Office of the President Herbert John Davis Files, 1939-1951.
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Smith College Archives Northampton, MA
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Office of the President Herbert John Davis Files
Creation of Office of the President Herbert John Davis Files
Time of Creation of Office of the President Herbert John Davis Files
Davis, Herbert John, 1893-1967.
Biographical History for: Office of the President Herbert John Davis Files
Biographical Note Herbert John Davis was born on May 24, 1893 in Northamptonshire, England, where he received his elementary and secondary education. He later attended Oxford University (St. John's College) from which he graduated in 1914. He then served in France and Belgium during WWI and in 1919 he returned to Oxford to earn his A.M. In 1922, Davis married Gertrude Lucas of Opladen, Rheinland, Germany but she died tragically just six years later. In 1930, Davis married Gladys Wookey of Toronto and the couple had two daughters, Charlotte Elisabeth Ann and Jane. In 1920, Davis acquired a position at the University of Leeds where he taught for two years. He then moved to the University of Toronto where he remained for sixteen years. He was hired as an Associate Professor of English, and was later promoted to a full Professor. He also served as chair the English Department at Toronto. In 1938 Davis accepted a position as Chair of the English department at Cornell University. In 1939, Davis succeeded William Allan Neilson as president of Smith College and he assumed this role for the 1940-1941 school year. Davis served as the fourth president of Smith College until 1949 when he returned to Oxford as a reader in textual criticism. Davis retired from Oxford in 1960. During his academic career Davis made several notable contributions to academia. Following his passion for poetry and prose, Davis became a world renowned expert on Jonathan Swift and wrote several books on his work including Swift's View of Poetry (1931) and Stella, a Gentlewoman of the Eighteenth Century (1942). The latter is an account of the friendship that existed between Swift and Esther Johnson. Davis also edited the fourteen volume work, The Prose Works of Jonathan Swift (1939-68). Davis' distinguished literary contributions were well recognized and he received several honorary degrees including a Doctorate of Laws from Amherst College in 1940. In addition to his enthusiasm for the English language, Davis was also extremely socially conscious and particularly concerned with WWII raging overseas. Perhaps his most memorable act of charity was providing a home to five British refugee children for several years during the war. Many of his colleagues and friends followed his lead and opened their doors to children in need. Davis died on March 28, 1967.
Scope and Contents of the Collection Office of the President Herbert John Davis Files document his official duties as President of Smith College. The collection includes correspondence, newspaper articles, and memorabilia. Materials document the running of the College and the relationship of the Office of the President with the various academic departments and committees. Of interest is correspondence about the 75th anniversary celebration of the college; committee work including Trustee, faculty and administrative committees; the Junior Year Abroad program at Smith; and correspondence with U.S. government officials concerning the WAVES program on campus.
lcnaf
Neilson, William Allan, 1869-1946.
Comstock, Ada Louise.
Morrow, Elizabeth, 1873-1955.
Smith College--Faculty.
lcsh
Smith College--Presidents.
Smith College. Office of President.
A, General Correspondence 1940-45, 1947-48, 1950, n.d.
Abramowicz, Dina 1946
Academic Departments-Art 1940-48, n.d.
Academic Departments-Astronomy 1941-47
Academic Departments-Botany 1941-44
Academic Departments-Chemistry 1941-48
Academic Departments-Classics 1942-44, n.d.
Academic Departments-Economics 1940-44
Academic Departments-Education 1941-47, n.d.
Academic Departments-English 1941-47
Academic Departments-French 1940-47
Academic Departments-Geology 1941-48
Academic Departments-German 1941-47, n.d.
Academic Departments-Government 1941-47
Academic Departments-History 1941-47
Academic Departments-Hygiene and Bacteriology 1940-47
Academic Departments-Italian 1942-44
Academic Departments-Mathematics 1941-47
Academic Departments-Music 1940-47
Academic Departments-Philosophy 1941-44
Academic Departments-Physical Education 1941-46, n.d.
Academic Departments-Physics 1940-47
Academic Departments-Psychology 1941-47
Academic Departments-Religion 1941-44
Academic Departments-Slavic Languages 1944
Academic Departments-Sociology 1941-47
Academic Departments-Spanish 1941-47
Academic Departments-Speech 1941-44
Academic Departments-Theater and Dance 1941-49, n.d.
Academic Departments-Zoology 1941-49, n.d.
Administration-Nyman Report 1942
Adopt-A-Town Committee 1941
Alumnae Association 1940-48
Alumnae Clubs 1940-47
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Conference on the Role of Women in Contemporary Society 1946-47
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-General 1945-49, n.d.
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-Campaign Director (Byron Shimp) 1946-49
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-Grant Foundation 1946-47
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-Nat'l Broadcasting Company 1948-49
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-Planning Committee 1945
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-Publicity Committee 1946
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-Publicity Director (Charles Miller) Feb-Oct 1946
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-Public Relations Program (Theodore Swanson) 1 Nov 1946-47
Anniversary 1950 (75th) Fund-Trustee Committee 1946-49, n.d.
Architecture-Competition Dormitory (proposed) 1945-47
Archives/Sophia Smith Collection 1940-48, n.d.
Assembly 1942-50, n.d.
Association of American Colleges 1941-43
B, General Correspondence 1943-44, 1946-49, 1951
Beard, Mary Ritter 1941
Botanic Garden 1943, 1947
British War Relief Society 1940-41
Bryn Mawr 1941-48
Buildings and Grounds 1940-49, n.d.
Buildings and Grounds-Chapel (proposed) 1942-49, n.d.
Buildings and Grounds-Deanery (proposed) 1941-42, n.d.
Buildings and Grounds-Infirmary-Additions 1942-50
Buildings and Grounds-John M. Greene Hall Alterations 30 Oct 1943-30 Jun 1949
Buildings and Grounds-Report on Adequacy of Dormitories and Classrooms 1949
C, General Correspondence 1940-1944, 1947-49
Cambridge School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture 1939-43
Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching 1941-44
College Cevenol 1946-48
College Entrance Examination Board 1941-44
Commencement 1941-49
Committees-General 1942-46
Committees-Acceleration 1942-43, n.d.
Committees-Administrative Board 1941-43
Committees-Board of Admission 1941-45
Committees-Board of Advisors 1943, n.d.
Committees-on the Calendar 1947
Committees-to Choose a Dean 1946-47
Committees-on Committees 1942-47
Committees-(Faculty-Trustee) Conference 1948-49
Committees-on Defense and Reconstruction 1942
Committees-Emergency Committee on Faculty Salaries 1947-48
Committees-Emergency Council 1941-42, n.d.
Committees-Fine Arts 1946-47
Committees-on Foreign Students 1943-49
Committees-Funds to Attend Learned Societies 1942-43
Committees-on Graduate Study 1941-49, n.d.
Committees-on Honors 1941-44
Committees-on Hygiene n.d.
Committees-on the Hymn Book 1941
Committees-on the Library 1943-44
Committees-on Planning 1944-46
Committees-on Post-War Planning 1944-46, n.d.
Committees-on Refugee Fellowships 1940-43
Committees-on Resources 1940-45, n.d.
Committees-on Scholarships 1942
Committees-on Special Assistance in Written English 1943-44, n.d.
Committees-on Summer Work 1942-43, n.d.
Committees-on Teaching and Promotion 1942-44
Committees-on Tenure and Promotion 1942-44
Committees-on War Minors 1942-43
Conference-Eighteenth Century Conference 1946-47
Conference-New England Conference on Renaissance Studies 1946
Conference-The Pompeiiana 1942
Conference-The Pompeiiana 1948
Conference-on Southern New England 1942
Connecticut College 1944
Council of Industrial Studies 1942-48
D, General Correspondence 1940-44, 1947, n.d.
Day School 1942-49, n.d.
Dean, Class 1942-43, n.d.
Dean, Office of 1941-45
E, General Correspondence 1941-44, 1948
Employment, Office of 1943-49, n.d.
Experiment in International Living, Inc. 1942-48
F, General Correspondence 1939-44, 1946, 1950
Faculty-General 1941-47
Faculty-Sabbaticals 1944-49, n.d.
Faculty-Salaries 1946-47, n.d
Faculty-Secretary of 1940-46
Ferrand, Beatrix 1942
Faulkner, Harold Underwood 1940-47, n.d.
Food Service (Report on Study of the Feeding Operation) 1948
Francis, Ann 1939-40, 1942
G, General Correspondence 1946-47
Genetics Experiment Station 1942-49
Greene, Helen French (1891) 1941, 1943, 1947
H, General Correspondence 1940-42
Harlow, S. Ralph 1942-46
Hirschorn, Hannah (Scharps) 1942-43
Hofer, Philip 1947
Honorary Degrees 1941-47
Honors Program 1940-47, n.d.
I, General Correspondence 1942-43, 1945
Infirmary 1941-49
Institute of International Education 1941-48
International Student Service 1941-47
J, General Correspondence 1942-44, 1948, n.d.
Jacob, Cary 1942-44
Junior Year Abroad-General 1946-49, n.d.
Junior Year Abroad-France 1946-48
Junior Year Abroad-Geneva 1946-49
Junior Year Abroad-Italy 1946-49
Junior Year Abroad-Mexico 1940-49
Junior Year Abroad-Toronto 1945-46
Juniper Lodge 1941-44, n.d.
K, General Correspondence 1941-44, 1947-48
Kane, Mrs. R. Keith 1941-43, 1947, n.d.
Kusaka, Shuichi 1943-44
L, General Correspondence 1940-42
Lamont, Florence (Corliss) 1942-48
Landscape Architect,Office of 1941-43
Lee, Gerald and Jeannette 1941-45
Lee, Rensselaer Wright 1941-44
Library 1940-49, n.d.
Library, Friends of 1941-42
M, General Correspondence 1940-42
Massachusetts Audubon Society 1944-47
McCauley, William Steele 1942-43
Mount Holyoke College 1941-49
Museum of Art 1940-49, n.d.
N, General Correspondence 1942-44, 1947
National Council of American-Soviet Friendship 1943-49
National Japanese-American Student Relocation Committee 1942-43
Navy League of the United States 1942
Neilson, Elisabeth Muser 1940-49, n.d.
Neilson, William Allan 1942-46
Northampton-General 1940-46
Northampton-Academy of Music 1942-44
Nursery School 1947
O, General Correspondence 1941-44, 1947
Overseas School Committee 1945-47
P-Q, General Correspondence 1940-44, 1946-47, 1949
Parshley, Howard Madison 1941-43
Pierce College 1943-46
President, Secretary to 1939-43
President's Reports 1940-41
President's Reports 1945-46
President's Reports 1947-48
Public Relations 1942-48, n.d.
Purchasing Agent, Office of 1942-49
R, General Correspondence 1941-42
Rally Day 1943-44
Registrar, Office of 1942-49
Robert, Osmond T. 1942-44
Rockefeller Foundation 1942-44
Royon, Elizabeth 1944
S, General Correspondence 1940-42, n.d.
Scholarships and Student Aid 1946-48, n.d.
Scholarships and Student Aid, Russian Scholarship 1945-46
School for Social Work 1940-48, n.d.
Scripps College 1942
Seven College Conference 1940-42
Seven College Conference 1943
Seven College Conference 1944-45
Seven College Conference 1946-49, n.d.
Students 1942-49
Students-Male 1944-48, n.d.
Student Service of America, Inc. 1945-47
Studies 1943-44
Sweet Briar College 1942, 1947-48
T, General Correspondence 1942
Treasurer, Office of 1940-48
Trustees-General 1940-47
Trustees-Committee on the School for Social Work 1940-43
Trustees-Comstock, Ada 1943-49
Trustees-Emerson, Kendall 1941-44
Trustees-Gleason, Emily (Clapp) 1940-46
Trustees-Hanes, John 1942-47
Trustees-Hofer, Philip 1941-46
Trustees-Hoskins, Harold 1941-47
Trustees-Huntington, Mrs. W. Chapin 1941-44
Trustees-Lord, Mary Pillsbury 1947
Trustees-Lamont, Thomas S., Jr. 1942-48
Trustees-Morrow, Elizabeth (Cutter) 1940-47
Trustees-Oldham, John E. 1942-44
Trustees-Parker, Franklin E., Jr. 1944
Trustees-Raymond, Eleanor 1942
Trustees-Stevenson, George S. 1941-44
Trustees-Valentine, Alan 194-43
Trustees-Valentine, Lucia (Norton) 1943-44
Trustees-Wilson, Mira 1942-44
Trustees-Zinsser, Dorothy (Douglas 1913) 1940-42, 1947
Tuition and Fees 1946-49
U-V, General Correspondence 1940-44
Union 1947-48
United States-General 1942-45, n.d.
United States-Education Office 1941-42
United States-Justice Department 1942-44
United States-Navy Department 1941-44, n.d.
United States-State Department 1942-49
United States-Treasury Department 1941-44
United States-War Department 1942-43
Universities Center for United Nations Research 1947-48
Vassar College 1941-48
Vocational Office 1942-49
W-General Correspondence 1941-42
Warden, Office of 1942-47
Wellesley College 1942-47
Williams, Cora M. (1883) 1942-45
Wilson College 1944-46
Womens' College Information Board 1941-43
World Student Service Fund 1943-44
World War 1942-46
Wrinch, Dorothy 1941-44
Y-Z, General Correspondence 1942
Yale University 1941-43