Box By Box: Inside Archival Processing of the Stull & Lee Records

Since October, Northeastern University Archives and Special Collections processing assistants have been inventorying the records of Stull & Lee, a Boston-based architectural and urban design firm founded by Donald Stull in 1966. The firm is still active today, under the leadership of David Lee. The records held by Northeastern date from the 1960s to the early 2000s, spanning over 400 boxes and 700 tubes, and they document hundreds of projects, including the Southwest Corridor, Ruggles Station, and Roxbury Community College. Meet our processing assistants as they go through the collection, box by box.

A collage of images of the Stull & Lee collection, including boxes of documents, blueprints, and an image of two men posing in front of a building
A peek inside the Stull & Lee collection

Samuel

A smiling man wearing glasses and a gray hoodie holds a disposable camera while standing in front of an archival box

I’m Samuel Edwards (he/him). I just completed my Master of Arts degree in Library and Information Science with a concentration in Archives Management at Simmons University, and I have a Bachelor of Arts in History and Playwriting from Hampshire College in western Massachusetts. Some of my interests in archives include the history of social movements, LGBTQ+ history, local history, and anti-racist archival work. Outside of my archival work, I enjoy creative writing, theater, and playing Dungeons & Dragons with my friends.

Working on the Stull & Lee records has been an enlightening experience. I didn’t have a lot of familiarity with architecture or architectural records prior to working on this collection, but it’s fascinating to realize how much goes into creating just one building. You don’t just have the architects, but also electricians, plumbers, and other trades that help create the building. I have a newfound appreciation for buildings that previously just blended into the background, especially the buildings I walk by daily on my way to Northeastern which were designed by Stull & Lee, such as Ruggles Station.

Julia

A smiling woman with glasses and a red shirt pulls a box from a shelf

I’m Julia Lee (she/her). I recently graduated from Northeastern University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Theatre, and my final co-op was as a digital assistant for the Massachusetts Archives. My archival interests include early American history, including the Revolutionary War, Asian-American history, and the history of Boston.

For me, working with the Stull & Lee records started with inventorying boxes of files belonging to several architects, including the firm’s namesakes Donald Stull and David Lee. It turns out that the two men had quite distinct organizational styles. While several of Lee’s folders included colorful titles patterned after the T’s Orange Line signs, Stull favored concise alphabetization for his files. I’ve enjoyed the greater understanding I’ve gained of Boston’s architecture, transit, and public works through working with the collection, especially about the area around Northeastern, where I’ve lived for over four years now. This is my second time working in an archive, and it has served to solidify my goal of obtaining a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science in the coming years.

Aleks

A smiling man sits at a table with a laptop and a stack of documents, surrounded by archival boxes

I’m Aleks Renerts (he/him). I am a current graduate student at Simmons University in the dual Master of Arts degree program in History and Library and Information Science, with a concentration in Archives Management. My academic background is in history, with a focus on the Hispanic world and histories of class, gender, and colonialism. I received my Bachelor of Arts in History from McGill University, and have since partially redirected my focus to archives and archival research.

Something I’ve found interesting in the Stull & Lee records is the massive degree of collaboration that every architectural project depends on. Memos, notes, letters, logs, and drawings are sent back and forth with revisions, showing the complex process that goes into completing a project. There’s an incredible level of detail for all the parts of a completed structure, from steel framing and floor tiles to the mechanics of a door lock. Working on Stull & Lee has given me an appreciation of just how much detailed work goes into every part of constructing a building.

Join us for the 2024 Reading Challenge!

The Northeastern University Library is proud to be an official partner for the 2024 Reading Challenge hosted by the Massachusetts Center for the Book. Here’s how it works…

THE CHALLENGE

Read a book!
The Mass. Center for the Book has chosen a reading theme for each month of 2024. To participate in the challenge, read at least one book each month that fits the theme.

Not sure what to read? Northeastern librarians have put together a handy suggested reading list in OverDrive (yes, ebooks and audiobooks count, too!). If you’re on the Boston campus, you can also stop by our monthly tabling events in the Snell Library lobby to check out a selection of on-theme print books—and pick up some great Reading Challenge swag!

2024 Reading Challenge topics by month

Here are the themes for the year:

  • January: A book you read years ago that you may feel differently about now
  • February: A book with a color in the title
  • March: A book whose protagonist has a different culture or lifestyle from you
  • April: A book about nature, the environment, or climate change
  • May: A graphic novel
  • June: A book that inspired a film or television series
  • July: A book by an author born outside the United States
  • August: A book whose title starts with the same letter as your birthday month
  • September: A debut book by a Massachusetts author
  • October: A book about a time in history you’d like to know more about
  • November: A relaxing, soul-soothing book
  • December: A well-reviewed book in your least favorite genre

Tell us about it!
Once you’ve read your book, just fill out a quick questionnaire on the library website. Library staff will draw one name each month to win a prize!

Want more chances to win? Make sure you also complete the submission form on the Mass. Center for the Book website! They’ll be doing monthly drawings and prize giveaways all year.

THE PRIZES

From Northeastern University Library
Prizes for Northeastern students, faculty, and staff will vary by month, but may include:

  • gift cards to local bookstores
  • a stocked study room during finals week for Boston campus students
  • finals week care packages for students at global campuses
  • Northeastern University Library swag

All Northeastern students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to participate in the challenge, even if you’re not based at the Boston campus.

From Mass. Center for the Book
Readers who log their reading on the Mass. Center for the Book website also have the opportunity to win additional prizes! From the MBC website:

  • Dedicated readers will be invited to a year-end celebration hosted by Mass. Center for the Book.
  • If you read a book in each of the 12 months, you will be entered in a drawing to win 1 of 2 totes filled with books.
  • New this year! We will be drawing two names on the last day of each month to win a free book! Make sure you get those entries in before the end of the month!

HAPPY READING!

You can find more information on the Northeastern Library’s 2024 Reading Challenge page. We look forward to hearing about your reading journey!

Ready to Research: The Newly Processed Boston Gay Men’s Chorus Records and the Frieda Garcia Papers

Introducing the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus records finding aid
By Dominique Medal

A group of men in tuxedos and dress clothes stand informally smiling and chatting. Two men in the center pose for the camera hugging and making kiss faces.
Boston Gay Men’s Chorus members talking pre-performance, 1990.

Records of the Boston Gay Men’s Chorus, who have been singing in Boston and beyond for more than 40 years, have been processed and are open for research in the Northeastern University Archives and Special Collections. A guide to the collection is available and Series 2 doubles as a chronology of the Chorus’ performances, special appearances, and international tours since its founding in 1982.

The Boston Gay Men’s Chorus was part of a wave of gay choruses established in the wake of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus national tour in 1981. Since then, the Boston Chorus has grown to more than 200 singing members and has toured Europe, the Middle East, and South Africa. It is one of the largest community-based choral groups in New England.

The collection documents the Chorus’ live performances through audio and video recordings, photographs, concert programs, posters and marketing materials, and planning and logistics files. Also included are studio recordings and materials pertaining to the Chorus’ membership in the Gay and Lesbian Association of Choruses, which hosts the triennial GALA Festival for LGBTQ choruses. The collection also documents the Chorus’ advocacy work, internal administration, and fundraising efforts.

A selection of photographs and promotional materials have already been digitized and uploaded to the Digital Repository Service.

Introducing the Frieda Garcia papers finding aid
By Irene Gates

Black and white image of a smiling woman sitting behind a desk
Frieda Garcia, undated

Since starting as Processing Archivist at Northeastern University earlier this year, I’ve been lucky enough to work on the papers of Frieda Garcia, a beloved Boston-based community leader and activist. Garcia received her B.A. from The New School, where I previously worked, a coincidence that made processing her collection a welcome bridge between my past and present positions.

Throughout her career, Garcia advocated for Hispanic and Black communities in Boston, bilingual education, women’s rights, and multicultural media. Her papers, which she donated in 2015, document her work on these themes with community organizations La Alianza Hispana, United South End Settlements (USES), and the Roxbury Multi-Service Center. It also covers her service on several mayoral commissions and boards of organizations such as The Boston Foundation and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, and other initiatives and conferences in which she participated. Annual reports to the USES Board of Directors, reports documenting Boston’s South End and Roxbury neighborhoods, and correspondence with individuals across the city are examples of materials in the collection.

To learn more about Frieda Garcia’s papers, explore the finding aid, as well as several born-digital files and digitized analog content from the collection, available in the Digital Repository Service.

Snell Library Reopens Renovated 4th Floor; 3rd Floor Closes

A major stage was completed in the Snell Library Renovation Project on Monday, Nov. 13, when the brand new fourth floor was opened for Northeastern University community use.

Students using the renovated 4th floor of Snell Library
Students study on the newly renovated 4th floor of Snell Library on Nov. 13, 2023.
Photos by Matthew Modoono/Northeastern University
Students study in the renovated 4th floor of Snell Library

The floor, which closed in January, now features a variety of study spaces and furniture styles to appeal to all types of users. It also includes:

  • reservable group and individual study rooms
  • a large glass-walled silent study space
  • individual soundproof pods for phone or video calls

Acoustic ceiling panels have been added to improve the noise levels and many pieces of furniture are embedded with outlets, both features that have been regularly requested by student users.

With the completion of the fourth floor, renovation work has now moved to the 3rd floor, which closed on Nov. 13. When it reopens, that floor will contain:

  • reservable group and individual study rooms
  • an enhanced graduate study room
  • a digital scholarship research hub
  • expanded research data consultation space
  • additional study space
A student sits behind a laptop wearing headphones on the newly renovated 4th floor of Snell Library

Work on the third floor is expected to be completed in summer 2024. In the meantime, staff offices previously located on that floor, including the Dean of the Library suite, have been moved to the second floor.

The next stage of the renovation project is expected to be completed in the coming days, as work is just finishing up on that lower (basement) level. Stay tuned here or visit the Snell Library Renovation page for the latest information.

Happy Homecoming: 125 Years of Northeastern

A column on the Northeastern Boston campus. It reads 1900s in large lettering on one side and features photos and information about the Automotive School on another side

Automobiles, the World Series, and the Iditarod all have at least one thing in common: Northeastern.

This year, the Archives and Special Collections staff have been doing research and digitizing records to support the observance of the university’s 125th anniversary.

Around the Boston campus, you can still see the signs installed on Founders Day detailing Northeastern’s development and the Boston campus history.

As we approach Homecoming Weekend, here are some features of Husky history to brush up on:

Northeastern’s Automotive School
The Automotive School was established in 1903 as a part of the Evening Institute. Franklin Palmer Speare anticipated that with the rise of automobiles in America, there would be need for related education. Classes offered included automotive engineering, driving lessons, upholstery, and auto repair. It was a high-enrolling school until the 1920s and it officially closed in 1926. The Automotive School even had a jingle written for it: “The Auto-mo-billie-beel.”

Cover of a songbook titled "The Auto-mo-billie-beel: A Song of the Motor Car"

King Husky I
King Husky I was trained by Leonhard Seppala. When Vice President Carl Ell sought out Seppala in 1927, he did so not only because Northeastern needed a mascot, but also because Seppala had already inspired one great tradition: the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race. In 1925, Nome, Alaska, experienced an infamous diphtheria epidemic. Teams of sled dogs played an important role in bringing diphtheria serum through extremely harsh conditions. Leonhard Seppala and his team of Siberian huskies carried the serum over 91 miles of the treacherous relay before passing the cargo to the more famous Gunnar Kaasen, driver of the famous Balto, who covered the final stretch of trail and delivered the serum to Nome. The effort made by Seppala and the other teams have since been commemorated yearly by the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.

Black and white image of a husky dog. Kneeling next to him is a man wearing a fur jacket and a student in a winter coat
King Husky I on the day of his arrival at Northeastern on March 5, 1927. He poses with Leonhard Seppala and Ray Todd, member of the Northeastern Student Council.

King Husky was beloved by the students, and Seppala even provided feeding instructions for the care and keeping of King Husky I.

Northeastern and the World Series
Northeastern’s Cabot Physical Education Center now occupies what were the grounds for the first World Series, which took place in 1903 between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Boston Americans. The Americans became the first-ever World Series champions and the event is commemorated with a statue of Americans pitcher Cy Young located between Cabot Center and Churchill Hall.

A bronze statue of Cy Young leaning forward, ready to throw a pitch
Cy Young Statue on the Boston campus. Craig Bailey/Northeastern University
Black and white image of people crowding the field of the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds
People crowd the Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds at the first-ever World Series game in October 1903.