Are you staying in New Orleans this summer? Then check out the Anthony J. Stanonis Collection found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives Department! The collection is comprised of materials relating to the New Orleans tourist industry. Dating from 1902 to 1960, the guides, maps, brochures, books, and other literature document public and private tourism businesses. Anthony J. Stanonis gathered the materials during his research on the cultural and economic implications of urban tourism.Check out these New Orleans landmarks and see how they’ve changed over time!

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.

WWL (AM) was a longtime financial asset of Loyola University New Orleans, broadcasting starting in 1922. But taxing income from nonprofit institutions is a tricky matter–so tricky that WWL has been forever memorialized in the Internal Revenue Code.

Loyola radio telegraph class at the original WWL station, circa 1920

Senator Russell Long, son of famed Louisiana politician Huey P. Long and a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, is credited with having introduced a section into the tax code excluding some types of income from “a religious order or by an educational organization” (like, say, Loyola University New Orleans) from having to pay income tax. Typically a tax exempt organization is subject to income tax on income that is not related to its exempt functions, but this provision made sure that Loyola did not have to pay income tax for its WWL profits.

So how did WWL become forever engrained in the Internal Revenue Code? Take a look:

(15) Except as provided in paragraph (4), in the case of a trade or business—
(A) which consists of providing services under license issued by a Federal regulatory agency,
(B) which is carried on by a religious order or by an educational organization described in section 170 (b)(1)(A)(ii) maintained by such religious order, and which was so carried on before May 27, 1959, and
(C) less than 10 percent of the net income of which for each taxable year is used for activities which are not related to the purpose constituting the basis for the religious order’s exemption,

Other institutions have tried similarly, but unsuccessfully, to argue for exempt income from non-exempt sources. For example, New York University used to own a noodle company but was accused of running a “Macaroni Monopoly” when it was found they were extending their own tax-exempt status onto the pasta business (“The Law School and the Noodle Factory,” The New Yorker).

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.

Loyola University has offered summer courses in some fashion almost since its inception in 1912. One of these courses, offered in the summer of 1925, was taught by the Jesuit Priest Father Carlos M. de Heredia. He was a visiting priest who had devoted himself to the study of psychic phenomena and debunking the ‘spiritualists’ so popular at that time. In his course titled ‘Cryptopsychis,’ Father de Heredia demonstrated just how these spiritualists were able to pull off the mysterious knocking, table lifting, and other acts of charlatans used to dupe their victims. He even famously followed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s spiritualism tour of the United States, demonstrating how Doyle’s evidence which provided ‘proof’ of an afterlife, could all be faked. To read more about this tenacious man and his quest to reveal the fallacy of spiritualism, check out this article from The Maroon on May 25, 1925.

Maroon - May 25, 1925

Maroon - May 25, 1925

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.

The newly digitized Maroon was the most accessed collection in the Louisiana Digital Library in the month of April. The Louisiana Digital Library is an online library of Louisiana institutions that provides over 144,000 digital materials. The Maroon had 24,850 views last month. The most accessed item was the March 24, 1972 issue with 158 views. Election code violations, a new common curriculum, and the Girls’ Intramural Basketball Tournament were all on the docket.

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.

In 1931, Loyola conferred one of the University’s top commendations, the honorary degree, on Louisiana politician Huey P. Long. Long served as Governor of Louisiana from 1928-1932 and then as State Senator until he was assassinated in 1935. “The Kingfish,” as Long was called, passed the bar exam after only a year at Tulane. While honorary degrees are usually conferred at Loyola’s commencement exercises, a special exception was made for Long and the ceremony was instead held in February “as this time was most convenient.” The then-Governor was sick but “having risen from a sick bed” received the honor in front of a crowd of 10,000 at the New Orleans Municipal Auditorium.

Other 1930s recipients of Loyola’s honorary degree included writer and journalist Meigs O. Frost (1933) and Archbishop Rummel (1937). The first woman recipient of the honorary degree was Sister Stanislaus Malone (1936), Superior of the Daughters of Charity at Charity Hospital from 1914-1944. This year’s honorees are Tom Brokaw, Germaine Bazzle, and Dean Baquet. A full list of previous nominees can be found here.

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.

By now, you’ve probably heard that Tom Brokaw will be speaking at Loyola’s spring commencement. In anticipation of graduation, below are some vintage photographs from the Loyola University Photographs Collection of graduations past. Graduation will take place Saturday May 11, 2013 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome at 9:45 am.

Blog post by Kristen Blomeyer, Special Collections work-study student and Social Media and Outreach Intern.

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.

On April 25, 2003, exactly 10 years ago from today, The Maroon featured an inspirational article titled, “It’s a sad day when nobody will smile.” Although many of us are either sad to graduate or deal with finals, this article reminds us of the importance of a smile and its reciprocation. No matter what is going on, remember, a smile only encourages positive thinking. Summer is just around the corner!

Blog post by Kristen Blomeyer, Special Collections work-study student and Social Media and Outreach Intern.

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.

On April 18, 1974, Loyola’s The Maroon featured headlines from the future election of a new president of Loyola, to a campus wide tenure scare. The most interesting part of the April 4, 1974 The Maroon is a cartoon pictured below. I can safely say this cartoon applies to me and most other seniors, and more than likely most of Loyola with summer just around the corner!

Blog post by Kristen Blomeyer, Special Collections work-study student and Social Media and Outreach Intern.

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.

The Loyola Ballet celebrates National Dance Week with performances next Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27. Directed by Laura Zambrano, the performances will mix contemporary and classic works. Moreover, the performances incorporate a celebration of Loyola’s centennial. Both are set for 8 pm in Roussel Hall.

Below are some vintage photographs of performing arts at Loyola. Be sure to check out the Loyola University Photographs Collection for more unique photographs throughout the years.

Blog post by Kristen Blomeyer, Special Collections work-study student and Social Media and Outreach Intern.

Found in the Archives is a recurring series of crazy cool stuff found in the Monroe Library’s Special Collections & Archives.