Dwight D. Miner papers on the history of Columbia University, 1938-1978
Summary Information
At a Glance
- Call No.:
- MS#2015
- Bib ID:
- 4079111 View CLIO record
- Creator(s):
- Miner, Dwight Carroll, 1904-1978
- Repository:
- Rare Book and Manuscript Library
- Physical Description:
- 19.6 Linear Feet (47 document boxes, 1 oversize folder)
- Language(s):
- English .
- Other Finding Aids
- 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.
-
The following boxes are located offsite: Boxes 2-47. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Description
Summary
Miner's correspondence, manuscripts, typescripts, manuscript and typescript notes, and printed materials relating to the history of Columbia University. Interfiled with Miner's papers are the correspondence, manuscripts, and notes of Columbia librarian Roger Howson (1882-1962) who had been writing a history of the University at the time of his retirement in 1948. Howson and Miner's correspondence is chiefly with Columbia University administrators, faculty, staff, and alumni and deals entirely with the history of the university. The two major Columbia correspondents are Provost Frank D. Fackenthal and Secretary Philip M. Hayden. There are manuscript and typescript drafts of chapters and parts of chapters by Howson and Miner, but neither's history was ever completed or published. These drafts along with the related correspondence, notes, and typescript copies of original manuscripts from Columbia's archives and manuscript collections are filed together under the appropriate headings in the Name and Subject Files. In addition there are two partially completed typescript drafts of each history.
Also included are two incomplete typescripts for the history of the College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Faculty of Pure Sciences written by various individuals. These histories were meant to be included in THE BICENTENNIAL HISTORY OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY (1954) which was edited by Miner. The collection contains over 120,000 note cards on the history of the University and approximately 750 photostatic copies of original manuscripts with references to Columbia in other repositories. Among these copies are selected photostats from the Francis Lieber Papers at the Henry Huntington Library.
In the notes and cards both by Howson and by Miner, source materials are abbreviated: PAN (President's Annual Reports), CP (now known as Columbia College Papers), CAN (Columbia Alumni News), CUQ (Columbia University Quarterly), TM (Trustee Minutes).
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in 7 series: Series I: Correspondence; Series II: Biographical of Name Files; Series III: Subject Files; Series IV: Manuscripts; Series V: Photostats; Series VI: Note Card Files; Series VII: Printed Materials.
- Series I: Correspondence
- Series II: Biographical or Name Files
- Series III: Subject Files
- Series IV: Manuscripts
- Series V: Photostats
- Series VI: Note Card Files
- Series VII: Printed Materials
Using the Collection
Other Finding Aids
Conditions Governing 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.
The following boxes are located offsite: Boxes 2-47. You will need to request this material from the Rare Book and Manuscript Library at least three business in advance to use the collection in the Rare Book and Manuscript Library reading room.
This collection has no restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
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); Dwight D. Miner papers on the history of Columbia University; Box and Folder; Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University Libraries.
Accruals
No additions are expected.
Materials may have been added to the collection since this finding aid was prepared. Contact rbml@columbia.edu for more information.
Reproduction Note
Type of reproduction--Photostatic copies in part
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Source of acquisition--Estate of Dwight C. Miner. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--1979. Accession number--M-79.
About the Finding Aid / Processing Information
Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library
Processing Information
Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 08/--/89.
Revision Description
2020-03-18 PDF replaced with full finding aid (JR)
Biographical Note
Historian. Miner began teaching history at Columbia in 1927 and held the rank of Moore Collegiate Professor of History Emeritus at his death. (Columbia University A.B., 1926; A.M., 1927; Ph.D., 1940).
Born in 1904, Miner grew up in Morningside Heights and as a child, saw the campus built in his own neighborhood. He received his BA in 1926, MA in 1927 and PhD in 1940. He joined the faculty as a member of the Contemporary Civilization Department in 1927, became full professor in 1940 and was named the Moore Collegiate Professor of History in 1967. He was associated with Columbia as a student and professor for a combined 56 years.
Miner wrote The fight for the Panama route : the story of the Spooner act and the Hay-Herrán treaty (1940) and served as editor of the volumes for the Bicentennial history of Columbia University (1954-1956). Miner was also a favorite among students for his course lectures and his story-telling at the annual Yule Log ceremony. Time Magazine once pictured him on its cover as one of the nation's ten great college teachers. Miner delivered a yearly lecture on the history of Columbia College during freshmen orientation. As the student newspapers, the Spectator, wrote in 1945: "We almost wish we were freshmen again so that we could again enjoy the riotous anecdotes from Columbia's past that Prof. Miner recounts with such skill. Hearing his is a rare experience." (1945 July 20, page 2) For over 40 years, Prof. Miner shared with the freshmen his own experiences and the history of Columbia College. He continued to teach Contemporary Civilization until his retirement in 1973 but even retired, he would return to campus for the famous orientation speech.
Subject Headings
The subject headings listed below are found in this collection. Links below allow searches for other collections at Columbia University, through CLIO, the catalog for Columbia University Libraries, and through ArchiveGRID, a catalog that allows users to search the holdings of multiple research libraries and archives.
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