William Harris correspondence, 1817-1828

Creator:

Extent:

.42 linear feet (1 document box (78 items))

Language:

English .

Scope and content:

Letters concerning academic matters and student discipline at Columbia College. Most of the letters are addressed to the Rev. Dr. William Harris.

Biographical / historical:

President of Columbia College, 1811-1829.

William Harris, a Harvard graduate and Episcopalian minister, was elected president in conjunction with the appointment of Columbia College's first provost, a newly created office to which John Mitchell Mason, a Presbyterian minister, was elected.

Administrative duties were shared between the two offices although most of the executive activity was vested with the Provost leaving Dr. Harris with ample time for his duties as Rector of St. Mark's in the Bouwerie. Following Mason's resignation in 1816, a new provost was not appointed and Harris, resigning from his rectorship, assumed the full duties of the office until his death in 1829.

The ever-present problem of money haunted Harris's administration and, as a result of repeated application to the Legislature for financial assistance, the Elgin Botanical Garden (now Rockefeller Center), conveyed to the State by David Hosack, its creator, was assigned to Columbia College (1814). Though the condition was made that the College move to this site, this was never carried out. Instead, wings were built in the original building to take care of the growing institution.

Acquisition information:: Accession number--M-59.
Processing information:: Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 06/--/89.
Arrangement:: Cataloged.
Rules or conventions:: Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Related material:: Additional letters and manuscripts related to William Harris and his term as Columbia College President can be found in the Columbia College papers.

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is located on-site.

This collection has no restrictions.

Terms of access:

Reproductions may be made for research purposes. The RBML maintains ownership of the physical material only. Copyright remains with the creator and his/her heirs. The responsibility to secure copyright permission rests with the patron.

Preferred citation:: Identification of specific item; Date (if known); William Harris correspondence; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Location of this collection:: Rare Book & Manuscript Library

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Collection