Otis E. Griner papers, 1911-1916 | Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections

By Sammie Morris

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Collection Overview

Title: Otis E. Griner papers, 1911-1916

Predominant Dates:1912-1914

Primary Creator: Griner, Otis E. (1892-1941)

Extent: 0.2 Cubic feet. More info below.

Arrangement: The photo album is first in the box, followed by a folder of loose items from th album, and then a folder with the Gala Week program.

Date Acquired: 09/21/2007

Subjects: Purdue University--Alumni and alumnae, Purdue University--Buildings--Pictorial works, Purdue University--Students--Social life and customs--20th century, Sigma Phi Epsilon

Forms of Material: Black-and-white photographs, Clippings (Information artifacts), Cyanotypes, Photograph albums, Programs

Languages: English

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The papers of Otis Edward Griner (1911-1916) include one photograph album and two folders. The majority of the album is composed of black and white photographs, a few cyanotypes, and a few newspaper clippings documenting Otis Griner's time as a student at Purdue University, 1911-1914. Included in the collection are a Purdue tank scrap marshal ribbon (1913), and photographs of a variety of local and Purdue events, such as automobile races, the mechanics burning tradition, the Purdue Circus, May Day festivities, the Canoe Club, Indianapolis 500 race (1913), various Purdue student stunts, Phi Si Rag-Time May Dancers, Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house and members, wrestling squad (1914), flooding in Lafayette (1913), and the Tippecanoe Battle Ground memorial, images from Happy Hollow, and the 1914 Mechancial Engineering group photograph. Newspaper clippings include Elmer Oliphant's last football game (1913), automobiles testing at Purdue (circa 1914), and a clipping on R.P. Laporte, captain of Purdue Cross Country Club. A 1915 Purdue Homecoming program is also included and a 1914 Gala Week program.

Biographical Note

Otis Edward Griner was born in Middlebury, Indiana, on April 11, 1892. He graduated from Purdue University in 1914 with a degree in mechanical engineering. While at Purdue, he joined the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. In 1917, he enlisted in the Army at Ft. Myers, Virginia, later serving as 1st Lieutentant of the 314th Field Artillery in France and Germany. He was discharged on June 7, 1919 from Camp Lee, Virginia. After the war he worked as a sales represernataive for the Barndall Co. and lived in Plymouth, Indiana. He married Edna Marie Boyle on June 30, 1920, in Indianapolis. They had two children, Mary Frances Griner [Greenfield] and John Edward Griner. OtisE. Griner died on January 18, 1941, in Decatur, Illinois.

Subject/Index Terms

Purdue University--Alumni and alumnae
Purdue University--Buildings--Pictorial works
Purdue University--Students--Social life and customs--20th century
Sigma Phi Epsilon

Administrative Information

Repository: Purdue University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections

Alternate Extent Statement: 1 mss box

Access Restrictions: Collection is open for research.

Physical Access Note: Handle photo album with care.

Acquisition Source: Reverend Wayne Pask and Judith Pask

Acquisition Method: Donation

Preferred Citation: MSA 129, Otis E. Griner papers, Karnes Archives and Special Collections, Purdue University Libraries

Finding Aid Revision History: Record revised 4/5/2013 EW

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Box:

[Box 1],
[All]

Box 1

Item 1: Photograph album, 1911-1916

Item 1: Items within the album, circa 1910-1916

Tank scrap marshal ribbon, 1913

Photographs, circa 1911-1915

Automobile Races

Battle Ground, Indiana

Mechanics Burning [parade?], 1912

“Buss” DeGrief

Circus Parade at Purdue, 1912

K.D. Coffin, 1911

R.P. Laporte (“Lappy”), 1911

P.B. McKee, 1911

Fowler Hall [cyanotype]

F.J. Le Beau, 1911

Horse and Carriages

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity

Wabash River

May Day Festivities at Purdue

Happy Hollow Park

May Day, Parade, 1913

Circus Parade at Purdue, 1913

Stunts—Men dressed as women with signs “Vote for Women”

Canoe Club, Purdue University

Indianapolis Car Race, 1913 [Indy 500?]

Stunts—“Faculty Joy Wagon”

May Day Queen

Maypole Activities

Circus Clowns, Purdue, 1914

Phi Si Rag-Time May Dancers, Parade

Parade Wagon, A.S.M.E. Machine Design Department

Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity House on North Salisbury Street

Interior and Exterior

Burned, 1916

Fraternity Brothers

Wrestling Squad, 1914

Gold Dust Twins [2 men in bath]

Main Street Bridge, Lafayette, Indiana, 1913

Flooding in Lafayette, Indiana, 1913

Family and Friends

Adaline Griner [Otis Griner’s grandmother], 1915

Class Photograph, Mechanical Engineering, 1914

Newspaper Clippings

Elmer Oliphant’s last football game, 1913

Testing on automobiles at Purdue, circa 1914

R.P. Laporte, captain of Purdue Cross Country Club [track], undated

Folder 1: Loose items from photograph album, 1913, 1915

Black-and-white group photograph, 1915 homecoming football program

Folder 2: Gala week program, 1914