From the cursive font used in their personal letters and scrapbooks to the individual designs stitched onto their aprons and towels, Eastern’s third president, Robert Guy Buzzard, and his wife, Irene Buzzard, artistically handcrafted their family history.

This history has been slowly unraveling since August when a group of historical administration graduate students began studying the unique hobbies that united the Buzzards, who reigned over the university from 1933 to ‘56.

Nearly a full school year of research and planning will culminate in an exhibit showcasing these “Texts and Textiles,” which will be on display from Saturday through June 29 in the E-Gallery of the Tarble Arts Center.

The group’s work included digging through Booth Library archives and the Tarble’s collection as well as communicating information through a website, a Twitter page, tutorial videos on how to create the textiles and a virtual 3D blueprint of the exhibit.

Stevy Hernandez, one of the students working on the exhibit, said the way the group has been using social media for the project is similar to the way President Buzzard would send monthly newsletters called the “Buzzard Beacon” to his family members as well as create scrapbooks.

“As a publicity team, we have been using social media sites to keep in connection with everyone and spread the word,” Hernandez said. “But it has been interesting to see how Dr. Buzzard would use the paper format and now we’re using a technology format to do this and spread the words he said to other people.”

The letters included updates about children and other family matters and snippets of jokes and poems, and the scrapbooks included details of family events and the Buzzards’ weaving certificates.

The display will also feature handwritten letters from Irene Buzzard to her son, Charles “Buzz” Buzzard.

The exhibit will feature pieces from as long ago as the 1890s up until as recent as the 1970s.

One part of the exhibit will focus on the Buzzards’ lives before the Eastern presidency, including textiles Irene Buzzard and her mother crafted before she was married.

Another part will focus on the period of the Buzzards’ lives when Robert Guy Buzzard was president of Eastern and the couple was well known in Charleston.

This includes guest towels ranging from plain white to bright blue embroidered with different patterns and a red-checkered apron with hand-sewn designs.

The third portion of the exhibit focuses on the Buzzards’ lives after the Buzzards retired and moved to Arizona.

During this period of their lives, President Buzzard learned to weave fabric using a loom.

One of his projects included a light brown fabric that he wove and sent to a designer to make into a dress as an anniversary present for his wife.

The dress still maintains his stamp, a label sewn inside the jacket that reads, “Hand Woven by R.G. Buzzard.”

Hernandez said a student would demonstrate how to use a loom during the exhibit’s opening reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday in the Tarble.

Stephanie Templin, another student working on the exhibit, said one of the most interesting things she learned from reading the Buzzards’ letters was how much President Buzzard admired his wife’s crafting skills.

Templin said that whenever Irene Buzzard would come up with something new, her husband would write about it in detail and include instructions.

“They redid their master bedroom at one point in the mid- ‘50s, and Irene created new curtains for them and they were in this colonial style and she created tassels for them, and Dr. Buzzard went and described how the tassels were made and at the end he was like ‘Oh yes, Martha Washington would be envious of our curtains!’” Templin said.

Sarah DePuy, a student working on the exhibit, said this exhibit presents a chance to learn about a side of the former university president that normally would not be focused on, including his hobbies and family relationships.

President Buzzard’s legacy on Eastern is often what is remembered or studied.

Desiree Ramirez, another student working on the exhibit, said the display will feature multiple views of the Buzzard’s lives, from their influence on Eastern to the bonds they shared with each other.

“The exhibit doesn’t just focus on one or the other; it’s kind of their life together and how they weaved it together,” Ramirez said. “Dr. Buzzard’s legacy is pretty amazing because he was here for a lot of the construction of the buildings that are still on campus, like Buzzard Hall, but when you look at his legacy on campus, you don’t necessarily see his wife’s, but here at the Tarble we’re able to focus on both of them and show not only what they did together while he was president here but also the life they lived together after and the influence they had on each other.”

Stephanie Markham can be reached at 581-2812 or DENverge@gmail.com.