100 Year Anniversary of SPU’s Name Change

This year, in 2015, SPU celebrates one hundred years since changing its name from “Seattle Seminary” to “Seattle Pacific College” – later to become “Seattle Pacific University”.

The Board of Trustees of Seattle Seminary met on March 10, 1915. The minutes of that meeting record that they discussed the hiring and retaining of faculty; voted to retain Alexander Beers as president of the school and his wife Adelaide as preceptress (head teacher); heard a report on the finances of the school; and discussed the continuation of the College Course.

College level classes had been offered at Seattle Seminary beginning in 1910. In that year, a few freshman classes were added to the catalog, with a tentative goal of establishing a junior college program. Enrollment in the new program was strong enough for the Board to consider a full four-year program instead of a junior program, and they began to move in that direction. New classes were added each year to keep up with the original freshman class. The Free Methodist denomination, however, opposed the move toward a college program, and delayed the curriculum for a year. Despite this initial opposition from the denomination, the Board persisted and the first college class graduated in 1915.

On March 10, 1915, the Board of Trustees decided that the college program should be continued, and that a name change was needed to reflect the new reality of the institution. According to the minutes from that meeting, the new name decided on was “Seattle Pacific College.” The text of the minutes along with a transcription follows:

script

After much discussion with reference to the nature of the college course so presented in the school it was moved and carried that the College Course of 4 years be continued in the school. The change of the name of the institution being ordered on account of the college work being done, after much discussion and on motion the Secretary was instructed to cast a ballot bearing the ^new name of the institution. The name of on the ballot read – “Seattle Pacific College”.

The “Seattle” and “College” portions of the name are self-explanatory. However, the minutes are silent on the origin of “Pacific,” and the archival record gives no indication of where the full name came from. Tradition had it that C.S. McKinley, president of the Board of Trustees in 1915, came up with the name, but no written record has been found to substantiate the claim.

Despite its uncertain origin, the name “Seattle Pacific” has now remained with the institution for 100 years.

– Adrienne Meier, University Archivist 

The Ames Library

FOL Newsletter Autumn 2014From the Friends of the Library Newsletter

The Seattle Pacific University Library building was rededicated on November 20 and given a new name — the Ames Library, named after Gary and Barbara Ames. At the ceremony President Dan Martin and Board Vice Chair Doug Backous thanked the Ameses for all they have given to Seattle Pacific.

University Librarian Michael Paulus spoke of the history and value of the Library, which has evolved dynamically over the past 123 years, and University Chaplain Bo Lim prayed that the Ames Library would be a place of access to information as well as transformation.

In the digital age a library is much more than a building, but a library building remains an important part and manifestation of what a library is for. Like a Gothic cathedral, a library building tells a story of the world that was, that is, and that is to come. Every day, students, faculty, and others actively use the Ames Library — and the information resources, technological resources, and human resources accessible through it — to interact with that story by discovering, creating, and sharing knowledge.

It is great honor to have our Library building named after Gary and Barbara Ames, who have done so much to advance the mission of Seattle Pacific and increase access to an SPU education, especially for high school graduates from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.

 

Christmas Break

Christmas Tree 2014 009A big congratulations on finishing out the quarter! Finals are done, the last papers have been submitted, good byes have been shared all around – and now it’s time for rest and relaxation.

We will be open through some of the break, in case you need a good book or are still finishing up some last minute work. From December 11-23, our hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  On Christmas Eve, we are open from 8:00 a.m. to noon. We then take part in the university-wide Christmas closure December 25 through January 1, 2014. We return on January 2, 2015 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Come check out a DVD, a book from the Popular Fiction Collection, or enjoy the quiet of our reading room, and the lovely Christmas tree made of books therein.

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!

Thanksgiving Break

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

With finals around the corner, we hope you have a restful and recharging break – full of turkey, pecan pies, and perhaps a little snow.

The Library is taking a break on Thanksgiving day and the Friday after (we believe a full day is required to recover from fantastic amounts of food and football) but will reopen on Saturday at noon and be open till 8:00 p.m. We will also be open on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to midnight. Regular hours resume thereafter until the last day of exams on December 10th.

We will be ready to help you with finals preparations as soon as you get back and are gearing up for the home stretch.

Have a good weekend!

GS2950: Digital Wisdom for Work

digi

Led by University Librarian, Michael J. Paulus, Jr., and Head of Library Technology Ryan Ingersoll, this 1-credit class will help students assess and enhance their digital readiness for work. In addition to focusing on digital literacy and technological skills for professional development, this class will provide an opportunity for students to reflect on the relationship between vocation, technology, and career preparation. The course will also aim to help students define and develop “digital wisdom”, focusing on concepts that include digital identity, the integration of digital technologies, seeking information, and the ethics and values of creation, community, and citizenship in the context of technology.