Sam Houston State University Mace Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection is composed of the Sam Houston State University Mace, sketches of the mace, silver and rubber molds of the mace, a commencement program, an article, and a newspaper photograph.
Dates
- Creation: 1988 to August 14, 1989
Conditions Governing Use
The materials represented in this finding aid have been made available for research, teaching and private use. For these purposes, you may reproduce (print, make photocopies, or download) these items without prior permission on the condition that you provide proper attribution of the source in all copies.
Please contact the Newton Gresham Library's Special Collections and University Archives department to request permissions to reproduce materials for any other purpose, or to obtain information regarding the copyright status of a particular digital image, text, audio or video recording.
Biographical / Historical
The University Mace is a symbol of the authority of the Board of Regents Texas State University System and the Office of the President of Sam Houston State University. The mace is used in commencement ceremonies and is carried by the senior tenured faculty member of the university. It was first used in the summer commencement on August 20, 1988.
The Sam Houston State University Mace was designed, and hand crafted over a two-year period from 1986-1988, by Sam Houston State University Professor Charles R. Jedlicka, Associate Professor of Industrial Technology.
Professor Charles R. Jedlicka began teaching at Sam Houston State Teachers College in the Fall of 1961. He retired from Sam Houston State University in 1989. He died on May 22, 2000.
The Sam Houston State University Mace is currently on display in the Lowman Student Center.
Extent
2 boxes (There are 2 boxes, 1 medium archival box with a small archival box inside along with two folders and one oversize map folder in this collection. The oversize map folder is separate from the collection because of the size of the two preliminary and final sketches of the mace that are stored inside the folder. The folder is stored inside the map cabinet. )
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
These material are arranged by type.
Physical Location
The Sam Houston State University Mace is currently on display in the Lowman Student Center, first floor atrium near the center staircase.
The rest of the materials in the collection are located in the University Archives, Newton Gresham Library 400.
Separated Materials
There are 7 items in this collection which includes one oversize hand drawn sketch of the mace, one oversize final blueprint sketch of the mace, a newspaper clipping featuring an article and an accompanying newspaper photograph of President Bowers and Dr. Charles Jedlicka admiring the mace, a Sam Houston State University commencement program from Summer 1988, highlighting the first use of the mace, and two Sam Houston portrait molds imprints used to produce the brass medallions on the mace.
Physical Description
The design of the mace is a walnut staff with a hexagonal head that has inlays of pecan denoting the state tree and recessed brass medallions cast with designs of General Sam Houston, Austin Hall, Old Main, Bearkats, and the completion date of the mace. The walnut holder base or stall is six-sided to match the mace head.
The crown of the mace is a circular casting bearing the name of the university and date of establishment, 1879. The center of the circle contains the state emblem, the lone star. Below the crown, the names of past university presidents and the dates of their service are engraved on a brass collar.
- Title
- Sam Houston State University Mace Collection
- Author
- KN
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Thomason Special Collections & SHSU University Archives Repository