]> cu1000-89 Inventory of the Joseph Cummings Papers, 1851 - 1899 Processed by: Thea Dearmond; machine-readable finding aid created by: Valerie Gillispie &hdrsca;

© 2007 Wesleyan University. All Rights Reserved.

 Machine-readable finding aid derived from XML authoring program. Date of source: October 2007 Description is in English Finding aid was prepared using DACS Inventory of the Joseph Cummings Papers, 1851 - 1899 Special Collections & ArchivesWesleyan University Middletown, CT, USA

© 2007 Wesleyan University. All Rights Reserved.

 Descriptive Summary Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University Cummings, Joseph, 1817-1890. Joseph Cummings Papers, 1851 - 1899 1000-89 Material in English 0.5 1 For current information on the location of these materials, please consult Special Collections & Archives staff. Joseph Cummings was the fifth president of Wesleyan University and its first alumnus to serve as president. This collection is primarily comprised of Joseph Cummings' annual reports on Wesleyan University for the years 1857-1874, excepting the 1866-1867 school year. The collection also contains Cummings' correspondence, including with Julia Olin and W.O. Atwater (primarily regarding securing Atwater's employment), as well as Cummings' official acceptance of the position as president at Wesleyan University. Also included are several articles by Cummings, a petition against his resignation from the professorship, and his wife Deborah S. Cummings' correspondence. Administrative Information Access Restrictions

No restrictions.

 Copyright Notice

Copyright for Official University records is held by Wesleyan University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Joseph Cummings Papers, Collection #1000-89, Special Collections & Archives, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA.

 Acquisitions Information

Acquired prior to 1974.

 Processing Information

Processed by Thea De Armond, October 2007

Encoded by Valerie Gillispie, October 2007

 Other Finding Aids

An older, typed description of individual pieces of correspondence is available; consult a staff member for use.

 Biographical Note

Joseph Cummings was the fifth president of Wesleyan University and its first alumnus to serve as president. He was born on March 3, 1817 in Falmouth County, Maine. Cummings attended Wesleyan University, graduating with highest honors in 1840. He taught mathematics and natural science at Amenia Seminary in New York for three years, serving as its principal for three more years before resigning to become a Methodist minister. In 1851, after seven years of preaching, Cummings was chosen president of Genesee College in Lima, New York (later to become Syracuse University). He was elected president of his alma mater, Wesleyan, in 1857, but only commenced his term in 1858, as he was unwilling to so abruptly leave Genesee. Cummings' Wesleyan presidency spanned the Civil War, during which 133 students left Wesleyan to join the Union Army, and several others left to join the Confederate Army. Despite this disruption, Cummings supervised the construction of several buildings, including Rich Library (now the Patricelli '92 Theatre), Memorial Chapel, and Orange Judd Hall. He also enlarged the school's curriculum - particularly in the natural sciences - and oversaw the admission of women, a policy maintained until 1909. However, the 1873 depression inhibited some of Cummings' attempts at expansion, provoking tension between Cummings and the trustees, which led to his 1875 resignation. He stayed on campus as head of the department of philosophy for two years before leaving to preach once more. In 1881, he was elected president of Northwestern University. He died May 7, 1890.

Collection Overview

This collection is primarily comprised of Joseph Cummings' annual reports on Wesleyan University for the years 1857-1874, excepting the 1866-1867 school year. These reports contain censuses of Wesleyan's student body, including lists of students that have died or taken seriously ill during the school year. They also include Cummings' recommendation that women be admitted into Wesleyan and his suggestions for allocation of funds, most prominently with regards to building and maintaining a library. The collection also contains Cummings' correspondence, including with Julia Olin and W.O. Atwater (primarily regarding securing Atwater's employment), as well as Cummings' official acceptance of the position as president at Wesleyan University. Also included are several articles by Cummings, a petition against his resignation from the professorship, and his wife D.S. Cummings' correspondence.

Online Catalog Headings

These and related materials may be found under the following headings in online catalogs.

Cummings, Joseph, 1817-1890. Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--Alumni. Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--Presidents. Olin, Julia M. (Julia Matilda), 1814-1879. Atwater, W. O. (Wilbur Olin), 1844-1907. Cummings, Deborah S. Wesleyan University (Middletown, Conn.)--Administration. Detailed Description of the Collection Annual Reports on Wesleyan University by Joseph Cummings 11 1857-1858 12 1858-1859 13 1859-1860 14 1860-1861 15 1861-1862 16 1862-1863 17 1863-1864 18 1864-1865 19 1865-1866 110 1867-1868 111 1868-1869 112 1869-1870 113 1870-1871 114 1871-1872 115 1872-1873 116 1873-1874 117 Typed transcripts of annual reports 18 Library-related papers, 1867-1870 19 Correspondence, 1851-1867 and transcripts 20 Correspondence, 1873-1876 and transcripts 21 Newspaper articles and petition, 1875-1878 21 Notes and correspondence from Deborah S. Cummings, circa 1890-1899