Title: William J. Hutchins Papers
Predominant Dates:1900 - 1958
ID: RG 03/3.04
Primary Creator: Hutchins, William James -- 1871-1958
Other Creators: Hutchins Library
Extent: 70.0 Linear Feet
Arrangement: The collection is arranged in series: Personal/Biographical, Correspondence, Writings, Sermons and Speeches, Subject Files, Printed Material, Foreign Travel, Photographs, and Artifacts.
Subjects: Appalachia -- Description and travel., Appalachian Region, Southern -- History., Appalachian Region, Southern -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- History -- 20th century., Appalachian Region -- Social conditions -- History., Appalachian Region., Berea, (Ky.), Berea College, Berea College -- Campus life, Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) -- Churches, Presbyterian, Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) -- Marriage records, Churches, Presbyterian -- Bedford Presbyterian Church., Clergy, Presbyterian -- Sermons., Education, higher -- Administration., Education, Higher -- Appalachian Region -- History., Hutchins, Francis S. (Francis Stephenson) -- 1902-1988, Hutchins, Robert Maynard -- 1899-1977, Hutchins, William James -- 1871-1958, Madison County (Ky.) -- History., Military installations -- World War I., Oberlin College., Travel, foreign -- Missionaries., World War, 1914-1918 -- Military life, World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, World War, 1914-1918 -- Young Men's Christian Association
Languages: English
Hutchins, born in 1850 and native of Brooklyn, New York, attended Oberlin College, Yale University, and Oberlin Theological Seminary. In 1896 he graduated from Union Theological Seminary and was ordained a Presbyterian minister, receiving his first pastorate at Bedford Church in Brooklyn. Later that same year,Hutchins married Anna Laura Murch of Cleveland (whom he had met at Oberlin).
In 1907, Hutchins was appointed professor of homiletics in the Oberlin Graduate School of Theology. On October 22, 1920, he became president of Berea College, succeeding William G. Frost (who had been a teacher of Hutchins while at Oberlin).
Recognizing the remarkable changes in Appalachia and the United States in the wake of World War I, Hutchins realized that the College would need to adapt to such changes. As such, during his nineteen year tenure as Berea College President, Hutchins worked to expand the college’s physical plant, increase the endowment fund, close the Vocational School, consolidate the Normal School, and strengthen the collegiate programs. This period also saw a great increase in the number of buildings on campus.
During his tenure, Hutchins also served as an advisor to the Danforth Foundation and traveled extensively to India for the Commission on Higher Christian Education in India. Hutchins retired from Berea College in 1939, being succeeded by his son Francis S. Hutchins. He is the second of three generations of the Hutchins family associated with Berea: his father, Robert G. Hutchins, was pastor of Union Church from 1919 to 1921; and his son, Francis S. Hutchins, became Berea's fifth president, serving from 1939 to 1967. Hutchins's eldest son, Robert Maynard Hutchins, was president of the University of Chicago from 1929 to1945. Hutchins passed away in 1958 and is buried in the Berea Cemetery.
Appalachia -- Description and travel.
Appalachian Region, Southern -- History.
Appalachian Region, Southern -- Study and teaching (Higher) -- History -- 20th century.
Appalachian Region -- Social conditions -- History.
Appalachian Region.
Berea, (Ky.)
Berea College
Berea College -- Campus life
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) -- Churches, Presbyterian
Brooklyn (New York, N.Y.) -- Marriage records
Churches, Presbyterian -- Bedford Presbyterian Church.
Clergy, Presbyterian -- Sermons.
Education, higher -- Administration.
Education, Higher -- Appalachian Region -- History.
Hutchins, Francis S. (Francis Stephenson) -- 1902-1988
Hutchins, Robert Maynard -- 1899-1977
Hutchins, William James -- 1871-1958
Madison County (Ky.) -- History.
Military installations -- World War I.
Oberlin College.
Travel, foreign -- Missionaries.
World War, 1914-1918 -- Military life
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
World War, 1914-1918 -- Young Men's Christian Association
Repository: Berea College Special Collections and Archives Catalog
Access Restrictions: Records can be accessed through the Reading Room, Berea College Special Collections and Archives, Hutchins Library, Berea College.
Use Restrictions:
Materials may be restricted due to their personal nature. Federal copyright regulations apply to all other materials. Cite all references to the material in this collection. For information regarding use of copyrighted materials please contact archivist.
Note Regarding Series 2: Box 47/Folder 4 is Restricted.
Note Regarding Series 3: This series consists of a variety of Hutchins’ notebooks and diary excerpts, publications containing Hutchins’ addresses, and articles and clippings by Hutchins--Copyright retained by Francis S. Hutchins. Single photocopies may be made for private use of researchers. Acknowledgement of Berea College Special Collections and Archives as a source is requested.
Note Regarding Series 4: This series contains some RESTRICTED items. See archivist for more information.
Note Regarding Series 5: Copyright to the Camp Sheridan papers held by Francis S. Hutchins. Single copies may be made for private use of researchers. All other materials in this series are unrestricted.
Note Regarding Series 6 and Series 7: Copyright of all materials retained by Francis S. Hutchins; single photocopies may be made for the private use of researchers.
Preferred Citation: [Item description/Folder/Box], William J. Hutchins Papers, Berea College Archives, RG 03/3.04, Berea College Special Collections & Archives, Berea, KY.
Finding Aid Revision History: The finding aid was updated from previous versions in November 2014 by Lori Myers-Steele, Collections Archivist. The box list was updated and revised by Katie L. Roath, Student Associate Archivist, and Rachel Burnside, Archives Processing Assistant. Box 124A was added to Series 8 in November of 2019. In December of 2019, the collection was reprocessed and the boxlist revised by Lori Myers-Steele, Collections Archivist, to make corrections and provide better description of the contents of the collection.
This series consists of correspondence, clippings, writings, and printed materials relating to William J. Hutchins, his family, and ancestors. Extensive genealogical materials relating to Isaac Hutchins (William's grandfather); R.G. Hutchins (William's father); and Robert Hutchins (William's son) are included. Note: Correspondence within this series may be restricted. A list of correspondence by name and date is attached (following the Box List) to the electronic version of this finding aid. See Archivist for paper copy of list.
Materials relating to R. G. Hutchins (1838-1921), consist of correspondence, essays, and miscellaneous papers. Correspondence relates chiefly to Hutchins' leaving Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1886 and to his years at Oberlin College. Essays, addresses, and compositions are also present and were apparently written by Hutchins during the 1850s.
The materials relating to Robert M. Hutchins (1899-1977) consist of family correspondence, copies of speeches, and miscellaneous memorabilia and publications.
Genealogical materials (1878-1953) include memoranda books (1944-1953) of William J. Hutchins; letters (1878-1880) of Isaac T. Hutchins to his son, Robert G. Hutchins; miscellaneous genealogical notes relating to the Hutchins family; and memorabilia.
