Guide to the Emil Nyman Westminster College Library Archivists' biographical files

Emil Nyman, 1892-1982: Emil Nyman was born May 17, 1892 in Ramsey, Montana to Charles Nyman and Emma Christina Nielson (Nilsdotter) Nyman. Nyman was graduated from the Salt Lake Collegiate Institute, a forerunner of Westminster College, and later from the University of Utah in 1914 with a degree in sociology and philosophy. He later received a master's degree in psychology.

In 1917, he married Helen Van Pelt in Salt Lake City; she was the daughter of Henry V. Van Pelt, a trustee and treasurer of Westminster College from 1899-1936. The Nymans' son Van and daughter Marion were both graduated from Westminster Junior College in 1938. It was in this connection that Emil became acquainted with Westminster's President H.W. Reherd, and as a trustee of Third Presbyterian Church, with President Robert D. Steele. Nyman and Steele worked together in 1946 to consolidate Third Church and the Westminster Church on the west side to form the Wasatch Presbyterian Church.

Nyman taught various subjects for 14 years in Utah high schools; he was then elected an elementary school principal in the Salt Lake School System, a position he held for 23 years. In his final year as principal, he was President of the Utah Elementary School Principals Association. He was president and treasurer of the Utah Retired Teachers Association, president of the University of Utah Emeritus Club, and served on the Utah Mental Health Board and Services for the Aging.

After retiring as a high school principal in 1957, Emil Nyman first came to Westminster College as a part-time instructor in the Department of Education, under the administration of President Frank E. Duddy, Jr.

In 1969, Dr. Manford Shaw named Nyman Westminster College archivist, a position he held until his death in May, 1982. During the administrations of President Shaw and President Helmut Hofmann, Emil Nyman closed the monthly council meetings by reading a paragraph on college history or a bit of philosophy.

In 1973, Emil Nyman was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree. As Westminster College's archivist, he wrote many college biographies, compiled in a scrapbook entitled "I remember" and a history of the college's first 100 years. The Salt Lake Tribune published a feature article on May 20, 1982, written just days before his death, stating he wasn't thinking of retirement soon from the college with which he had been associated since 1905, an association that earned him the nickname "Mr. Westminster".

Sources for Nyman biographical note:

• Ancestry.com website viewed August 29, 2012
• Nyman, Emil. "I remember" bound scrapbook, autobiography written by Emil Nyman (in Collection ACC-085B)
• Salt Lake Tribune article, May 20, 1982 by Anne Wilson entitled "'Mr. Westminster' enjoys 90th birthday".
• Salt Lake Tribune obituary, May 28, 1982.

This collection consists of a set of biographical files on 86 individuals important to Westminster College in Salt Lake City, Utah. The materials, which date from 1909-1981, appear to have been compiled to serve as a reference file on these contacts, and include letters, holiday cards, newspaper clippings, copies of articles, programs, transcripts, speeches, deeds, and photographs. They were organized into biographical files in the 1970s by the college's archivist Emil Nyman (1892-1982), and maintained by him until 1981.

All biographical subjects had some association with Westminster College, but no pattern within the types of records, people, or dates can be determined in the records kept on these individuals. Some were former college presidents (W. Fred Arbogast, Helmut P. Hofmann, and Herbert Ware Reherd) or longtime staff members (Parke M. Pontz). Others were college trustees (B.C.J. Wheatlake and Harold R. Waldo) or were relatives of the college's founders (Renwick S. McNiece and Anna Furry Sweazey). In most cases, there is not enough information to determine the subject's role or relationship. They could be an alumnus, a friend of the college or a private donor.

The records are largely letters acknowledging donations, discussing personal matters or the history of Westminster College. Concerning donations, the majority of these letters were authored by the college president at the time to recognize the donations and to inform the donors of how contributions would be used. These letters were included in the biographical series because of their relationship to college events, or other pertinent points of interest like the nearness of the college to its financial goals or the status of a building project (the "Student Union Building" file, for instance).

The personal letters are typically not from faculty members, but from alumni or friends of the college writing to the president. A number of holiday cards are included because the biographical content reflects the events of the subject's life. Mr. Nyman wrote and received a number of the personal correspondence. He and his wife appeared to have made contact with the majority of these people.

Letters regarding the history of the college are also common and are usually addressed to the president or to Nyman. Others are inquiries made by persons researching the history of the Presbyterian Church and Westminster's Presbyterian history.

Also included among the records are newspaper articles, publications (or parts thereof), and photographs. Articles were photocopied and inserted into the appropriate biographical file. Publications are generally incomplete, as only the parts associated with the person were included.

One letter of special interest is found within the "Paden, T. Ross file" -- a letter dated June 6, 1981 makes reference to the W. M. Paden Collection that can be found in the Archives at Westminster College (ref. William Mitchell Paden papers ... MSS-002A-E). T. Ross Paden, author of the letter, was the nephew of William Mitchell Paden. The college acquired William Paden's papers from his sister, Lou Rachel Paden, after his death in 1931. T. Ross' letter also gives the location of materials once belonging to William T. Paden.

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:

Emil Nyman Westminster College Library Archivists' biographical files, 1909-1981, ACC-057, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Arrangement:

Arranged alphabetically by subject's name, thereunder chronologically within each folder. This arrangement reflects the records' original order.

Processing Note:

Processed by Josh Ivie in December 2003. Some unrelated and undated materials (like information on individuals who had no relation to the college, documents that could not be identified as to having any relation to the college, etc.) were removed and discarded. Also, other records located within the individual folders having nothing to do with the listed person, but whose subject could be determined were removed and new folders created. Family folders were also divided into individual folders (e.g., the Hogles). Folders created in this manner are: Buzza, Fannie Louise; Hoffman, Helmut P.; Smith, Dana Prom; Hogle, James Albert; Hogle, James Edward; Hogle, George H.; Pontz, Walter Gerard. Two original folders in this collection were not biographical but were retained to reflect their original relationship and relevance. One relates to the Fraternal Order of Masons and the other to the Student Union Building (Shaw Center).

Creator:

Nyman, Emil, 1892-1982

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

1.0 linear foot

Language of the Finding Aid:

English.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid written December 2003 by Josh Ivie; revised and expanded September 2012 by Sarah Shaw.

EAD Creation Date:

2012 September 14 by Sarah Shaw

Standard:

Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS)

Subarea:

Related Material:

Related collections and photograph in Giovale Library Archives:

• Emil Nyman Westminster College Library Archivist's records, 1970-1982 (ACC-085A)
• Emil Nyman Westminster College Library Archivist's writings, circa 1965-1995 (ACC-085B)
• Emil Nyman Westminster College Library Archivist's 1915-1978 graduation cardfile, probably 1975-1978 (ACC-085C)
• David A. Hales Westminster College Librarian's research materials on the William and Jeannette Ferry family, 1998-2010 (ACC-192)
• Photograph of Westminster College Commencement, May 1979 (with Emil Nyman pictured)

Corporate Names:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Archives
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Alumni and alumnae--Biography--Sources
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Biography
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Faculty--Biography--Sources
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)--Presidents--Biography--Sources

Form or Genre Terms:

Biography files

Personal Names:

Nyman, Emil, 1892-1982--Archives
Paden, T. Ross (Thomas Ross), 1905-1982
Paden, William Mitchell, 1854-1931

Geographical Names:

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