World War II Materials - Barnard College War Service, 1940-1995, bulk 1940-1945
Collection context
- Abstract:
- This collection consists of newspaper clippings, flyers, booklets, publications, record books, meeting minutes, reports, brochures, articles, petitions, correspondence, posters, ephemera, and photographs.
- Extent:
- .63 Linear Feet
- Language:
- English .
- Scope and content:
-
This collection consists of newspaper clippings, flyers, booklets, publications, record books, meeting minutes, reports, brochures, articles,petitions, correspondence, posters, ephemera, and photographs. These materials relate to committees,curriculum, clippings from newspapers and other publications, and correspondence about activities takingplace during the war years and the work done by undergraduate students, alumnae and faculty at Barnard College.
- Biographical / historical:
-
The Barnard College World War II collection reflects the college community's attitude towards involvement in the war in Europe both before and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 1941. The student population, and the faculty, espoused strong viewpoints in defense of their positions which can be seen in the materials collected for the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies and the Barnard chapter of the British War Relief Society. However, with events at Pearl Harbor and a formal declaration of war by the U.S. government, Barnard undergraduates, faculty and alumnae enthusiastically supported the war relief efforts and national service commitments necessary to alleviate war time shortages in goods, services, and manpower. Barnard women joined many branches of the armed services during World War II including the WAVES, WACS, SPARS, WASPS and the American Red Cross Overseas to do their duty. The curriculum at the college was changed to an accelerated course of studies that emphasized science, mathematics and economics. The National Service Committee offered courses in First Aid, Motor Transport, Women's Voluntary Services, Ambulance Driving, Map Reading, etc., to ensure that the Barnard graduate would have practical and beneficial skills to offer if they chose to enlist in a branch of the military either abroad or at home. As the war drew to a close, Barnard College was honored by the Maritime Commission with the commissioning of a warship in its name, the S.S. Barnard Victory, and later in the century, in 1995, with the dedication of a Peace Altar in Columbia University's St. Paul's Chapel to the students from Columbia University (including Barnard College) who died in World War II.
Access and use
- Restrictions:
-
This collection has no restrictions.
- Terms of access:
-
Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the Barnard Archives and Special Collections. The Barnard Archives and Special Collections approves permission to publish that which it physically owns; the responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.
Photocopies or scans may be made for research purposes.
- Preferred citation:
-
World War II Materials - Barnard College War Service , 1940-1995; Box and Folder; Barnard Archives and Special Collections, Barnard Library, Barnard College.
- Location of this collection:
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Milstein Center for Teaching and Learning 423Barnard College3009 BroadwayNew York, NY 10027, USA
- Before you visit:
- Please contact archives@barnard.edu with research requests or to schedule a visit; see our website for more information.
- Contact:
- archives@barnard.edu