leadership position
in the global vehicular supply industry.
Last year, Dana sold its headquarters building on Dorr Street to another Toledo-based
company and relocated its corporate staff to its technical center in Maumee.
Because of the company's recent changes, Floyd said it was even more important to
preserve its history. "When companies undergo major transitions, many fail to see
the importance of their history and just discard their historical materials as irrelevant.
We are pleased that Dana has recognized how important the company has been to our
community and has chosen instead to preserve its history."
When the collection is eventually organized, it will be made available to researchers
in the Canaday Center.
March 8, 2010
2010 University Authors and Artists Exhibition
The Ward M. Canaday Center is pleased to announce the 2010 University of Toledo Authors
and Artists Exhibit at the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections on the fifth
floor of Carlson Library from March 29 to April 30. Faculty with works in the exhibit
will be honored at a reception to mark its opening on Monday, March 29, from 3:30
to 5:30 p.m.
University Authors Solicitation Form
December 16, 2009
Arjun Sabharwal, Digital Initiatives Librarian
Knowledgestream presentation: "From Institutions to Independendence"
The Knowledgestream presentation on disability history is brought to you by WGTE Public Media. More on Knowledgestream here.
June 12, 2009.
Arjun Sabharwal, Digital Initiatives Librarian
Medicine on the Maumee: A History of Health Care in Northwest Ohio
Speakers’ Series
All events held in the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections
Fifth Floor, William S. Carlson Library
September 26, 3 p.m.: “The History of Hospital-Based Nurse Education in 20th Century Toledo,” by Joanna Russ, archivist, ProMedica.
October 3, 3 p.m.: “The History of HIV Infection in Northwest Ohio,” a panel discussion led by Dr. Joan
Duggan, director of the Toledo Ryan White HIV Center.
October 10, 3 p.m.: “A Man, His Work, and His Legacy—Conrad Jobst,” by Dr. Anthony Comerota, director
of the Jobst Vascular Institute at ProMedica Toledo Hospital.
October 17, 3 p.m.: “Posing for Eternity: The Art and Science of Plastination,” by Dr. Carlos Baptista,
president of the International Society for Plastination.
October 24, 3:30 p.m.: “From M*A*S*H to the Great Black Swamp: The Life of John Howard M.D.,” by Dr. S. Amjad
Hussain, UT professor emeritus.
November 7, 3 p.m.: “The Magician with a Meningioma,” by Dr. James Ravin, Toledo ophthalmologist and medical
historian.
All Events Free and Open to the Public
Reception to Follow Each Talk