Guide to the Vernon Court Junior College collection , 1964-1971, undated


Newport Historical Society
82 Touro Street
Newport, RI 02840
Tel: 401-846-0813
Fax: 401-846-1853
email: info@newporthistorical.org

Published in 2013

Collection Overview

Title: Vernon Court Junior College collection
Date range: 1964-1971, undated
Creator: Vernon Court Junior College
Extent: 0.42 linear feet
Abstract: Small collection of documents, ephemera, and printed material relating to Vernon Court Junior College.
Language of materials: English
Repository: Newport Historical Society
Collection number: MS.2013.5

Scope & content

Small collection of documents, ephemera, and printed material relating to Vernon Court Junior College. Included are issues of Court Crier, the school newsletter, as well as many issues of the Alumae Journal. Course registartion information, including course and final exam schedules are included. Also present are memos, letters, and other communications from the school admistration to students and the families of students.

Access Points

Subject Names Subject Organizations Subject Topics Subject Topics Document Types

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in one series by type, then chronologically with undated material appearing last.

  • I. Vernon Court records

Historical note

Vernon Court Junior College in operation from September 1963 to January 1972. It occupied the manisons Vernon Court
, Fairlawn
, and Stoneacre
, as well as other mansions in the Ruggles Avenue area. It was associated with The Hatch Preparatory School for Boys, which had occupied Vernon Court since 1956. In January 1972 the College faced finanical difficulties that forced it to close. At the time of closure the school had 157 enrolled students and 80 employees.

All three school buildings were eventually sold, including Stoneacre Field, a 3.75 acre plot, for $61,000 to local plumbing contractor, D. Dixon Donovan. Stoneacre, the former W. Goadby Loew villa, had been demolished to make room for new dormitories, which were never built. Donovan bought other former Vernon Court properties along Ruggles Avenue as well. When the Vernon Court mansion was sold, the property was put back on the tax rolls. Fairlawn is now The Pell Center of Salve Regina University
. After passing through several owners, it was acquired by Laurence and Judy Cutler in 1998 and is home to the National Museum of American Illustration
. Stoneacre is now the site of Cutler’s “Olmstead Park.”

The actress Joan Crawford received an honorary Associate in Arts degree from the school in 1966, when her identical twin daughters, Cathy and Cynthia Crawford, graduated.

Access & Use

Access to the collection: There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment.
Use of the materials: Researchers are advised that express written permission to reproduce, quote, or otherwise publish any portion or extract from this collection must be obtained from Newport Historical Society. Although NHS has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. It is up to the researcher to determine the owners of the literary rights and to obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation: Vernon Court Junior College collection, MS.2013.5, Newport Historical Society.
Contact information: Newport Historical Society
82 Touro Street
Newport, RI 02840
Tel: 401-846-0813
Fax: 401-846-1853
email: info@newporthistorical.org

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION  
Acquisition: This collection was donated to the Newport Historical Society by Linda Apicelli, an alumae of Vernon Court Junior College, in January 2013.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID  
Author: Finding aid prepared by Stacie M. Parillo.
Encoding: Finding aid encoded by Stacie M. Parillo 2013 April 05
Descriptive rules: Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material: The Newport Historical Society's library holds two volumes of Vernon Court Junior College's yearbooks, the Fleur-de-lis, for the years 1966 and 1967. They were donated by the school.

Inventory

Box 1, Folder 1 Administrative Communication: Letters and memos to students
Contents Note: This folder includes a postcard (2013.5.3), which itemizes one students housing and faculty assignments. Also included are memos and letters to students regarding upcoming events, and school policies.

 1964 June 7-1966 January 4, undated
Box 1, Folder 2 Administrative Communication: Letters and memos to students’ parents
Contents Note: Included in this folder are memos and letters to students parents regarding upcoming events at the school.

 1964 August 31-1966 May 10
Box 1, Folder 3 Administrative Communication: Programs and invitations
Contents Note: This folder includes programs for dramatic performances and commencement ceremonies.

 1964 June 7-1966 May 26, undated
Box 1, Folder 4 Memorabilia: Commemorative material
Contents Note: This folder contains embroidered school badges with adhesive backings, a window decal with the school crest. Also included is a wool pennant (2013.5.2) which is stored separately and a photographic postcard of the school grounds (2013.5.4).

1963 September, undated
Box 1, Folder 5 Memorabilia: Alma Mater
Contents Note: Typed copy of the school's Alma Mater composed by Thelma Straw and Michael F. Walsh.

 undated
Box 1, Folder 6 Publications: Alumnae Journal
Contents Note: Issues of the alumae publication, covering updates on graduates and news of the college.

 1966 July-1971 October
Box 1, Folder 7 Publications: Court Crier
Contents Note: Issues of the student newspaper, Court Crier, recounting news and events of the College community.

 1964 November-1968 June
Box 1, Folder 8 Publications: L’Avant Garde Literary Magazine
Contents Note: Copies of the school's literary magazine featuring prose and poems composed by students.

 1964, 1965, 1967
Box 1, Folder 9 Publications: Student Handbooks
Contents Note: This folder contains student handbooks as well as a Viewbook that is an in-depth view of academic expectations and college life.

1964-1966
Box 1, Folder 10 Registration: Course and final Examination Schedule
Contents Note: This folder includes course information for several academic semesters.

 1964-1966, undated