Records of President William Wood Parsons - Page 2

Description:	Arrangement:· General Correspondence – Incoming Correspondence: This series is comprised ofcorrespondence received by Parsons during his tenure as president of Indiana State NormalSchool. The correspondence covers a wide range of subject ma􀆩􊥥er. As such it reveals themany different areas (academic, business, social) that required a college presidentsa􀆩􊥥en􀆟􉽯on. The files are arranged alphabe􀆟􉽣cally and cover the years 1885-1921.· Personal and Professional Materials: The materials in this area are drawn from those itemsof personal or professional interest retained by President Parsons. These include hisemployment contracts, some of his own wri􀆟􉽮ngs, and students composi􀆟􉽯ons. On a morepersonal level, the series contains memorabilia collected from various func􀆟􉽯ons a􀆩􊥥endedby Parsons and a handwri􀆩􊥥en copy of a work by Herbert Spencer. Also included arepamphlets printed in honor of Parsons twenty- fi􀅌􄱨h anniversary as president of IndianaState Normal.· Academic and Student Affairs: The series is divided into three sub-series. One series dealswith academic and student life and includes student discipline and vaccina􀆟􉽯on reports, filescovering educa􀆟􉽯onal associa􀆟􉽯ons, course descrip􀆟􉽯ons, and Board of Visitors Reports. Alsoof interest are files pertaining to the crea􀆟􉽯on and opera􀆟􉽯on of the Eastern Division of theIndiana State Normal School at Muncie. The second sub-series is made up of PresidentParsons correspondence with officials of other colleges and universi􀆟􉽥es. Parsons wasinfluen􀆟􉽡al in educa􀆟􉽯onal sectors and a reading of these offers insight into the inter-ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯onal issues of the period. The files are arranged alphabe􀆟􉽣cally by ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on.Indiana State Normal Schools associa􀆟􉽯on with the Indiana Department of PublicInstruc􀆟􉽯on was a vital one, and files pertaining to this government office comprise the thirdsec􀆟􉽯on of this series. The files are arranged alphabe􀆟􉽣cally by the names of thesuperintendents and cover the years 1891 to 1921.· Business and Fiscal Affairs: The materials in this series deal with the business of opera􀆟􉽮ngthe Normal School and include treasurers fiscal, and payroll reports. These are importantin showing the financial administra􀆟􉽯on of the ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on. A separate sub-series iscomprised of correspondence from book dealers. Such companies were important inproviding materials for the school and its library and a reading of the files will provideinsight into costs and business prac􀆟􉽣ces of the day. Book dealer files are arrangedalphabe􀆟􉽣cally by name of company.· Faculty Personnel Files and Applica􀆟􉽯ons: This series contains files pertaining to the facultyand staff of the Indiana State Normal School. In addi􀆟􉽯on, there are files composed ofunsuccessful applica􀆟􉽯ons and vitae of persons seeking employment with the Normal School(some with accompanying photographs). The faculty files contain copies of contracts,faculty correspondence to President Parsons, and materials pertaining to individual faculty.They are arranged alphabe􀆟􉽣cally by faculty name and not departmental affilia􀆟􉽯on.· Board of Trustees: The materials of this series contain records pertaining to the Board ofTrustees of the Indiana State Normal School. There are copies of some of the Boardsannual reports for the years 1880 to 1914. The reports and the files on bids and contractsare valuable in showing the state of the ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯on and its inner workings. Also included arecorrespondence files from individual board members which provide valuable insight intoissues pertaining to ins􀆟􉽴tu􀆟􉽯onal administra􀆟􉽯on.· Property and Building Construc􀆟􉽯on: Indiana State Normal experienced a period of physicalexpansion under President Parsons leadership. This series covers the acquisi􀆟􉽯on ofproper􀆟􉽥es and construc􀆟􉽯on of new buildings. Sub-series deal with major construc􀆟􉽯onprojects each containing files documen􀆟􉽮ng the specifica􀆟􉽯ons, bids and contractsassociated with each structure. As such, they provide a record of costs, materials, andtechniques involved in the construc􀆟􉽯on of the period.
Source:	http://indstate.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/isuarchive/id/53295
Collection:	Indiana State University Archives

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