Collections : [Wesleyan University -Special Collections and Archives]

Correspondence to Willbur Fisk contains letters sent by others to Fisk, arranged in alphabetical order by sender's name. For the complete finding aid to the Willbur Fisk Papers, visit http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/schome/FAs/fi1000-91.html.

Correspondence from Willbur Fisk contains letters sent by Fisk to others, arranged in chronological order. For the complete finding aid to the Willbur Fisk Papers, visit http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/schome/FAs/fi1000-91.html.

The Willbur Fisk Papers consist of two large series. The first, Correspondence, is arranged into two groups: letters to Willbur Fisk, and letters from Willbur Fisk. Both groups are arranged alphabetically. There are links in the finding aid to complete inventories of the letters. The letters from Willbur Fisk have both alphabetical and chronological inventories, although the letters are physically arranged in alphabetical order.

In researching Civil War photographs, many photos in this album were found in books and authoritative websites attributed to various well known Civil War photographers such as George Bernard and Matthew Brady. None of the photographs in this album are identified and credited to its photographer by Samuel Hatfield. This album is an informative collection of well-known and historically significant photographs, maps and drawings of battles, forts, geographic locations, and people divided into eight sections.

Materials include items specifically related to Wesleyan's V-12 program as well as writings, research, and published works related to naval wartime training and higher education during wartime in general. The first series, Wesleyan Navy V-12 Program, includes correspondence belonging to Herge and other Wesleyan figures regarding V-12 at Wesleyan; student publications and other student guides and programs; articles about Wesleyan's V-12 program published in campus publications; a report assessing Wesleyan's program; and a list of people involved in the V-12 at Wesleyan. The second series, Research and Writings, includes writings by Herge as well as research reports and other data used in his writings. Most of the writings are undated but seem to date from the mid- to late-1940s and are mostly in a draft, typescript format. Topics of the writing and research are higher education during wartime and wartime training. The third series, Other Publications, consists of journals, pamphlets, and other published materials that belonged to Herge. The subjects include wartime naval training, the Navy V-12 program, naval curricula information, and higher education in general.

The collection, which is arranged by press name or printer’s name, comprises ephemeral items produced by each press. The bulk are letterpress book prospectuses, but also include press catalogs and other advertising. "Secondary material" here refers to subject or clipping files taken from local and national publications about the press or printer, and are housed in a separate folder from the press ephemera itself.

The Great Hollow Wilderness School/WOW Collection includes files with information about both programs, and objects given to participants, such as water bottles, t-shirts, and hats.

The Harrington Papers are organized into 5 series and span the years 1880-1968. Most interesting is the Correspondence. It appears that John Spaeth, the first unofficial university archivist, grouped Harrington's correspondence (Series I, Box 1, folders 1-7) by topic or subject and wrote brief summaries for each folder. These summaries are included in each folder. Spaeth's organization by folder, along with his summaries have been maintained.

This collection comprises some 800 examinations given at Wesleyan from 1868 to 1970. Of these, close to 300 are from the nineteenth century. The 1960s are relatively poorly represented, with only 38 items. About 480 examinations are printed, 44 are manuscript and the remainder are either typed or mimeographed. Examinations dated after 1930 are almost exclusively comprehensive examinations, while earlier examinations include entrance examinations, mid-term and final examinations, and competitive examinations for named prizes awarded for academic excellence.

The materials in the Financial Planning Committee Records date from 1972 to 1975, and include evaluations of departmental or program proposals, faculty compensation concerns, and student expense issues. The main item of business for the FPC during this period was Wesleyan's growing deficit, and recommendations to address budgetary concerns.

The diary of Reverend Holden Dwight was written from August 18, 1837 to November 18, 1843. The diary begins as Dwight professes his excitement about returning home after working in Georgia for nearly two years. From Columbus, Georgia, Dwight traveled to Augusta, Georgia by stagecoach, then by railroad to Charleston, South Carolina, then to New York City by steamer. On his way back to his hometown of Southbridge, Massachusetts, Dwight stopped by his alma mater, Wesleyan University, whereupon he met with Mr. Charles Ser, an old acquaintance. After a brief conversation, Dwight then continued to Hartford, Connecticut where he stayed the night. In the morning, he took a stage to his hometown and arrived in Southbridge during the afternoon. At once he noticed the changes the local temperance movement had made upon his town, for now many of the taverns had been shut down. Once arriving home his family and friends greeted him with joy.

This collection contains two series representing donations by two EQV members. The first series is composed of original materials such as account books, tax forms, correspondence and newsletters. Much of this series is from 1967. This series also contains group photographs of members for the years 1960, 1966, and 1967. Series II is composed of secondary sources including a history of the fraternity, biographies of some members, and a directory. Appendices to the history have photocopies of original documents that are represented in Series I.

The Football Programs Collection contains programs for Wesleyan home and away games from 1891 through 2005. The collection is not complete for all years.

The collection is housed in two boxes. The first box is made up of Glee Club programs and announcements of the concerts from 1869 to 1923. The second box has later Glee Club concert programs and announcements, from 1926 to 1972. It also includes programs of the annual Christmas candlelight concert held in the chapel. Most of Glee Club concerts took place off-campus and are programs from these concerts are not included in this collection; however, every year until about the 1940s, the Glee Club held a mid-winter concert and a commencement concert on-campus, and programs for these performances are included. Beginning around the 1960s, the Glee Club participated in more performances with other glee clubs or other choirs, particularly from women's schools (mostly Wheaton College and Smith College). In working with the women's choirs, the groups often selected music from a previously-written production and held performances at both of the participating schools, which is noted on the programs.

Correspondence from Willbur Fisk contains letters sent by Fisk to others, arranged in alphabetical order by sender's name. For the complete finding aid to the Willbur Fisk Papers, visit http://www.wesleyan.edu/libr/schome/FAs/fi1000-91.html.

As much as possible, the original folder titles have been maintained. In the container list below, these titles have been transcribed as accurately as possible. There is not a distinction made between the original folder titles and those provided by the processors.

The David McAllester collection documents McAllester's interests in writing, research, music and ritual. Early folders in Series I: Writings, feature short stories and poetry which he submitted for consideration to magazines like The New Yorker. David McAllester also published widely, in scholarly journals, book reviews, encyclopedias of music, and materials for teachers. Drafts of his work and correspondence relating to his writings are contained in Series I.

This collection contains correspondence, business records, litigation documents, teaching notes and materials, bulletins and reports, speeches, manuscript writings, photographs, financial records, books, clippings, scrapbooks, and ephemera documenting the life and career of Arthur T. Vanderbilt, and spans 1902 to 1957. It should be noted that the materials are vast, including drafts of judicial opinions over the last ten years of Vanderbilt's life. The first series on Education contains material pertaining to his education at Newark High School, Wesleyan University, and Columbia Law School. It also contains records and correspondence relating to Vanderbilt's Delta Kappa Epsilon Alumni Activities from 1925 to 1957, and correspondence relating to his service on the Wesleyan University Board of Trustees from 1934 to 1957 and as its President from 1946 to 1947. The Law Practice series consists of materials relating to Vanderbilt's private law practice, spanning 1914 to 1947. It includes client lists and litigation files, account books and other financial records, work records, briefs, and legal diaries. The New York University School of Law series documents Vanderbilt's roles there as both professor and dean, and spans 1914 to 1947. It contains teaching notes, correspondence, articles written by Vanderbilt and related materials, NYU statistical and administrative materials, reports and memos related to the NYU Law Center Institutes, materials related to the Root-Tilden Scholarship Program, Citizenship Clearing House, and Institute of Judicial Administration, as well as materials more generally related to NYU. The Political Activities series contains campaign records, correspondence, scrapbooks and clippings, reports and election statistics, and other materials related to Vanderbilt's political career, spanning the dates 1919 to 1947. The Bar Association Activities series contains correspondence related to Vanderbilt's term as president of the American Bar Association from 1936 to 1939 as well as more general correspondence, reports, and documentation of ABA activities from 1936 to 1957. It also contains a small amount of material on Essex County and New Jersey Bar Association correspondence from the 1930s and 1940s. The Judicial Reform and Administration of Justice series contains correspondence, articles and clippings, reports, and memos documenting the Attorney General's Committee on Administrative Procedure during the 1940s, administrative law, the New Jersey Judicial Council during the 1930s and 1940s, the National Conference of Judicial Councils from the 1930s to the 1950s, the Advisory Committee of the United States Supreme Court on Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure during the 1940s, the Committee on Military Justice for the War Department from 1946 to 1950, the National Committee on Traffic Law Enforcement from 1938 to 1951, the Hoover Commission on Reorganization of the Government, and the New Jersey Constitutional Revision Movement from 1940 to 1948. The Chief Justice of New Jersey series contains the judicial opinions, correspondence, clippings, and subject files from Vanderbilt's term, 1948 to 1957. The Folders of Engagements series contains invitations, correspondence and other related materials, spanning 1938 to 1957. The following three series: Book Reviews and Financial; Books, Articles, and Addresses; and Writings - Unfinished, contain published and unpublished writings by Vanderbilt as well as a small amount of financial papers. The final series, Miscellaneous: Photographs, Travel, and Personal Interests, contain materials documenting Vanderbilt's personal life as well as unidentified files.

This collection contains the papers of E. E. Schattschneider, a political scientist who spent the majority of his career at Wesleyan University. This collection is organized into seven series and primarily reflects Schattschneider's research interests from the 1950s until his death in 1971. All series are arranged alphabetically by name or subject and chronologically thereunder, with the exception of Series 3, Teaching, Wesleyan Government Department, Student Papers, each section of which is arranged chronologically, and alphabetically thereunder. Schattschneider's original order and nomenclature for folder titles have been retained throughout wherever possible; renaming and further description is present where the original titles have been nonexistant or extremely misleading.

The Second Stage Theater Records include administrative information about the student group, organized by each season and year. Information may include: staff lists; seasonal production lists; correspondence; clippings; financial information; production notes; show applications and responses; posters; and other administrative files. Some seasons have separate files for each production, and some seasons have sparse documentation.

This manuscript in two parts is titled "Memoirs of a College Gatekeeper, Set I" and "More Memoirs from a College Gatekeeper, Set II." Written by Dr. H. Kenneth Shook, it includes autobiographical stories, including a passage about Robert Frost's 1953 visit to Wesleyan University while Shook was a student in the Master of Arts in Teaching program.

Contains proofs of A Mother in History (1966), a non-fiction book based on interviews with Marguerite Oswald, the mother of Lee Harvey Oswald, and Bad Characters, a book of short stories (1964).

The collection contains clippings, correspondence, manuscript and other print materials and ephemera relating to the subject of Arthurian scholarship. Many items were removed from books in the Nathan Comfort Starr Collection of Arthuriana (now held in the Wesleyan University's Special Collections Archives), and can be cross-referenced with the book's title and call number.

The textile collection contains shirts, hats, commencement robes, sweaters, uniforms, and other apparel related to Wesleyan University.

The Samuel M. Tuthill Papers include Wesleyan orientation materials from 1935, Wesleyan publications from the late 1930s and early 1940s, some financial documents, and a photograph album that includes images of 1936 Middletown Flood, the New England Hurricane of 1938, construction of the Arrigoni Bridge between Middletown and Portland, the Wesleyan campus during winter, Wesleyan classrooms, the Sigma Nu fraternity, tobacco farming, and a commencement ceremony.

The repeal papers of The Voluntary Committee of Lawyers, Inc. 1928-1944, were originally working files of Joseph Hodge Choate, Jr. (1876-1968) and of Harrison Tweed (1885-1969) when they were among the leaders of this single-purpose organization. The Choate materials are correspondence and publications. The Tweed records represent financial aspects of the organization, of which he was treasurer. These papers include the records of the financial transactions of the organization, all known publications and a great deal of original correspondence.

The Washington's Birthday Commemoration Programs consists primarily of the programs given out at Washington's Birthday ceremonies and banquets between 1863 and 1941. In addition, a few years include tickets to events, clippings about the event, and related memorabilia. The programs offer fine examples of design and printing styles from the period.

The Wesleyan Spirits Records include documentation of the group's activities and travels. Materials are periodically added by members of the Wesleyan Spirits.

The Wesleyan Student Assembly Records include minutes, subject files, memoranda, reports, publications, flyers, and other materials related to the student government of Wesleyan University. Topics include campus speakers and visitors, facilities, offices and buildings, courses, departments, and issues involving professors and curriculum. The Administrative Files series is not processed, but a general listing of its contents is included.

This collection is organized into 5 main series, representing a chronological progression of documents. Series 1 contains documents from the years 1967 to 1970, Series 2 from the year 1972, Series 3 from the year 1973, Series 4 from the year 1974, and Series 5 details the years 1976 to 1978. Each series (with the exception of Series 5) contains four subseries: Planning Correspondence, Itemized Work Estimates, Cost Estimates and Bills, and Blueprints and Floor plans (Series 5 does not contain a folder for the last subseries, Blueprints and Floor plans). The most prevalent documents in the collection are informal correspondence between small groups of Biology professors or individual professors and Ross Gortner, Director of the Science Center. Also included are correspondence with planning firms, and lab equipment providers (generally Gortner or Facilities Planner Robert Wilson represent the University in these inquiries). There are also several full blueprints which show large-scale plans for renovation which were not completed during this period.

This collection contains a three generation history in photographs of the Minor and Stetson families from 1862-1948; Willis Kimball Stanton, his father Daniel K. Stetson and his children John Minor, George Albert and Mary Mead.

The Viewbooks Collection contains items related to Wesleyan University from 1893 through 2006. They frequently include photographs and statistics from the time period.

The collection contains folders for each of the groups represented on campus that were active in anti-nuclear arms protests. These folders contain an array of information on the groups. Memos to and from the student groups and faculty as well as documents with their budgets, meeting minutes and membership lists are all included. Many groups also have a group statement with their goals as a group along with information on the greater anti-nuclear movement.

This collection contains meeting notes from the April 29 Coalition and their arrangements for the May 12, 1982 North College Sit-in to reinstate Wesleyan University's aid-blind admissions policy. Since this occured before the invention of cell phones, there are many letters written by the 19 students who spent 150 hours locked in North College. The coalition had a team of runners that would deliver supplies and messages to those locked in. The sit-in was also during the same time as reading week and the annual Spring Fling concert.

The Atwater Family Papers contain the publications, personal papers and letters of members of Wilbur Olin Atwater's family. The collection centers around Wilbur Olin Atwater, Marcia Atwater (his wife), William Atwater (his father), Helen Atwater (his daughter) and Charles Atwater (his son). The majority of the collection is composed of letters written and received by the aforementioned people. They primarily discuss familial, financial or personal matters; with the exception of the papers of Helen Atwater, for whom there are is significant collection of papers and publications relating to her work in the field of Home Economics. The correspondence centers on family topics; current events are rarely discussed in the letters.

This collection contains a number of volumes that document personal and team records for Wesleyan teams including both Wesleyan records and intercollegiate athletic records set during athletic contests. Some volumes contain detailed scoring information and statistics from teams including baseball and football. There are also 2006 football playbooks, and a 207-2007 Student-Athlete Handbook. Other sports represented in the collection include golf, hockey, lacrosse, basketball, swimming, boating, softball, and tennis. Some financial records and correspodence related to individual teams is also present. Many of these volumes were created before the founding of the Wesleyan Athletic Council, when each team had its own supporting and administrative organization, and complement some portions of the Athletic Council Records, which are also housed in the Wesleyan University Archives.

This collection includes operating documents, memoranda, correspondence and notes of the Wesleyan chapter of the AAUP from 1973 to 1987. It also includes published information from the national AAUP and from AAUP branches at other institutions, most notably Yale and Trinity College. It also contains books and pamphlets put out by the AAUP, mainly from the 1970s, as well as membership kits from several years. The chronological files contain notes, memoranda, and correspondence from members of the AAUP to the group, and between the AAUP and the administration.

The diary of Lorenzo Whiting Blood was written from 1835 when he was a freshman at Wesleyan, to 1844, when he was a Methodist minister in Mystic, Connecticut. During this period, Blood traveled throughout much of Connecticut, along with some stops in Massachusetts (where his future wife lived)and New York City. Blood wrote about many Methodist ministers, especially his professor Dr. Fisk, as well as many parish members throughout his travels. Blood does not dwell too often on any one person; though he does occasionally mention his wife, Elizabeth Smith and first child, Mary, it is only when something dire occurs that they are mentioned. Blood dwells heavily upon his faith towards God, often ending almost every entry with some assurance to his everlasting devotion to the Almighty. There are also three brief mentions of Blood's sentiments towards abolitionism.

This collection contains anecdotes written by Wesleyan alumni from the classes of 1859 to 1936. Major topics include their experiences with former Wesleyan professors, pranks performed with their classmates, the burning of North College in 1906, and the arrival of women on campus in 1872. Some sample reminscences:

The Osmon C. Baker Collection is arranged into two main series. The first, Accession #1000-85, contains materials from Baker's education at Wesleyan University, including notes, essays, and an autograph album. The second series, Accession #1000-208, is mostly comprised of correspondence to and from Baker. The correspondence begins during Baker's time at the Wesleyan Academy and continues to his service as a bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. The series also includes family materials and a small number of writings by Baker.

The bulk of the Apostles Club Records are meeting minutes, which were recorded beginning in 1894 until the last meeting in 1967, although they become increasingly more detailed in later years. Up until early 1952 the minutes were recorded in journals, but after that the secretaries began to type them. The minutes specified host and presenter for each meeting, as well as the topic of discussion. In addition to minutes, there are a few pieces of correspondence from 1939, two clippings about the Apostles Club from 1895 and 1897, and lists of members between 1920 and 1965.

This collection contains complete minutes of the meetings of the council from 1903-1958, a redrafted constitution following the 1923 change in responsibilities, and account books containing departmental and individual teams’ expenses. For the first constitution of the Athletic Council, see the Argus, 18 May 1904.

This collection contains issues of over 490 different gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender periodicals published between 1966 and 1998. The bulk consists of English-language titles from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, though examples from the European continent, Russia, and Israel are also present. The extent of each title may vary from a single issue to several complete (or near-complete) volumes. The collection is arranged into three separate series by size, and alphabetically by title thereunder.

The William North Rice Papers contain diaries, correspondence, account books, teaching materials, writings, lectures, and sermons related to Rice's interests in Wesleyan University, science, religion, and education in general. The Diaries and Correspondence series includes personal diaries and account books kept by William North Rice during his time as a Wesleyan University student, and correspondence from family members, friends, colleagues, and fellow alumni from throughout his life. The subject of many of the diary entries and letters is Wesleyan University, and these writings contain information about academics, social life, campus groups, co-education, trustee maters, campus politics, selection of presidents, alumni affairs, coeducation, student discipline, and faculty recruitment.

The collection consists of three volumes of minutes of Rosa Club meetings. In addition to minutes, the volumes also include rosters, election information, budgetary information, and other administrative documents.

The collection consists of seventeen scrapbooks, each devoted to a particular parley, and some additional material including programs and clippings. The scrapbooks include correspondence, financial information, publicity, photographs, and sometimes the text of speeches made at the parleys. Some years are not represented in the collection.

The majority of the collection is from the mid twentieth century and pertains to some aspect of financial records. The rest of the materials include membership rosters, the organization and chapter procedures, and by-laws.

This collection is organized into ten folders. The first folder has various types of documents pertaining to the overall project and the planning process involved. The second folder deals specifically with the issue of space allocation, and how the Building Committee had to work with the various science departments to plan out exactly how much space would be needed and how it could be distributed. The third folder contains documents and correspondence about the difficult issue of air conditioning in the Science Center. Folders 4 and 5 are both meeting minutes from the Smith Haines Lundberg and Waehler architecture firm. The sixth folder is similar, but from the E F Construction Company. Folder 7 is the research and planning behind the Science Library. There was much discussion and research into what would be the final product. Folder 8 contains the documents reflecting the actual construction and furnishing of the library, installing bookstacks, and finding a good spatial layout. There was much correspondence sent between people involved in the process of creating the Science Library, most prominently university librarian Wyman Parker, and these are contained in folder 9. Finally, folder 10 contains documents, memos, and notes that did not fit with any of the categories above, or could not be deciphered.

The Wesleyan Programs collection contains a variety of programs from 19th and 20th century Wesleyan events, including exhibitions by members of various classes and convocation, matriculation, and graduation ceremonies.