Guests take tours of TRC's new fifth-floor Langford A archive

Photographs, newspaper clippings and many other Items from the Texas A&M College of Architecture’s archives were on display Aug. 26, 2011 at an open house in their new home, the [Technical Reference Center] (http://archone.tamu.edu/trc/) extension on the fifth floor of the Langford A building.

Paula Bender, coordinator of learning resources for the TRC, the college’s architectural reference library, noted longtime college faculty member John Only Greer’s contributions to the archive.

“Greer collected many of the archive’s items related to [Ernest Langford] (http://archone.tamu.edu/college/news/newsletters/fall2006/langfordBio.html) , who led the Department of Architecture from 1929-56, [Ed Rominiec] (http://archone.tamu.edu/college/news/newsletters/fall2006/romieniecBio.html) , first dean of the college, and many other documents including publications from research centers and student organizations, and selected student work,” she said. Greer, who joined the faculty in 1962, [retired] (http://archone.tamu.edu/college/news/newsletters/spring2011/stories/Greer_retiring.html) in May 2011.

Greer’s collecting activities and stewardship of the materials, she said, are overwhelmingly responsible for the archives’ size.

“Without his efforts, much of this history would have been lost,” she said.

The archive also contains material collected by the TRC ­— news clippings, photographs, slides, publications and memorabilia.

“I hope more interest will be generated as people become aware of the collection,” said Bender, who added that items from the archive will be on display on a rotating basis in the display cases at the TRC, located on the second floor of Langford A.

Photographs and documents related to Ernest Langford, who helped turn the architecture program into one of the best in the country, are currently on display at the TRC, where they were viewed by Langford’s family during a June 2001 [visit] (http://archone.tamu.edu/college/news/newsletters/spring2011/stories/LangfordTRCvisit.html) .

“It is very important for the college to maintain an institutional memory,” said Bender. “The archive can help us see how the college has evolved over time, how programs and curricula have changed, and identify the participants and their roles in its’ development. It’s also important for former students to know that we value our history as an institution.”

The archive, said Bender, continues to grow.

“We invite anyone who wishes to add items to collection to please contact the TRC,“ she said. “We will also actively seek items that preserve the college's historical record and evaluate any donated materials for historical significance and relevance to the college for possible inclusion in the archive.”

To see the fifth floor archive, accessible only with a special elevator key, contact Bender or Ian Muise, visual resources curator at the TRC, at 979.845.9212.