The Order of the White Jacket was established in 1972 to honor and bring together alumni who worked their way through college in the food service establishments at the College and in the surrounding community. The organization's goals and objectives include fostering and strengthening the fraternal bond between alumni who served in food service, promoting the honor and dignity of the work ethic through manual labor to finance a college education, supporting current students working their way through college in food service through scholarship opportunities and advancing the interests of the Alumni Association and the College.
OWJ's historic roots are unique among William and Mary's alumni constituent groups and members' pride is shown by the wearing of the traditional white jackets with a blazer patch reminiscent of what waiters wore in the old College Dining Hall. The Board of Directors meets twice a year to plan annual activities such as the OWJ Banquet at Homecoming and the Spring Reception. Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki:
Acc. 1993.017: Gift of the Order of the White Jacket on March 19, 1993. Acquisition information for material received after 7/13/2009 is available by consulting a Special Collections Research Center staff member.
A portion of the collection was previously part of the University Archives Publications Collection.
Cindy Garrett of the Alumni Association delivered the white jacket and framed resolutions to the University Archives on August 3, 2006.
Future accruals are expected.
Acc. 2010.318 accessioned by Steven Bookman, University Archives Specialist, 5/26/2010.
Two patches were separated from Acc. 2010.318 and added to the University Archives Artifact Collection (UA 13) on 5/26/2010. The photographs from Acc. 2010.318 were separated from this collection and added to the University Archives Photograph Collection (UA 8) on 5/26/2010. A metal key from Acc. 2010.318 was separated from this collection and added to the University Archives Artifact Collection (UA 13) on 5/26/2010.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
This collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Order of the White Jacket Records, Special Collections Research Center, Earl Gregg Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Alumni Association (UA 80); University Archives Artifact Collection (UA 13); University Archives Oral History Collection (UA 43): Andrews, Miner Carl, pp. 4-6 and Zollinger, John Edward, pp. 2, 10-11.
University Archives Photograph Collection (UA 8): P1982.2 is a print depicting the interior of a dining hall, showing student waiters, in 1918. P1989.115 is a print depicting student waiters in the dining hall, circa 1936. P1998.045 is a print featuring the co-owners of the Colonial Restaurant Ed O'Connell and James John "Jimmy" Seu.
This collection includes newsletters, minutes, membership rosters, correspondence, fliers, photographs, and other materials relating to the College of William and Mary Alumni Association interest group the Order of the White Jacket and its student group. Much of the material in box 1 is from the student group for the Order of the White Jacket. The collection also includes a member's white jacket, resolutions from the Society of the Alumni and Governor Douglas Wilder marking the group's 20th anniversary in 1992, and a sliver platter engraved with the names of the order's Charter Members.
Acc. 2010.318: Contains clippings, correspondence, publications, minutes, photographs, and scrapbooks created and collected by the Order of the White Jacket from 1972 to 2000. The records include two scrapbooks from 1972 to 1979; programs from their annual banquets from 1972 to 1998; membership rosters from 1978 to 1992; and photographs of members from the Order of the White Jacket at annual banquets and other miscellaneous events. This material is not yet fully arranged and described in the finding aid/inventory below.
This series contains minutes, newsletters, and other material related to the Order of the White Jacket that were previously part of the University Archives Publications Collection.
Scope and Contents Booklet for luncheon held at W&M Hall on October 22, 1993, Tercentenary Homecoming. Lists scholarship recipients over many years
This series contains clippings, correspondence, publications, minutes, photographs, and scrapbooks created and collected by the Order of the White Jacket from 1972 to 2000. The records include two scrapbooks from 1972 to 1979; programs from their annual banquets from 1972 to 1998; membership rosters from 1978 to 1992; and photographs of members from the Order of the White Jacket at annual banquets and other miscellaneous events.
Contains correspondence, photographs and Order of the White Jackets stationary.