Guide to the Stephen S. Colvin papers, 1880-1934

(bulk 1900-1915)

John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Box A
Brown University
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148
Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Published in 2015

Collection Overview

Title:	Stephen S. Colvin papers
Date range:	1880-1934, (bulk 1900-1915)
Creator:	Colvin, Stephen S., (Stephen Sheldon), 1869-1923
Extent:	1 linear foot
Abstract:	This collection of papers primarily consists of manuscripts and published articles by Stephen S. Colvin, who was a scholar in the field of educational psychology and intelligence testing. A native Rhode Islander, Colvin graduated from Brown University with a bachelor's degree of philosophy in 1891, and a corresponding master's degree in 1894. He also received a doctorate degree from the University of Strasburg in 1897. He taught at a number of American universities, including Brown University, where he was appointed its first professor of educational psychology in 1912 and subsequently named the director of its School of Education in 1919. This collection also includes a small amount of correspondence, a scattered assortment of other printed materials (not written by Colvin), ephemera, and a few artifacts, including a print of an illustration by Richard Felton Outcault.
Language of materials:	English
Repository:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts
Collection number:	AMS.1UF.2015.009

Scope & content

The papers of Stephen S. Colvin, which date from 1880-1934, offer a window into Colvin’s academic career, especially between the years 1900 and 1920. The heart of the collection, comprised of manuscripts and reprints of articles, documents his scholarship in educational psychology, both in published and manuscript form. The papers of Stephen S. Colvin are divided into seven series.

Series I. Correspondence consists of four letters: one from Eva Colvin to her husband, written on stationery from the San Diego Hotel; two from E.B. Titchener, a colleague of Colvin; and one from a friend to Mrs. Colvin. Of interest are the letters from Titchener to Colvin, in which he discusses their common research interests.

Series 2. Works by Stephen S. Colvin (manuscript materials) primarily consists of a few short scholarly works by Colvin which at least in part represent his intellectual development in the field of educational psychology. They cover such topics as a brief inquiry into the definition of human emotion, the role of humor in education and the arts, contemporary American philosophy, and the psychological significance of transcendent apprehension. This series also contains two short dramatic works: a script for a vaudeville act in one scene and a short musical skit.

Series 3. Works by Stephen S. Colvin (published materials) is comprised of three of Colvin’s scholarly articles from academic journals. Each one represents aspects of his thought and research in educational psychology.

Series 4. Printed Materials is comprised of very small collection of hardbound and paperback monographs and other printed items, covering a wide range of topics. It includes such items as a year book from the Champaign Social Science Club, and a couple of booklets--one an illustrated program from a cruise ship company, published in 1923 and the other, a directory of contacts from the University of Illinois, dated 1915. Of particular interest in this series is a miniature book by Edgar Allen Poe, of a short story entitled The Black Cat, with color illustrations published by the Winthrop Press in 1914.

Series 5. Miscellaneous Materials consists of a wide array of scattered materials, including a few financial records, two grammar school essays, a manuscript of an abstract of a report on the memory of school children (by L.S. Dancey), and a small collection of photographs.

Series 6. Ephemera, consists of a disparate collection of items. They include brochures, greeting cards, postcards, ticket stubs, and a deck of joke cards.

Series 7. Artifacts, also consists of a disparate collection of items, including an arrowhead, a bullet, a spool, and a few buttons and coins. Of note are an early twentieth-century metal baseball board game and rare colored print by Richard Felton Outcault, from 1903.

Access Points

Subject Names

• Outcault, Richard F., 1863-1928
• Titchener, Edward Bradford, 1867-1927

Subject Topics

• College teachers--United States--19th century
• College teachers--United States--20th century
• Educational psychology--Study and teaching
• Scholars--United States--Biography--19th century
• Scholars--United States--Biography--20th century

Document Types

• Greeting cards
• Letters
• Manuscripts
• Photographs
• Printed ephemera
• Prints (Visual works)
• Realia
• Reprints
• Typescripts

Subject Topics

• Education

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into 7 series:

• Series 1. Correspondence
• Series 2. Works by S.S. Colvin (mauscript materials)
• Series 3. Works by S.S. Colvin (published materials)
• Series 4. Printed Materials
• Series 5. Miscellaneous Materials
• Series 6. Ephemera
• Series 7. Artifacts

Biographical/Historical note

Stephen Sheldon Colvin (1869-1923), professor of educational psychology, was born in Phenix, Rhode Island, on March 29, 1869. He prepared for college at Worcester Academy and graduated from Brown University with a bachelor of philosophy degree in 1891. He was awarded a master of arts degree upon examination in 1894. During these years of study he also reported for the Providence Journal and the Evening Telegram and taught rhetoric at Brown from 1892 until 1895, when he went to study at the Universities of Berlin and Strasburg. His thesis for his Ph.D. at Strasburg in 1897 was Schopenhauer’s Doctrine of the Thing-in-Itself and his Attempt to Relate it to the World of Phenomena. He taught English at Worcester Academy from 1897 to 1901, and continued his studies under G. Stanley Hall at Clark University, becoming interested in educational psychology. From 1901 to 1903 he was assistant professor of psychology at the University of Illinois. He returned to Brown for one year as assistant professor of philosophy before his return to the University of Illinois, where in due time he became head of the department of psychology. When he came back to Brown in 1912 he was the first professor of educational psychology. In 1919 he was also named director of the School of Education. He gained national recognition for developing intelligence tests and for disagreeing with Thomas A. Edison on Edison’s tests which were used to screen employees for manufacturing companies. Colvin introduced his tests to Brown, and according to his obituary notice in the Providence Journal, “His mental tests for students aroused much interest throughout academic America, and to his efforts along these lines Brown University owes its present position of being the institution which has had in operation mental testing in connection with educational guidance longer than any other college or university in the country.” He published The Learning Process in 1911, Human Behavior with William C. Bagley in 1913, and Introduction to High School Teaching, an extensively used teacher-training text-book, in 1917. Colvin left Brown in 1923 to become professor of education at Teachers College, Columbia, where he had taught during the summer. He died suddenly from a heart ailment on July 15, 1923 in New York City.

Source: Encyclopedia Brunoniana by Martha Mitchell, published in 1993 by the Brown University Library.

Access & Use

Access to the collection:	There are no restrictions on access, except that the collection can only be seen by prior appointment. Some materials may be stored off-site and cannot be produced on the same day on which they are requested.
Use of the materials:	Although Brown University has physical ownership of the collection and the materials contained therein, it does not claim literary rights. Researchers should note that compliance with copyright law is their responsibility. Researchers must determine the owners of the literary rights and obtain any necessary permissions from them.
Preferred citation:	Stephen S. Colvin papers, AMS.1UF.2015.009, Brown University Library.
Contact information:	John Hay Library, University Archives and Manuscripts Box A Brown University Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: Manuscripts: 401-863-3723; University Archives: 401-863-2148 Email: Manuscripts: hay@brown.edu; University Archives: archives@brown.edu

Administrative Information

ABOUT THE COLLECTION
Acquisition:	Gift of Llewellyn John McGovern. They were found in the attic of Mr. McGovern's home which was owned previously by Stephen Colvin.
ABOUT THE FINDING AID
Author:	Finding aid prepared by Robert Rosa
Encoding:	This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2015-09-30
Descriptive rules:	Finding aid based on Describing Archives: A Content Standard (DACS)

Additional Information

Related material:

Books and articles written by Stephen S. Colvin available at Brown University: Colvin Bibliography

Inventory

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