William J. Hutchins papers
Scope and Contents
The collection consists of both personal and official papers of William J. Hutchins and document his career as a pastor and an educator, his work as President of Berea College, his travels, and correspondence with family members and others.
Dates
- created: 1850 - 1977
- Other: Majority of material found within 1900 - 1958
Creator
- Hutchins, William James -- 1871-1958 (Person)
- Hutchins Library (Organization)
Conditions Governing Access
Records can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College.
Conditions Governing Use
Materials may be restricted due to their personal nature. Federal copyright regulations apply to all other materials. Cite all references to the material in this collection. For information regarding use of copyrighted materials please contact archivist.
Note Regarding Series 2: Box 47/Folder 4 is Restricted.
Note Regarding Series 3: This series consists of a variety of Hutchins’ notebooks and diary excerpts, publications containing Hutchins’ addresses, and articles and clippings by Hutchins--Copyright retained by Francis S. Hutchins. Single photocopies may be made for private use of researchers. Acknowledgement of Berea College Special Collections and Archives as a source is requested.
Note Regarding Series 4: This series contains some RESTRICTED items. See archivist for more information.
Note Regarding Series 5: Copyright to the Camp Sheridan papers held by Francis S. Hutchins. Single copies may be made for private use of researchers. All other materials in this series are unrestricted.
Note Regarding Series 6 and Series 7: Copyright of all materials retained by Francis S. Hutchins; single photocopies may be made for the private use of researchers.
Biographical or Historical Information
William J. Hutchins, born in 1850 and native of Brooklyn, New York, attended Oberlin College, Yale University, and Oberlin Theological Seminary. In 1896 he graduated from Union Theological Seminary and was ordained a Presbyterian minister, receiving his first pastorate at Bedford Church in Brooklyn. Later that same year,Hutchins married Anna Laura Murch of Cleveland (whom he had met at Oberlin). In 1907, Hutchins was appointed professor of homiletics in the Oberlin Graduate School of Theology. On October 22, 1920, he became president of Berea College, succeeding William G. Frost (who had been a teacher of Hutchins while at Oberlin). Recognizing the remarkable changes in Appalachia and the United States in the wake of World War I, Hutchins realized that the College would need to adapt to such changes. As such, during his nineteen year tenure as Berea College President, Hutchins worked to expand the college’s physical plant, increase the endowment fund, close the Vocational School, consolidate the Normal School, and strengthen the collegiate programs. This period also saw a great increase in the number of buildings on campus. During his tenure, Hutchins also served as an advisor to the Danforth Foundation and traveled extensively to India for the Commission on Higher Christian Education in India. Hutchins retired from Berea College in 1939, being succeeded by his son Francis S. Hutchins. He is the second of three generations of the Hutchins family associated with Berea: his father, Robert G. Hutchins, was pastor of Union Church from 1919 to 1921; and his son, Francis S. Hutchins, became Berea's fifth president, serving from 1939 to 1967. Hutchins's eldest son, Robert Maynard Hutchins, was president of the University of Chicago from 1929 to1945. Hutchins passed away in 1958 and is buried in the Berea Cemetery.
Extent
70.00 Linear Feet
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Personal and official papers of William J. Hutchins.
Arrangement Note
The collection is arranged in series: Personal/Biographical, Correspondence, Writings, Sermons and Speeches, Subject Files, Printed Material, Foreign Travel, Photographs, and Artifacts.
Custodial History
All further communications about the Hutchins and Gilman collections should go first to William M. Hutchins at
Subject
- Hutchins, William James -- 1871-1958 (Person)
- Berea College (Organization)
- Berea College -- Campus life (Organization)
- Hutchins, Francis S. (Francis Stephenson) -- 1902-1988 (Person)
- Oberlin College. (Organization)
- Hutchins, Robert Maynard -- 1899-1977 (Person)
Geographic
- Appalachia -- Description and travel.
- Appalachian Region, Southern -- History.
- Appalachian Region, Southern -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- History -- 20th century.
- Appalachian Region.
- Berea (Ky.)
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) -- Churches, Presbyterian
- Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) -- Marriage records
Topical
- Appalachian Region -- Social conditions -- History.
- Churches, Presbyterian -- Bedford Presbyterian Church.
- Clergy, Presbyterian -- Sermons.
- Education, Higher -- Appalachian Region -- History.
- Education, higher -- Administration
- Madison County (Ky.) -- History.
- Military installations -- World War I.
- Travel, foreign -- Missionaries.
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Military life
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Young Men's Christian Association
- Title
- William J. Hutchins papers Finding Aid
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- eng
Revision Statements
- 2023-06: The finding aid was updated from previous versions in November 2014 by Lori Myers-Steele, Collections Archivist. The box list was updated and revised by Katie L. Roath, Student Associate Archivist, and Rachel Burnside, Archives Processing Assistant. Box 124A was added to Series 8 in November of 2019. In December of 2019, the collection was reprocessed and the box list revised by Lori Myers-Steele, Collections Archivist, to make corrections and provide better description of the contents of the collection.
Repository Details
Part of the Berea College Special Collections and Archives Repository
Hutchins Library
100 Campus Drive
Berea Kentucky 40404 US
859.985.3262
special_collections@berea.edu