Gaston G. Gage Papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: Mss-0066
The Gage Papers contain material recording his relationship with Clemson College and his personal activities. It includes correspondence and documents dealing with the founding and organization of IPTAY, the Clemson Athletic Council, the rise of Clemson as a collegiate sports power, and the subsequent radio coverage of the Clemson games. There is also information about the Clemson Alumni Corporation, the Forum Club, and the expansion of the Clemson College Library in the late 1940s.
The collection contains correspondence with prominent Clemson figures, such as Presidents Robert Franklin Poole and Enoch W. Sikes, Coach Frank Howard, Business Manager J.C. Littlejohn, and Dean Hugh M. Brown of the Textile Department.
Several folders contain papers relating to Mr. Gage's frequent pastimes of bird-watching and fox-hunting. There is extensive information on types of birds frequenting the Clemson area and their seasonal migration during the 1960s and 1970s. There is also material dealing with the establishment of the Clemson Area Retirement Community, better known as Clemson Downs. Also of interest is a speech Mr. Gage prepared for the Forum Club dealing with the first presidents of Clemson College as well as Clemson's early history.
There are no restrictions on the use of this collection beyond those of Special Collections.
Gaston G. Gage was born September 16, 1898 at Chester, South Carolina. After graduation from Chester High School he attended the University of South Carolina until he left to serve in the U.S. Army in 1918. In January, 1919 he entered Clemson College and graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Textile Engineering. Gage worked for Aragon-Baldwin Mills in Chester, South Carolina as Paymaster and Overseer of the Card, Spinning and Cloth Rooms.
Gage returned to Clemson in September, 1932 as an instructor in the Yarn Manufacturing Department of the Textile School. He attended the University of North Carolina 1935-1936 and received a Master of Education degree from Pennsylvania State in 1941. At Clemson he became Associate Professor in 1943, Professor in 1946 and Head of the Yarn Manufacturing Department in 1949. He was appointed Acting Dean of Textiles in 1957 and Dean of Textiles in 1958. Gage retired from Clemson, but continued to support Clemson Alumni activities.
Gage married Ruth Vardell of Red Springs, North Carolina in 1927. The Gages had two sons, Gaston, Jr. and Charles Vardell, who both graduated from Clemson in Textile Engineering.
Gaston Gage distinguished himself as a member of the Kappa Alpha and Phi Psi fraternities, the American Society for Testing Materials, the International Organization for Standardization Control, National Council for Textile Education, the Textile Institute and the Southern Textile Association. Gage was a charter member of IPTAY, the athletic support organization at Clemson, and served on the Faculty Athletic and Class Schedule Committees.
Gage was active in community and church arrairs and served as Chairman of the Board of Stewards, Sunday School Superintendant and Chairman of the Pastoral Relations Committee of the Clemson Methodist Church. He was also Chairman of the Board of Trustees for Calhoun-Clemson School.
Mr. Gage was an avid bird-watcher and fox-hunter, as well as a devotee of Clemson football. He was active in the Clemson Fellowship Club and a college discussion group known as the Forum Club.
Ruth Gage died in 1982. Gaston Gage died September 25, 1983.
2 Cubic Feet
English
This collection consists mainly of Gaston G. Gage's correspondence relating to Clemson College, the School of Textiles, and his various personal interests. It includes several essays presented at the Clemson Forum Club. Gage's correspondence documents his career as a professor and dean at Clemson University, as well as his involvment in community and church affairs. There is some material related to his wife, Ruth Vardell Gage (1899-1981).
Gage's papers are arranged alphabetically.
This collection was donated to Clemson University Library in January 1984 by Gaston Gage, Jr.
Twenty-four photographs related to class of 1921 reunions, fox hunting and the National Council for Textile Education were photocopied and the originals have been filed in the photograph collection in Clemson University Special Collections (Series 100).
Several Clemson Agricultural College publications were added to the University Archives files.
This register was prepared by Curtis Morgan in 1984.
Part of the Clemson University Libraries Special Collections and Archives Repository