{"id":6640,"date":"2017-06-20T11:20:03","date_gmt":"2017-06-20T15:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6640"},"modified":"2017-06-20T11:20:03","modified_gmt":"2017-06-20T15:20:03","slug":"wading-into-broadsides-snapshots-of-the-smoky-70s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=6640","title":{"rendered":"Wading into Broadside’s Snapshots of the Smoky ’70s"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post was written by Greg Campbell, a former newspaper journalist\u00a0and GAO analysts. He is nearing completion of a master’s degree in history with a focus on military history and the western United States\u00a0at George Mason University. He is rounding out his skills as a historian through work at the Special Collections Research Center. Greg joined SCRC in March and has been working on digitizing images from our Broadside Photograph collection.<\/em><\/p>\n

One of the striking things captured in\u00a0the Broadside photo collection is that there used to be whole lot of smoking going on around here. In the 1970s, before second-hand smoke was harmful, photos of meetings sometimes show an ashtray in the center of the table and lots of people lighting up indoors. Striking, too, is a cigarette brand\u2019s sponsorship of a women\u2019s tennis tournament on campus. As the ad slogan said, we really have come a long way, baby. \u00a0The photo collection also includes a couple shots of tennis champion Billie Jean King practicing at GMU; she is\u00a0a subject of the new movie, \u201cBattle of the Sexes.\u201d<\/p>\n

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The era of ashtrays on the table and indoor smoking. George Mason University Broadside photograph collection, R0135, Box 29, Page 19, Image 06, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.<\/p><\/div>\n

In addition to capturing evidence of the unlamented demise of gargantuan lapels and ties three times the current width, the photos show a variety of ancient technologies. For example, a Broadside photographer shot students, one smoking, playing the new computer game Pong, which was encased in a massive cabinet befitting such a wondrous miracle of modern technology. \u00a0Other shots show a story being written on an IBM Selectric typewriter for the campus newspaper, and class registration being carried out via the exchange of paperwork. No fun there.<\/p>\n

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A miracle of modern technology–the computer game Pong hits campus. George Mason University Broadside photograph collection, R0135, Box 29, Page 03, Image 06, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.<\/p><\/div>\n

The technology that produced the photo images is also a throwback to a different time\u2014the laborious pre-digital photography era. The photo process used to go something like this for student photographers: \u00a0Buy 50 feet of black-and-white Tri-X film. Place it (in total darkness) in a bulk loader. Load each roll of film. Trim with scissors. Shoot the film, hoping you\u2019d hit the right exposure and shutter speed. Develop the film by (in total darkness) cracking open each roll of film and winding it onto a stainless steel reel. Place that in a stainless steel canister with a lid. Add chemicals. Agitate at timed intervals. Dry the negatives. Cut up the negatives into groups of five and insert them in plastic sleeves. Print a contact sheet of positive images. Study with a magnifying loupe. \u00a0Pick an image. Place the negative in an enlarger. Pluck out photo paper (in total darkness) and place it in an enlarger. \u00a0Project the image on paper, sometimes dodging and burning to lighten or darken the image. Put photo paper in developing solution for a timed bath and then in fixing solution. Dry the print, and voila! The raw material has been produced for another multi-step process leading to publication.<\/p>\n

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A man playing the guitar and harmonica. George Mason University Broadside photograph collection, R0135, Box 29, Page 30, Image 33, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.<\/p><\/div>\n

The Special Collections Research Center is digitizing what are mostly masses of black and white negatives held in plastic sleeves in three-ring clamshell albums. \u00a0These include what were essentially the outtakes of the photographers\u2019 efforts\u2014the shots that never made it into the newspaper. For some of the students, it is clear the learning experience is underway. \u00a0There are some technical hiccups in the body of work\u2014things a student photographer might not know until that moment of truth came in the darkroom. Others clearly had a photographer\u2019s eye combined with technical skills and produced some excellent photos. All of them provide a snapshot of the past.<\/p>\n

Our exhibition will be up until mid-August. Stop by anytime to view our materials on display. Special Collections Research Center, go to our website<\/a>\u00a0and browse the finding aids by subject or title. You may also e-mail\u00a0us at speccoll@gmu.edu<\/a> or call 703-993-2220 if you would like to\u00a0schedule an appointment, request materials, or if you have questions. Appointments are not necessary to request and view collections.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This post was written by Greg Campbell, a former newspaper journalist\u00a0and GAO analysts. He is nearing completion of a master’s degree in history with a focus on military history and the western United States\u00a0at George Mason University. He is rounding out his skills as a historian through work at the Special Collections Research Center. Greg […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[272,198,5,121,94,339],"tags":[503,273,97,56,57,502,505,504],"class_list":["post-6640","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gmu-fairfax-campus","category-photography-collections","category-scrc-interest","category-scrc-picks","category-university-archives","category-virginia-2","tag-1970s","tag-fairfax","tag-gmu","tag-photographs","tag-photography","tag-pong","tag-student-life","tag-students"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8Ep5i-1J6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":10312,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=10312","url_meta":{"origin":6640,"position":0},"title":"The Mason Experience: Past and Present","author":"Bob Vay","date":"May 16, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"This post was compiled by the Mason Experience: Past and Present team, Charlotte Corneliusen and Bob Vay. 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We will be able to assist you virtually from January 4 - January 25 and are able to accept in-person researcher appointments (GMU affiliated only) beginning on January 25, 2021. We wish you a happy and safe winter\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=3"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/broadside-snow.png?fit=1200%2C722&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/broadside-snow.png?fit=1200%2C722&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/broadside-snow.png?fit=1200%2C722&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/broadside-snow.png?fit=1200%2C722&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/broadside-snow.png?fit=1200%2C722&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4947,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=4947","url_meta":{"origin":6640,"position":2},"title":"Digitized negatives from the Broadside photograph collection now available!","author":"admin","date":"April 2, 2014","format":false,"excerpt":"Archives Assistant Ignacio\u00a0Bracamonte reflects on the Broadside scanning project and picks an image to share from the recently digitized, and now available online, box 7. I was very excited to start this new project that Special Collections & Archives offered last semester. It has been over six months since my\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "GMU Fairfax Campus"","block_context":{"text":"GMU Fairfax Campus","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=272"},"img":{"alt_text":"R0135B07P014_01","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/R0135B07P014_01.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/R0135B07P014_01.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/R0135B07P014_01.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/02\/R0135B07P014_01.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8636,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=8636","url_meta":{"origin":6640,"position":3},"title":"Independence Day Closure","author":"Amanda Menjivar","date":"July 3, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"SCRC will be closed on July 4th and 5th in observation of the Independence Day holiday. We will resume normal hours on Monday, July 8th. Thank you, and have a great holiday! Women's Lacrosse George Mason University vs. Towson 8, Broadside Photograph collection, R0135, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "GMU Fairfax Campus"","block_context":{"text":"GMU Fairfax Campus","link":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?cat=272"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Capture.png?fit=1102%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Capture.png?fit=1102%2C667&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Capture.png?fit=1102%2C667&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Capture.png?fit=1102%2C667&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/vault217.gmu.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/Capture.png?fit=1102%2C667&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7108,"url":"https:\/\/vault217.gmu.edu\/?p=7108","url_meta":{"origin":6640,"position":4},"title":"Intern With SCRC in Spring 2018!","author":"Amanda Menjivar","date":"December 4, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Special Collections Research Center is offering three internships for the Spring 2018 semester in Digitization, Exhibits, and Transcription for GMU and non-GMU students alike. 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