Guide to the Westminster College President's Office commencement records

This collection consists of addresses, citations, correspondence, financial records, invitations, lists, news articles, graduating class photographs, and programs for Commencement exercises maintained between 1898 and 2001 by the President's Office of Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah. These records describe the end of year ceremonies at Westminster College. The term "commencement exercises" refers to the events at the close of the academic year, including: baccalaureate and commencement ceremonies, farewell dinners, commencement luncheons, vesper services, and other similar events. The baccalaureate and commencement ceremonies are the most important commencement events. The earliest materials record that the baccalaureate sermon was delivered to the graduating class earlier in the day at the First Presbyterian Church of Salt Lake City, with the commencement ceremony following in the early evening.

After 1950, the ceremonies reflect the growth of the college and began to be held on the Westminster College campus, and in several instances at the Valley Music Hall in Woods Cross, Utah. The most common location for Commencement exercises was the Dane Hansen Memorial Stadium, located at the southwest corner of the Westminster campus (now the location of a parking structure and Dunke Soccer Field).

Typically, baccalaureate and commencement ceremonies followed simple, and similar, schedules. Generally, the programs included a welcome from the College President who either gave the commencement address himself, or introduced a member prominent to the Westminster Community to speak to the graduates. Beginning in 1945, Westminster College began awarding honorary degrees to people of significance in society, often focusing on alumni who had made a difference to Westminster as well as other groups within the larger society. Typically, four to five people were given honorary degrees during regular spring commencements, and two during summer commencements. Recipients of honorary degrees were announced, a short citation was read by a member of the Board of Trustees or College administration, and was presented to each honoree. Honorary degrees were given to people ranging from past College presidents, influential members of the Board of Trustees, alumni, and other prominent individuals including renowned scientist Dr. James Bonner and Former British Prime Minister Edward Heath. Those receiving honorary degrees spoke to the graduating class; often one recipient was chosen to give the commencement keynote address.

No consistent record prior to 1903 exist; however records for the years 1903-1936 include only programs and invitation to events – covering the presidency of Herbert W. Reherd. This collection begins with notes on the earliest Commencement ceremonies, often made by unidentified individuals; it continues with regularity from the presidency of Herbert Ware Reherd to the end of President Peggy A. Stock's presidency.

From 1939-1952, during Robert D. Steele's tenure as president, the files include programs from the events, lists of those in attendance at various commencement events, as well as an outline of important times and dates for activities leading up to the actual commencement. The schedule of important events was titled "Lest We Forget" and appears consistently in the records until 1968.

The records representing Dr. J. Richard Palmer's presidency are less detailed than the prior records. However, President Frank E. Duddy, Jr. enhanced the Commencement records, and included extensive correspondence relating to the speakers and honorary degree recipients.

Correspondence remains an essential element of the collection after President Duddy and continues throughout the rest of the collection. Correspondence includes direct communication between the College president and those receiving honorary degrees, as well as others instrumental in bringing the honorees to the College. One such group involved President Duddy, Senator Robert Bennett, and the President of the College Republicans, as they attempted to convince Vice-President Richard M. Nixon to speak at the 1960 Commencement exercises. The collection ends with the 2001 Commencement, the final one during the tenure of President Peggy Stock.

From 1943-1964, a single annual folder was maintained on each annual commencement exercises. The primary information contained in the files during these years includes invitations and programs to the Baccalaureate and Commencement events and brief outlines of the schedule of events created by the Commencement planners. Beginning in 1965, additional records were retained including more extensive correspondence and greater information on honorary degrees, speeches, and press coverage.

From 1979-2001, the records reflect that of the earlier years, including baccalaureate, commencement, correspondence, honorary degrees, speeches, and various related material. Programs of the Commencement exercises appear regularly along with copies of the annotated commencement ceremonies. Lists of graduates and their fields of study hold great importance. Pictures of the graduating classes, as well as the demographics of each academic year are closely examined in many of the records, (i.e., 1988 records show the follow up of the graduation class one year after their commencement). Other miscellaneous information includes pictures of individuals receiving honorary degrees along with a short biography, articles about the commencement ceremonies, Westminster College, and degree recipients, and in some cases copies of the Utah Westminster. Much of the miscellaneous material supplements the basic information in the collection, often provides an outside perspective on Westminster College events.

Concluding the collection, the records of President Stock are the most extensive. During her administration the Commencement luncheons and dinners became more prominent and elaborate. The number of records retained more than doubled during this period.

Gaps in the collection: No commencement files prior to 1889 have been located; there are no records for the years 1898-1902, 1906, 1908-1915, 1916, 1932-1933, and 1954.

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:

Westminster College President's Office commencement records, 1898-2001, ACC-069, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Arrangement:

Arranged chronologically by commencement year, thereunder chronological by date. Larger files (from 1999-2001) are further divided alphabetically by subject or event category (i.e., lists, luncheon/dinner).

Acquisition Information:

The President's office transferred these records to the Archives in June 2003; additional files were transferred in June 2005.

Processing Note:

The records series was originally processed by Alana Dela Cruz in May 2005 and revised by Patricia Lyn Scott in October 2006. Originally, Commencement records were under the responsibility of the President's Office. Individual college presidents filed their records differently. A note in the original 1949 folder records stated that information between 1950-1955 was kept in President Duddy's files – information from Duddy's subject files were then copied and added to this series. The Commencement records for the years 1898 to 1983 were unorganized; records after 1983 have largely retained their original order. The records' original order was simplified to a chronological one only retaining subjects to the larger files.

All oversize items were placed in Box 15.

Creator:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983). President's Office

Westminster College of Salt Lake City. Office of the President

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998- ). Office of the President

Language:

Collection materials are in English.

Quantity:

3.3 linear feet

Language of the Finding Aid:

English.

Author of the Finding Aid:

Finding aid written by Alana Dela Cruz in May 2005 and revised by Patricia Lyn Scott in October 2006.

EAD Creation Date:

2012 May 25 by Sarah Shaw

Standard:

Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS)

Subarea:

Related Material:

Related collections and photographs in Giovale Library Archives:

• Westminster College President's Office honorary degree citations, 1945-1989 (ACC-075)
• Westminster College convocation records, 1950-2010 (ACC-099)
• Westminster College commencement publications, 1903-2011 (ACC-100)
• Westminster College President's Office commencement speeches, 1945-2007 (ACC-131)
• Photograph of Westminster Commencement play production of "As you like it", May 1922
• Photograph of President Pete Petersen, 1982

Corporate Names:

Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)
Westminster College of Salt Lake City
Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998-

Subject Terms:

Baccalaureate addresses--Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1902-1983)
Baccalaureate addresses--Westminster College of Salt Lake City
Baccalaureate addresses--Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah : 1998- )
Commencement ceremonies--Utah--Salt Lake City

Form or Genre Terms:

Articles
Correspondence
Financial records
Invitations
Photographs
Programs (documents)
Speeches

Personal Names:

Bennett, Robert F. (Robert Foster), 1933-
Bonner, James Frederick, 1910-
Duddy, Frank E. (Frank Edward), 1917-1986
Heath, Edward
Nixon, Richard M. (Richard Milhous), 1913-1994

Geographical Names:

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