Reid Hall records, 1919-1997

Summary Information

Abstract

Reid Hall is Columbia University's study abroad center in Paris, France. The university acquired Reid Hall in 1966 from the American University Women's Paris Club's Reid Hall, Inc., which had previously operated the building as a residence for American women studying in France. Columbia's School of General Studies took over the administration of Reid Hall and maintained a variety of semester and yearlong programs for Columbia students in French language, history, and culture. The collection contains the administrative records for Reid Hall and its programming.

At a Glance

Arrangement

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in 2 series.

• Series I: American University Women's Paris Club, 1919-1975
• Series II: Columbia University Administration of Reid Hall, 1927-1997
• Subseries II.1: Reid Hall Governance, 1927-1994
• Subseries II.2: Sterling Currier Fund, 1970-1997
• Subseries II.3: School of General Studies, 1961-1993

Description

Summary

Included in the Reid Hall Records are documents related to the administration and operation of Reid Hall in Paris. These records cover Reid Hall from its founding by the American University Women's Paris Club as a center for educated women to visit and study to its acquisition by Columbia University in 1966 as a study abroad program center. Under Columbia, the program expanded to serve students from universities across the United States and to offer a range of academic and cultural programs for semester and yearlong study. The records contain meeting minutes and correspondence of various entities that held financial, operational, and academic governance of Reid Hall between 1922 and 1995 as well as documents related to the programming and events held there. The majority of the records come from the offices of Columbia administrators including the Office of the Provost and the School of General Studies.

• Series I: American University Women's Paris Club, 1919-1975

  Series I documents the origins and administration of Reid Hall as the American University Women's Paris Club prior to 1966. In 1922 Elisabeth Mills Reid (Mrs. Whitelaw) donated her house to the club, and it became a residential center for women studying and traveling abroad. Meeting minutes of the club's board and executive committees from 1919-1928 show the operational and funding priorities of Reid Hall in its early years. In 1929 a new body, Reid Hall Inc., was established to take over governance of Reid Hall. Series I contains the board meeting and annual meeting minutes of Reid Hall, Inc. from most years between 1929 and 1964. It also includes documents related to the transition of Reid Hall to Columbia University between 1964 and 1966 and correspondence with donors and members.

• Series II: Columbia University Administration of Reid Hall, 1927-1997

  Series II documents Columbia University's administration of Reid Hall from 1966 until 1995. It includes meeting minutes and correspondence that show the continued governance and financial considerations of Reid Hall, Inc. after being taken over by Columbia as well as the Sterling Currier Fund which sponsored programs out of Reid Hall. This series also covers the academic coursework and programs at Reid Hall and associated decision-making processes by Columbia administrators.

Using the Collection

Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Restrictions on Access

All administrative records of the University are restricted for 25 years from the date of creation. Certain folders in this collection are restricted until 2020-2022.

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.

Restrictions on Use

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.

The RBML cannot provide access to original time-based media material which has not been first been reformatted for preservation. Researchers are welcome to examine archival time-based media items and decide whether they wish to place an order for Audio/Video reformatting. If copyright and/or condition restrictions apply, it may not be possible to digitize a requested item. Please note that A/V reformatting is handled by an outside vendor and typically takes 6-8 weeks.

Preferred Citation

Identification of specific item; Date (if known); Reid Hall Records; Box and Folder; University Archives, Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Columbia University Library.

Accrual of Records

Additions are expected.

About the Finding Aid / Processing Information

Columbia University Libraries, Rare Book and Manuscript Library

Processing Information

This collection was processed by Rachel Klepper. Finding aid written by Rachel Klepper in June 2018.

Records from three different sources were combined into one collection. Four folders from the office of Frank Wolf were not related to the administration of Reid Hall and were moved to the School of General Studies Records (UA# 0123).

Revision Description

2018-08-08 File created.

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

2020-01-02 Expired restriction removed from box 7, folder 21 kws

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

Historical Note

In 1922, Elisabeth Mills Reid (Mrs. Whitelaw Reid) donated Reid Hall to found the American University Women's Paris Club. The club served as a residence and a space for cultural, social, and educational events for women traveling and studying in Paris. In 1929 Reid Hall, Inc. was founded to take over governance of the building and its programs. By the mid-20th century, Reid Hall hosted a number of courses for American university students studying abroad. In 1966 it transferred ownership of the building and governance of Reid Hall, Inc. to Columbia University.

Columbia operated Reid Hall out of its School of General Studies, creating a study abroad program that offered semester and year-long opportunities to Columbia and Barnard students as well as students from other colleges. In 1972 Barnard Professor Danielle Haase-Dubosc was appointed the Director of Studies on site in Paris, but the rest of the administration of Reid Hall continued out of Columbia's New York City Campus. From 1979 to 2006, Frank Wolf, Associate Dean of the School of General Studies oversaw academic aspects of Reid Hall's administration, including the Academic Advisory Council, which made decisions about courses, enrollment, and faculty.

Beginning in 1975, events on French history and culture were sponsored regularly at Reid Hall through the Sterling Currier Fund, an endowment given by Edith Sterling Currier, a member of Reid Hall since before its acquisition by Columbia. French History Professor Robert Paxton became the Chairman of the Fund's board.

In the 1980s, Reid Hall grew to be more financially stable and more integrated into Columbia University's academic programs. Two new programs opened, including the Art History Institute and the Graduate Student Research Institute. In 1995, when the School of General Studies reorganized, Reid Hall became part of the new Division of Special Programs. It remained there until the creation of Columbia's Global Centers in 2009.