Lyon (E. Wilson and Carolyn Bartel) papers, 1824-1991 and undated, bulk 1930-1980

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Summary

Title:
E. Wilson and Carolyn Bartel Lyon papers
Dates:
1824-1991 and undated, bulk 1930-1980
Creators:
Lyon, Carolyn Bartel, 1908-2006 and Lyon, E. Wilson (Elijah Wilson), 1904-1989
Abstract:
The collection consists of the papers of E. (Elijah) Wilson Lyon (1904-1989) and his wife, Carolyn Bartel Lyon (1908-2006). E. Wilson Lyon was appointed the sixth President of Pomona College in Claremont, California, in 1941 and led the college for almost three decades - the longest serving president in the college’s history - retiring in 1969. E. Wilson Lyon’s papers consist of files from his scholarly and administrative work, extensive file material bearing on his scholarly interests in history and in higher education, as well as the raw material from his book research and publishing, most notably from his History of Pomona College 1887-1969. Mrs. Lyon’s papers prominently feature a broken run of personal diaries from 1952-1988.
Extent:
49 linear feet (27 records boxes; 13 document boxes; 3 slim document boxes; 7 pamphlet boxes; 7 flat boxes; 1 textile box)
Language:
Languages represented in the collection: English , some in French .
Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], E. Wilson and Carolyn Bartel Lyon papers (H.Mss.0493). Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library, Claremont University Consortium.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of the papers of E. Wilson Lyon and his wife, Carolyn Bartel Lyon.

The bulk of E. Wilson Lyon’s papers consists of raw material (clippings, research notes, minutes, etc.) for his scholarly and administrative work through copies of speeches, to correspondence. Some material is of particular interest to the history of Pomona College including a substantial amount of ephemeral materials pertaining to Pomona College, the Claremont Colleges, and to some extent, Claremont. Included are copies of brochures, leaflets, etc. from World War I and before, early years for the Colleges and community. There is extensive file material bearing on Lyon’s scholarly interests in history and in higher education. The raw material of Lyon’s books is also included – from note cards and reading notes through handwritten drafts and successive typed drafts and onto galleys. Awards, honorary degrees and other certificates of achievement as well as memorabilia in the form of photo albums, scrapbooks can also be found in the collection. Lastly, a variety of commencement hoods and a Pomona College banner are part of the collection.

Carolyn Bartel Lyon’s papers consists of a broken run of diaries covering 1952-1988 as well as file materials covering the 1940s-1980s, work on another women’s college in Claremont, committee work, research on China, correspondence, speeches and sermons as well as information on the Bartel family and Earlham College.

Biographical / historical:

E. Wilson Lyon

Born on June 6, 1904, in Heidelberg, Mississippi, E. (Elijah) Wilson Lyon at first planned to be a journalist. But the love of history soon took over. Lyon went to the University of Mississippi, where his outstanding record and his tenure as senior class president and editor of the college newspaper, helped him win a Rhodes Scholarship to St. John's College at Oxford.

After returning to the United States, he began his career in the world of academics, first as an assistant professor of history at Louisiana Polytechnic Institute and then at Colgate University, where he was named head of the history department in 1934.

In 1941, he was named Pomona College’s sixth president and would go on to serve for 28 years, still the longest presidency in the history of the college. Credited with developing Pomona College into a leading liberal arts institution, he saw the school's endowment rise from $3.5 million to more than $22 million and the student body swell from 790 to 1,200. Nine dormitories and academic buildings were added to the campus, including the highly regarded Seaver Science Complex and the Oldenborg Center, a residential hall for students studying foreign languages and international relations.

After retiring in 1969, Lyon returned once again to history, writing more history books and speaking at major colleges throughout the country. Lyon also spent the first eight years of his retirement dedicated to writing the College's history, a remarkable achievement that can be found in The History of Pomona College, 1887-1967.

E. Wilson Lyon died on March 3, 1989.

Sources: Arnold, Roxane (1989 March 05). E.W. Lyon, 84; Ex-President of Pomona College. Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/1989-03-05/news/mn-509_1_pomona-college

1941: Leadership, President E. Wilson Lyon. Retrieved from http://www.pomona.edu/timeline/1940s/1941.aspx.

Carolyn Bartel Lyon

Born on March 28, 1908, in Richmond, Indiana, she entered nearby Earlham College at the age of 16 and transferred two years later to Wellesley College, where she graduated in 1928. After earning a master's degree in history from the University of Chicago in 1930, she stayed on at the University to work as an editorial assistant at the Journal of Modern History. While there, she met E. Wilson Lyon, and they were married in 1933.

After their marriage, she accompanied her husband to Hamilton, N.Y., where he was a professor of history at Colgate University. During those years, she gave birth to their two children, Elizabeth in 1936 and John three years later. In September 1941, the family moved to Claremont, Calif., where Wilson Lyon became president of Pomona College.

An active member of the Claremont United Church of Christ for almost 65 years, she served at various times as a member of the church’s Education, Building, Music and Library committees. From 1958 to 1964, she served as alumnae trustee at Wellesley College. Awarded an honorary degree by Pomona College in 1974, she remained active with the College for many years, serving as honorary co-chair of the Campaign for Pomona College which was completed in 2002. She lived in San Antonio Gardens from 1989 until the year 2000 when she moved to New York.

Carolyn Bartel Lyon died on August 4, 2006.

Source: Peters, Cynthia (2006 September 21). Carolyn Bartel Lyon Memorial Service Set for Sept. 30, 2006. Retrieved from http://www.pomona.edu/news/2006/09/21-Carolyn-Bartel-Lyon-Memorial.aspx.

Date Event
1904 Born, Heidelberg, Mississippi
1925 BA, University of Mississippi
1927 BA (Rhodes scholar), Oxford University, England
1928 B. Litt. (Rhodes scholar), Oxford University, England
1928-1929 Assistant professor, Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, Ruston, Louisiana
1929-1941 From assistant professor to professor of history, Colgate University, Hamilton, New York
1932 Ph.D., University of Chicago, Illinois
1933 Married Carolyn Bartel Lyon, Chicago, Illinois
1934 Author, Louisiana in French Diplomacy (1759-1804)
1936 Daughter, Elizabeth was born
1937 Grantee, Social Science Research Council
1939 Son, John was born
1941-1969 President, Pomona College, Claremont, California
1942 Author, The Man Who Sold Louisiana, the Life of François Barbé-Marbois
1943-1944 President, Western College Association
1943-1946 Board editor, Journal of Modern History
1945 LL.D., Colgate University, Hamilton, New York
1947 D.Litt., Occidental College, Los Angeles, California
1951-1952 Member, California Special Crime Study Commission on Organized Crime
1955 L.H.D., Trinity College, Hartford, Connecticut
1956-1962 Board editor, The American Oxonian
1957-1958 Chairman, Commission on college students, American Council for Education
1957-1960 Member, National Commission on Accrediting
1958 LL.D., University of California, Los Angeles
1960-1961 Chairman, Commission on language and area centers
1960-1963 Member, Commission on federal relations
1960-1966 Member, Pacific Regional Committee for Marshall scholarships
1962-1968 Member, Overseas liaison committee
1964 Decorated honorary Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
1966 LL.D., Grinnell College, Iowa
1967 LL.D., Claremont Men's College, California
1967 LL.D., College of Idaho, Caldwell, Idaho
1967 Recipient Alumni medal, University of Chicago, Illinos
1968 D.Litt., University of Redlands, California
1968 L.H.D., Claremont Graduate School, California
1968 American Academy Achievement award
1968-1971 Trustee, Latin American scholarship program of American University
1968-1983 Trustee, John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation
1969-1985 Trustee, Pacific School of Religion, Berkeley, California
1969-1989 President emeritus, Pomona College, Claremont, California
1974 L.H.D., Hamilton College, Clinton, New York
1974 L.H.D., Pomona College, Claremont, California
1975 Named to Hall of Fame, University of Mississippi
1977 Author, The History of Pomona College (1887-1969)
1977 Editor, The History of Louisiana by François Barbé-Marbois
1989 Died, Claremont, California

Acquisition information:
Most of the collection was gifted by Carolyn Bartel Lyon and Elizabeth Lyon Webb in 1992. Previous gifts were received in 1986 and 1987 from E. Wilson Lyon. Additions to the collection were made in 1993, 1999 and 2009 by the Lyon family.
Processing information:

The collection was minimally processed by Special Collections staff. File folders were left in their original order and transferred from non-archival to archival boxes. Photographs were sleeved in mylar and kept in their original folders. Textiles were removed from non-archival boxes, cataloged, and placed into tissue-lined archival textile boxes. Oversized items were placed into appropriate file folders and a large flat archival storage box.

Arrangement:

This collection has been arranged in the following series and subseries:

  • Series 1: E. Wilson Lyon papers, 1824-1991 and undated
  • Subseries 1.1: Awards and honors, 1921-1978 and undated
  • Subseries 1.2: History of Pomona College, 1894-1977 and undated
  • Subseries 1.3: Memorabilia, 1945-1980
  • Subseries 1.4: Papers, 1824-1991 and undated
  • Subseries 1.5: Textiles, undated
  • Series 2: Carolyn Bartel Lyon papers, 1940-1989 and undated
  • Subseries 2.1: Diaries, 1952-1988
  • Subseries 2.2: Papers, 1940-1989 and undated
Accruals:

No additions to the collection are anticipated.

Physical location:
Please consult repository.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

About this collection guide

Date Prepared:
© 2015
Date Encoded:
This finding aid was produced using the Archivists' Toolkit 2015-05-14T18:45-0700

Access and use

Restrictions:

This collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

All requests for permission to reproduce or to publish must be submitted in writing to Special Collections.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], E. Wilson and Carolyn Bartel Lyon papers (H.Mss.0493). Special Collections, Honnold/Mudd Library, Claremont University Consortium.

Location of this collection:
800 N. Dartmouth Ave.
Claremont, CA 91711, US
Contact:
(909) 607‑3977
specialcollections@claremont.edu
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