By Ethan Shea

Pop-Tarts! They’re everyone’s favorite breakfast treat.

Although they’re traditionally meant for mornings I personally believe it’s always time for a Pop-Tart.

After learning I share a birthday with Pop-Tarts, as the company was founded on Sept. 14, I couldn’t resist writing this week’s Cat in the Stax on the history of one of my favorite snacks.

The story of Pop-Tarts begins in 1963 when Kellogg thought of a treat that was going to be called “Fruit Scone.” Luckily, that name didn’t stick, and Pop-Tarts replaced the lackluster title before the product’s official launch in 1964. The name Pop-Tarts originated as a pun on the Pop-Art movement of the sixties.

The very first Pop-Tarts were released in Cleveland, Ohio with their four signature flavors: blueberry, strawberry, brown sugar cinnamon, and apple-currant. No one seemed to know what a currant was, so Pop-Tarts were quick to drop that name from their lineup.

Part of what made Pop-Tarts so successful were their advertisements. In the 1970s, Milton the Toaster became a beloved mascot for the brand. However, Milton’s time with Pop-Tarts did not last long.

Interestingly, the Frosted Pop-Tarts we know and love were not released until 1967, as frosting that could withstand the heat of a toaster was yet to be developed at the time of the treat’s initial release.

It may have taken 37 years, but the weaponization of this breakfast snack was inevitable. In 2001, the United States military dropped 2.4 million Pop-Tarts over Afghanistan during their attack on the country.

The U.S. government claims this choice was made to introduce civilians to American food, fight hunger, and make a case for America’s good intentions in the region. I don’t think Pop-Tarts cancel out bombs, but the political and military use of the product is nonetheless fascinating.

Although I think Pop-Tarts need not be limited to breakfast, the snack is prominently associated with the most important meal of the day. Here at Falvey, there are several texts with all sorts of information on breakfast that may change the way you look at your morning meals. Here are just a few:

• Breakfast: Nutrition, Consumption and Health Benefits
• The Breakfast Book
• The English Breakfast: The Biography of a National Meal, with Recipes
• The Art of Breakfast: How to Bring B & B Entertaining Home

Make sure you comment your favorite Pop-Tarts flavor down below … unless it’s not s’mores, which is the correct answer to that question.

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Ethan Shea is a second-year graduate student in the English department and Graduate Assistant at Falvey Library.

A new exhibit, Korean War: American Forces in Korea, is now available to view in the Prince Family Veterans Resource Center on the ground floor of Vasey Hall. The exhibit focuses on the Korean War, which was fought in 1950-1953 between North Korea, supported by China and the Soviet Union, and South Korea, supported by the United States. Following three years of conflict, the two sides agreed to an Armistice, resulting in a Demilitarized Zone along the 38th parallel north, which divides the Korean peninsula to this day. Korean War: American Forces in Korea was curated by Director of Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement Michael Foight and Distinctive Collections Coordinator Christoforos Sassaris. It includes a range of materials covering the war, from 1950s comic books to a letter signed by President Harry S. Truman.

The first case, pictured above, includes two US military publications that shed light on the experiences of US troops stationed in Korea. The Hour Glass was a newspaper that chronicled the activities of the 7th Infantry Division; it provided US troops with information about Korean history, culture, and language. The Stethoscope served as a newsletter for the 7th Division’s 7th Medical Battalion; it includes illustrations drawn by members of the Battalion.

The exhibit also commemorates Villanova alumnus Lt. Robert Munday, who was killed in action while serving as an officer in the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War. In the first exhibit case, you may view a letter of condolence following Munday’s death signed by President Harry S. Truman, as well as an article on Munday published in a 1951 issue of the Lynx, a literary magazine published by Villanova College from 1948 to 1983. A plaque dedicated to the memory of Munday is found outside of John Barry Hall on the Villanova campus. Moreover, an entry on Munday is found on Honoring the Fallen: An Interactive Memorial Map, a Geographic Information System (GIS) map showing the locations where numerous Villanova veterans died in service. Another Villanova alumnus who died in Korea while serving in the Marine Corps is William Gaul, who is likewise commemorated with an entry on the GIS mapping project. A similar resource is the oral history project The Voices of Villanova’s Veterans, which includes interviews with numerous Villanovans who served in the armed forces.

The second exhibit case, pictured above, includes representations of the Korean War in the popular culture of the 1950s, including an issue of Collier’s magazine and four comic books depicting fictional scenes from the war. The page of Collier’s displayed in the exhibit showcases illustrations of US troops in Korea by artist Howard Brodie (1915-2010), who had previously become known for his sketches of World War II combat. These drawings demonstrate the heavy toll that continuous fighting took on US troops. The comics not only seek to engender sympathy toward troops, but also reflect several widespread attitudes, including McCarthyism, that would persist after the Armistice of 1953. These comics were all published shortly before the creation of the Comics Code Authority, which censored comics for decades, so Korean War-era comics were free to draw on the conventions of horror and similar genres in their depiction of wartime suffering.

Interestingly, one of the comic-book stories on display (“That’s What I Call Shooting,” found in Soldier Comics no. 11) emphasizes the importance of mapping technologies in war. For more information on this subject, read this article on Art of War: Illustrated and Military Maps of the Twentieth Century, an exhibit that was viewable in both Falvey Library and the Prince Family Veterans Resource Center during fall 2022.

You can see the full Korean War: American Forces in Korea exhibit during the spring 2023 semester at the Prince Family Veterans Resource Center in Vasey Hall!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Veterans Day, Villanova salutes our military veterans for their service and sacrifice at home and abroad.

In support of the current exhibit Art of War: Illustrated and Military Maps of the Twentieth Century, Falvey Memorial Library and the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members presented an exhibit talk and reception Nov. 9 in Falvey Library. Speakers discussed maps, their history, their use, and what the future holds for them in the military and beyond.

 

Our latest exhibit, Art of War: Illustrated and Military Maps of the Twentieth Century, is now on display on the 1st floor of Falvey Library and in select cases at the Prince Family Veterans Resource Center. Both locations feature a selection of two types of imagery: maps that are illustrated, highly pictorial, and created for public distribution; and topographic maps that have been created by government war offices for use in military conflict. The juxtaposition forces a close analysis of the very nature of maps. Often assumed as truthful and accurate, maps lead and guide the way, provide direction, and help us make decisions. Yet as with anything that is human-made there are things to consider – the knowledge or bias of the creator, the intended audience, the purpose of the document.

These examples, largely drawn from the John F. Smith, III and Susan B. Smith Antique Map Collection, explore major conflicts of the twentieth century and emphasize the inherently ephemeral quality of maps. These maps have urgency and are very much “of the moment” – whether they are illustrating a political viewpoint or guiding military forces – they compel us to consider the control, reliability, and availability of wartime information.

The exhibit was co-curated by Rebecca Oviedo, Distinctive Collections Archivist, and Christoforos Sassaris, Distinctive Collections Coordinator, with graphics created by Joanne Quinn, Director of Communication and Marketing. Stay tuned for more information on a coordinating event and reception, to be held later this fall during the week of Veteran’s Day.

 

 

 

 

Maps do far more than showing us the locations of places. They can persuade viewers and shape their perceptions of the world. They can also offer critical insight that leads to world-changing decisions, especially in times of war.

Art of War: Illustrated and Military Maps of the Twentieth Century, an upcoming exhibition co-curated by Rebecca Oviedo, Distinctive Collections Archivist, and Christoforos Sassaris, Distinctive Collections Coordinator, explores the creation and various uses of illustrated and military maps in the twentieth century. The maps are drawn mainly from the most recent addition of items generously donated to the John F. Smith, III and Susan B. Smith Antique Maps Collection. Several maps from this extensive collection have been digitized and can be viewed on Falvey’s Digital Library. You may also access an audio tour in which Mr. Smith comments on the maps’ significance.

The maps on view will range from strategic situation maps used by the US military to pictorial maps that implement satire and caricature to influence public perception of ongoing conflicts. Together, these maps shed light on how the spread of information—both textual and visual—took part in shaping major conflicts of the twentieth century.

Art of War: Illustrated and Military Maps of the Twentieth Century is co-hosted by Falvey Memorial Library and the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members, and will be viewable on both the first floor of Falvey Memorial Library and in the Prince Family Veterans Resource Center starting on September 8th through the remainder of the fall semester.

We hope to see you there!

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimated in 2018 that 318 World War II veterans die every day. As they are lost, their voices, filled with stories of service and sacrifice, disappear forever.

At Falvey Memorial Library on Nov. 12, Villanova’s Office of Veterans and Military Members and the Library’s Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement Department launched a collaboration “Lest We Forget: The Villanova Veterans History Project” that has begun to capture the unique voices and stories of veterans with connections to Villanova through digital recordings.

The recordings were engineered by Laura Bang, Distinctive Collections Librarian.

Digital Scholarship Librarian Erica Hayes overviewed the project’s interactive memorial map that honors Villanovans who have died in service to their country.

“This project has as a goal, to honor veterans, to hear their voices and to tell their stories. Whether it be through the Voices project, in an oral interview, or through the mapping project where we show more than just a name, we want to honor that sacrifice and service,” said Michael Brown, Director of Villanova’s Office of Veterans and Military Service Members and an Army Veteran. “I want you all, if you’re a veteran and have an interest, to come and tell your story as well. There’s value in that—we want to hear it. When you’re gone, which is hopefully a long time from now, maybe your grandchildren will want to hear that story too.”

More than 100 veterans, alumni, family, ROTC students, faculty, and staff attended the launch celebration, which included remembrances of two of the project’s 17 participants. They shared memories of their time in the armed services as well as their time as a student at Villanova.

Former US Navy Commander John Schofield CLAS discussed his time in Villanova’s NROTC program, where he struggled, graduating last in a class of 18, but found equal measures of support and tough love from his mentors. That pushed him to succeed then and built a foundation for success in his military service and beyond.

“The prevailing themes at Villanova and in the family of Villanovans is that you are going to make it and we love you. That speaks volumes about how special of a place this is, including for veterans,” he said. “I can’t thank you and Villanova enough for doing this.”

Villanova Veterans who are interested in participating in the project are encouraged to visit the website or email veterans@villanova.edu.

Villanova’s strong connection to service is reflected in the University’s proud tradition of military service.

Its Naval Reserve Officer Training Corp includes more than 90 Navy and Marine Corps midshipmen, under the advisement of a staff of highly trained and motivated sailors and marines. The program has produced more Navy Admirals and Marine Corps Generals than any other institution outside of the Naval Academy. The University also has an Army ROTC program, which trains and produces top level Cadets to serve as Army officers.

The University’s Office of Veterans and Military Members and Falvey Memorial Library’s Distinctive Collections and Digital Engagement Department are collaborating on a Villanova Veterans History Project called “Lest We Forget: The Villanova Veterans History Project” that will capture the unique voices and stories of veterans with connections to Villanova through digital recordings. It also features an interactive memorial map that honors Villanovans who have died in service to their country.

“Through extensive research and collaboration, our team created an interactive memorial map that will memorialize and remember the service of these Villanovans. In doing so, we hope to educate present and future generations about the cost of freedom and Villanova’s legacy of service,” said Michael Brown, Director of Villanova’s Office of Veterans and Military Service Members and an Army Veteran.

The launch of the digital project will be celebrated in Falvey Memorial Library’s Speakers’ Corner on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 4:30–7 p.m. The launch event will feature several project participants and Villanova University President the Rev. Peter M. Donohue, OSA, PhD.

This event is co-sponsored by the Office of Veterans and Military Service Members and Falvey Memorial Library.

Visit the digital project online at https://veteransvoices.library.villanova.edu/.