April 29, 2010
Crew practices in 1948 — can you tell us more about this film?
Editor’s Note: The UW Audio Visual Services Materials Library has more than 1,200 reels of film from the late 1940s through the early 1970s, documenting life at the University through telecourses, commercial films and original productions. Some of the short films are easily identifiable, but many more remain mysteries. Who shot these films and why? Can you help answer those questions? Faculty and staff can use the comments field at the end of the story to send ideas. Those outside the University can e-mail filmarc@u.washington.edu.
This week’s film depicts crew activities in 1948. That’s a significant year, because it’s the year that some of the UW team members went to the Olympics and won a gold medal for the American team. In this two-minute film we see crew members carrying their boats, race officials in their boat and the christening of a new vessel.
Film Archivist Hannah Palin said the film is one of several crew-related films that came to Special Collections from the Intercollegiate Athletics Department. “We are currently looking for any information we can find relating to the history of the crew, the team members and the races,” she said. “We’re especially looking for information about this particular team, the christening depicted in the movie, or any other activities that would be of interest.”
Palin got only a little bit of information about last week’s film, Sieg Hall. One reader thought the tall gentleman in the film was Prof. Hammer, the head of engineering at the time. Be sure to let Palin know if you can shed any more light on things.
