Guide to "The Utah Westminster"

This collection consists of issues of The Utah Westminster, published between 1907-1971 by Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah. The Utah Westminster was the college's official newsletter during the span of its publication.

While its frequency varied by year, The Utah Westminster was generally a monthly publication and its numbering was consistent throughout its existence. Earlier volumes contained as few as four issues per year, such as the first volume. Starting in 1909, the newsletter began publishing at least ten issues per year. This trend continued until 1942, when it changed permanently to only 6 issues being published annually. Slight formatting differences appeared sporadically. Beginning in 1928 and continuing until 1930, the December issues contained a Christmas message from the college president that was printed in green ink with a holly border. Interspersed throughout this collection are the catalog editions of The Utah Westminster. They fall within the regular numbering of The Utah Westminster, and are also duplicated as part of another collection "Westminster College catalogs, 1898-2010 (ACC-072). The catalog editions of The Utah Westminster are typically published between May and August and listed as the seventh or eighth issue of the annual volume.

The newsletter published various news items regarding the college, alumni, and the local Presbyterian community. For example, the first volume (1907) documents the groundbreaking ceremony of Ferry Hall. It mentions the proposed gift of $15,000 from Mrs. Jeannette H. Ferry, if the college could raise an additional $2,400 through other sources. It also mentions the completion of Converse Hall, the campus' first building, which would serve as an administration building. Converse Hall was not to be used until Ferry Hall was completed.

The Utah Westminster documented campus events. A perfect example of an event which shaped the college can be found in the 12th volume (1925-1926): on March 12, 1926, a fire broke out in Converse Hall around 5:30 a.m. The sixth issue of volume 12 announced this tragedy in large, red letters that read "Converse hall Burned Friday Morning, March 12." Inside the issue, College president H. W. Reherd addressed the Westminster community reporting the urgency of the situation. He also wrote that, "Converse Hall was outgrown and we must provide [a] larger building to take care of [the] growth which is 25 per cent this year." Also included in the issue was a small pledge certificate to be used for donations toward the reconstruction cost. Two years later (1928), The Utah Westminster mentioned for the first time the effort to construct a gymnasium on campus (March 28). The dedication of the gymnasium (later named after the president of the Board of Trustees, F. R. Payne) is also addressed in a later edition of The Utah Westminster (January 1929). The building was opened to the student body by the end of 1929.

Almost all volumes of The Utah Westminster included the following two items: a report about that year's convocation ceremony and the president's annual report. The convocation report contained a description of the ceremonies (i.e., when and where held, speakers, and who presided). The president's report addressed new additions to the college, important college events, the college's fiscal status, enrollment statistics, and student scholarships.

In the spring of 1972, the publication's name was changed to the Utah Westminster newscope (vol. 58, no. 2). There is no explanation for the name change other than a media shift where The Utah Westminster was a small booklet, the Newscope was a small paper. The last issue of The Utah Westminster was the first issue of Vol. 58. Newscope was published until 1986.

Though The Utah Westminster began in 1907, the publication appears to have ceased after its first volume. Years later, beginning with the 1914-1915 school year, the Westminster College bulletin appears in place of The Utah Westminster and established a new numbering; the Bulletin was published in both newsletter form and catalog editions, from years 1914–1922. After 1907, The Utah Westminster began again 1917-1918, concurrent with the numbering established by the Bulletin, and continued throughout 1971. The Bulletin ceased publication after 1922.

Gaps in the collection: This collection contains many gaps. Due to the publication's varying frequency, not all gaps are easily identifiable. A careful analysis has identified missing issues and their availability at Westminster College.

Known missing issues in this collection but found only within the Collection ACC-104 (Annaul publications) include the following: Vol. 18, nos. 2-7; Vol. 19, nos. 1, 3-5, 9; Vol. 20, nos. 4, 6, 9; Vol. 21, nos. 1, 3-7, 9; Vol. 22, nos. 2-7, 9; Vol. 23, nos. 1-8, 10; Vol. 24, nos. 1-4, 6-7, 9-10; Vol. 25, nos. 2-5, 8-10; Vol. 26, nos. 1, 6; Vol. 28, nos. 7-8, 10; Vol. 29, nos. 1-12; Vol. 30, nos. 4-8, 10-12; Vol. 31, nos. 2-4, 9-12; Vol. 32, nos. 2, 8, 10-11; Vol. 33, no. 9; Vol. 38, no. 9.

Known missing issues not located at Westminster College include the following: Vol. 2, nos. 4-5,7; Vol. 3, nos. 2-6; Vol. 7, no. 7; Vol. 11, no. 1; Vol. 14, no. 2; Vol. 15, no. 5; Vol. 25, no. 7; Vol. 34, no. 11; Vol. 35, no. 9; Vol. 37, no. 9; Vol. 39, nos. 4, 6; Vol. 41, nos. 1-2; Vol. 42, no. 4; Vol. 45, no. 1; Vol. 48, no. 4; Vol. 52, nos. 1-3; Vol. 53, nos. 1, 3-6; Vol. 54, no. 4.

Restrictions on Access:

Open to public research.

Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Twenty-four hours advance notice is encouraged.

Restrictions on Use:

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances.

Permission to publish material must be obtained from the director of the Giovale Library.

Preferred Citation:

The Utah Westminster, 1907-1971, ACC-084A, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically by year, thereunder numerically by volume and issue numbers.

Processing Note:

Processed in March 2006 by Joshua K. Ivie. For many years, from the 1930s through the 1980s, the Westminster College Library annually bound together (glued or nailed) all college publications, including The Utah Westminster, although copies of The Utah Westminster stop being included in this practice in the 1950s. While many bound volumes were taken apart and individual items removed, other volumes proved too difficult to unbind and were kept intact. Some issues of The Utah Westminster wanting from this collection are available only within the collection of bound annual publications (see: Westminster College annual publications, 1914-1990 (ACC-104)).

Creator:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

1 linear foot

Language of the Finding Aid:

English.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid written March 2006 by Joshua K. Ivie.

EAD Creation Date:

2013 January 25 by Sarah Shaw.

Standard:

Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS)

Subarea:

Related Material:

Related collections in Giovale Library Archives:

• Update, 1975, 1985-2004 (ACC-051)
• Newscope : bulletin of Westminster College, 1972-1988 (ACC-052)
• Westminster College bulletin, 1914-1922 (ACC-084B)
• Westminster College annual publications, 1914-1979 (ACC-104)

Corporate Names:

Converse Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Ferry Hall (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Payne Gymnasium (Salt Lake City, Utah)
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Buildings
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--History--Sources
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Periodicals

Subject Terms:

Universities and colleges--Utah--Salt Lake City--Newspapers

Form or Genre Terms:

Annual reports
Convocations
Newsletters

Personal Names:

Ferry, Jeannette Hollister, 1828-1917
Payne, Frank Russell
Reherd, Herbert Ware, 1869-1952

Geographical Names:

Salt Lake City (Utah)