Guide to the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute student report card records

The Salt Lake Collegiate Institute opened to students of all ages on April 12, 1875 in the basement of the First Presbyterian Church (1). Its first classes were taught by the Coyner family. "Mrs. Mary Wilson Coyner took charge of the primaries, Miss Emma Margaret Coyner the intermediates and I had those in the advanced studies," wrote J.M. Coyner in 1897 (2). As a result of their efforts, the Coyners taught sixty-five pupils in their first term. The Salt Lake Collegiate Institute began without being able to offer the necessary material objects that a school should provide. In 1883, Principal Coyner described conditions as "two basement rooms, bare of everything like school furniture, poorly lighted and illy [sic] ventilated, no desk, no maps, no endowment, no money, and no positive assurance of students, was all there was." (3)

The Collegiate Institute's purpose was to bring a strong Christian presence to the education system of the West. It sought to provide high school education to Presbyterian youth, as well as members of the Mormon Church.

In 1877, financial backing came to the Collegiate Institute after the formation of the Women's Executive Committee and the Presbyterian Church Home Mission Board's subsidization of three female teachers. In 1896, the Woman's Board took full possession of the Collegiate Institute, and would retain control until 1910. In 1910, ownership was transferred to the Board of Trustees of Westminster College.

Starting in 1902, the Collegiate Institute was gradually incorporated into Westminster College as its Preparatory Department. The Collegiate Institute moved from the property of the First Presbyterian Church (the old building, the new building, and the dormitory known as the "Octagon House") to the property purchased by the college to be used as the new (and current) campus. The last principal of the Collegiate Institute was George B. Sweazey (1904–1914), who became the dean of Westminster College in 1914. The Collegiate Institute operated as the Preparatory Department of Westminster College until 1936, when the department was phased out entirely (4).

The Collegiate Institute produced the first student publication at Westminster College, "Collegiate life". It contained news related to students, faculty, and the Collegiate Institute, and also featured a variety of student writings, such as poems and jokes. Started in 1912, the publication had a professional appearance but little is known of its history. Only a few issues (1912-1930) have survived and are housed in Westminster College's Archives.

This organizational history of the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute was written by Joshua Ivie in October 2006.

Sources and references:

(1) The sources are unclear as to what specific church they are referring to, but the website of the First Presbyterian Church [http://homestead.com/fpslc/history.html], viewed 22 August 2006 confirms this.

(2) John M. Coyner, "History of the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute, from its organization April 12, 1875 to May 5, 1875," unpublished manuscript, 1897, p. 12, filed in Principal J.M. Coyner's writings (ACC-013).

(3) As quoted by R. Douglas Brackenridge in "Westminster College of Salt Lake City" (Salt Lake City: Utah State University Press, 1998), p. 43.

(4) The reasons for the discontinuation of the Collegiate Institute are unclear; the last instance of the Preparatory Department mentioned in the college catalogs can be found in the 1935-36 school year. The Board of Trustees Minutes for 1935 and 1936 address the decision to cease all junior college operations and operate solely as a four-year baccalaureate institute.

(5) Emil Nyman. "Presidents of Westminster College (as of 1973)", Salt Lake City : Westminster College, 1973.

(6) Emil Nyman. "Westminster College: One Hundred Years". Salt Lake City : Westminster College, 1975.

This collection contains the report cards, transcripts, and principals' letters of students of the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute between 1888-1905, and what are assumed to be prospective students (who may or may not have actually attended the Collegiate Institute).

The report cards' content is fairly consistent including the student's name, a listing of courses (e.g., Latin I or Greek I), and the student's grades per course. The grading system evolved through time. The earlier report cards show the student's grade was given as a number rather than a letter grade (which would be used in later years). For these years, the numbers assigned to the grade were as follows: 100-Perfect, 95-Very Good, 90-Good, 80-Medium, and 70-Poor. Later, letters would be assigned to those categories: A–Excellent, B–Good, C–Fair, D–Poor, and E–Conditional. In addition to the students' letter grades, a notation of "passed" ("P") or "failed" ("F") was included as a mark for the students' performance on their final exam (per class).

The Salt Lake Collegiate Institute did produce a standardized format for report cards (with the heading of "The Salt Lake Collegiate Institute – Term Report of [student's name] – For the Year [academic year]"). This format included a list of studies (i.e., classes), and the grade letter earned by the student (quarterly grades followed by a final grade). These report cards also include a place where the student's absences are noted, divided into two categories of absences (excused and unexcused) and times tardy (excused and unexcused).

There are several exceptions to the standard format; one report card (see "Allen, Jack") appears to be the transcript of a transferring student written on the letterhead of the Treasurer of the Gordon Academy (Salt Lake City). This student's courses are listed, as are the credits earned by this student for these classes, but no grade given.

Also included in this series are letters from principals of other schools writing to the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute on behalf of a student applying to attend the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute. These letters, which are typically addressed to the principal of the Collegiate Institute (e.g., George B. Sweazey), verify the student's completion of classes and emphasize the student's strengths.

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:

Salt Lake Collegiate Institute student report card records, 1888-1905, ACC-002C, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Arrangement:

The records are arranged alphabetically by the student's name.

Processing Note:

Processed by Joshua Ivie in June 2006. This collection was originally organized in a letter box file alphabetically by the first letter of the student's surname. Occasionally little used letters of the alphabet were letters in alphabetical sequence (e.g., "W-Y"). The arrangement was modified into a straight alphabetical sequence with each beginning letter given a separate file.

Creator:

Salt Lake Collegiate Institute

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

0.3 linear feet

Language of the Finding Aid:

English.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid written June 2006 by Joshua Ivie

EAD Creation Date:

2010 November 10 by Sarah Shaw

Standard:

Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS)

Subarea:

Related Material:

Related collections and photographs in Giovale Library Archives:

• George B. Sweazey Salt Lake Collegiate Institute Principal's correspondence, 1903-1913 (ACC-001A)
• George B. Sweazey Salt Lake Collegiate Institute Principal's commissions, 1904-1909 (ACC-001B)
• Salt Lake Collegiate Institute account books, 1885-1916 (ACC-002A)
• Salt Lake Collegiate Institute student records, 1878-1920 (ACC-002B)
• Salt Lake Collegiate Institute subject files, 1884-1906 (ACC-002D)
• John McCutcheon Coyner Salt Lake Collegiate Institute Principal's writings, 1881-1908 (ACC-013)
• Jesse Fonda Millspaugh Salt Lake Collegiate Institute Principal's subject files, circa 1890-1956 (ACC-014)
• Robert J. Caskey Salt Lake Collegiate Institute Principal's correspondence, 1892-1948 (ACC-015)
• Salt Lake Collegiate Institute catalogs, 1875-1914 (ACC-028)
• Salt Lake Collegiate Institute Student Council Association minute books, 1910-1935 (ACC-032)
• Collegiate life, 1910-1930 (ACC-118)
• Salt Lake Collegiate Institute autograph books, 1890-1909 (ACC-160)
• Photograph of the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute, ca. 1880
• Photograph of the Collegiate Institute built 1894 under Caskey
• Photograph of Salt Lake Collegiate Institute students and teachers, 1897
• Photograph of Salt Lake Collegiate Institute students, 1900
• Photograph of the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute Octagon House, 1905
• Photograph of the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute Baseball Team, pre-1911

Corporate Names:

Salt Lake Collegiate Institute--Archives
Salt Lake Collegiate Institute--History--Sources
Salt Lake Collegiate Institute--Students
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--History--Sources

Subject Terms:

Church schools--Utah--History--Sources
Preparatory schools--Utah--History--Sources
Presbyterian Church--Education--Utah
Report cards--Utah--Salt Lake City
School attendance--Utah--Salt Lake City
Student records--Utah--Salt Lake City

Form or Genre Terms:

Attendance records
Letters of recommendation
Report cards
School records
Transcripts

Geographical Names:

Salt Lake City (Utah)--History--Sources