Tag Archives: Texas Technical College

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Texas Technological College Arena Ritas Uniform, 1929

This two-piece uniform belonged to a member of the  Arena Ritas, the first pep squad at Texas Tech.  The uniform consists of a bolero jacket and skirt made of black corduroy.  The bolero-like jacket is open down the front, and is worn with a shirt underneath.  The sleeves have red, cotton satin appliques on the shoulders and cuffs.  The flared, knee-length skirt has five inverted pleats of bright red, cotton satin.

Courtesy of The University Archives at Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library

The Arena Ritas perform at half-time at a Texas Technological College football game.  To see this and other original photographs of TTU history, please visit The University Archives at Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library campus location in Lubbock, Texas.

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Blue Crepe Dinner Dress, 1930s

Detail of the chevron-studded sleeve

This dress belonged to Lubbock native, Dorothy Rylander.  She attended Texas Technical College (later to become Texas Tech University).  Beginning college in 1927, she received both a Bachelor’s and a Master’s degrees in history. Her association with TTC was interrupted for several years when she worked in the office of Texas Congressman George Mahon in Washington, DC from 1946-1953.

Ms. Rylander wore this blue crepe dinner dress during her time at the college. The bias cut of the fabric along with the cowl neckline represent common design elements of the 1930s. Alternating gold and silver square studded chevrons embellish the bell-cut sleeves.

Throughout her long and fruitful career, she contributed to several entities on campus, including the College of Engineering, the West Texas Museum and the West Texas Museum Association, and the Southwest Collection. Retiring in 1971, she remained actively involved in community organizations in Lubbock receiving both the “Freda McVay Award for Community Service” in 1981 and the TTU’s “College of Arts and Science’s Distinguished Alumnus Award” in 1988.