Carl R. Woodward Papers

Series 1. Correspondence
This series consists of letters to and from relatives, friends and acquaintances; clubs and organizations; various political and educational leaders, as well as business letters.

Little correspondence with immediate family members exists in this collection, however, there is considerable correspondence with the Rue cousins, Margarite, Mary Lou, and Myra.

Correspondence with significant people include letters to and from Milton Eisenhower, as well as a typed copy of a letter from President Eisenhower. There is a letter from Eleanor Roosevelt concerning her arrival for the Convocation in observance of Brotherhood Week, an autographed program, and a photograph with President Woodward. There is correspondence with Francis Horn, Woodward's successor as University President, and Werner Baum, successor to Horn.

Of interest is correspondence with Brigadier General Elliot Thorpe. General Thorpe donated to the University the sword of Major General Yamato, Commander Imperial Kepi Tai, surrendered to him in Yokohama, Japan on September 2, 1945. With this correspondence are photographs. Most of the correspondence is mundane in nature. Correspondence of special import may be located in other series. Correspondence with historical or agricultural organizations can be found within the Historical series; URI correspondence with the URI series; correspondence concerning his writings with those writings.

Correspondence is arranged alphabetically by name or subject. Within the folders, material is in chronological order. Letters to Mrs. Woodward are filed under her name. Unidentified correspondence is at the end of the series.

Series 2. Subject File
This series consists of business, personal and legal material; photographs and memorabilia. It includes daily appointment calendars, 1941-1971; biographical materials and notes; birthday and Christmas cards; Christmas card lists, invitations, commencement and other programs.

Personal, financial and business records include records for domestics in the Woodward household; insurance policies, credit cards, materials on investments and real estate. Also included are honorary degrees, citations an certificates, including material about the Freedom's Foundation at Valley Forge, which awarded "The George Washington Honor Medal Award" to Woodward for his 1964 essay: "Freedom --- How Beautiful". Materials collected on his hobbies include: photography, print collecting and gardening. Gardening contains a large number of pamphlets and brochures.

Considerable material can be found on the construction of the Woodward house, "Myrtlewood". Pictures of Woodward receiving awards and with family and friends are grouped together under "photographs". There is also a motion picture film of the URI band saluting President Woodward in a "W" formation.

Subjects are arranged alphabetically.

Series 3. University of Rhode Island
This series contains records pertaining to people and organizations associated with URI. Most of these records are from Woodward's retirement, rather than his presidency. This series is divided into two subseries: Correspondence and Subject.

Correspondence dates from 1941-1974, most of it in the 1960's. Correspondence from his presidential years consists mainly of replies to letters of congratulations upon his appointment as president; letters concerning the furnishings, grounds and maintenance of the President's house; letters concerning his retirement; and invitations and replies to social events at the President's house. Also contained is a bound volume of his Administrative Letters (1942-1958).

Other correspondence consists of letters to and from various administrators, faculty and departments; "Friends of the Library"; the URI Foundation, of which he was a trustee.

Records in the Subject File date from 1892-1974, most of them in the 1960's. The records are comprised of notes, printed materials and reports. Included are records of official automobile mileage and gasoline purchases, (1943-1957), an Army Specialized Training Program scrapbook; a bound volume of the student newspaper The Beacon (1957-1958); faculty and staff directories; "Friends of the Library"; research notes for the gymnasium mural; the President's house; retirement; dedications of buildings; URI Christians Association and the URI Foundation.

Of interest are copies of letters and reports by Howard Edwards, former Rhode Island State College (now URI) President (1906-1930), and the score for a musical adaptation of the Morrill Act.

The records are arranged alphabetically by subject and chronologically within each folder. See Also: The Office of the President, Carl Woodward, RG#1.

Series 4. Historical File
This series consists of material related to Woodward's historical research, interest in historical subjects and his affiliations with historical organizations. These records consist of correspondence, notes and printed material. Most of the material pertains to agricultural subjects and Kingston history. Included is a collection of almanacs (1800-1973).

Of importance are the records of his chairmanships of the Civic Improvement Committee (Kingston Improvement Association, 1962-1968) and "Friends of Watson House", a group organized to restore the Watson House on the URI campus; the Fayerweather restoration and research on the Fayerweather family; records from the Cocumscussoc Association, of which eh e was a former Trustee and Vice President [See also- Writings: "Plantation in Yankeeland"]; research and correspondence on Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson; and materials about Justin Smith Morrill, founder of the Land-Grant Act, and printed materials form the Land-Grant Centennial.

Of biographical interest are the records concerning Egbert Tunis, Woodward's seafaring ancestor. For a more complete biographical note, see Writings: Boy with a Hoe.

Material on early Rhode Island history and New Jersey agricultural history can be found in research for books - See also Writings.

The records are arranged alphabetically into folders.

Series 5. Fraternity File
This series consists of correspondence and records of some of the fraternities of which Woodward was a member. The majority of the material is on Phi Gamma Delta, the social fraternity; he was an Archon Councilor (1960-1964) and trustee of the Educational Foundation.

Correspondence consists of letters to and from the national chapter of Phi Gamma Delta (1941-1974); Nu Beta, the Rutgers chapter 1944-1972); Kappa Rho, the URI chapter (1953, 1955, 1961, 1965, 1972); the Phi Gamma delta Educational Foundation (1945-1974); and the National Inter-fraternity Conference (1960-1962). Other fraternities represented are Alpha Zeta, agricultural (1941-1942) and Phi Kappa Delta, educational (1940-1957).

Besides the correspondence, the records consist of reports, bulletins, and newsletters, agenda, minutes of meetings, applications and recommendations for the Educational Foundation; memoranda, invitations, programs and other printed materials.

Important to this series is the Phi Gamma Delta material dealing with policy trends, more specifically with the questions of morals, drinking and drug problems, administrative restrictions on membership, local autonomy and the Educational Foundation.

Other fraternity correspondence is of general alumni nature.