Jill Smith
Staff Writer
[email protected]

In honor of the University’s centennial, President Bob Jackson, along with co-authors Jeff McLaughlin, director of special exhibits and archives, and Sarah Marie Owens, library specialist, wrote the book “The Finest Place We Know,” a celebration of the University’s unique history. 

This book is a collection of photographs and stories from Murray State dating back to the University’s founding in 1922. 

Jackson said this book showcases the unique history of Murray State. 

“It’s going to start in 1922 and end in 2022,” Jackson said. “So it’s a lot of facts and information that most will not know, many photographs that many have never seen in our archives, both starting in the ‘20s all the way through today. I think it will be a great addition for this university, for the faculty and staff and students.”

Jackson said the title of the book comes from Murray State’s alma mater, written in 1932 by Dean A.B. Austin. 

Jackson said a book committee of University officials was formed to help assist in making decisions on what to include in the book, including going through thousands of photos. 

“We made the final calls on that,” Jackson said. “When you look at some of the old photos, they’ve never been used before. That’s what we’re trying to do. We wanted to share a story that hadn’t yet been fully told.” 

McLaughlin said there was a lot of guidance on the book. 

“The committee included various points, and so I think the collaborative nature of the project made it much better,” McLaughlin said. “For me, it was a lot of fun just kind of swapping stories in the office and figuring out what made sense for the book.”

McLaughlin said they focused on trying to incorporate the right amount of photos and text. 

“We began with the original notion that this would be just a really glossy book of terrific photos with short captions under each,” McLaughlin said. 

McLaughlin said the book contains seven chapters, which will be followed by vignettes to give more context to the history of the University. 

The book is being published by the University Press of Kentucky, according to the Murray State website. Jackson said the Press is selective on what they publish, so it’s exciting they decided to publish this book. 

McLaughlin said when researching for the book, he realized how special Murray State is. 

“I kind of really gravitated to the story about integration,” McLaughlin said. “The president at the time, Ralph Woods, actively chose to do the right thing and started bringing Black students before there was any pressure from the state or the federal government to do so. I think we should be proud of that.”

It was a priority for the committee to ensure the history of Murray State was told well and accurately. 

“I think it’s vitally important that we tell stories, maybe that haven’t been told before, to give everyone an appreciation for the unique history of this institution,” Jackson said.“It’s a very good history.”

Jackson said this book is a way to remember those who had an important role in founding Murray State.

“It’s to remember those that came before us, and to tip our hat and to thank all of those throughout history that have made a difference in this place,” Jackson said.

A portion of book sales will go towards Pogue Library, according to the Murray State website.

Jackson said the money will be used to ensure the archives stay protected for the next centennial. 

To find out more information about this book, visit www.murraystate.edu/centennial.