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URI's history captured in new bookIf every picture tells a story, then a collection of pictures must tell a history. The tale of the University of Rhode Island from its rural beginnings as an agricultural college to its place as a world class institution today has been captured in a pictorial history book, called Images of America: The University of Rhode Island. The book is co-authored by two URI alums, James Wheaton and URI Accounting Professor Richard Vangermeersch. Images of America: The University of Rhode Island, published this fall by Arcadia Publishing, is now on sale at stores statewide, and through the URI Alumni Association. The book's price is $18.99, with all royalties being donated to the URI Alumni Association. This yearbook of all yearbooks showcases the many faces, locations, and events that have helped to shape the University. There were many remarkable events and people who were part of the University in its early years, but because of limited media resources and communications, they went relatively unnoticed, explained Vangermeersch. "Every era had its heroes," he said. These heroes include Thelma Adams '49, recipient of the first bachelor of arts degree from URI and Henry Dreyer '37, a hammer thrower who represented the United States in the 1936 and the 1948 Olympics. Photos of both are included in the book. Wheaton and Vangermeersch spent over 1,200 hours each working on the 127-page book. They poured over old school newspapers and yearbooks, news clippings, photos from collections and archives, and histories of the University. Included are such events as the construction of the first classroom building on the Kingston Campus, called the Experiment Station, in 1890; excited students tolling the college bell in Davis Hall confirming the end of World War II; and students boycotting classes in protest of the Vietnam War. Other photos display the many notables who have visited URI, such as President Dwight Eisenhower, Eleanor Roosevelt, President Lyndon B. Johnson, Martin Luther King Jr., Jesse Jackson, Robert Frost, and Maya Angelou. "We selected photos that were particularly depictive of the campus and of significant events. We wanted whatever would give an inkling into the different eras," explained Wheaton. While gathering and selecting photos for this book was no easy task, many helped to ease the burden. Almost all of the photos were provided by the University, alumni, and the public. One of the greatest resources was the University Special Collections Department at the URI Library, which has preserved 1,200 glass slides taken by the late Lorenzo Kinney Sr., one of the first professors at URI. Although the project was overwhelming at times, Wheaton and Vangermeersch are no strangers to tracing history. Wheaton had previously worked on two Image of America series books chronicling the history of Pawtucket, and Vangermeersch has published various "friendly" history books, including the history of URI's College of Business. Vangermeersch used his sabbatical to do most of his research. "We are proud of the alumni and we wanted to let the public know what great things have happened at this university," said Vangermeersch. By Jennifer Smith |
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