Overview
At a special meeting of the Corporation on February 6, 1850, the President and Fellows voted to have all manuscript papers related to the history of the College and College affairs identified, arranged, and bound. Loose records were gathered into two sets of volumes. Each set was named "Harvard College Papers," and the sets became "1st series" and "2nd series". This second series holds material similar to that of the first series, dated from 1826 to 1863.
Dates
- Creation: 1826-1863
Creator
- Harvard University. Corporation (Organization)
Physical Description
Extent is approximate.
Conditions on Use and Access
The Harvard College Papers, 2nd series through 1858 is closed for research use due to the collection's fragile condition.
Extent
3 cubic feet30 Volumes
The College Papers, 2nd series, holds material similar to the 1st series, dated from 1826 to 1863.
Historical note
At a special meeting of the Corporation on February 6, 1850, the President and Fellows voted that "the President cause to be examined and arranged all the manuscript papers relating to the College, whether records, letters, or other papers now in Gore Hall or other buildings of the University, and procure such as are worthy of preservation to be substantially bound." James W. Harris, an assistant in the Library who also served as an assistant to President Jared Sparks, was assigned the task of arranging and indexing the papers.
Historical and administrative records dating back as early as the mid 1600s were gathered together and arranged in chronological order in bound volumes which were then placed in the Library. After 1850, historical records continued to be collected and arranged on an intermittent basis. Papers that were accidentally overlooked, or newly discovered or received, were added later as supplements.
Existence and Location of Copies
Positive microfilm (UAI 5.131.10) of volumes 1826-1858 is available to researchers.
General note
This document last updated 2022 July 20.
Processing Note
This inventory was created by Kate Bowers in October 2013 from a variety of information sources. The collection was not examined.
Enhanced description of Volumes 1-3 was added by Brooke McManus from October 2019 to June 2020.
Titles were devised by the archivist unless otherwise noted.
Creator
- Harvard University. Corporation (Organization)
- Title
- Harvard University. Corporation. Harvard College Papers, 2nd series, 1826-1863 : an inventory
- Language of description
- und
- EAD ID
- hua12002
Repository Details
Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository
Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.
Pusey Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2461
archives_reference@harvard.edu