Eldridge Tracy McSwain (1898-1978) Papers

Collection

Identifier: 14/10

Staff Only
No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

The Eldridge T. McSwain Papers consist of seven folders of material spanning the years 1940-1978. The general correspondence includes letters concerning McSwain's various Northwestern activities, professional activities including guest speeches, and City and local educational affairs. An additional folder contains a few letters concerning the Master of Arts in Teaching Program. The remaining materials are self explanatory; see the Container List for folder titles.

One folder of correspondence and related materials pertaining to the Chicago Mayor's Committee on School Board Nominations, 1960-1961, has been added to this series. Dean McSwain served as the first chairman of the Committee and presided over deliberations that led ultimately to a 1962 controversy concerning the racial backgrounds of School Board nominees. (Clippings pertaining to this controversy may be found in the first folder of the series.) The additions, however, include mainly routine correspondence regarding earlier nominees and nominating procedures.

Dates

1940-1978

Creator

McSwain, E. T. (Eldridge Tracy), 1898-1978 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is stored off-site and requires two business days advance notice for retrieval. Please contact the McCormick Library at specialcollections@northwestern.edu or 847-491-3635 for more information or to schedule an appointment to view the collection.

Extent

1.00 Boxes

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Eldridge T. McSwain's career at Northwestern University (1935-1965) was long and varied. He served as Dean of Summer Session at Northwestern in 1946 and again in 1949. He was appointed Dean of University College (Chicago Campus) in 1948 and held that position until he became Dean of the School of Education in 1951. His papers consist of seven folders of material spanning the years 1940-1978.

Arrangement

The papers of Eldridge T. McSwain are organized into: biographical materials; general correspondence; corrtesondence concerning the Master of Arts in Teaching program; syllabus and bibliography for the course "Schools and society"; miscellaneous reports; speeches; and articles and bibliography.

Method of Acquisition

Accession #74-19, separated from the Ernest O. Melby Papers, Series 14/7, which had been transferred to the University Archives by Joe Park. Additional folder of correspondence was separated from the B.J. Chandler Papers (Series 14/12) and added to this series.