Finding Aid to the Leon Josiah Richardson papers, 1872-1964
Bancroft Library Staff.
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
© 2011
The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Finding Aid to the Leon Josiah Richardson papers, 1872-1964
Collection number: BANC MSS C-B 1001
The Bancroft Library
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
- Finding Aid Author(s):
- Bancroft Library Staff.
- Date Completed:
-
1997
- Finding Aid Encoded By:
- GenX
© 2011 The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved.
Collection Summary
Collection Title: Leon Josiah Richardson papers
Date (inclusive): 1872-1964
Collection Number: BANC MSS C-B 1001
Creator:
Richardson, Leon Josiah, 1868-1964
Extent:
6 cartons, 1 box, 1 oversize folder (ca. 8 linear ft.)
circa 8.75 linear feet
Repository: The Bancroft Library.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley, CA 94720-6000
Phone: (510) 642-6481
Fax: (510) 642-7589
Email: bancref@library.berkeley.edu
URL: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/
Abstract: The papers of Leon Josiah Richardson, Professor of Latin and Director of the University Extension at the University of California,
Berkeley, contain correspondence, drafts and notes for articles, poems, and speeches, as well as material relating to his
teaching of Latin and to his courses on Adult Education.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English
Physical Location: Many of the Bancroft Library collections are stored offsite and advance notice may be required for use. For current information
on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Information for Researchers
Access Information
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Materials in this collection may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction
of some materials may be restricted by terms of University of California gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions,
privacy and publicity rights, licensing and trademarks. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond
that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owner. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
All requests to reproduce, publish, quote from, or otherwise use collection materials must be submitted in writing to the
Head of Public Services, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley 94720-6000. See:
http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/reference/permissions.html .
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Leon Josiah Richardson papers, BANC MSS C-B 1001, The Bancroft Library, University of California,
Berkeley
Related Material
Records of the University of California Military Bureau, CU-389
University Extension, University of California records, CU-18
Berkeley culture, University of California highlights, and University extension: oral history transcript, BANC MSS C-D 4048
Warring Wilkinson papers, BANC MSS C-B 815
Florence Richardson Wyckoff papers, BANC MSS 78/55 c
Removed or Separated Material
Photographs have been transferred to Pictorial Collections of The Bancroft Library:
Photographs relating to the Leon J. Richardson and W.W. Wilkinson families, BANC PIC 1983.140—AX
BANC PIC Richardson, Leon Josiah--POR
BANC PIC Richardson, Maud Wilkinson--POR
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog
Richardson, Leon Josiah,1868-1964--Archives
University of California (1868-1952)-- Adult Education
University of California (1868-1952)-- Dept. of Latin
University of California (1868-1952)-- Extension Division
Addresses
Manuscripts for publication
Poems
Administrative Information
The Leon Josiah Richardson papers were given to The Bancroft Library in February of 1966 through the Gift Division of the
General Library (Doe Library), University of California, Berkeley. Additions were made in January and April of 2001 by Bruce
Richardson on behalf of the Florence R. Wyckoff estate.
No additions are expected.
Processing/Project Information
Preliminary processing by Bancroft Library staff in 1997. Additions processed by Iris Donovan in 2005.
Biography/Organization History
From In Memoriam, 1966
1868-1964
Professor of Latin, Emeritus
Director of University Extension, Emeritus
Leon Josiah Richardson was born February 22, 1868, in Keene, New Hampshire, and died December 4, 1964, at the age of 96, in
Watsonville, California, where he had lived for four years with one of his daughters, Mrs. Florence Wyckoff.
He was the son of Josiah Crosby Richardson and Isabel Jane Chamberlain (both of Puritan families long settled in New England),
but the family moved west and Leon received the A.B. degree from the University of Michigan, in 1890. After a year of teaching
Greek and English in the Jackson (Michigan) high school, Leon came to California and for four years was at this University,
first as a Fellow and Assistant in Latin, than as an Instructor. The years 1895-97 he spent abroad, mostly as a student at
the University of Berlin, but for part of 1897 he was in Rome and Naples as a student of the American School of Classical
Studies (now the American Academy) in Rome. He received the LL.D. from the University of California in 1939. In 1900 he had
married Maud Wilkinson in Berkeley and by her had three children, Florence, Jane, and John Alden; after Maud's death he married
Ruth Loring, who also predeceased him.
After returning from Europe in 1897, Richardson resumed his long career at the University of California, and for one year
was again an Instructor in Latin, then successively Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor. In the same year
in which he became professor (1919) he became also Director of the Extension Division (now University Extension), after having
been acting director briefly. He was several times also Dean or Acting Dean of the Summer Session, and for three years (1934-37)
Chairman of the Department of Latin. In 1938 he became Professor Emeritus and Director Emeritus.
Richardson's interests and publications can be roughly put into two periods, divided by his appointment to direct the Extension
Division. Before then, from 1897 on, his activity was mostly in the field of Latin poetry (especially its metrical techniques),
but from about 1920 mostly in higher adult education, in which he was a pioneer.
His earlier work included two small books, a translation of some English poems into Latin (San Francisco, 1899) and
Helps to Reading Classical Latin Poetry (Boston, 1907), besides a collection of the Songs of the University of California (1905), about 20 articles on such subjects
as Vergil's Georgics, Horace's meters, and "Digital Reckoning among the Ancients" (
Amer. Math. Monthly, 1916), and a few reviews. His later work, though it included the article on Martin Kellogg (formerly Professor of Latin
and President of the University) for the
Dictionary of American Biography (1933), two popular accounts of Horace in connection with the poet's bimillennary celebration in 1935, a paper on walking
(
Jour. of Health and Phys. Educ. 1937), and a constant addiction to verse writing (we would mention his book of poems,
Cronies, of 1934, and the Christmas-card verse sent to friends for many years), was mostly inspired by his direction of the Extension
Division--numerous essays, addresses, and editorials on "lifelong learning" (his own phrase) in this country and Europe. Even
long after his formal retirement, he continued his connection with University Extension, reading or writing correspondence
courses on the "Principles of Adult Education" and "Retirement and How to Take Advantage of It."
He was a member of half a dozen professional (classical and educational) associations, being president of the Philological
Association of the Pacific Coast in 1912-13 and of the National University Extension Association about 1925; a member also
of the Berkeley Club. For many years (1901-22) he was a trustee of the Berkeley Public Library, being president of the board
for most of this period (1905-22).
Quite apart from the impact and influence exerted by his numerous publications, Richardson's personality was strong and forceful.
As a teacher he loved to read Latin aloud and could, when he felt the urge, talk to a class at length in Latin; his last classes,
after he began to direct the Extension Division, were on Vergil's Georgics, Ovid's Fasti, Quintilian Book 10, and Latin Verse
Composition. He had a loud, clear, penetrating voice, which he used with great skill: having once heard it, one could never
forget it. At the same time his manner was remarkably deliberate and calm; he never seemed disturbed or hurried, always self-possessed.
He was a splendid teller of anecdotes; we recall a particular one that he used to tell about some experience in Germany: his
handling of the long German compounds was something worth hearing. The even tenor of his life seems not to have been broken
until he was in his early nineties, when the ruin by fire of his apartment in San Francisco made him, we heard, uncertain
what to do and where to live. One must suppose that his almost unfailing equanimity had much to do with his excellent health
and long life.
At the memorial services, held on December 8 in the First Congregational Church, Berkeley, the speakers included Joseph Fontenrose,
Professor of Classics (who spoke as a former student), Paul H. Sheats, Dean of University Extension (who spoke as a former
administrative colleague), Mrs. Julia Altrocchi, widow of a former Professor of Italian (who read from Richardson's poetry),
and Joel H. Hildebrand, Professor Emeritus of Chemistry (who spoke as a former academic colleague).
A. E. Gordon
Joseph Fontenrose
H. R. W. Smith
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Leon Josiah Richardson, Professor of Latin and Director of the University Extension at the University of California,
Berkeley, contain correspondence, drafts and notes for articles, poems, and speeches, as well as material relating to his
teaching of Latin and to his courses on Adult Education.
Programs and financial records are also present. The bulk of the collection comprises Richardson’s ‘commonplace books’, which
he used also as diaries. They are filed in the collection as Diary-Scrapbooks. Most of the clippings relate to poetry and
philosophy. There is also a folder of poetry by Richardson’s wife Maud Wilkinson Richardson.
The second series holds meeting minutes and historical materials relating to the Berkeley Club for 1934-1948.
Series 1:
General Papers,
1872-1984
Physical Description:
Cartons 1-6; box 1, folder 1; oversize folder 1
Arrangement
Hierarchical.
Scope and Content Note
The series has been divided into 5 sub-series: Correspondence, Course Materials, Personalia, Subject Files, and the Writings
of Leon J. Richardson.
Subseries 1.1:
Correspondence,
1898-1958
Physical Description:
carton 1, folders 1-55
Arrangement
Incoming correspondence arranged alphabetically. Outgoing correspondence arranged chronologically.
carton 1, folders 1-6
Miscellaneous A-Z
1900-1958
carton 1, folder 7
American Institute of Fraternal Citizenship, Incorporated
1947-1952
carton 1, folder 8
Andrews, William Samuel
1936
carton 1, folder 10
Barker, Eugene H.
1934-1935
carton 1, folder 11
Bender, Albert Maurice
1934-1935
carton 1, folder 12
Bradford, Mary G.
1934-1938
carton 1, folder 13
Brandenstein, Henry V.
1935
carton 1, folder 14
Breeze, Thomas Hamilton
1936-1937
carton 1, folder 14
Calhoun, George Miller
1922-1934
carton 1, folder 16
California University- Berkeley Alumni Association
1934-1945
carton 1, folder 17
California University- Berkeley Regents
1903-1907
carton 1, folder 18
California University- University Extension
1933-1936
carton 1, folder 19
California University- University Press
1934-1935
carton 1, folder 20
Commonwealth Club of California
1945
carton 1, folder 21
Davenport, Eleanor M.
1934-1946
carton 1, folder 22
Detrick, Maud Rives
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 23
English Speaking Union
1924-1928
carton 1, folder 24
Fairclough, Henry Rushton
1935
carton 1, folder 25
Frothingham, Robert
1934-1935
carton 1, folder 26
Gress, Edmund G.
1922-1924
carton 1, folder 28
Henderson, Victor H.
1902-1935
carton 1, folder 29
Hotel del Mar, Pacific Grove, California
1946
carton 1, folder 30
Humphreys, Milton Wylie
1900
carton 1, folder 31
Hyde, Charles Gilman
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 32
Irwin, Mary (Mrs. Frank)
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 35
Leupp, Harold Lewis
1934-1946
carton 1, folder 35
McCleave, Thomas C.
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 36
McDuffie, Jean Howard
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 37
Magee, William H.
1934-1946
carton 1, folder 38
Moore, Ernest Carroll
1923-1935
carton 1, folder 41
Palmer, Elizabeth Day
1929-1939
carton 1, folder 42
Permanente Health Plans
1946
carton 1, folder 43
Perry, Warren Charles
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 44
Petersson, Ruth
1934-1946
carton 1, folder 45
Prentice, William Kelly
1936-1937
carton 1, folder 46
Prescott, Henry Washington
1934-1939
carton 1, folder 47
Richardson, Arthur H. (brother)
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 48
Seares, Frederick Hanley
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 49
Searls, Robert McMurray
1935
carton 1, folder 50
Sedgwick, Kate (Mrs. Charles E.)
1946
carton 1, folder 50
Sedgwick, Kate (Mrs. Charles E.)
1946
carton 1, folder 52
Tatlock, John P.
1935-1946
carton 1, folder 53
Voom [Van Wyck?]
1935-1946
Subseries 1.2:
Course Materials,
1902-1951
Physical Description:
carton 1, folders 56-67
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically.
carton 1, folders 56-61
Education. Principles of Adult Education
1923-1951
Subseries 1.3:
Personalia,
1872-1964
Physical Description:
carton 1, folders 68-76, cartons 2-3, carton 4, folders 1-15
Arrangement
Arranged hierarchically then chronologically.
Scope and Content Note
Subseries has been divided by type of material: Agendas, Biographical Material, Diary-Scrapbooks. The series also contains
writings of Leon J. Richardson's wife, Maud Wilkinson Richardson.
carton 1, folder 68
Agendas (Notebooks)
1895-1964
carton 1, folder 69
Autumnal Wreath volume 18
undated
carton 1, folder 70
Biographical Materials
1902-1932
carton 1, folder 71
Biographical Timeline (Notebook)
1899-1911
carton 1, folder 72
Dance card- Second Annual Private Masquerade
1872
carton 1, folders 73-76
Diary-Scrapbooks
undated,
1885-1890
carton 2, folders 1-21
Diary-Scrapbooks
1891-1940
carton 3, folders 1-21
Diary-Scrapbooks
1940-1954
carton 4, folders 1-4
Diary-Scrapbooks
1955-1958
carton 4, folders 5-7
Diary-Scrapbooks Miscellany
1891-1962
carton 4, folder 9
Retirement Celebration
1938
carton 4, folder 10
Reviews of Richardson's published works
1899-1907
carton 4, folder 11
Maud W. Richardson article- "Summer Days in Spain"
1928
carton 4, folder 12
Maud W. Richardson correspondence
undated
carton 4, folder 13
Maud W. Richardson Diary
1901-1905
carton 4, folder 14
Maud W. Richardson Journal entries
1899
Subseries 1.4:
Subject Files,
1886-1984
Physical Description:
carton 4, folders 16-23, carton 5, folders 1-21, oversize folder 1
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically.
Scope and Content Note
The series contains files on general interest subjects such as golf and poetry as well as files on local organizations such
as the Berkeley Musical Association.
carton 4, folder 16
Berkeley Faculty Club
1893-1903
carton 4, folder 17
Berkeley Musical Association
1923-1932
carton 4, folders 18-19
California University, Berkeley University Extension
undated
1924-1946
carton 4, folder 20
California University. Berkeley- Miscellany
undated
1898-1984
oversize-folder 1A
California University. Berkeley- statement upon the death of Thomas G. Masaryk
1937-11-02
carton 4, folder 21
Germany. Berlin. Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universitat zu Berlin
1895-1902
carton 5, folders 2-6
Metrics of Latin Verse
undated
1896-1905
carton 5, folder 7
Michigan. Jackson. Jackson High School Reflector
1886-1891
carton 5, folder 8
Newspaper Clippings
1901-1951
carton 5, folders 13-15
Poetry- clippings
1936-1943
carton 5, folder 16
Poetry- Maud Wilkinson Richardson
undated
carton 5, folder 17
Poetry- miscellany
undated
carton 5, folders 18-19
Programs and Events
1891-1967
carton 5, folder 20
Prose Quotation Miscellany
undated
carton 5, folder 21
Virgil's Georgics
1915-1924
Subseries 1.5:
Writings of Leon J. Richardson,
1894-1960
Physical Description:
carton 5, folder 22-24, carton 6, box 1, folder 1, oversize folder 1
Arrangement
Arranged hierarchically then alphabetically.
Scope and Content Note
The series has been further subdivided into: Articles and Essays, Poetry, and Speeches.
carton 5, folders 22-24
Articles and Essays- A-H
1894-1941
carton 6, folders 1-4
Articles and Essays- I-Z
1894-1941
carton 6, folder 5
Adult Education Journal
1894-1941
carton 6, folder 6
Quintus Horatius Flaccus
1935
carton 6, folder 8
Articles and Essays- untitled
undated
carton 6, folder 18
Carmen Christi Nati Memoriae Sacrum
1934
carton 6, folder 23
Sierra Slopes and Summits
1960
Series 2:
Berkeley Club,
1873-1958
Physical Description:
box 1, folders 2-8
Language of Material: English
Arrangement
Alphabetical.
box 1, folder 3
Historical Materials
1873-1958
box 1, folders 7-8
Letters to Professor Merrill
1895-1897
box 1, folders 4-5
Member biographies
undated
