What better way to celebrate 40 years than to step back and reminisce how it all began? In honor of Penn State Brandywine's 40th anniversary, Dr. Phyllis Cole's fall 2008 Honors Freshman Composition class wrote the campus' first history book. As a class assignment, students were asked to interview alumni, faculty and staff who were students or worked on campus during its first ten years, known then as Penn State Delaware County. The result is a 157-page book filled with memories about campus life and the culture of the 60's and 70's. Dr. Cole, professor of English, women's studies and American studies, edited sections submitted by each student with the help of Research Assistant Deborah Riggins.
The evocative narration, titled "The First Ten Years: Conversations about Penn State Delaware County, 1967-1977," features entertaining anecdotes about the campus' first home—a warehouse below a roller skating rink in Chester—, photographs of the campus community, including those of staff or faculty who are still on campus today, and an accurate portrayal of life on campus through the eyes of those who lived it.
Pinochle was a big part of the social scene
Campus Chancellor Sophia Wisniewska said, "The First Ten Years is a magnificent recreation of how it all began here at Penn State Brandywine. The project took a lot of hard work and determination from Dr. Cole's freshman class and the students should be extremely proud. They've made history, an achievement they can carry with them for the rest of their lives."
"The First Ten Years ?" is available for $12 at Penn State Brandywine's campus bookstore at 25 Yearsley Mill Road, Media. For more information, please contact Risa Pitman at 610-892-1255.
Below is just a small sampling of over 100 photos you'll find in the book.
Current student Andrew Smithson asks Aldo Magazzeni about his campus experiences in 1967.
SGA office, early 1970s
