Robert B. Wallace, Jr. Papers
Collection
Identifier: MS083
Robert B. Wallace graduated from Georgia Tech in 1949 and served as the Director of Information Services and Publications. He authored three books, including a history on Georgia Tech entitled Dress Her in White and Gold. These papers are comprised of the book manuscript, information on campus building names, and nominations for the Sports Illustrated Silver Anniversary All-America Award.
(one document case and one half-sized document case)
None.
Permission to publish materials from this collection must be obtained from the Head of Archives and Special Collections.
0.6 Linear Feet
The Robert B. Wallace, Jr. Papers include correspondence, reviews, press sheets, campus building names information, and broadcast schedules, primarily documenting his writing of Dress Her in White and Gold and his interest in athletics. The correspondence that mainly consists of congratulations from alumni, colleagues, and friends to Bob Wallace on writing Dress Her in White and Gold. Other letters include research questions and itemized payments for services in helping the author write the history book of Georgia Tech. Short notes accompany the invoices and receipts for payment. The invoices indicate that the book sold for $5.00. The revisions and press sheets are for the 1969 reprint of Dress Her in White and Gold.
The campus buildings names information includes correspondence and biographies, which the Department of Information Services and Publications was responsible for providing. The broadcast schedules also include correspondence and game-day itineraries for the 1963 Florida game and the 1966 Gator Bowl.
The final two folders contain information on the Sports Illustrated Silver Anniversary All-America Award for 1965. This prestigious distinction is given to collegiate athletes 25 years after they have graduated from college. They must have played football and, in the years following graduation, attained remarkable success in their chosen careers. Several Georgia Tech alumni have been honored with this award.
Robert Bridge Wallace, Jr., a native of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, entered Georgia Tech in 1939, but did not receive his B. S. in Industrial Management until 1949. During the interim, he served in World War II as a combat flying officer. After graduation, Wallace joined the Army to serve in the Korean War.
He returned to Tech as the manager of alumni activities before becoming editor of the Georgia Tech Alumnus magazine. In 1955, Wallace became head of publications services for the Engineering Experiment Station and assumed the role of Director of Information Services and Publications for the Institute when that department was created. Under his leadership, Georgia Tech won several awards for its publications. Dress Her in White and Gold,a history of Georgia Tech written by Wallace, was originally published in 1963, then revised and reprinted in 1969.
Wallace took a great interest in athletics. He served as the public address announcer at basketball games and as a press box announcer at football games. He edited the football game-day programs for which he won the national prize in 1968, and wrote Yellow Jacket Confidential, a weekly analysis of the football team. He also was a sports columnist for Atlanta Magazine.
Wallace and his wife, Jane Dobbs Wallace, had three daughters, Nancy, Jinx, and Marilu. Wallace died on April 6, 1970 after suffering a heart attack.
The Robert B. Wallace, Jr. papers are arranged in two series, Dress Her in White and Gold, 1959-1969 and General Georgia Tech, 1939-1969. Papers are arranged alphabetically by folder title within each series.
A print copy of this finding aid is available in the Georgia Tech Archives reading room.
Accession #1990.1204 (old number: 90-12-04).
(one document case and one half-sized document case)
Yen M. Tang processed these papers in 2000.
Part of the Archives and Special Collections, Library, Georgia Institute of Technology Repository