Guide to Vanderbilt University History Resources

 

Student Publications (Serials)

Many student publications ran for a few years and then ceased publication.  Some only ran for a few issues before folding. 

The following list of student and alumni publications are the longest running serials related to the history of the university. 

LD5597 .C65 – Biomedical (1887-1908), Special Collections (1887-present)
The Comet/The Commodore
Vanderbilt University’s annual student yearbook.  The library owns issues from 1887 to the present.

LD3618 .G376 – Special Collections
The Garnet and Blue
University of Nashville’s annual student yearbook.  The University of Nashville was a precursor to George Peabody College for Teachers.  The library owns issues from 1902 to 1911. 

LB1960 .N26 P5 – Peabody, Special Collections
The Peabody Pillar
Peabody College’s annual student yearbook.  The library owns issues from 1949 to 1979.      

Shelved by Title, microfilm – Peabody, Special Collections
The Peabody Post
The student newspaper for Peabody College.  The library owns issues from 1947 to 1979 when the college merged with Vanderbilt.

LH1 .G28 P4 – Central, Peabody, Special Collections
The Peabody Reflector
Peabody College’s alumni and news magazine.  First published in 1927, the library owns issues from 1927 to the present.  An index is available for issues dated 1927 to 1979.

LH1 .V25 V35 (microfilm) – Central, Special Collections
The Vanderbilt Hustler
The official student newspaper for Vanderbilt University.  First published in 1888, the library owns issues from 1888 to the present.

LH1 .V25 A4 – Biomedical, Special Collections
The Vanderbilt Alumnus/Vanderbilt Magazine
Vanderbilt University’s alumni and news magazine.  First published in 1915, the library owns issues from 1915 to the present.  An index is available for issues dated 1915 to 1992.

LH1 .V24 V35 – Special Collections
The Vanderbilt Observer
While primarily a literary magazine, The Observer also included a number of  features on university events.  The library owns issues from 1882 to 1917.

Serial Publications Finding Aid: Subject Listing (University Archives)
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/archives/holdings-ser-subj.shtml
A listing of available publications in the University Archives.  Listed by subject, most titles are linked to an information page about the publication which includes a description of the publication; frequency of publication; the titles of previous incarnations of the publication, if the name has changed over time; and a list of available holdings.  This resource will list more ephemeral student publications, some only lasting a few issues.

Manuscript Collections

A manuscript collection contains a variety of materials and may include letters, journals, publications, writings, or business papers.  Collections may center around an individual (Cornelius Vanderbilt), an organization (Vanderbilt Aid Society), or a specialized topic (Vandy Goes to War Oral History Project).  The following collections relate to Vanderbilt University history and/or alumni and faculty.

Alumni, Faculty and Administrators

Allen, Ward Sykes
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/allenw.shtml

Ward Sykes Allen, a Nashville native, attended Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tennessee and Vanderbilt University. He received a B.A. in 1947, a M.A. in 1949 and a PhD. in 1963.  The Ward Sykes Allen Papers contain correspondence written to Ward Allen from his family and friends during his college years. There is also material relating to Dr. James H. Joyner of Sumner County, Tennessee, a relative of Mr. Allen.

Barnard, Edward Emerson

Edward Emerson Barnard attended Vanderbilt from 1883 to 1887 and served as instructor in astronomy.   He later served at the Lick Observatory in California and the Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin.  He was one of the first observers to use photography in his studies and is credited with discovering the fifth satellite of Jupiter as well as a number of comets and other phenomena.  The Barnard Papers contain an incomplete autobiography; correspondence from 1882-1923; published and unpublished writings; personal and astronomical photographs; astronomical calculations; material about Barnard; and miscellaneous material.

Cheney, Brainard and Frances Neel
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/cheney.shtml

Brainard Cheney was a reporter for the Nashville Banner, a novelist and playwright.  Frances Neel Cheney worked for the Vanderbilt libraries for 14 years, worked at the Library of Congress, and taught library courses at George Peabody College.  This collection includes correspondence, manuscripts of writings, speeches, research materials, publication materials, publicity for books and play productions, reviews, legal and financial documents, family records, memorabilia, clippings and photographs, programs from cultural events, clippings on race relations, materials from Brainard Cheney’s career in politics, and manuscripts of writings by other authors.  Among their many correspondents were Andrew Lytle, Flannery O’Connor, Allen Tate, Peter Taylor, and Robert Penn Warren.

Crabb, Alfred Leland
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/crabba.shtml

Dr. Alfred L. Crabb was Professor of Education at Peabody from 1927 to 1949.
He received his B.A. from Peabody College, his M.A. from Columbia University, and his Ph.D. from Peabody College. Highly respected as an educator, Crabb was also a successful novelist, penning eleven historical novels.  The Alfred Leland Crabb Papers include correspondence ranging in date from 1914 to 1978. There are also manuscripts from his various writing projects, as well as copies of manuscripts written about him; clippings of reviews of his books; and research materials he assembled while working on various writing projects.

Dudley, William Lofland
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/dudleyw.shtml

William Lofland Dudley accepted the Chair in Chemistry at Vanderbilt in 1866.  While at Vanderbilt, Dudley established the Vanderbilt Athletic Association; formed the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (precursor of the Southeastern Conference); reorganized the Medical Department at the request of Chancellor Kirkland; served on the executive committee of the Tennessee Centennial Exposition; and was a fellow and vice-president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.   The William Lofland Dudley Papers include incoming and outgoing correspondence from 1896-1915; lecture notes; chemistry lectures; papers read at meetings; printed articles and speeches; business papers; papers relating to athletics; pamphlets; newspaper clippings; and scrapbooks.

Gage, Lucy
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/gagel.shtml

Lucy Gage served as professor of elementary education at Western State Teachers College in Kalamazoo, Michigan (1907-1920) and at George Peabody College for Teachers in Nashville, Tennessee (1920-1942).  This collection contains papers written by Miss Gage in manuscript, typescript and carbon copy.  Among them is a small autograph book made up at the time of her retirement from Peabody College in 1942; newspaper clippings (some undated); and a biographical paper with a vivid account of Gage’s pioneering efforts in early childhood education and legislation in Oklahoma in 1902.

Garland, Landon Cabell
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/garlandl.shtml

Landon Cabell Garland became Vanderbilt’s first Chancellor in 1875.  He also served as head of the Department of Astronomy and Physics during his tenure at the university.   The Landon Cabell Garland Papers include correspondence, diaries, speeches, sermons, a report to the Vanderbilt University Board of Trust, and personal and biographical materials.

Kirkland, James Hampton
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/kirklandj.shtml

James Hampton Kirkland was appointed professor of Latin at Vanderbilt University in 1886.  In 1893 he was elected Vanderbilt’s second chancellor and served in that position until his retirement in 1937.  The James Hampton Kirkland Papers contain correspondence, writings, biographical material, material relating to his academic career, legal papers, financial records, family papers, and newspaper clippings.

Mims, Edwin

Edwin Mims received his B.A. in 1892 and M.A. in 1893 from Vanderbilt University.  He returned to Vanderbilt University in 1912 as head of the English Department, where he remained until his retirement in 1942.   The Edwin Mims Papers include correspondence from 1892 to 1958; biographical and autobiographical material; addresses and speeches; manuscripts for publications; research notes; and academic material relating to his teaching and management of the English Department at Vanderbilt University.

Rice, Grantland

Henry Grantland Rice received his B.A. in 1901 from Vanderbilt University, where he played on both the baseball and football teams.  He began a long career as a sports journalist at the Nashville Daily News and the Nashville Tennessean.  He was a prolific writer, producing numerous sports columns, books, and poetry throughout his career.  He is probably best known by the quotation “It’s not how you win or lose, but how you play the game,” which is a misquote of a poem he wrote for a Tennessean article in 1908 to describe a Vanderbilt alumnus football game.  The Grantland Rice Papers include correspondence; writings; newspaper clippings; photographs and biographical sketches of sports figures; personal, business and estate papers; souvenirs; and miscellaneous publications.

Squires, James D.
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/squiresj.shtml

A 1966 Peabody College graduate, James D. Squires began his journalism career at the Tennessean in 1962, where he worked as a reporter, night city desk editor and Washington correspondent before moving to the Chicago Tribune in 1972. While at the Tribune, Squires covered Watergate, presidential elections and accompanied former President Gerald Ford on a 1975 state visit to China.  He moved from the Tribune to the Orlando Sentinel-Star (later the Orlando Sentinel) in 1977, where he was editor until returning to Chicago as editor of the Tribune in 1981. Eight-and-a-half years and seven Pulitzer Prizes for the Tribune later, Squires resigned. He and his wife Mary Anne moved to a horse farm in Kentucky, where he bred 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. He was an adjunct professor at Harvard University in 1990 and Middle Tennessee State University in 1992. Squires was Ross Perot's media adviser during his 1992 presidential campaign.

The collection includes correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, videocassettes, audiocassettes and signed original political cartoons.  (Note on access restrictions: Material related to Ross Perot's 1992 political campaign, for which Squires served as media adviser, is restricted until a biography is authorized by Perot.)

Stahlman, James G.

A Nashville native and Vanderbilt alumnus, James G. Stahlman was a nationally prominent newspaper publisher and member of the Vanderbilt Board of Trust.  As publisher of the Nashville Banner newspaper for 42 years, Stahlman was active in national newspaper and civic organizations.  The James G. Stahlman Papers contain materials relating to his newspaper career; his support and activities regarding Vanderbilt University, his military and aviation career during World War II, and his political and community activities.

Vann, Elizabeth Collins Denny

An early alumna of Vanderbilt University (B.A. 1904, M.A. 1905), Elizabeth C. Denny led a varied and successful career in teaching; leadership in community, civic, governmental and church affairs; and remained active in public affairs.  The Vann family spent a number of years working and teaching in Brazil and traveling through South America.  The Vann collections consists of correspondence, information on the history of Vanderbilt University and Scarritt College, diaries, travel literature, and autobiographical notes.

Werthan, Mary Jane

An alumna of Vanderbilt and the first woman to serve on the Vanderbilt Board of Trust, Mrs. Mary Jane (Lowenheim) Werthan received her B.A. in 1929 and her M.A. in 1935.  She also served on the Alumni Board of Directors as well as a number of Nashville area educational and social welfare organizations.  Her collection of papers includes newspaper clippings, programs and invitations to civic events, and photographs relating to her committee and Board of Trust activities.

Civil Rights

Branscomb, Bennett Harvie

Harvie Branscomb became Vanderbilt’s fourth Chancellor in 1946.  Branscomb served as chancellor during the sit-in movement in Nashville and the highly publicized expulsion of graduate student James Lawson for participating in sit-in demonstrations.  The Harvie Branscomb Papers include correspondence from 1929 to 1978; speeches delivered by Branscomb; academic papers; materials relating to James Lawson; and papers relating to Branscomb’s various regional and international organizational activities.

 Hendrix, Nancy                     
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/hendrixn.shtml

Nancy Hendrix, a Vanderbilt alumna was active in the establishment and development of the Nashville women’s movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s.  Topics covered in the collection include articles and clipping on the national women’s movement as well as other socio-political issues of the time period including southern history issues and the Vietnam War.  

Smith, Kelly Miller                   
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/smithkm.shtml
(22.1 MB file – requires Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing)

A prominent church leader and activist, Kelly Miller Smith played a significant role in the civil rights movement, serving as part of the circle of advisors to Martin Luther King, Jr.  He was pastor of the First Baptist Church, Capital Hill for 34 years.  The first African-American named to the faculty of the Vanderbilt Divinity School, he served as Lecturer in Church and Ministries and as Assistant Dean.  Smith was very active in the civil rights movement in Nashville as well as nationally.  The Kelly Miller Smith Papers include correspondence, notebooks kept as a student at Morehouse and Harvard Universities, biographical/personal material, writings, church records, subject files, and other related materials.

Literary

Curry, Walter Clyde
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/currywc.shtml

A distinguished Medieval and Renaissance scholar, Walter Clyde Curry was a member of the Vanderbilt University English Department faculty for 40 years. He served as head of the English department and the humanities division from 1941 until his retirement in 1955. Walter Clyde Curry was also an initial member of the Fugitive literary movement.  Curry's collection contains 77 outgoing letters; 135 incoming letters; writings - published & unpublished; book reviews; publishers' announcements & revisions; royalty statements; research/lecture notes; budget/curriculum notes; graduate information; photographs; and ephemera.

Davidson, Donald Grady   
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/davidsond.shtml

A member of the Fugitives literary group, Davidson received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Vanderbilt University and remained at the University his entire professional career (1920 - 1968) teaching English. In addition to being a teacher Davidson was also a poet, novelist, and critic.  The Donald Davidson Papers include correspondence and writings by Davidson as well as reviews, research materials, publications materials, publicity for books, legal and financial documents, family records, newspaper clippings and photographs, segregation materials, and manuscripts of writings by others.

 Haun, Mildred

Mildred Haun received her M.A. in 1937 from Vanderbilt University.  In 1940, she published a collection a short stories under the title The Hawk’s Done Gone.   Throughout her career, she worked as book editor for the Nashville Tennessean, editorial assistant for the Sewanee Review, information specialist at Arnold Engineering Development Center in Tullahoma, and as public relations editor and technical manuscript author for the Department of Agriculture.  The Mildred Haun Papers contain correspondence; diaries and personal records; business papers; research notes; folk songs; writings; estate papers; and miscellaneous materials.

O’Donnell, George Marion
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/odonnellg.shtml

George Marion O'Donnell received a B.A. in English from Vanderbilt in 1936 and his M.A. in 1939.  The papers of George Marion O'Donnell date from approximately the 1870s to 1982. The bulk of the collection, however, dates from the 1940s and 1950s. It includes O'Donnell's correspondence, journals, and daybooks, which reflect his interest in modern literature and the influence of several Vanderbilt and other Southern literary figures over his own work.  O'Donnell's literary career is further documented by the manuscripts and published versions of many of his poems, stories, essays, and reviews included in this collection.

Owsley, Frank Lawrence
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/owsleyf.shtml

Frank Lawrence Owsley joined the faculty of Vanderbilt University in 1920. He was a member of the Agrarians literature movement at Vanderbilt and wrote the essay entitled "The Irrepressible Conflict" for I'll Take My Stand: the South and the Agrarian Tradition published by Harper Brothers of New York and London in 1930.  The Frank Lawrence Owsley Papers include correspondence; writings; personal and biographical materials; Agrarian literary group material; papers relating to his academic career and  professional activities; and research materials.

Ransom, John Crowe
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/ransomjc.shtml

John Crowe Ransom graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1909, was a Rhodes Scholar at Christ Church, Oxford, 1910-1913, and joined the faculty of Vanderbilt in 1914, where he taught English until 1937. While at Vanderbilt, Ransom was a major figure in the Fugitive and Agrarian Groups and their publications, The Fugitive (1922-1925) and I'll Take My Stand (1930).  The collection consists primarily of correspondence and manuscripts produced during Ransom's retirement (1959-1974), although important earlier materials are included, such as Ransom's letters to his wife, Robb Reavill Ransom, dated 1920-1938. Also included are class rolls, clippings, family records, financial records, Kenyon College items, lecture notes, memorabilia, photographs, programs, publications, recommendations, and school catalogs.

Taylor, Peter
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/taylorp.shtml

A native of Tennessee and a Vanderbilt alumnus, Peter Taylor was a novelist and short story writer who won a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for his 1986 novel A Summons to Memphis.  He was a student of John Crowe Ransom, Allen Tate, and Robert Penn Warren, members of the Fugitive and Agrarian literary groups.  The collection contains the following series materials: correspondence, writings, literary career, academic career, biographical/personal papers, associates and writings by others.  In his letters, Taylor describes his feelings on such varied topics as education, teaching, writing, reading, religion, his military and wartime experiences, marriage, and relationships with family and friends.

Wills, Jesse Ely
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/willsje.shtml

Jesse Ely Wills was a member of the group of poets who met in Nashville in the early 1920's to write and publish the influential literary magazine The Fugitive. He was an officer and executive of the National Life and Accident Insurance company during his business career and was active in Vanderbilt University affairs as a member of the Board of Trust and chairman of the Board of the Joint University Libraries.  This collection contains correspondence; writings; book drafts; offprints; and newspaper clippings.

Performing Arts

Baldwin, Robert A.
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/baldwinr.shtml

Robert A. Baldwin received a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and in Fine Arts from Oberlin College in 1952. He was employed by Vanderbilt University from 1957 until his retirement in 1995. He was awarded The Chancellor's Cup in 1987, and in 1995 became Professor of Fine Arts Emeritus and Professor Theatre Emeritus.  The collection contains 28 designs of stage scenery from various play productions created over a 30-year period. The stage scenery designs have been professionally matted. There are also 17 costume designs for men, women and/or groups from various time periods.

Bryan, Charles Faulkner
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/bryancf.shtml

Charles Faulkner Bryan became one of Tennessee’s greatest composers and musicians.  He received his bachelor’s degree in music in 1934 from the Nashville Conservatory of Music and his master’s degree from George Peabody College in 1940.  After serving in the civilian defense arm of the military in World War II, he received a Guggenheim Fellowship and studied at Yale University with Paul Hindemith.  While at Yale, he wrote the Bell Witch Cantata which debuted at Carnegie Hall in April 1947.  He served on the faculty of George Peabody College from 1947 until 1952, where he served as president of the Tennessee Folklore Society and co-wrote the folk-opera Singin’ Billy with Donald Davidson.   The Charles Faulkner Bryan Papers consist primarily of correspondence, the bulk of which is with Donald Davidson and deals with issues related to the production of Singin’ Billy.

Craig, Francis
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/craigf.shtml

Francis Jackson Craig entered Vanderbilt University in January 1919.  A talented pianist, he formed a dance band in 1920 to help pay his college expenses. After graduating in 1922, he continued his music career.  The Francis Craig Papers date from 1919 to 1994 and include a small amount of biographical information, correspondence, memorabilia, and photographs. The bulk of the collection, however, dates from the 1930s and 1940s and consists of clippings, sheet music, and recordings.

Mann, Delbert
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/mannd.shtml

Delbert Mann, motion picture and television director, graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1941. He directed a number of productions for television, including Jane Eyre, The Man Without a Country, All Quiet on the Western Front, All the Way Home, and April Morning. His motion picture credits include Marty (1954), Desire Under the Elms (1957), Separate Tables (1958), and That Touch of Mink (1961). Mann won the Academy Award, Best Director, for Marty in 1955.  The papers of Delbert Mann consist primarily of the materials generated by Mann's television and motion picture productions. Papers on approximately two hundred productions often include scripts, publicity, reviews, scrapbooks, casting and shooting schedules, background information, memoranda, and correspondence.

Nicholas, Louis Thurston
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/nicholaslt.shtml

Louis Thurston Nicholas came to George Peabody College for Teachers in 1944, where he was a member of the music faculty until 1979.  He was also a music critic of note, having held the position of Music Editor and Critic for The Tennessean in Nashville from 1951 to 1975.  The Papers of Louis Thurston Nicholas, which cover the years 1920-1995, consist of 40 cubic feet of material and are concerned with Nicholas's personal and professional life. Major series in the papers include personal and professional correspondence; The Tennessean - music editor and critic; Thor Johnson: American Conductor; personal and biographical material; National Association of Teachers of Singing; George Peabody College Summer Concert Series; musical and academic career; and collection of programs.

Please note: Due to its size, this collection is stored at the Library Annex and requires 24 hours for retrieval.

Robinson, Francis
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/vrr/Robinson_Francis.pdf
(111 MB file – requires Adobe Acrobat Reader for viewing)

Francis Arthur Robinson received his B.A. in 1932 and an M.A. in 1933 from Vanderbilt University.  He worked for WSM and the Nashville Banner before going to work for the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.  During the 35 years he worked at The Met, Robinson served as tour director, assistant manager, press representative, and spokesman, as well as befriending a large number of performers such as Maria Callas and Luciano Pavorotti.  He also served his alma mater as a member of Vanderbilt’s Board of Trust.   The Francis Robinson Collection includes correspondence; newspaper clippings; material relating to Vanderbilt University; personal and business papers; photographs; opera and dance memorabilia; and scrapbooks.

Vanderbilt University History

Benedict, Anne Scales       
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/benedicta.shtml

Mrs. Benedict spent many years working to improve the status of women at Vanderbilt. She was instrumental in the fund drive to raise money to build a women's dormitory and to secure the first Dean of Women, Ada Bell Stapleton. Over the years she also devoted her organizational skills and fund raising abilities to helping Scarritt College, the West End Methodist Church, and the Red Cross.

Foote, Mary Ella Calhoun [small collection]
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/footem.shtml

Mary Ella Calhoun Foote was the daughter of a Nashville jeweler. When she died in 1918, she left her entire estate to Vanderbilt University to erect a building in memory of her father, William Henry Calhoun.  This collection includes correspondence ranging in date from 1860 to 1929, and papers relating to the handling of her estate.

McTyeire-Baskervill Papers

The McTyeire-Baskervill Papers contain the family papers of Bishop Holland Nimmons McTyeire, Janie McTyeire Baskervill, and William Malone Baskervill.  Bishop McTyeire persuaded Cornelius Vanderbilt to endow Vanderbilt University as an educational institution and served as president of the first Board of Trust.  The McTyeire-Baskervill Papers contain correspondence; papers relating to Vanderbilt University; materials relating to the history of the McTyeire family; and newspaper clippings.

Additional McTyeire family papers are available on microfilm in Central Library (MiFilm 792).

Vanderbilt Aid Society
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/vuaidsociety.shtml

Founded in 1894, the Vanderbilt Aid Society collected donations to financially assist students attending the university.  This small collection of papers (1894-1971) includes the constitution and by-laws of the society, annual reports, financial records, and correspondence.

Vanderbilt, Cornelius

The Cornelius Vanderbilt Papers consist of a series of six scrapbooks on Vanderbilt’s career and activities.  Consisting primarily of newspaper clippings, the books were assembled by Vanderbilt’s second wife, Frank Crawford Vanderbilt, and range in date from 1852 to 1882.

Vanderbilt, Harold Stirling

Harold Stirling Vanderbilt, great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt, served as a member of Vanderbilt University’s Board of Trust for over twenty years.  An avid yachtsman and bridge player, he worked for the New York Central Railroad for over 40 years.  The Harold Stirling Vanderbilt Papers contains correspondence, yachting memorabilia, contract bridge memorabilia, and material relating to Vanderbilt University.

Voices of Peabody Oral History Project
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/peabody/vop/ (Project Home)
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/voicespeabody (manuscript finding aid)

The Voices of Peabody Oral History Project was begun in the spring 2005 with the intention of making an archival record of diverse experiences of the Peabody-Vanderbilt Merger in 1979. The collection includes digitized interviews and interview transcriptions along with supporting materials.  The interview questions cover a broad range of topics including changes brought about at both institutions by the Merger and reactions to the announcement of the Merger and coverage by the news media.

Voices of Vanderbilt Oral History Project
http://lib11.library.vanderbilt.edu/diglib/voices-search.pl (Project Home)

In 1997, a graduate student in the History Department began an oral history project on desegregation at Vanderbilt University.  A series of interviews were conducted with Vanderbilt administrators.  Thirteen of these interviews are available for research at the Voices of Vanderbilt web site. 

World War I

Avery, Roy Crowdy [small collection]
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/averyr.shtml

Roy Crowdy Avery was born in 1885 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and received his PhD. degree from Vanderbilt.  He became a naturalized citizen in 1917 and immediately joined the United States Army. He was later commissioned as a 1st Lieutenant, and served with the Sanitary Corps from 1917-1919, spending time in France, Germany, and England. After the war he studied at Manchester University in Manchester, England.  Roy Crowdy Avery later was a Professor of Bacteriology and Immunology at Vanderbilt University from 1926-1953. He became Professor Emeritus in 1953.

 World War II

Rezek, Philipp [small collection]
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/rezekp.shtml

This collection contains personal letters written by friends and family of Philipp Rezek, who were Jewish refugees. The collection covers Austria's takeover by the Germans in 1938, the family's departure, internment camps, arrival to the United States, and medical school. A few of the letters are written from right to left to pass German censors.  The majority of this collection is in German.

Roulhac, Polly Ann Billington [small collection]
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/roulhacp.shtml

Polly Ann Billington Roulhac was a Vanderbilt University graduate, who served as a Recreation Worker and Assistant Field Director for the American Red Cross from 1942-1944. She was attached to various hospitals in Maryland, Oklahoma, England, Algeria, and Italy.  The book is compiled of three years of letters and v-mail 'home', to various members in her family, while serving in the American Red Cross in Europe and Africa during World War II.

Thompson, John
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/thompsonj.shtml

John Thompson was a graduate of the former Wallace School. He attended Vanderbilt University and received a B.A. in 1930 and M.A. in 1932.  In 1942, he enlisted in the United States Navy for service in World War II. In 1944 he was promoted to Lieutenant, and was later discharged with the rank of Lieutenant Commander. In 1945, he wrote a weekly newsletter for the naval post squadron and wings. He was stationed in Alaska, and later assigned to a naval cruiser in the Pacific.  This .21 linear feet collection contains 63 letters, two postcards, and one V-Mail Christmas Card from John Thompson to several family members while serving in the United States Navy during World War II. The letters are arranged in file folders chronologically by year, then month.

Vandy Goes to War: World War II Remembered

In Fall 2006, Special Collections began a new oral history project called Vandy Goes to War: World War II Remembered.  The purpose of the project was to record the histories and reminiscences of men and women with connections to Vanderbilt during the war years and to document their experiences in the service and on the campus during that time. The interviews include eye witness accounts of soldiers fighting at the Battle of the Bulge, in the far east at Okinawa, and flying aerial reconnaissance in the European theatre. One soldier, a prisoner of war in a camp in Germany tells his story in this important archive of Vanderbilt’s history. Another tells of liberating prisoners from Dachau Concentration camp in southern Germany. Women speak of taking leadership positions in campus life and of their efforts on the home front.  

Transcripts have been commissioned but are not yet ready for public review.  However, the original oral interviews are available for listening in the Special Collections Reading Room.

University Archives
http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/speccol/archives/

The University Archives was established by action of the Board of Trust in 1963.  The goal of the Archives is to preserve the historical memory of the university through the collection and preservation of historical Vanderbilt university records and artifacts.  Due to sensitive material which may be present in the Archives, the most recent 40 years of material is closed to public research.  Material prior to this date (1872 through December 1967) is available for public research, with the exception of student records which are restricted regardless of date. 

Finding aids which list material available in the University Archives can be found on the University Archives web site. Most of these guides are in PDF format so you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view them. 

The amount of material available in the Archives may seem overwhelming at first.  If you need assistance in locating material, please don’t hesitate to ask for help by either calling Special Collections at (32)2-2807 or by sending an e-mail to archives@vanderbilt.edu.

[Please note that the Medical Center has a separate archives which handles all records relating to the Medical Center and its history.  For more information about the Medical Archives, please see the Eskind Biomedical Library Special Collections web site.]

Organization of the Archives

The University Archives is comprised of records and documents which have been deposited for safekeeping by various colleges and departments of the university.  Each deposit is assigned to a Record Group, a collection of materials from a specific department or college.  Each Record Group can contain hundreds of boxes of material.  Currently, there are approximately 7,000 cubic feet of material in the University Archives.

Getting Help

If you need assistance at any stage of your research, you may contact a librarian in Special Collections by calling the department at 322-2807 (2-2807 from a campus phone) or by sending an e-mail to archives@vanderbilt.edu. 



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