SHARIVAR

                                                                      Print Materials, 1959 - 1969
                                                                                      .25 l.f.

Historical Background
SHARIVAR was a three-day annual festival held from 1959 through 1968 at NDSU. It offered students, parents and other visitors from Minnesota, North Dakota and surrounding areas a full range of academic, cultural and recreational exhibits and activities. It brought into focus the educational, research and extension functions of NDSU in a “state fair” atmosphere. Highlights included high school day, band day, and parent’s day.

During Spring Break 1959, 20 North Dakota Agricultural College (NDAC) students visited over 100 high schools in North Dakota to talk about living and studying at NDAC. These appearances served as a promotional tactic to introduce what became known as SHARIVAR.

The first annual SHARIVAR was held on May 8th and 9th, 1959, and boasted an attendance of approximately 2,000 people. Prior to SHARIVAR, over a four-day period, 1,000 balloons were released across the state from Fargo, Minot, and Bismarck. Within some of these balloons were red tags, which were good for free merchandise and yellow tags, good for Bison Brevities tickets. These tags were redeemable at the festival.

Visitors were able to view the campus’ social and educational activities through numerous evens and displays. Exhibits included the kiss-o-meter, glass bowling, and a hamburger-eating plant. Some scheduled features were the campus production of Springtime for Henry, a variety show, debate and an NDAC-Moorhead State baseball game. For the high school seniors, scheduled activities included: a bowling tournament, scholarship testing, and a variety of open houses in the dorms, classrooms, and laboratories.

Throughout the 1960s SHARIVAR was a large part of life on the NDSU (NDAC became NDSU on December 8, 1960) campus. However, in 1969, due to a lack of student interest, SHARIVAR was not held. The Student Senate supported a motion to transfer the SHARIVAR funds into what became Spring Blast, which was first held from April 30 – May 6, 1969. Spring Blast continues today in the 21st century. Although SHARIVAR is long gone, its legacy lives on.

Scope & Content
This is an artificially created series consisting of print materials culled from various university subject files. The folders are arranged chronologically from 1961 - 1968. In addition, there is a news clippings folder and a yearbook clipping folder. The materials provide a brief overview of SHARIVAR with a little depth into the workings and events.

See Also: University Archives Photograph Collection: SHARIVAR (I & II), ASh 27 (I&II).

BOX 1

1 Finding Aid

2 Schedule of events, displays by College, SHARIVAR folder – April 20, 21, 22 1961

3 “What are You doing for.. SHARIVAR All-Campus Open House - Informational piece for faculty & students – 1962

4 Newsletter SHARIVAR faculty steering committee – March-April 1963; SHARIVAR NDSU Open House, flyer – April 27, 1963; Memo to discuss SHARIVAR date for 1964

5 “Here’s an Invitation to SHARIVAR, flyer – May 1-3, 1964; Tentative schedule – 1964

6 75th Anniversary SHARIVAR brochure and flyer; College Exhibit Displays: College of Arts and Science and College of Home Economics; memo to faculty and administration with schedule; memo to faculty – May 7, 8, 9, 1965

7 SHARIVAR ’66 - Letters to Teachers, attendees, housing, program and schedule of events; Parent’s Day brochure – May 6; steering committee – May 6, 7, 8, 1966

8 SHARIVAR ’67 – booklet; press releases, memos – May 5, 6, 7, 1967

9 SHARIVAR 1968 – booklet, Parent’s Day brochure – May 5; press releases; memos; Central SHARIVAR committee reports; SHAIRVAR Publicity Committee information – May 3, 4, 5, 1968

10 Newspaper clippings and Spectrum article listing – 1959-1967

11 NDSU yearbook clippings – 1960-1969




11/96, rev. 5/01, 11/03, 12/06