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A Guide to the Records at the Indiana University Archives

Finding aid prepared by Anna Lucas.

Summary Information

Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives

Creator
Sigma Delta Chi. Indiana University Chapter.

Title
The Crimson Bull , 1947-1956

Collection No.
C641

Extent
0.8 cubic feet (95 items)

Language
Materials are in English

Abstract
This collection consists of an incomplete run of 42 issues of the Crimson Bull, a student humor magazine published by the Indiana University chapter of Sigma Delta Chi from 1947-1956. The IU chapter of Sigma Delta Chi, a professional journalistic fraternity, was established in 1914.

Acquisition Information

2016/098, 2016/041, 2003/089, 2001/028, 99/059

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.

Administrative History

Sigma Delta Chi was founded at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, as a professional journalistic fraternity for men. The Indiana University chapter was established in 1914 with the stated mission to "promote interest in journalism and encourage high ideals in newspaper work." Women were admitted to the organization beginning in 1969. In 1973, the national organization changed its name to the Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi, and in 1988 the name was shortened to the Society of Professional Journalists.

In the winter of 1947, the Indiana University chapter of Sigma Delta Chi launched the satirical magazine the Crimson Bull, led by editors Carlos Foster, Larry Stillerman, and Bill Dyer. According to the introduction to the first issue, the magazine was intended to be the successor of a defunct student humor magazine, also named the Crimson Bull, which was first published at Indiana University in 1920. Lawrence Wheeler, who acted as the first faculty advisor to the magazine, was also one of the co-founders of the original 1920s Crimson Bull. The editors also intended their magazine to fill the void in campus humor publications left by the ending of the Date (1946-1947), another student magazine. After the publication of the first issue in 1947, the publishers released 6 to 8 issues a year. The last known issue of the magazine was released in March 1956 under faculty advisor Chris Savage.

Arrangement

This collection is organized into a single series of issues and arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This collection consists of 42 issues of the Crimson Bull , an incomplete run spanning December 1947 to 1956. The issues included articles submitted by members of Sigma Delta Chi and other Indiana University students, as well as articles sourced from other college magazines. Throughout the years of the magazine’s publication, its writers treated the IU campus in an irreverent and often racy manner, poking fun at a variety of subjects including professors, athletics, Greek life, college women, other IU campus publications, and graduation. The publication is significant in general for its gendered representations of students on campus.

Besides articles, the Crimson Bull issues contain numerous cartoons and other illustrations and photographs of students and the IU campus. Most issues also include advertisements for university, club, and fraternal events, as well as local and national businesses and corporations. In addition to regular issues, the collection includes a 1952 "IU Women" calendar, possibly an insert from the December, 1951, "Calendar Issue."

Several issues in this collection were received with items clipped from the pages. Issues for which only an incomplete copy is present are noted in the folder list.

• Indexing Terms

• The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in IUCAT, the IU Libraries' online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by searching the catalog using these terms.

• • Names
  • Indiana University--Students--Periodicals.
• • Topics
  • Student newspapers and periodicals--Indiana--Bloomington.
  • College students--Humor
  • College wit and humor--Periodicals.
  • College students--Indiana--Bloomington--Periodicals.
  • College students' writings, American--Indiana--Bloomington--Periodicals.
• • Genre headings
  • Humor.
  • Periodicals.

Related Material

Related photographs may be available in the University Archives Photographs Database .

The Indiana University School of Journalism Chair's records, 1922-1976, bulk 1938-1968 , contain a small amount of correspondence related to the publication of the Crimson Bull.

The Society of Professional Journalists, Sigma Delta Chi, Indiana University Chapter records, 1938-1988, bulk 1950-1984 , contain records that overlap with the years of publication of the Crimson Bull .

Administrative Information

Container List

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