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Inside Spencer: The KSRL Blog

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Welcome to the Kenneth Spencer Research Library blog! As the special collections and archives library at the University of Kansas, Spencer is home to remarkable and diverse collections of rare and unique items. Explore the blog to learn about the work we do and the materials we collect.

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That’s Distinctive!: Halloween Party Dance Card

Check the blog each Friday for a new “That’s Distinctive!” post. I created this series to provide a lighthearted glimpse into the diverse and unique items at Spencer. “That’s Distinctive!” is meant to show that the library has something for everyone regardless of interest. If you have suggested topics for a future item feature or questions about the collections, you can leave a comment at the bottom of this page. All collections, including those highlighted on the blog, are available for members of the public to explore in the Reading Room during regular hours.

This week on That’s Distinctive! we continue on our journey of spooky items. Today I am sharing yet another item from the Herd family papers. With the collection spanning the time frame of 1817 to 2013, there is just about anything a person could be looking for. The item shown today is a dance card from KU’s third annual all-university Halloween party. It took place in 1917, six months after the U.S. entered World War I. The card shows that it was held in Robinson Gymnasium, which was located where Wescoe Hall now stands. The current Robinson Center is just east of Allen Fieldhouse.

This image has the text of the name, place, and date of the Halloween party.
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The left-side page in this image has the text of the female students who participated in the Moon Dance and Fairy Dance in the Grand March. The page on the right has blank numbered lines for listing dance partners.
Pages from an All-University Halloween Party dance card, 1917. Herd Family Papers. Call Number: RH MS 1374. Click images to enlarge.
This image contains text.
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This image contains text.
Two articles about the party in the University Daily Kansan, October 29, 1917. Florence (Mrs. Eustace) Brown was the “advisor of women” at KU (and sometimes cited as the school’s first Dean of Women), 1914-1918. Courtesy Newspapers.com. Click images to enlarge.

Tiffany McIntosh
Public Services

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This entry was posted on Friday, October 18th, 2024 at 8:00 am and is filed under Kansas Collection, That's Distinctive. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.