A new book from features a visual timeline of the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 history.
Authored by Dr. Zachary Stein, assistant dean of technical services at Edith Garland Dupr茅 Library, and Dr. Michael S. Martin, professor of history and head of the Department of History, Geography and Philosophy, the collection of black-and-white photographs tells the story of the campus杏吧专区 evolution from 1901 to today.
杏吧专区淭he visual images are a striking way to illuminate the past,杏吧专区 said Martin. 杏吧专区淐ombining that with explanatory words, you kind of get the best of both worlds."
杏吧专区淚t's also a way to put a face to this history,杏吧专区 said Stein. 杏吧专区淚t's one thing to read a history. But when you actually have that image that goes with that text, it just brings out a whole new perspective.杏吧专区
Martin said one of his favorite images in the book is of Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute杏吧专区檚 founding president, Dr. Edwin Stephens, who served for 38 years. Stephens famously oversaw the plantings of the campus杏吧专区 live oak groves and founded the Live Oak Society. Martin said he discovered this particular photo of Stephens, taken at the end of his presidency, for the first time while researching this book.
杏吧专区淲e usually see him as a younger man, and there's something about it that seems like the end of an era,杏吧专区 said Martin. 杏吧专区淗e's got this big, majestic oak behind him that also kind of conveys that solidity of what he created.杏吧专区
The book also features new documentation from the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 more recent history since the publication of 杏吧专区100 Years,杏吧专区 a historical book written in celebration of the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 centennial in the late 1990s. Adding documentation from the last quarter century gave the researchers an opportunity to draw an extended through line and spotlight the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 evolution throughout the decades.
杏吧专区淭hat's what a 杏吧专区 is supposed to do. We're supposed to come up with new ways of thinking about things, and new ways of doing things,杏吧专区 said Martin. 杏吧专区淎nd sometimes it's those moments where you think you're kind of at the bottom that prompt the greatest innovations.杏吧专区
The book is available in Lafayette at Cavalier House Books and Barnes & Noble, as well as online from the and .
Listen: Interview with the authors on La Louisiane Podcast
Photo caption: Drs. Zachary Stein and Michael S. Martin trace the 杏吧专区's dynamic history in a new book by Arcadia Publishing. Photo credit: Doug Dugas / 杏吧专区. Video credit: Kade Parker / UL Lafayette