Archival Survival: Navigating Historical Research, By Lynee Lewis Gaillet

With any primary research, the researcher acts as the lens through which their finds and conclusions are filtered, leading, inevitably, to biases. Lynee Lewis Gaillet discusses this point in her article “Archival Survival: Navigating Historical Research,” where she encourages the researcher to be up front about their influences and possible biases. With this in mind, I must admit my biases toward the subject at hand. I am a Theatre Arts Major and have a particular interest in how the arts have remained relevant throughout history and how to preserve their relevance today. That being said, I went into archival research wondering about the development and influence of theatre on SCU’s campus throughout the years. I wanted to see if I could find

During my search in the archives, I found several interesting documents in a box of documents from 1960-1988 that focuses on the University’s department of Theatre and Dance. The folder titled “Proposal for Theatre Arts Major” lies in this box. It was within this folder that I found a document titled “Integration of the Major at Santa Clara University,” which spells out a compelling argument for why the Theatre Arts Major should be considered equal to other majors and even why students seeking other majors should take theatre courses. Despite the fact that the document did not have an exact date, it can be assumed that it is older than 1985, as the title refers to the institution as “Santa Clara University,” a title not established until 1985, according to the university’s webpage. Despite it’s compelling and insightful contents, only one page of the entire document is found in the archives, rendering the source somewhat incomplete. Likely written by advocates for an education in theatre, this document is addressed to possible skeptics of this educational approach. The remainder of this document would be the most valuable text to help make sense of this document, while a reply to the document by faculty, students, alumni, or board members would provide context for how the document as received in its time. Further, separate arguments written by students,

Today, the theatre department here emphasizes the importance of having all the necessary skills to be successful in the profession, and ensures students do not graduate with a limited understanding of the field. For example, the department ensures that students take a combination of acting, design, technical, writing, and history courses to graduate. Taking a combination of courses outside of what the student’s specific focus is is nothing new on the SCU campus. The document titled “B.A. Degree in Fine Arts (INTERDEPARTMENTAL)” supports the fact that SCU arts majors have been required to take a variety of courses since the beginning, as it is clearly stated that majors must take courses in Theatre, Music, and History. The requirements for the major and for majors with a focus on performance skills in music are spelled out. The document makes the argument that the degree focuses on “the interpretive, critical, and historical approach to the arts against a background of philosophy, history, and literature.” This may be the first documentation of the basic mechanics of getting an arts degree from SCU that we still emphasize today. SCU’s approach to the arts is wholistic and liberal, ensuring graduates have a broad understanding and appreciation of the field they will be