Guide to the James P. Walsh Papers MSS-2003-12-01

SJSU Special Collections & Archives
© 2006
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
special.collections@sjsu.edu


Language of Material: English
Contributing Institution: SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Title: James P. Walsh Papers
Identifier/Call Number: MSS-2003-12-01
Physical Description: 4 boxes (2 linear feet)
Date (inclusive): 1950-2006
Abstract: The James P. Walsh papers document the professional work of San José State University Emeritus Professor of History. The collection consists of chapter drafts, subject files, photographs and draft copies of his books; San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 and One and the Same: The History of Continuing Education at San José State University 1857-2007, which document the history of SJSU.

Access

The collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to the San José State University Library 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 as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader. Copyright restrictions also apply to digital reproductions of the original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.

Preferred Citation

James P. Walsh Papers, MSS-2003-12-01, San José State University Library Special Collections and Archives.

Acquisition Information

Donated to the San José State University Library by James Walsh, 2006 and 2007.

Biographical History

James P. Walsh was born in 1937 in San Francisco, California, the younger of two sons of Irish immigrant parents. His father, Patrick Walsh managed and maintained a Catholic men's club in San Francisco. His mother, Nellie Murphy Walsh was a homemaker. During his youth, James Walsh attended Catholic schools in San Francisco, graduating from Sacred Heart High School in 1955. From there he attended the University of San Francisco, where he received his bachelor's degree in history in 1959, and his master's degree in history in 1962. He married Ann McKinnon, also a University of San Francisco graduate, in 1962. They have three children.
In 1960 Walsh accepted a position teaching history in a Marin County high school. While his winters and springs were spent teaching history to high school students, his summer months were spent teaching military subjects at The Sixth US Army Intelligence School in Monterey, California, as partial fulfillment of his US Army Reserve obligations. There, he met several members of the San José State College faculty including Charles Burdick, George Moore, Benjamin Hazard, Bert Brazil, and Fredrick Weed. The teaching and academic examples provided by these professors encouraged Walsh to pursue a higher degree. In 1964 Walsh left his teaching position to pursue a Ph.D. in history at the University of California, Berkeley. In 1966, he joined the history department at San José State College and in 1970 received his doctorate degree from Berkeley.
Walsh's career spanned 35 years at San José State. During that time he served as chair of the history department (1982-1986), associate dean of the College of Social Sciences (1987-1988), Dean of the College of Social Sciences (1988-1994), and academic vice president [renamed Provost] (1995). During his career he received three foreign research and teaching appointments and published eight books. In recognition of his contributions to the historical profession, the California Historical Society honored Walsh with the J.S. Holliday Award.
San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 is the result of James Walsh's recommendation to University President Robert L. Caret that the previous university history, Washington Square, 1857-1979, San José State University, was out of date and that a new history was needed. Since the previous history's publication in 1980, the campus, faculty, student body, and educational mission of San José State University had changed significantly. In addition, Washington Square's co-author and Walsh's mentor, Charles Burdick, encouraged him to reassess that work if given the opportunity.
He spent one additional year researching and writing the history of Continuing Education as well as International Studies SJSU (2005). Continuing Education Since 1857: San José State University, chronicles the connection between the development of San José State University as a modern institution and the continuing education programs that existed at the begining of its institutional life.
Walsh's other major works include: Ethnic militancy; an Irish Catholic prototype, The Irish: America's Political Class, The San Francisco Irish and San Francisco's Hallinan : toughest lawyer in town, The Irish in the American West, Legacy of a Native Son. A more complete list of his publications and a retrospective on their meaning are available in Essays on Good Fortune by Donald Jordan and Timothy J. O'Keefe.

Scope and Content of Collection

This collection consists of the research files collected and created by Professor Walsh in the production of his books, San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 and One and the same: The History of continuing Education at San José State University 1857-2007. The collection contains manuscripts, research and subject files as well as photographs.

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in 3 series. I. Manuscripts; II. Photographs and Ephemera; III. Subject Files.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

San José State University -- History -- 20th century

 

Manuscripts Series I: 2000, 2003, 2006

Physical Description: 12.0 folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

The content in this series consists of literary manuscripts in different stages of development.

Arrangement

This series is arranged alphabetically by date and title. The first draft of San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 is further broken down into chapter titles.
Box-folder 1/1 - 1/11

San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2003

Box-folder 1/1 - 1/9

Chapter drafts

Box 1, Folder 1

Introduction 2000

Box 1, Folder 2

Who Runs the University 2000

Box 1, Folder 3

Presidents 2000

Box 1, Folder 4

Campus Life 2000

Box 1, Folder 5

Athletics 2000

Box 1, Folder 6

The Numbers (demographics) 2000

Box 1, Folder 7

Physical Developments 2000

Box 1, Folder 8

Campus and the Community 2000

Box 1, Folder 9

Academic Life 2000

Folder 1/10 - 1/11

Book drafts 2003

Box 1, Folder 10

Corrected book draft 1 March 27, 2003

Box 1, Folder 11

Corrected book draft 2 April 17, 2003

Box 1, Folder 12

Continuing Education Since 1857: San José State University/ Book Draft 2006

 

Photographs and Ephemera Series II: 1950-2000

Physical Description: 20.0 folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

This series is comprised of contact sheets, reprints, slides and ephemera. These items were collected by James Walsh while conducting research for his book San José State University: An Interpretive History 1950-2000 and visually document the history of San José State University between 1950 and 2000. Included are a variety of photographs of student life, faculty and administrators from throughout the years, construction projects and political activism on campus. Notable images of political figures include Stokley Carmichael (Kwame Ture), Governor Ronald Reagan, President Bill Clinton and commentator William F. Buckley; while visiting SJSU.

Arrangement

This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Box-folder 2/1 - 2/2

Campus Art and Architecture

Box 2, Folder 1

Buildings and landscapes circa 1960-2000

Box 2, Folder 2

Construction circa 1960-2000

Box-folder 2/3 - 2/12

Campus Life circa 1950s-1980

Box 2, Folder 3

Activities/Miscellaneous circa 1950s-1970

Box 2, Folder 4

Classroom Lectures circa 1960s

Box 2, Folder 5

Dinners and Awards circa 1960s

Box 2, Folder 6

Drugs circa 1965 - 1970s

Box 2, Folder 7

Fraternities and Sororities circa 1950s

Box 2, Folder 8

Miscellaneous circa 1965 - 1970s

Box 2, Folder 9

Parties, dances and recreation circa 1950 - 1970s

Box 2, Folder 10

Political Activism circa 1970s

Folder 2/11 - 2/12

Politicians circa 1960s-1992

Box 2, Folder 11

Bill Clinton 1992

Box 2, Folder 12

Miscellaneous circa 1960-1970s

Box 2, Folder 13

Sports circa 1950 - 1960s

Box 2, Folder 14

Student Residences circa 1950 - 1970s

Box 2, Folder 15

Students circa 1965 - 1970s

Box 3, Folder 16

University Administration circa 1960s-1970s

Box 3, Folder 17

University Faculty circa 1960s-1985

Box 3, Folder 18

University Lectures circa 1970s

Box 3, Folder 19

Ephemera circa 1970s-2000

Box 3, Folder 20

Negatives circa 1950s-2000

 

Subject Files Series III: 1973-2005 bulk 1990-2005

Physical Description: 10.0 folders

Series Scope and Content Summary

The content in this series is comprised of a variety of materials gathered by Walsh during his research for Continuing Education Since 1857: San José State University;including brochures, reports, class schedules and interviews concerning the history of continuing education and extended education programs at San José State University.

Arrangement

This series is arranged alphabetically by subject.
Box 4, Folder 1

Certificate Programs 1990, 1996-1999, 2000, 2005

Folder 4/2 - 4/3

Continuing Education

Box 4, Folder 2

Annual Reports (1 of 2) 1973-1974, 1997-2000

Box 4, Folder 3

Annual Reports (2 of 2) 2001-2004

Box 4, Folder 4

Field Studies 1974

Box 4, Folder 11

History Department 23rd Annual Convocation: Speech, Event Program May 2017

Box 4, Folder 5

International and Extended Studies 1976, 2005

Box 4, Folder 6

International Travel Programs Pamphlets 1990-1992, 1995, 2005-2006

Box 4, Folder 7

Open University 1988-1990, 1995, 2005

Box 4, Folder 8

Oral History Interviews 2005 April-June

Box 4, Folder 9

Professional Development 1990 1996-1997, 2004-2005

Box 4, Folder 10

Studies in American language 2005