Office of the President: Committee Records

The Administrative Council papers contain correspondence regarding absences, illness and other attendance matters, and meeting minutes discussing student disciplinary matters, student regulations, senior class privileges, recommendations made by the Student Council (1:1).

The Alumnae Relations Committee minutes include topics such as the formation of the Rockingham Harrisonburg Chapter of the Alumnae Committee, membership association dues and planning class reunions. John Wayland was secretary (1:2).

The Committee for Student Welfare documents include regulations for boarding students, disciplinary matters, the formation of student government association in 1912, senior privileges, and a schedule of the churches that faculty members were assigned to attend. It contains boarding agreement forms and a document called, “Recommendations to the Literary Societies made by the Student Welfare Committee,” given to the Lee and Lanier Literary Society. There is also a reference to Walker Lee, African American janitor and long-time employee at the school. Natalie Lancaster served as chair (1:2).

The Committee on Appointments and Relations to other Institutions document faculty speaking engagements in the community and at other institutions (1:3, 1:4).

The Committee on Equipment meeting minutes contain recommendations regarding the design and landscaping of campus; recommendations that teachers’ accommodations be designed according to historic models such as the Mary Washington House in Fredericksburg, and “other of the less pretentious colonial homes of Virginia”; and specific items for purchase such as library books, hat racks, rugs and thermometers for classrooms. The committee was chaired by John Wayland. The Library Committee (1926-1940) is comprised of meeting minutes and budget recommendations (1:5).

Committee on Public Exercises and Entertainments Record book contains meeting minutes regarding the planning of movies, concerts, theater performances and other campus events for students. It includes budget information, and listings of entertainers that came each year. The committee was first chaired by John Wayland, followed by Bessie Lanier and Edna Schaeffer (1:6, 1:7)

The Committee on Publications meeting minutes outline the formation of the “Schoolma’am,” and documents early editors, constitutions, contracts with publishers and fundraising efforts. The minutes also document the concerted efforts by the faculty to publish in educational journals, scholarly journals, and popular, regional newspapers. Minutes were submitted by Elizabeth Cleveland (1:8, 1:9).

The Committee on Student Publications documents are comprised of correspondence, reports, and budgets related to every day workings of “The Breeze” and “The Schoolma’am.” It includes a report regarding the copper shortage during World War II (which impacted newspaper printing), travel plans for the Associated Collegiate Press Convention, correspondence with various printers, and student elections (1:10).