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Consists of holograph, typescript, and proofs of Joseph Wall's biography, Andrew Carnegie (1970), holograph and typescript of Henry Watterson: Reconstructed Rebel (1956), and of the page proof of Interpreting Twentieth-Century America (1973).  A small part of the collection includes some correspondence connected with Andrew Carnegie. Also included is a typescript of the Grinnell College Faculty Handbook (1969) and talks and memos concerning the Abler-Woodworth controversy of 1974.

The bulk of the collection consists of Mrs. Orr's recollections about her life and the lives of three of her brothers, and of family photographs.

Consists of material written by, about, and for Charles H. Foster.  Included are copies of lectures given by Foster, book reviews written by and about him, and correspondence with colleagues and friends.  This collection contains copies of correspondence written by Foster to Robert Frost and also letters received by Foster from MacKinlay Kantor, Paul Engle, Perry Miller, Curt Harnack, and Joseph F. Wall.  Additionally, this collection includes unpublished manuscripts (one incomplete) by Foster.  Also included are two signed Perry Miller books that were given to Foster from Miller.

The collection consists of a letter from Chekhov’s sister, a replica of Chekhov’s letter (November 2, 1903) to Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko (co-founder of the Moscow Art Theatre), and a note (June 14, 1985) from Kennan explaining the provenance of the Chekhov letter. Also included are photocopies in Russian.

Lenabel Body Courtney was interviewed by her grandson, J. Courtney Wilson, in January, February, August and December 1977. The collection consists of 15 cassette tapes and transcripts of approximately 230 typed pages, the transcript for each tape having an index of topics discussed.

The Harold L. Clapp papers consist of talks; unpublished articles, stories, books, verse, and translations; newspaper clippings about Clapp; and correspondence.  One published book is reproduced here; other published works are listed in Appendix A.  The papers span the years 1929-61, with the bulk of the material between 1947 and 1961. Mr. Clapp was very concerned about American public primary and secondary education and in teacher training, favoring greater emphasis on basic elementary subjects.  Much of the collections records his active work in this area, speaking and writing and working for the Council for Basic Education in Washington, D.C.  This interest began with his observations of his sons’ education in Swiss public schools during the family’s year in Geneva, 1947-48.  The year is described in detail in letters written by HLC and Laura Clapp and in Laura Clapp’s introductory pages to the letters.  All of these are in “Letters from Switzerland,” the first series in the Clapp papers.  The Swiss letters also describe living and travel conditions and problems of American students in post-war Europe. Mr. Clapp’s ideas on education are most fully documented I the series Council for Basic Education, Talks, and Published and Unpublished Writings.  French Play School shows the practical application of his ideas.  His fiction (three books) was satire on American education.  Other than the Manual for French A2 the papers contain very little directly relating to Mr. Clapp’s teaching of French at Grinnell College. Laura Clapp transcribed by hand or had typed some of the papers because the originals were difficult to read.  She collected and in part arranged the material and appended explanatory notes where she felt they would help a reader better understand her husband’s writings.  Excerpts from her letters to her mother (series 10) describe some campus events of the 1940s and ‘50s.

Series 1: Materials contained in this collection are largely related to the President's Committee for a Stronger Minority Presence (PCSMP). Also included are eleven undated photographs.

Series 2: 2022 Accretion.

The personal correspondence, notes and photographs of former Grinnell professor of physics Grant O. Gale. Gale was educated at the University of Wisconsin at Madison and got his masters in physics at the University of Michigan in 1933. He taught at Grinnell from 1929 to 1972. The college's observatory is named for Gale, and he was active in several Grinnell community organizations before his passing in 1998.
Gale is remembered for his dedication to his students and to his role as a mentor on the Grinnell campus.

Files from Faulconer Gallery regarding exhibits from the opening of Faulconer gallery in 1999 to 2006. The files contain materials such as correspondence with artists, articles and research on the artists, advertising material for the exhibits, and handwritten notes.

Papers and administrative materials documenting the work of the Office of the Dean.  Some materials may be confidential and not available for research.

There has been a person serving in the capacity of Dean of the Faculty/College since 1944. The exact titles changed over the years and the duties varied, but essentially these persons served similar functions.

In the 1958 North Central Association report to the College, the Dean of the College was responsible for being the academic assistant to the President and the person to assume leadership in the absence of the President.

In 1968 the Dean was described as the person who cooperates with the President in the administration of the academic affairs of the College; who advises the President on academic and other matters; and who represents the President in his/her absence unless an Acting President had been appointed by the Trustees. The Dean also served as Chair of the Faculty Committee on Academic Standing, Chair of the Faculty committee on Admissions and Student Aid, and as a member of the Faculty Executive Council. (From the 1968 NCA report).

When the College was seeking a new Dean of the Faculty in 1980, the principal responsibilities of the Dean were to provide leadership in working with the President and the Faculty in areas of curriculum, faculty development, and maintenance of the quality of the academic profram. (From job description located in RG-F Series 3).

Following is a list of persons in this position with their exact titles, dates, and in parentheses, the name(s) of the president(s) under whom they served.

Earl D. Strong, Dean, 1944-1951 (Stevens)

Max Fuller, Dean of the College, 1951-1954 (Stevens)

R. Homer Norton, Acting Dean of the College, 1954-1956; Dean of the College, 1956-1960 (Hawk, Bowen)

James H. Stauss, Dean of the College, 1960-1966; Provost and Dean of the College, 1966-1969 (Bowen, Leggett)

Joseph F. Wall, Dean of the college, 1969-1973 (Leggett)

Waldo S. Walker, Executive Vice President and Dean of the College, 1973-1977; Provost and Dean of the College, 1977-1980 (Leggett, Turner)

Catherine Frazer, Dean of the Faculty, 1980-1987 (Turner, Drake)

Charles L. Duke, Dean of the Faculty, 1987-1988; Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty, 1988-1992; Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, 1992-1997 (Drake, Ferguson)

James Swartz, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, 1998-2008 (Ferguson, Osgood)

Paula V. Smith, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, 2008-2013 (Osgood, Kington)

David Lopatto, Interim Dean of the College, 2013-2014 (Kington)

Michael E. Latham, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, 2014-2019 (Kington)

Anne F. Harris, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College, 2019-2020 (Kington)

Elaine M. Marzluff, Interim Dean of the College, 2020- (Harris)

Consists of minutes of the Executive Committee of the Trustees, the Board of Trustees, the Finance Committee, and materials on the Fund for Excellence.

The cyclone of June 1882 destroyed the minutes of meetings of the Trustees of Iowa College. S. L. Herrick, Secretary of the Board, copied his records of meetings prior to that date.

The bulk of the collection consists of letters to Mrs. Mamie Tibbs and four of her children from family and friends, the majority written from 1939-1945.  Letters from one family member to another are filed in the folder of the recipient; letters in each folder are arranged chronologically.  There are no letters to or from James or Shirley.  There are a number of letters from Albert to various family members filed in the recipients’ folders.  Other papers include a variety of personal and family cards, announcements, invitations, etc.

The papers were left in the family’s house at 712 Elm Street when they moved and were retrieved by Grinnell College students when some letters blew out of the abandoned house into the neighborhood.  This is not a complete family record and does not give a complete accounting of the family history.  The letters do give some insight into the everyday life and concerns of a black family living in a white community during the 1940s and 1950s and of blacks in the armed forces during and after World War II.

Consists of Jim Work's office files.  Included are files concerning the celebration of the college's sesquicentennial in 1996.

The Summer Programs Office was organized in 1982 by James C. Work. The office coordinated special academic and athletic summer programs and outside groups using campus facilities for conferences. In 1989-1990 the name of the office was changed to Special Services and Summer Activities as additional responsibilities were added. During the college's sesquicentennial celebration, the office coordinated many on-campus and off-campus events. In July, 2001, the office merged with the Office of Public Relations to become the Office of Communications and Events.

Series 1 Summer Program Files: Have not been arranged; they include brochures and schedules from summer activities from 1983-1989.

Series 2 Sesquicentennial Celebration Files: Include memoranda, programs, planning and materials, and budgets for many events on campus and around the country. Also included are audio and video tapes of SQC events. The files are arranged by Grinnell activities and off-campus activities (generally arranged alphabetically by city).

Series 3 Scholars' Convocations: Includes 129 audiotapes of convocations from 1991-1997 and 23 videotapes of convocations, 1996-1997.