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William North Rice papers

 Collection
Identifier: 1000-123

Scope and Contents

The William North Rice papers contain diaries, correspondence, account books, teaching materials, writings, lectures, and sermons related to Rice's interests in Wesleyan University, science, religion, and education in general. The Diaries and Correspondence series includes personal diaries and account books kept by William North Rice during his time as a Wesleyan University student, and correspondence from family members, friends, colleagues, and fellow alumni from throughout his life. The subject of many of the diary entries and letters is Wesleyan University, and these writings contain information about academics, social life, campus groups, co-education, trustee maters, campus politics, selection of presidents, alumni affairs, coeducation, student discipline, and faculty recruitment.

The Teaching and Education series includes record books, lecture notes, examination questions, and tributes and memorials. The record books record student grades for the courses taught by Rice. His lecture notes cover subjects including botany, geology, mineralogy and crystallography, zoology and "science and religion." The examination questions include those used by Rice in his own teaching, as well as entrance examination questions for Wesleyan University and other New England colleges and universities. The tributes and memorials to Rice, as well as obituaries, offer information about Rice's teaching and scholarly career. Also included in this series is a hand-drawn sketch of Rice made by Mrs. Calvin Sears Harrington.

The Publications, Addresses, and Sermons series contains materials created by Rice on the topics of Wesleyan University, education, geology and science, and religion. An index of sermons and publications can be found at the beginning of the series.

Dates

  • Creation: 1861-1955
  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1861-1928

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

University records - Copyright held by Wesleyan University; all other copyright is retained by the creator - In Copyright – Non-Commercial Use Permitted

Some material is in public domain - No Copyright - United States

Biographical / Historical

Born in 1845, William North Rice, of Springfield, Massachusetts, entered Wesleyan University in August 1861 at the age of fifteen. He graduated in 1865 as the valedictorian of his class, and went on to the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale University to receive the first Ph.D. awarded in the United States in geology in 1867. After further study in Europe, he returned to Wesleyan to teach natural science courses, a very new field in the existing academic world of Greek and Latin literature and mathematics.

He served as Professor of Geology and Natural History, 1868-1884; G.I. Seney Professor of Geology, 1884-1918; G.I. Seney Professor of Geology Emeritus, 1918-1928; and as acting president of the university, 1907, 1908-1909, and 1918. He died 13 November 1928, after a 67-year association with Wesleyan.

Rice was distinguished not only for his knowledge of geological formations throughout the mountains of Connecticut and Massachusetts, but also for his many publications and sermons as a Methodist minister.

In addition, Rice was a prolific writer. Along with several books, he wrote dozens of sermons and lectures which were published in newspapers and journals. He was a frequent contributor to Zion's Herald, a religious publication of the Boston Wesleyan Assocation, as well as to other religious and secular newspapers. His writings often dealt with the conflict many people experienced, in the first half-century after the publication of Darwin's Origin of the Species, between new scientific thought and Biblical tradition. Other lectures and sermons were strictly theological in nature.

Extent

5.5 Linear Feet (10 hollinger, 1 half hollinger, and 1 clamshell box)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The William North Rice papers contain diaries, correspondence, account books, teaching materials, writings, lectures, and sermons related to Rice's interests in Wesleyan University, science, religion, and education in general. Specific topics include coeducation at Wesleyan University, campus politics and activities, and issues related to students, faculty, and trustees. Rice's interests in geology, botany, mineralogy, crystallography, and zoology are represented, as is his interest in the relationship between science and religion.

Arrangement

The collection is made up of 3 series:

  • Series I: Diaries and correspondence
  • Series II: Teaching and education
  • Series III: Publications, addresses, and sermons

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donated by William Abbott Rice in December 1960.

Title
William North Rice papers, 1861-1955 (bulk 1861-1928)
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Marjorie A. Biafore, 1979; Elizabeth A. Swaim and University Archives Staff, 1981; Sabena Leake, 1988; Diana Perron, 1989; Valerie Gillispie, 2006 Encoded by Valerie Gillispie, 2006
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the University Archives Repository

Contact:
Olin Library
252 Church Street
Middletown CT 06459 USA
860-685-3864