WSU gets postal cancellation to celebrate its founding date
9:12:52 PM CDT - Tuesday, August 26, 2003
To commemorate the founding of WSU's predecessor, Fairmount College, 108 years ago, the U.S. Postal Service has authorized a pictorial cancellation featuring the current WSU logo and the university's mascot WuShock.
The date of the cancellation is Sept. 11, to recognize the date in 1895 when college-level classes began for the 30 students enrolled in the new Fairmount College. Only 1,000 of the cancellations will be available.
WSU's post office will be open for extended hours on Thursday, Sept. 11, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., to handle cancellation requests. Those who can't make it on Sept. 11 can send a request by mail.
WSU's Postal Services has already gotten requests for more than 100 of the cancellations, according to Mike Sperlazza, manager. The cancellations are popular among postal history enthusiasts and stamp collectors.
John Williams, acquisitions manager at Ablah Library, is among those who've put in early requests. He's ordered 30 of the pictorial cancellations. A stamp collector since age 5, Williams says he uses cancellations as a special bonus when trading stamps. "They can be a good inducement for trades," he says. "It's a credible souvenir of Wichita."
Requests for the cancellations must be postmarked no later than 30 days following the cancellation date of Sept. 11. To get the cancellation, customers will need to send their requests to Pictorial Cancellations, WSU Station, Wichita KS 67260.
Customers will need to do the following when they make the request: Affix at least first-class postage to any envelope or postcard and address the mailer to whomever the cancellation should be sent. If using an envelope, insert a card of postcard thickness for sturdiness and tuck in the flap. Mail the envelope or postcard in a larger envelope to the above address. Customers can also send stamped envelopes and postcards without addresses for cancellation, as long as they supply a larger, self-addressed, stamped envelope.
WSU's Postal Services also will sell commemorative envelopes with the cancellation for $3 each.
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