Biographical Note
Marshall S. Wright, from Sierra Madre, California, attended Oregon
Agricultural College as a student in agriculture, majoring in farm crops,
from fall 1915 until April 1918, when he withdrew for an industrial
service grant. Wright was president of the Class of 1919 during its
freshman year (1915-1916) and was Editor-in-Chief of the 1919
Beaver yearbook in 1917-1918. In 1925 and
in 1980, when the album was donated to the OSU Libraries, he was living in
Portland, Oregon.
Content Description
The Marshall S. Wright Photograph Album was assembled by Wright during
his freshman year at Oregon Agricultural College (OAC) in 1915-1916. It
consists of postcard prints and snapshots depicting campus buildings and
views, student activities, football games, and the Willamette River. The
campus views include an image of snow on campus.
Many of the photos in the album are of the 1915 football team, players,
and games. Several of the images depict the team's departure for a game
against Michigan Agricultural College and the celebration in Corvallis
when the team returned from Michigan after the OAC victory. The
celebration included a parade in downtown Corvallis. The album includes
programs for the 1915 Michigan Agricultural College team, the OAC vs
University of Oregon football game in 1915, and the OAC vs Syracuse
University football game played at Multnomah Stadium in Portland in
1915.
The album includes photographs of many student activities, including
the rook bag rush, rook bonfire, serpentines at football games, and
burning of the green caps. Of special note are images of construction of
the rook bonfire in 1915 by Wright's class. Photographs of military cadets
are also included.
The album includes a dance card for the Class of 1919 freshman dance in
December 1915 and several other ephemeral items. Several loose photographs
and a postcard invitation to a 1928 alumni event in Portland are part of
the collection, but not affixed in the album.