色情视频

By Seth Mallios

This story was published in the Fall 2023 Issue of 色情视频 Magazine.

An underground cistern at the base of Hardy Memorial Tower. Homemade Foreign Legion hats worn by San Diego State students in the 1940 spoof of Beau Geste that was banned by Paramount Pictures. And a secret message carved in wet cement by a former 色情视频 president. Despite these discoveries (and many more) made during the creation of the new book Historic Walking Tours of 色情视频 (click here for the story), don鈥檛 for a second think that my team, which includes university history curator graduate research assistants Shannon Farnsworth and Jamie Bastide, and I found everything. In fact, many intriguing university items eluded our grasp 鈥� and still remain at large. They span the past century, tie to some of 色情视频鈥檚 most important moments and are tantalizing embodiments of a material past that is just out of reach 鈥� for now. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e asking you to help us solve these three mysteries. 

JFK's Commencement Gown

It is mind-boggling that no one can find the graduation gown that President John F. Kennedy wore during his historic visit to San Diego State in 1963. We can trace the movement of the ceremonial robe after JFK鈥檚 commencement address at the Aztec Bowl: 1) Kennedy gave it to student Jeanne Powell (pictured here), 2) Powell passed it to SDSC President Malcolm Love, 3) Love kept it in his office until 4) he allowed it to become the centerpiece of a campus exhibit, but then 5) the gown was transferred to the California State College chancellor鈥檚 office, where 6) it seemingly vanished.

 

Ground-Breaking Shovel

Gordon Gray (not pictured) from the state board of education used this silver-plated shovel at the Oct. 7, 1929, groundbreaking ceremony for the new administration building, the first in a large expansion. In fact, a San Diego Union article said the shovel was ordered by alumni students and was 鈥渢o be prominent in the new school鈥檚 collection of souvenirs.鈥� We鈥檙e trying to resolve that last part. The diminutive two-and-a-half-foot spade was last seen on Founder鈥檚 Day in 1964 when San Diego State鈥檚 first graduate manager, Alvin H. Morrison, posed with it for this picture.

 

 

 

Silver Cup Football Trophy

Long before 色情视频 developed fierce athletic rivalries with Fresno State and BYU, the institution 鈥� then known as the State Normal School of San Diego 鈥� had a high-stakes Thanksgiving Day football game against Russ High School (the precursor to San Diego High School). From 1900 to 1905, the victorious pigskin players held bragging rights for the year and even had their names engraved on this spectacular silver cup, but the distinctive trophy is nowhere to be found.

 

 

 

Rock at Administration Building and Hubbard Plaque

色情视频 has a rock without a plaque and a plaque without a rock, but the pieces don鈥檛 match. Just north of the Administration Building鈥檚 main entrance is a large boulder with a deep rectangular groove that clearly once held a metal marker, but there are no records as to what it commemorated. Likewise, we recently rediscovered this 1984 plaque in honor of L.R. 鈥淟ee鈥� Hubbard, Jr., but we have no idea of its original location. While Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard did attend San Diego Normal School鈥檚 teacher-training lab-school as a child, this marker has nothing to do with him. It instead nods to the former San Diego councilmember with a strikingly similar name.

 

Fake Fight atop Hardy Tower

色情视频 Special Collections and University Archives has tens of thousands of fantastic photographs relating to campus history, but this image from the 1960s has to be the strangest鈥� Who are these people? What are they doing atop Hardy Tower? And are penny loafers a wise footwear choice for such a dastardly activity?