Collection Guide
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Williams (Otho Clinton) Records
MSS.2010.06.03
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Table of contents
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: O.C. Williams Records
Identifier/Call Number: MSS.2010.06.03
Physical Description:
11 boxes
10.42 Linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1887-1992
Abstract: The O. C. Williams Records, 1887-1992 (bulk 1946-1974), document Dr. Williams' tenure at San Jose State College, as well as
his professional career as a poet. The records consist of Humanities Department records, index card files, class notes, correspondence,
literary research notes, microfilm records of the Defoe's
Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, and Williams' original poetry. The records are arranged into three series: Series I: Humanities Department Records, 1932-1992;
Series II: Kappa Alpha and Gamma Delta Fraternity Organizational Records, 1928-1958; and Series III: Research Files, 1887-1991.
The collection is open for research.
Copyright is assigned to the San Jose State University Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the
original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
O.C. Williams Records, MSS-2010-06-03, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
This finding aid was created as part of the Survey and Cataloging Project, a two-year San José State University Library grant
project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project began in 2008. The Project Director
is Danelle Moon. The Project Archivist is Erin Louthen.
Dr. Otho Clinton (O.C.) Williams, Professor Emeritus of English and Humanities, was born in Fort Worth, Texas in 1908. He
graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1930 with a B.A. in English, and immediately attended the
University of Southern California (USC) for his secondary credential and master's degree, both of which he received in 1935.
Upon graduation, he attended the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) for his doctorate. Williams was hired by Reed College
in Portland, Oregon after completing all but his doctoral dissertation, but was drafted and joined the Air Force's pre-meteorological
training program. He later spent two and a half years in the Navy as an enlisted man and a classification specialist. Upon
being discharged from the Navy, he returned to his job at Reed College.
In 1946, Williams was appointed professor at San Jose State College, where he taught English and finished his doctoral work
at U.C. Berkeley in 1950. Williams was one of the founders and first coordinators of San Jose State College's Humanities Program.
He also published two volumes of poetry,
This Little Room and Other Poems, 1945-1975, and
Recognition: Poems, 1975-1977. Williams was named Chairman of the Humanities Department when the program gained departmental status in 1964, and he served
as the chair for ten years. He retired from San Jose State College in 1974.
Scope and Content of Collection
The O. C. Williams Records, 1887-1992 (bulk 1946-1974), document Dr. Williams' tenure at San José State College, as well as
his professional career as a poet. The records consist of Humanities Department records, index card files, literary journals,
class notes, correspondence, literary research notes, microfilm records of Daniel Defoe's
Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, and Williams' original poetry.
This collection is arranged into three series: Series I: Humanities Department Records, 1932-1992; Series II: Kappa Alpha
and Gamma Delta Fraternity Organizational Records, 1928-1958; and Series III: Research Files, 1887-1991.
University Archives Collection
Record Group: 6.5.2
Campus Digest vol. 9, no. 6 (1978).
Melendy, H. Brett.
Otho Clinton Williams, Emeritus Professor of English and Humanities. Oral history transcript. San José State University, 1985.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
San Jose State College
Kappa Alpha Order -- History
Greek letter societies -- California -- San José -- Records and correspondence
Gamma Delta Fraternity -- History
Education, Higher -- California -- San José
California State University, San Jose -- History
Williams, Clinton
San José State University -- History
San José State University. Humanities Department
San Jose State Normal School -- History
San Jose State Teachers College -- History