News Article

To celebrate Gonzaga University’s 120 Years, a special exhibition of photographs, clippings, and memorabilia of Gonzaga’s history is on display in the Special Collections Reading Room at the Foley Center Library. “Inspired by an Enduring Mission: Gonzaga’s First 120 Years, 1887-2007” shows Gonzaga’s development from a small rural college to a large university. The items are part of Gonzaga’s Archives. The exhibition will remain until Jan. 29, 2008. 

Highlights Include:

*Manuscript copy of 1881 letter from the citizens of Spokane Falls asking Fr. Joseph Cataldo to build a college
*Original leather bound register with the names of the students who attended the first year
* 1903 Cadet Corps Officer Hat
* 1922 Band Hat
* Rev. Art Dussault’s (Mr. Gonzaga) Athletic Sweater from the 1920s"
* WWII Distinguished Flying Cross from a GU alumnus in the V-5 Naval Program
* Freshmen beanie from 1954
* President Bernard Coughlin’s Presidential Medallion from 1974 inauguration
* Film of a 1935 football game against Washington State Cougars; Campus Days 
1952, 1953, 1954, and 1955; and the dedication of the Crosby Library in 1957

The exhibition located in the Cowles Rare Book Library, on the third floor of the Foley Center Library is free and open to the public weekdays from 9 a.m.-noon and 1-4:30 p.m. In addition to this exhibition, there is an accompanying digital history of Gonzaga. The online digital history can be viewed at the following Web site:

For more information, please contact Gonzaga Special Collections Librarian Stephanie E. Plowman at (509) 323-3847 or via e-mail.