John T. Barret Photograph Collection
Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: VAC340
This collection contains images of room #3 in the dormitory known as Shack #1, 1922-1923 and the cake race of 1924.
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Permission to publish materials from this collection must be obtained from the Head of Archives and Special Collections.
11 Item(s)
The John T. Barret Photograph Collection contains three images of Barret's freshman dorm room and eight images of the 1924 Cake Race. All but three of the photographs are copy photos, and all are black and white. On the back of each of the eight copy photographs there are detailed notes written by Barret. The notes include information not only about the images, but also about Barret's state of mind, his roommates, and friends, including Walt Mitchell, Randolph Allen, Mary Lamar Knight, and Martha Morrow.
The collection has been digitized in its entirety, and is stored online in SMARTech, Georgia Tech's institutional repository. The digital version of the collection may be found at http://smartech.gatech.edu/handle/1853/21232.
John Thomas Barret (09 October 1903-20 December 1979), of Fort Smith, Arkansas, entered Georgia Tech in the fall of 1922. Originally slated to be a member of the class of 1926, Barret dropped out of school for a while. After returning to Tech, he graduated in 1929 with a degree in civil engineering.
While a student at Tech, Barret was on the honor roll and won the freshman oratorical medal. Barret also was a member of the track and cross country teams. In 1924, as a sophomore, Barret ran in and won the Cross Country Run, better known as the Cake Race.
The 1924 Cake Race had approximately 600 men competing for 132 cakes baked and decorated by faculty wives and sponsors. Barret won this race, setting a new time record of 18 minutes, 44 seconds. He was well ahead of the other runners--approximately 50 yards in front of his nearest competitor. As the winner Barret got his pick of cakes, although it was suggested to him to choose the cake made by the race sponsor Miss Mary Lamar Knight. Barret also received a gold medal and a varsity "T."
In 1939, Barret married Salome Meister. Barret served in the Army during World War II and reached the rank of lieutenant colonel. He is buried, alongside his wife, in the Fort Smith (Arkansas) National Cemetery.
29C3
A print copy of this finding aid is available in the Georgia Tech Archives reading room.
This collection was originally part of Accession #1990.0803.
This collection was removed from the George C. Griffin Photograph Collection VAC002.
Mandi D. Johnson processed these photographs in March 2008.
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, Library, Georgia Institute of Technology Repository