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Johns Hopkins University Half-Century Anniversary Celebration records

 Record Group
Identifier: RG-17-020

Scope and Contents

The records of the Half Century Celebration date from December 1924 to November 1926, the year the anniversary took place. The records include: minutes of the Committee on the Fiftieth Anniversary, chaired by President Goodnow, and the Committee on Invitations; correspondence of Charles K. Edmunds, recording secretary of the Committee and newly appointed Provost, Jacob Hollander, and E. F. Buchner, all of which details the various social festivities, banquets, speeches and other commemorative events; publications and form letters produced as a result of the Half Century Celebration (programs, tickets, invitations, etc.); two bound volumes of pamphlets commemorating the University's achievements in the past fifty years; and three issues of "The Johns Hopkins Half Century News," a report to alumni documenting contributions to the University.

Dates

  • Creation: 1924 December-1926 November

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is housed off-site and requires 48-hours' notice for retrieval. Please contact Special Collections for more information.

Collection is open for use.

Conditions Governing Use

Single copies may be made for research purposes. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions. It is not necessary to seek our permission as the owner of the physical work to publish or otherwise use public domain materials that we have made available for use, unless Johns Hopkins University holds the copyright.

Biographical / Historical

The first meeting of the Committee on the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration was held on December 16, 1924, under the chairmanship of Frank J. Goodnow, President of the University. Charles K. Edmunds was selected recording secretary of the Committee. The goals of the Committee in planning the celebration were to establish closer relations with alumni and to secure endowments of approximately eleven million dollars. The Board of Trustees created the office of Provost to oversee this venture and appointed Edmunds as the first person to hold that title.

The Committee decided there were two occasions that warranted commemoration: the installation of Gilman as the first president on February 22 and the beginning of formal instruction in the fall of 1876, which had been marked by an address by Thomas Huxley. Therefore, on February 22, 1926, speeches were given by Michael I. Pupin of Columbia University and others commemorating Gilman's inauguration. On October 22 and 23 a more elaborate celebration took place, which included departmental conferences, a banquet, a garden party, and the formal openings of the Walter Hines Page School of International Relations and the School of Hygiene and Public Health. Several subcommittees were appointed to arrange these events, most notably the Citizen's Committee, appointed by the Governor of Maryland on March 12, 1926.

Extent

0.76 Cubic Feet (2 letter size document boxes)

Language of Materials

Undetermined

Abstract

The first meeting of the Committee on the Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration was held on December 16, 1924, under the chairmanship of Frank J. Goodnow, President of the University. The goals of the Committee in planning the celebration were to establish closer relations with alumni and to secure endowments of approximately eleven million dollars. The records of the Half Century Celebration date from December 1924 to November 1926, the year the anniversary took place. The records include: minutes; correspondence; publications and form letters; two bound volumes of pamphlets; and three issues of "The Johns Hopkins Half Century News," a report to alumni documenting contributions to the University.

Arrangement

Arranged in two boxes.

Custodial History

Most of the records were found in the Gilman Hall Library stacks or were transferred to the Archives by the Special Collections Department of the Milton S. Eisenhower Library. Susan Tripp, Director of University Collections, gave a Fiftieth Anniversary Celebration program.

Accruals

Accession Numbers: 80.6, 81.44

Bibliography

  • French, John C. A History of the University Founded by Johns Hopkins. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1946.

Processing Information

Processed by Maryanne Courtney.

Title
Johns Hopkins University Half-Century Anniversary Celebration records
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Repository

Contact:
The Sheridan Libraries
Special Collections
3400 N Charles St
Baltimore MD 21218 USA