TABLE OF CONTENTS

Overview of the Collection

Biography

Scope and Content

Arrangement

Restrictions

Index Terms

Related Material

Administrative Information

Detailed Description

Series I: Correspondence, undated, 1908-1928

Series II: Notebooks, undated, 1924-1935

Series III: Photographs, undated

University Of Connecticut

President's Office Records [Charles L. Beach, 1908-1928]

Biography

Charles Lewis Beach attended the University of Wisconsin. He served on the faculty of the Storrs Agricultural College and Connecticut Agricultural College as an instructor in Dairy Husbandry (1894-1904). After serving in a similar position at the University of Vermont, Beach returned to the College as its fourth president in 1908. During President Beach's administration, CAC became a college in fact as well as in name, offering its first four-year program in 1911 and granting its first bachelor's degrees in 1914. Beach oversaw a substantial increase in enrollment and started a major building program. He guided the college through the era of World War I, when it was dominated by the needs of military training, and defended it against strong criticism and attacks in the early 1920s. By masterfully presenting the college's case before the legislative committees, President Beach succeeded in maintaining the growth and improvement of the institution despite public hostility and indifference. Known to all as “Mr. Beach,” he was well loved from his quiet, friendly manner and his deep commitment to the college. Beach Hall was dedicated in his honor in 1929 a year after his retirement from the college. Charles Lewis Beach died 15 September 1933.

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Scope and Content

The records consist of the general correspondence of the President of the College. It is the only extant collection of the papers of the president for this period. The correspondence is concerned with internal administrative matters, major policy issues at the college, with the college's relations with state and federal governments, and with other educational agencies and institutions.

The collection contains correspondence, reports, memoranda, forms, minutes, telegrams, blueprints, maps, fliers and published materials pertaining to the day-to-day operations of the institution from 1908 to 1928 (bulk 1920-1927). The small quantity of materials representing this significant time of growth and expansion in the institution's history is offset by the breadth of issues covered: information regarding programmatic changes and development to the location of screens for the windows of the president's residence, student suspensions and expulsions to faculty hiring and housing. A survey of this material reveals the changes in the functions of the President's Office during this period of growth from a small agricultural college to a larger, more broadly based institution of higher education. At the time of Beach's appointment in 1908, the laws and by-laws of the college specified that the president, subject to the direction of the trustees, had “the immediate supervision of all departments, and direction of all matters pertaining to the welfare of the college,” including the appointment and dismissal of all staff members and the designation of their duties. They also provided for the President's attendance at and participation in all meetings of the Board of Trustees. Few matters, regardless of significance, escaped the attention of President Beach.

As the college grew, more of the President's responsibilities were delegated to other administrative officers. The 1921 catalog states that, under the supervision of the President, “the three branches of the administration are managed by the Faculty, the Director of the Experiment Station, and the Director of the Extension Service.” Faculty committees relieved the President from the immediate administration of routine matters of internal government. During the 1921-1922 academic year, the college was divided into five academic divisions, each headed by a dean. The establishment of the offices of Dean of Women in 1928, Dean of Men in 1929, and Director of the Division of Instruction in 1931 were other important steps in the evolution of the office of the President, since each more clearly defined the duties of the institution's chief executive officer. By the time of the McCracken administration in 1930, the President was concerned chiefly with general policy-making, major campus issues, high-level appointments, and relations with the state and federal governments.

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Arrangement

Series I: Correspondence (undated, 1906-1929) is the largest portion of the collection and includes correspondence between the President's office and students, staff, faculty and the community on issues relating to the operation of the institution.

Series II: Notebooks (undated, 1924-1927) include several folder of information about specific art collections and pieces collected in memory of Mrs. Louise Crombie Beach, the wife of Charles Beach.

Series III: Photographs (undated) contains photographs removed from the correspondence portion of the collection. Original locations of the images are identified with the separation form accompanying each image.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

There are no access restrictions on this collection.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from these Papers must be obtained in writing from both the University of Connecticut Libraries and the owner(s) of the copyright.

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Related Material

Archives & Special Collections has a substantial collection of materials pertaining to the University and its history, administration, faculty, staff and students. For detailed information on these collections please contact the curator or ask at the reference desk.

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Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms.

Subjects:

Document Types:

Occupations:

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

The records of the President's Office from 1908 to 1935 were stored in Gulley Hall until about 1960, when they were relocated to the attic of Beach Hall.

Preferred Citation

[Item description, #:#], University Of Connecticut, President's Office Records [Charles L. Beach, 1908-1928]. Archives & Special Collections at the Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, University of Connecticut Libraries.

Acquisition Information

In 1968, the Beach Papers were brought to the Special Collections Department. They were transferred to Historical Manuscripts and Archives in August 1979. In 2001, the Presidential records were reprocessed and separated by presidential tenure.

Return to University of Connecticut, President's Office Records.

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Detailed Description