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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
The Ballantonian

Title
The Ballantonian records, 1967-1969

Collection No.
C650

Extent
2 cubic ft.

Language
Materials are in English

Abstract
The Ballantonian was a weekly liberal arts review run by Indiana University students and sponsored by the Department of English. The journal ran from September 1967 to January 1969 and consisted of original writing and illustrations by students and members of the public. One issue of a spin-off publication, the Son of Ballantonian, was published in February 1969. This collection includes files related to the newspaper's founding as a IU student organization, as well as the production and circulation of the journal. Also present are published issues of the Ballantonian and Son of Ballantonian, the content of which includes reports on cultural events on campus; reviews of literature, film, and other works; political analysis; poetry, short fiction and non-fiction submissions; and photography and graphic art.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.

Administrative History

The Ballantonian was a liberal arts review established in September 1967 by IU students as a journal for original literary and art works, coverage of campus cultural events, reviews of literature, film, and other works, and political analysis. Similar to the defunct student publication Pegasus, the Ballantonian printed original student fiction and poetry as well as photographs and graphic art.

The first issue was released on December 4, 1967 under editors-in-chief Betty L. Ketchen, a senior, and Stephen Lane White, a graduate student. Ketchen had been a member of the Executive Board of the Spectator, another IU student publication that espoused anti-establishment views, and had argued that the publication was out of line with its constitution. Ketchen left the Spectator prior to the paper having its student organization status revoked by the university on September 20, 1967 and brought three of her fellow staff members to start a new liberal arts paper, the Ballantonian, with the intent to establish a dedicated space for the creative arts. In October 1968, a past colleague from the Spectator, Terry Jeggle, joined the Ballantonian as the paper’s business manager.

The Ballantonian staff had to apply to the IU Board of Student Publications to be recognized as a student organization in order to both gain an office in the Indiana Memorial Union and receive university funding. After the Ballantonian received sponsorship from the English Department, with Dr. William M. Burgan acting as faculty advisor, the editorial staff obtained an office in the Indiana Memorial Union through the Student Activities Office. The magazine received a $1,000.00 grant from the English Department and generated additional funds through advertising sale, subscriptions, and single copy sales.

The journal was published every Monday of the school year and was printed at the Bloomington Tribune ( Bloomington Courier Tribune) plant. The paper printed submissions with radical, moderate, and conservative views from any student, faculty or member of the public, requiring only that submitted works were interesting and well-written. The journal's staff also included content from student publications from other universities, with whom they exchanged newspapers. In addition to publishing, the staff hosted literary events like a poetry marathon read-in at Dunn Meadow.

The last known issue of the Ballantonian was released on January 7, 1969. Why the paper ceased production is unclear, but an advertisement appearing in the last issue suggests that the Ballantonian staff wanted to revise their content strategy for the coming semester. An indecorous spin-off of the newspaper titled Son of Ballantonian was printed in February 1969 under new co-editors, but released only one known issue.

Arrangement

Collection is organized into four series: Production, Submissions, and Administrative, and Printed editions. Files are arranged alphabetically with the exception of the Printed editions, which are arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

This collection documents the founding of the Ballantonian as an Indiana University, Bloomington, student publication sponsored by the Department of English, as well as the production and circulation of the journal from 1967 to 1969. Types of materials include administrative files related to finances, advertising, circulation, office space, and other aspects of running a student publication on IU campus; submission materials such as correspondence with contributors and submitted art, poetry, and essays; and production material such as page layouts, photographs, and art clippings.

The collection also includes all known issues of the Ballantonian and the Son of Ballantonian . Contents of the printed editions include reports on cultural events on campus; reviews of literature, film, and other works; political analysis; poetry, short fiction and non-fiction submissions; and photography and graphic art; and advertisements for campus and Bloomington-area businesses and organizations.

• 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 --Archives.
  • Indiana University --Students --Periodicals.
  • Ballantonian (Bloomington, Ind.) --History --Sources.
• • Topics
  • College students' writings, American --Indiana --Bloomington --History --20th century --Sources.
  • Student newspapers and periodicals --Indiana --Bloomington --History --20th century --Sources.
  • College students --Indiana --Bloomington --Social life and customs --History --20th century --Sources.

Related Material

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

Administrative Information

Container List

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