dflanagan

Wesleyan at 100

by

In early October 1931, Wesleyan University celebrated its centennial. The event was highly publicized, and was attended by the university’s student body of approximately 600 as well as by guests, alumni and parents. My most recent archival project has been to explore documents associated with the centennial celebration, the Wesleyan Centennial Collection. Contained in a … Read more

Unionizing Faculty – the AAUP at Wesleyan

by

Recently I had the opportunity to explore some of the papers of the Wesleyan chapter of the American Association of University Professors. During the 1970’s and 80’s, the AAUP worked to unionize college and university faculty and professional librarians, and to coach them in collective bargaining with administrations. This collection is a fascinating one, tracing … Read more

Wesleyan University Young Men’s Republican Club constitution and minutes

by

While processing the diary of James Oliver Longstreet (class of 1857) last semester, I came across mention of the Wesleyan Young Men’s Republican Club in the context of the presidential election of 1856. After seeing my interest in the political lives of Wesleyan students in the 1850’s, Valerie Gillispie here at Special Collections and Archives … Read more

The Diary of James Oliver Longstreet, class of 1857

by

I have recently completed processing the diary of James Oliver Longstreet, a Wesleyan alumnus from the class of 1857. The diary is a colorful historical document, providing a rare glimpse into the daily life of a Methodist college student in the middle of the 19th century. It provides insight into the political and social activities … Read more