Table of ContentsCollection OverviewCollection Inventory+/-
Biographical Note/Historical NoteContent DescriptionCollection UseAdministrative InformationSubjects |
Collection Overview +/-
Collection Inventory +/-
box 1, folder 1: Biographical information
box 1, folder 2: Board of Trustees minutes and agenda
box 1, folder 3: College purchasing
box 1, folder 4: Commencements
box 1, folder 5: Correspondence (1952 July--1953 February)
box 1, folder 6: Correspondence (1953 February-April)
box 1, folder 7: Correspondence (1953 May-July)
box 1, folder 8: Correspondence (1953 October--1954 March)
box 1, folder 9: Correspondence (1954 August-October)
box 1, folder 10: Correspondence (1954 November)
box 1, folder 11: Correspondence (1954 December--1955 January)
box 1, folder 12: Correspondence (1955 February-March)
box 1, folder 13: Correspondence (1955 June--1957 March)
box 1, folder 14: Faculty code
box 1, folder 15: Faculty evaluations
box 1, folder 16: Faculty lists
box 1, folder 17: Faculty meetings
box 1, folder 18: Faculty salaries
box 1, folder 19: Policies
box 1, folder 20: Publications
box 1, folder 21: Reports and studies (1954 June-December)
box 1, folder 22: Reports and studies (1955 January-June)
box 1, folder 23: Reports and studies (1955 November--1956 September)
box 1, folder 24: Workshops
Biographical Note/Historical Note +/-J. Richard Palmer was born August 18, 1916, in Lake Forest, Illinois. He received his elementary education in South Dakota. He entered the ministry at age eighteen and continued all his life in that work. He received his BA from Dakota Wesleyan College in Mitchell, South Dakota, in 1940. Palmer married Ruth Sumner on August 14, 1940; they had two daughters, Patty and Kathy. In 1945, Palmer received his Th.M. (Master of Theology) from Iliff Seminary in Denver, Colorado. From 1944–1952 he was a Pastor at Emmanuel Methodist Church in Denver, Colorado. In July 1952 he accepted the invitation to become the 6th president of Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah). He assumed responsibilities September 1, 1952 and served his term from 1952–1956. In 1955, he received his LL.D. from Rocky Mountain College in Billings, Montana. From 1956–1969 he served as president of Morningside College in Sioux City, Iowa. In 1957 he received his D.D. from Dakota Wesleyan College. From 1969–1973 he was Vice-President of Development at Berea College in Berea, Kentucky, when he accepted the position of President of Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee. During his term, President Palmer worked hard to stabilize Westminster College's financial situation. The Student Lounge located in the basement of the gymnasium, of which he was very proud, was dedicated during his term. The first summer school was held in 1955, also while he was president. Content Description +/-This collection consists of the subject files (correspondence, minutes, policies, publications, reports, and studies) of J. Richard Palmer, 6th President Westminster College (Salt Lake City, Utah). Palmer served as president from 1952-1956. The subject categories are the following: Biographical information, Board of Trustees minutes and agenda, College purchasing, Commencements, Correspondence, Faculty code, Faculty evaluations, Faculty lists, Faculty meetings, Faculty salaries, Policies, Publications, Reports and studies, and Workshops. The Biographical information file contains three biographical newspaper articles concerning President Palmer's inauguration. Board of Trustees minutes and agenda file contains agenda for 1952, 1954, and 1955 Board of Trustees meetings and one page of Board of Trustees minutes. The College purchasing files contains an approval for a bus purchase and a tentative proposal for an annuity contract from Westminster College. The Commencement file includes programs, a list of candidates for baccalaureate degrees, and awards for the May 1954 commencement. Correspondence files (in 9 folders) contain ingoing and outgoing letters from July 1952 to March 1957. They relate to a variety of topics such as Palmer's decision to accept appointment as president, acknowledgements of donations, and employment inquiries. President Palmer wrote many letters to the Board of Christian Education of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and the Board of Education of the Methodist Church asking for money and discussing finances. Westminster had a severe budget deficit during Palmer's term. There were also many letters to members of the Board of Trustees informing them of meetings, policies, and college's financial situation; there are three post-presidential letters to Ralph S. Gunn, the college treasurer, concerning social security issues. The are several categories of faculty files:The Faculty code files includes copies of faculty and faculty tenure codes. Faculty evaluations contains three evaluations of Westminster faculty, while lists Faculty lists contains a list of faculty contracts and a list of faculty members and their religious denominations. Faculty meetings includes several summaries of faculty meetings including who was there and what they discussed. Faculty salaries consists of lists of faculty salaries for certain years. Policies contains a lease agreement, a proposed policy regarding summer session, a recommendation of the committee on registration procedures, and an administration policy as to vacation, holiday, sick leave, and retirement hours. Publications contains an article that was published in the Parade magazine in 1954 about Westminster students volunteering to fill in for different ministers and circuit-riding preachers of different churches who were unable to attend on certain Sundays. Reports and Studies includes several financial reports, a report of the Dean, a report on the library, and other reports concerning Westminster College. Workshops contains several summaries of different faculty workshops. Collection Use +/-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: J. Richard Palmer Westminster College President's subject files, 1952-1957, ACC-006, Giovale Library Archives, Westminster College, Salt Lake City, Utah. Administrative Information +/-Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically into 14 subject categories, and then chronologically within each category. Processing Note: Processed in April 2003 by Laura Richey. Creator: Palmer, J. Richard, 1916- 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 April 2003 by Laura Richey EAD Creation Date: 2011 February 10 by Sarah Shaw Standard: Describing Archives : A Content Standard (DACS) Subarea: ArchivesRelated Material: Related photograph in Giovale Library Archives: Subjects +/-Corporate Names: Methodist Church (U.S.). Board of Education Subject Terms: College presidents--Utah--Salt Lake City--Archives Form or Genre Terms: Articles Personal Names: Gunn, Ralph S., 1908-2005--Correspondence Geographical Names: Salt Lake City (Utah)--History--Sources |
