The Crimson Bull (1920) collection, 1920-1921
A Guide to the Records at the Indiana University
Archives
Finding aid prepared by Madison Chartier
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
Crimson Bull (1920)
TitleThe
Crimson Bull (1920) collection, 1920-1921
Collection No.
C640
Extent
0.1 cubic feet
(5 items)
Language
Materials are in English
Abstract
This collection consists of a cover design proof and two issues of the short-lived student humor magazine the
Crimson Bull (1920). The magazine, which was published with financial support from the Indiana University chapter of Sigma Delta Chi,
satirized aspects of university life through comedic sketches, cartoons, articles, and editorials contributed by IU students.
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research. Advance notice required.
Administrative History
The
Crimson Bull was a humor magazine founded by students at Indiana University in 1920. Many of the founders were members of the IU chapter
of Sigma Delta Chi, a professional journalistic fraternity, and/or were involved in other campus publications, including the
Indiana Daily Student (IDS) and the
Arbutus (yearbook). The fraternity also funded the magazine, supplementing income from subscriptions and advertisements.
The first issue of the
Crimson Bull was printed in October 1920 under the leadership of Elmer W. Sherwood, editor-in-chief. The magazine satirized aspects of
university life through comedic sketches, cartoons, articles, and editorials, and the editors solicited contributions from
IU students through announcements published in the IDS. The editors released two more issues in 1920, but the
Crimson Bull officially ceased publication sometime in 1921, apparently from a continued shortage of funding, subscriptions, and creative
contributions from the student body. Calls for contributors that appeared in the IDS indicate that issues were planned for
February, March, and May 1921, although it is unclear whether any of these were officially published. A brief articles appearing
in the IDS in 1922 mentions that the
Crimson Bull had three editors during a total run of four issues.
In 1947, Lawrence Wheeler, a journalist, Executive Director of the Indiana University Foundation, and original member of the
1920
Crimson Bull student editorial board, served as faculty advisor to a new version of the
Crimson Bull, also a student-run humor magazine, which ran from 1947-1956.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of the second and third issues of the
Crimson Bull (1920), as well as cover art for the February 1921 issue, which may or may not have been published.
While lacking the very first issue, the second and third issues evidence the first efforts to incorporate a broader university-wide
collaboration of artists, writers, and humorists to reflect, critique, and poke fun at certain issues and “hot topics” concerning
campus life, administration, and policy.
An overarching theme governs each issue’s content. The second issue, titled “The Purdue Number,” focuses much of its content
on Indiana University’s long-standing rivalry with Purdue University. The third issue, “The Rhinie Number,” covers the freshman
experience adjusting to college life at Indiana University.
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Indexing Terms
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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.
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Genre headings
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Humor.
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Periodicals.
Related Material
Related photographs may be available in the
University Archives Photographs Database.
Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Accession: 2005/095, 2016/041
Usage Restrictions
Copyright interests for this collection have not been transferred to the Trustees of Indiana University. For more information,
contact the Indiana University Archivist.
Preferred Citation
[Item], The (1920) collection, Collection C640, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Provenance
One copy of Vol. I, no. 2 was transferred from the IU School of Journalism records (Accn. 2016/041). The other issues were
transferred to this collection from the IU Archives publications collection. The cover design proof was donated to the IU
Archives by Tom Patterson in September 2005.
Processing InformationProcessed by Madison Chartier.
Completed in April 2017
Container List
Series:
Box 1
The
Crimson Bull, 1920-1921
“The Purdue Number,” Vol. I, no. 2, November 1920
(3 copies)
View item(s)
“The Rhinie Number,” Vol. I, no. 3, December 1920
View item(s)
Cover art signed “DMH” (Dorothy M. Hutchinson?), circa January-February 1921
View item(s)
The illustration features a young woman in a black dress with a bob haircut, leading a “crimson bull” pull toy.
Historical note
An article appearing in the January 13, 1921 edition of the Indiana Daily Student announced, “An attractive drawing by Dot
Hutchinson has been selected as the cover of The Crimson Bull for the February issue.” Dot Hutchinson was also listed as a
member of the editorial board for the December 1920 issue.