Robert Staughton Lynd papers, 1933-1945, bulk 1933-1935

Summary Information

Abstract

Robert Staughton Lynd's papers consist primarily of correspondence, meetings' minutes, proposals, studies, and reports regarding the National Recovery Administration and the Consumers Advisory Board. In addition, there are newspaper and magazine clippings about consumer interests during the early 1930s.

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in four series.

• Series I: Correspondence, 1933-1937
• Series II: Administrative Files, 1933-1935
• Series III: Legal Documents, 1933-1934
• Series IV: Educational Files, 1942-1943

Description

Summary

Lynd's papers primarily consist of letters, memos, proposals, meetings' minutes, studies, newspaper and magazine clippings, releases, and legal documents pertaining to the National Recovery Administration regulation and the Consumer Advisory Board during the early 1930s. In addition, the collection contains policies and reports on educational reform in Great Britain and of the National Maritime Union.

• Series I: Correspondence, 1933-1937

  This series contains letters from the National Recovery Administration and memos from the Consumer Advisory Board.

• Series II: Administrative Files, 1933-1935

  In this series, the papers are comprised of minutes, studies, proposals, reports, newspaper and magazine clippings and press releases regarding the Consumer Advisory Board.

• Series III: Legal Documents, 1933-1934

  This series consists of National Industrial Recovery Act regulations and amendments.

• Series IV: Educational Files, 1942-1943

  These files contain educational reform policies and social welfare reports in Great Britain as well as the National Maritime Union Training School policies.

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Restrictions on Access

You will need to make an appointment in advance to use this collection material in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room. You can schedule an appointment once you've submitted your request through your Special Collections Research Account.

This collection is located off-site. You will need to request this material at least three business days in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.

This collection has no restrictions.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

Single photocopies 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); Robert Staughton Lynd papers; Box and Folder; Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Selected Related Material--At Other Repositories

Robert and Helen Lynd Family Papers, Staughton Lynd Collection Kent State University

Lynd Correspondence and Papers, 1922-1982, Ball State University Libraries

Middletown Studies Collection Ball State University

Accruals

Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Source of acquisition--Lynd, Robert S. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1961. Accession number--M-61.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 08/--/89.

Papers processed Marilyn Chin, Queens College, 2011 2/--/2011.

Finding aid written Marilyn Chin, Queens College, 2011 2/--/2011.

Revision Description

2011-04-08 xml document instance created by Carrie Hintz

2019-05-20 EAD was imported spring 2019 as part of the ArchivesSpace Phase II migration.

Subject Headings

The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches at Columbia University through the Archival Collections Portal and through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, as well as ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.

All links open new windows.

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Robert Staughton Lynd was born on September 26, 1892 in New Albany, Indiana. He was a professor of sociology at Columbia University for thirty years (1931-1961.) He married Helen Merrell in September, 1922. They had two children, a son, Staughton, in 1929, and a daughter, Andrea, in 1934.

Lynd is best known for the book, Middletown: A Study in Contemporary American Culture, that he and his wife wrote. The book was based on a landmark study of a typical American community in 1929 from a cultural anthropological standpoint. It was one of the first sociological analyses done in the country of a modern, urban community. The book proved to be a bestseller and was noted for its scientific perspective. Lynd and his wife followed up with a sequel titled, Middletown in Transition in 1937 by returning to the same community to observe the effects of the Great Depression on its people. Known as the Middletown studies, these analyses are still used and referred to by American sociologists.

Lynd died on November 1, 1970 in Warren, CT, at the age of seventy-eight.