Records of President William Wood Parsons - Page 1

Description:	Records of President William Wood ParsonsIndiana State University ArchivesRecord Group UAR1.2.3Biographical or Historical Informa􀆟􉽯on: Indiana State Normal School opened on January 6, 1870. Itsoriginal mission was to educate young men and women to teach in the common schools of Indiana.In 􀆟􉽭me the ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on emerged as a recognized leader in the movement to establish doctrines ofscien􀆟􉽦fic pedagogy in teacher educa􀆟􉽯on. A man who played a central role in this ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯onaldevelopment was William Wood Parsons. A􀅌􄱥er gradua􀆟􉽮ng in its first class and later joining thefaculty, he served the school as its third president from 1885 to 1921. His dedica􀆟􉽯on to the causes ofeduca􀆟􉽯on and Indiana State Normal served to promote teacher educa􀆟􉽯on throughout the Midwest.For a period of nearly fi􀅌􄱹y years, the life of the man and the ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on were one and the same.Through the Parsons Collec􀆟􉽯on one may glimpse faculty and student personali􀆟􉽥es of the ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on,as well as acquire a feel for the administra􀆟􉽶ve, fiscal and poli􀆟􉽣cal issues of higher educa􀆟􉽯on inIndiana. These issues of educa􀆟􉽯on deal not only with those concerning Indiana State Normal School,but with the forma􀆟􉽯on of statewide educa􀆟􉽯onal policy and programs. As Indiana State Normal Schoolgrew into a na􀆟􉽯onally respected ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on of higher educa􀆟􉽯on, its influence was felt through thework of its graduates who taught and administered in the public schools of Indiana and surroundingstates. Much of the correspondence deals with Parsons efforts to maintain contact with the Indianapublic school districts and educators in those districts. The Papers of William Wood Parsons offer aunique perspec􀆟􉽶ve on the forma􀆟􉽶ve years of public educa􀆟􉽯on in Indiana, years during which theIndianan State Normal School grew to meet the demands of training educators and administratorsfor this system.Scope and Contents: The Papers of William Wood Parsons cons􀆟􉽴tute some of the oldest survivingrecords of Indiana State University and comprise a diverse collec􀆟􉽯on accrued during his tenure aspresident of Indiana State Normal School. The majority of the ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯onal records date from 1888-1889. Most of the schools records preda􀆟􉽮ng this year were destroyed by a fire which devastated theins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on in April of 1888. In total, the collec􀆟􉽯on spans the years 1880-1921 and includescorrespondence, student records, fiscal records, personal papers, and photographs. Much has beenlost with 􀆟􉽭me and the collec􀆟􉽯on is not a complete record of the Parsons years. Nevertheless, thematerials which have survived offer a remarkable insight into the life of the man and the ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on.President Parsons was an influen􀆟􉽡al member of the academic community in Indiana and surroundingstates. This is demonstrated by his correspondence with officials of school districts state-wide, otherins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯ons of higher learning, and various educa􀆟􉽯on oriented bodies. The collec􀆟􉽯on is alsoimportant in showing the mul􀆟􉼭-faceted role of a college president at this 􀆟􉽭me. O􀅌􄱥en, the officesecretary, Miss Helen L. Gilbert, handled rou􀆟􉽮ne ma􀆩􊥥ers, but the range of issues and problemsdemanding personal a􀆩􊥥en􀆟􉽯on was staggering. The wide spectrum of those du􀆟􉽥es is reflected in thepapers, which range from correspondence with students, government officials, and studentvaccina􀆟􉽯ons, to those concerning the crea􀆟􉽯on of a new Eastern Division of the Normal School inMuncie, Indiana.
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/53294
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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