University Ceremonies records, 1921-2010

Summary Information

Description

Summary

This collection consists of the records related to ceremonies, events, prizes, dinners, etc. It includes the planning records of events related to University prizes (Butler Medal, Bancroft, Cabot, Horwitz), honorary degrees, dignitary visits, presidential inaugurations and commencement. There are also materials related to the University's greetings, credentials and representation at non-Columbia events.

• Series I: Event records

  This series consists of the records created in organizing events at Columbia since the 1920s. The personnel in charge of ceremonies and the reporting structure has changed a number of times since the early days of the Committee on Public Ceremonies. There are five sets of records from the different eras or administrations and there are overlaps in the dates.

• Series II: Guest records

  This series contains the records from guests either in the form of responses to invitations or signatures in the University guest books. The "accepts and regrets" are letters, not forms, received from invitees. The guest books, which were kept in the Office of the Secretary (212 Low Library), can include transcriptions which identify the signees by name and title.

• Series III: Representation and greeting records

  This series contains the invitation to events held at other institutions. The "representation files" are organized alphabetically by the name of the inviting institution and then mostly by academic year. Each event packet is labeled by the institution, event date, event title, and representative sent (if any). Events include presidential inaugurations, anniversary celebrations, commencements, conferences, convocations, dedications, etc. Packets can include the original invitation, correspondence with the hosting institution and the local delegate(s), and responses mailed with the official Columbia University credentials. The files capture the ritual and practice of sending delegates and credentials to fellow institutions.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three series.

• Series I: Event records
• Series II: Guest records
• Series III: Representation and greeting records

Using the Collection

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.

All administrative records of the University are restricted for 25 years from the date of creation.

Terms Governing Use and Reproduction

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); University Ceremonies records; Box and Folder; University Archives, Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Columbia University Libraries.

Related Materials

Additional materials related to events and prizes can be found in Historical Subject Files (UA#0002). Related collections also include Commencement Collection, 1758-2023; Columbia University Founding Anniversaries Collection, 1837-2004; Columbia University bicentennial anniversary records, 1898-1957; Columbia University Bicentennial Collection, 1946-1957; and the George Marcus Allen Collection, 1945-1993, who was Chair of the Committee on Public Ceremonies at Columbia University from 1945 to 1948.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

Collection-level record describing unprocessed material made public in summer 2018 as part of the Hidden Collections initiative. This collection was processed by Joanna Rios, December 2023.

Revision Description

2023-12-22 Finding aid published (JR)

Historical Note

In October 1908, the University Council, the representative body of the faculty and administration on campus, changed the name of the Committee on Commencement to the Committee on Public Ceremonies. This body would be in charge of all of the "ceremonies" on campus, not just Commencement. The committee was made up of a Chair (faculty member, George Francis Sever, instructor in Electrical Engineering, 1908-1909), the Secretary of the University, the Chaplain, the Superintendent, and the Secretary of Teachers College. Sever only served for one year, when Charles Knapp, Professor of Classical Philology, became Chair. In 1910, the membership of the Committee was expanded to include the Secretary of the University Council and the Secretary of the Alumni Council. Professor Knapp led the Committee for 10 years. After Knapp's retirement, the Committee on Public Ceremonies was further expanded (2 additional faculty members, but no longer the Secretary of the University Council) and the Committee coordinated academic ceremonies, visits from dignitaries and other public events, with the help of staff in the Office of the Secretary. Chairs included Edward Elliot (c. 1921-1925), Herbert N. Shenton (c. 1926-1927, with the first outdoors commencement ceremony on South Court), Enrique Zanetti (c. 1928-1930), Rexford Tugwell (c. 1933), Rosewell Magill (c. 1934), Harry Morgan Ayres (c. 1939), Albert C. Jacobs (c. 1941), Russell Potter (1943-1945) and George M. Allen (1945-1948).

In 1948, with the arrival of University President Dwight D. Eisenhower, there were a number of shifts in the administration. The work of the Committee on Public Ceremonies was briefly transferred from the Office of Secretary to the Office of the General Secretary, later known as the Vice President for Development, Paul H. Davis. The Chairs were then asked to serve three-year terms whenever possible. These include Justin M. O'Brien (c. 1949-1951), John Angus Burrell (1951-1953), Harry S. Carman (1953-1956), Hugh Borton (1956-1957), and Moses Hadas (1957-1960).

By 1964, there was a dedicated staff member in the Office of the Secretary, the Assistant to the Secretary for Public Ceremonies. The position was filled by Mary K. Gunn (1964-1966) and later Dorothy G. Torbert (1966-1972). Torbert continued in this function and with different titles for many years (until 1979), but the reporting structure shifted almost year to year: under the Office of the President, the Office of Development and Alumni Relations, to the Office of Public Affairs, back to Development, and back again to the Office of the President. Kay Sheehan (1979-1981) and Barbara J. Boland (1981-1982) served as Coordinators of Public Ceremonies. In addition to overseeing commencement and prize dinners, this office also coordinated Columbia's representation. That is, when the President is invited to an event such as a University presidential inauguration, campus dedication, or anniversary celebration and he cannot attend, a faculty member or alum is asked to represent Columbia in his stead, or the office sends the official greetings from the University.

Under the Office of the President, the Office of Presidential and Development Events and later called Office of University Programs and Events coordinates such events as the World Leaders Forum, the University Lectures and Commencement.

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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Name
Columbia University -- Administration	CLIO Catalog	ArchiveGRID