Columbia College papers, 1703-1964, bulk 1754-1920

Summary Information

Abstract

The surviving files of official correspondence, reports, documents, and printed materials of King's College from 1750 to 1784 and Columbia College from 1785 to 1890, as well as Columbia University up to 1964. The King's College era materials include grants, deeds, indentures, lists of governors, leases, accounts, etc. The Columbia College era papers commence with documentation regarding the attempts to revive the college at the end of the American Revolution. In the later period these papers primarily supplement and document the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees. Much material was destroyed and scattered in the late 19th century leaving this collection quite incomplete.

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

Arranged in four series.

• Series I: King's College Papers, 1703-1784
• Series II: Columbia College Papers, 1784-1964
• Series III: Oversized Materials, 1752-1856
• Series IV: Ledgers and Classbooks, 1828-1935

Description

Summary

The surviving files of official correspondence, reports, documents, and printed materials of King's College from 1750 to 1784 and Columbia College from 1785 to 1890, as well as Columbia University up to 1964. The King's College era materials include grants, deeds, indentures, lists of governors, leases, accounts, etc. The Columbia College era papers commences with documentation regarding the attempts to revive the college at the end of the American Revolution. In the later period these papers primarily supplement and document the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Governors and the Board of Trustees. Much material was destroyed and scattered in the late 19th century leaving this collection quite incomplete.

• Series I: King's College Papers, 1703-1784

  This series contains documents relating to the establishment of King's College in 1754 and its development. These documents include correspondence of the first president, Samuel Johnson, the Governors of King's College, and others. In addition, this series contains reports, minutes, bills and receipts, appointment recommendations, and documents by and concerning the students as well as the physical plant of the college. This series also contains some documents relating to the renaming of King's College as Columbia College and appeals to the Regents of New York State.

• Series II: Columbia College Papers, 1784-1964

  This series contains documents relating to the newly named Columbia College, including accounts, correspondence, minutes, bills and receipts, documents by and concerning the students, leases of property, and donations. Most of this series includes correspondence, reports, and Trustees related material from before 1900, although one will find minutes and materials from trustee meetings, correspondence, receipts and accounts, speeches and documents post-dating 1900. Post-1900 items of interest include: documents concerning the Contemporary Civilization program in the 1930s, copies of Columbia College valedictorian and salutatorian speeches from the early 1960s, and a copy of the speech given at Dwight D. Eisenhower's inauguration as Columbia University President in 1948.

• Series III: Oversized Materials, 1752-1856

  This series contains oversized documents relating to both King's College and Columbia College. Documents are primarily property maps, indentures, land lease documents, and petitions.

• Series IV: Ledgers and Classbooks, 1828-1935

  This series contains financial ledgers and classbooks. The financial records relate to student fees and graduation or diploma fees. There is also a set of canceled checks that were collected in bound volumes from when the College was still in its original home at the Park Place campus. Classbooks is the term used for attendance and grade books. These were sometimes kept by an individual faculty member, with information about their sections over a number a years. Other were kept by the department and include information for multiple faculty members.

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.

The following boxes are located offsite: 100-106. 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.

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); Columbia College papers; Box and Folder; University Archives, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Libraries.

Accruals

No additions are expected.

Ownership and Custodial History

This collection was acquired by the Rare Book and Manuscript Library in May 1959. Collection officially transferred to the University Archives in 2016.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Accession number--M-59.

Commencement Oration of 1793: Source of acquisition--Offley, John B. Method of acquisition--Gift; Date of acquisition--07/--/1995. Accession number--M-95-07.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Cataloged Christina Hilton Fenn 05/04/1989.

Commencement Oration of 1793 Cataloged HR 08/02/1995.

This collection was processed at the item level by the staff of the Rare Book & Manuscript Library in the 1970s and 1980s.

Some rehousing completed and EAD finding inventory compiled by Ian Post (Pratt SLS Intern) Fall 2014.

Additional re-housing and inventory work completed by Kelly Powers (CC 2018) Spring 2015.

Finding aid edited by Jocelyn Wilk Fall 2016.

Revision Description

2016-10-05 File created.

2016-10-13 xml document instance created by Catherine C. Ricciardi

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

2022-11-11 Added Series IV. (JR)

2023-09-08 Added Box 106. (JR)

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.

Genre/Form

Subject

History / Biographical Note

Biographical / Historical

Columbia College was originally founded as King's College in 1754 with a Royal Charter from King George II, and situated at Wall Street. The first president and first professor was Samuel Johnson. In 1767, Samuel Bard established a medical college as part of King's College. Instruction was suspended from 1776 to 1784 during the Revolutionary War; after the end of the war, King's College was renamed Columbia College to reflect the new independence from Britain. The College was temporarily a state institution until 1787, until it was incorporated under a private board of trustees, which remains in effect today.

A second campus existed on Park Place, but shortly thereafter moved to 49th Street and Madison Avenue in 1857. This location remained for forty years, and expanded to include Columbia Law School and Columbia School of Mines (now The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science). In 1890, President Seth Low advocated to divide the individual schools and colleges into distinct entities under the university's central administration, which came to include Barnard College in 1889 and Teachers College in 1891. In 1896, the trustees approved renaming the university as Columbia University in the City of New York, and Columbia College came to refer solely to the original undergraduate college. President Low also moved the Madison Avenue campus to its current location in Morningside Heights. This campus was designed by Charles McKim.