Guide to the Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers, 1860-1986
Guide prepared by Erin M. Louthen
Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0147
Phone: (408) 808-2064
Email: research@sourisseauacademy.org
URL: http://www.sourisseauacademy.org/
© 2007 Sourisseau Academy for
State and Local History. All rights reserved.
Guide to the Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers, 1860-1986
Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History
San José State
University
Contact Information:
- Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History
- San José State University
- One Washington Square
- San José, CA 95192-0147
- Email: research@sourisseauacademy.org
- URL: http://www.sourisseauacademy.org/
- Collection processed and guide prepared and encoded by:
- Erin M. Louthen
- Date Completed:
- September 2007
©2007. Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1860-1986
Collection Number: 01.05
Creator:
Hill, Andrew Putnam, Jr.,
1886-1973
Extent:
Containers: 7 boxes
Volume: 2.14 cubic feet
Selected online items available
Repository:
Sourisseau Academy for State and
Local History,
San José State University
Abstract: The bulk of the Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers chronicles the
training and career of a professional educator and architect over the course of
sixty years, from approximately 1910-1975. The collection includes professional and
personal correspondence, photographs, academic documents, architectural renderings,
newspaper clippings, biographical and family memoirs, and an oral interview of
Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. in 1972. The extent of the collection spans nearly 130
years, including materials and photographs created by Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr., as
well as family memoirs written in the 1970s by Birdella Hill Laughlin, Andrew Putnam
Hill, Jr.’s daughter.
Language:
English
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright has not been assigned to the Sourisseau Academy. Neither the original
photographs nor the digital images held by the Sourisseau Academy may be
reproduced, published, or used on the Internet without the expressed, written
permission of the Executive Secretary. Permission for publication is given on
behalf of the Sourisseau Academy 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 researcher. The credit line, "Courtesy of the Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History" must
accompany
any such use.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers, 01.05, [Box number]:
[Folder number], Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History, San José
State University, San José, California
Related Collections
Register of the Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers , 1885-1955. This
collection is located at the University of the Pacific. The finding aid for
this collection can be found on the
Online Archive of California website.
Acquisition Information
The Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers were donated to the Sourisseau Academy by Birdella
(Hill) Laughlin in 1986.
Biographical Note
Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. was born June 4, 1886 in San José, California, the son
of Andrew Putnam Hill and Florence Watkins Hill. Raised at 1350 Sherman Street in
San Jose, California, he graduated from San José High School in 1906,
received his teaching certificate from the San José State Normal School in
1920, and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University in June 1922. He
married Ruth Mary McKenney on August 24, 1910. The couple had two children; however,
only one child, Birdella, survived to adulthood.
Dedicating much of his adult life to the educational school system, Andrew Putnam
Hill, Jr.’s professional career spanned over fifty years. During this time, he
served as Department Head of Manual Arts at San José High School (located on
the grounds of the San José State Normal School) from 1911 to 1913; worked as
the Director of Schoolhouse Planning for the California State School Department from
1927 to 1933; and was the District Superintendent of Santa Maria High School and
Junior College from 1935 to 1942. His last major appointment was in 1943, when he
accepted the position of Superintendent of Schools for the Stockton Unified School
District, a job he held until his retirement from the profession in 1947.
In addition to his adept leadership in the California educational system, Andrew
Putnam Hill, Jr. was also a skilled architect, recognized for his ability to design
residential and commercial structures particularly attuned to the needs of their
future inhabitants. For example, residential homes were designed to be both
aesthetically pleasing and functional – such as a home offering an abundance of
windows and attractive outdoor landscaping, complemented by such features as
spacious living quarters, bedroom areas which doubled as sleeping porches for hot
summer evenings, an efficient and utilitarian kitchen layout, and detached garage
areas.
Throughout his life, Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. was active in conservationist movements.
His commitment to conserving the earth’s natural resources and open space could
actually be considered a family trait. His father, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr. – a noted
photographer and artist – was also the co-founder and president of the Sempervirens
Club of California, a conservationist organization noted for preserving the Ancient
Coast Redwood trees located in what is now known as Big Basin Redwoods State
Park.
Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. died August 2, 1973, in Stockton, California.
Indexing Terms
The following terms may be used to index this collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Architecture
Conservationists
Education – United States
Environmentalism
Hill, Andrew Putnam,
1853-1922
Hill, Andrew Putnam, Jr.,
1886-1973
Hill, Frank Ernest,
1888-1969
Hill, Florence Watkins,
1858-1936
Laughlin, Birdella Hill,
1911-2003
San José
(Calif.)
Scope and Content
The bulk of the Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers chronicle the training and career of
a professional educator and architect over the course of sixty years, from
approximately 1910-1975. Included in the collection are professional and personal
correspondence, photographs, academic documents, architectural renderings, newspaper
clippings, biographical and family memoirs, and an oral interview of Andrew Putnam
Hill, Jr. in 1972. The extent of the collection spans nearly 130 years, including
notebooks created by his father, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr., during the years
1909-1922, as well as family memoirs written in the 1970s by Birdella Hill Laughlin,
Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr.’s daughter.
The photographs in the collection cover approximately 110 years of California
history, from 1860 to 1970. Architectural photographs include interior and exterior
shots of houses designed by Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr., offering an excellent overview
of residential architecture and interior design techniques of the early twentieth
century. Additional photographs in the collection include images of Hill family
members throughout the generations; Hill family gatherings in Big Basin Redwoods
State Park; and carte de visite images of the San José Normal School’s
graduating class of 1875, of which Andrew Putnam Hill Jr.’s mother, Florence Watkins
Hill, was a member.
Arrangement of the Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Papers
The papers are arranged into four series:
- I. Personal Papers
- II. Professional Papers
- III. Project Records
- III. Photographs
SERIES I.
Personal Papers,
1875-1975
Physical Description: 30 folders, 14 envelopes
Scope and Content Note
This series is arranged by subject. The series contains biographical
materials such as an oral interview with Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. in 1972,
and selected letters written by Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr. and Birdella Hill
Laughlin; ephemeral items such as commencement programs, landscaping notes,
fraternal membership cards, and Christmas cards designed by Andrew Putnam
Hill, Jr.; newspaper clippings chronicling Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr.'s
marriage to Ruth Mary McKenney; newspaper clippings pertaining to a variety
of educational and conservationist topics; a selection of Andrew Putnam
Hill, Sr.’s datebooks; a 1913 California Legislature Handbook; and Florence
Watkins Hill’s Autograph Book from the San José Normal School’s Class
of 1875. Note: Copies of the newspaper articles are in Box 1, and the
originals can be found in Box 4.
Hill Family–Biographical Information,
1917-1972
Box 1, Folder 1
Hill, Andrew Putnam, Jr.: Interview
1972
Box 1, Folder 5
Hill Family Ancestor Chart
Box 1, Folder 6
Laughlin, Birdella Hill: Recollections
Box 1, Folder 11
Birthday Book – Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr.
Box 1, Folder 12
Button Photograph
circa 1896
Box 1, Folder 18
Leland Stanford, Jr. University
Box 1, Folder 19
Phi Delta Kappa Fraternity
Newspaper Clippings,
1910-1975
Box 1, Folder 26
Environmental Conservation
Box 1, Folder 27
Hill and McKenney Wedding
1910
Box 4, Folder 2
Environmental Conservation
Box 4, Folder 3
Hill and McKenney Wedding
1910
Box 2, Envelope 1
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1909
Box 2 , Envelope 2
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1910
Box 2 , Envelope 3
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1911
Box 2 , Envelope 4
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1911
Box 2 , Envelope 5
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1912
Box 2 , Envelope 6
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1913
Box 2 , Envelope 7
Address Book, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1913
Box 2 , Envelope 8
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1919
Box 2 , Envelope 9
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1920
Box 2 , Envelope 10
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1921
Box 2 , Envelope 11
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
1923
Box 2 , Envelope 12
Datebook, Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
n.d.
Box 2 , Envelope 13
Autograph Book, Florence Watkins Hill
1875
Box 2 , Envelope 14
Handbook, California Legislature
1913
SERIES II.
Professional Papers,
1909-1949
Physical Description: 6 folders
Scope and Content Note
This series is arranged by subject. Materials in this series include
professional correspondence regarding Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr.'s appointment
as Assistant Superintendent of Schools in Stockton, California in 1942;
credentials such as a certificate from the California State Board of
Education granting Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. permission to teach secondary
grade Manual and Fine Arts; diplomas from the State Teachers College of San
Jose in 1920 and from Leland Stanford, Jr. University for a Bachelor of Arts
degree in 1922; and transcripts of speeches given by Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr.
in the late 1940s on the subject of residential architecture, such as The
House Designed for More Than One Level, given in 1949.
Box 3, Folder 2
Course Materials: Grammar Grade Problems in Mechanical
Drawing
1916
SERIES III.
Project Records,
circa 1921
Physical Description: 4 folders
Scope and Content Note
This series is arranged by subject. The series includes such materials as
Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr.'s architectural renderings and floorplans, which
provide an excellent example of his aesthetic skill in creating homes
incorporating such features as large, gracious living spaces, kitchen and
laundry areas designed for efficiency and practicality, and attractive
outdoor landscaping. In addition, the series contains the book Art
Principles on House, Furniture and Village Building (1921), in which a few
of Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr.'s architectural designs are prominently featured.
Note: the oversized folder, "Architectural Plans," can be found in Box
4.
Box 3, Folder 8
Blueprint of the Vista de Loma Tract
Box 3, Folder 9
Art Principles on House, Furniture and Village
Building
1921
Box 4, Folder 4
Architectural Plans, oversized
SERIES IV.
Photographs,
1860-1935
Physical Description: 329 photographs
Scope and Content Note
This series is arranged by subject. The series contains photographs
chronicling approximately 110 years of California history, from 1860 to
1970. Architectural photographs include interior and exterior shots of homes
designed by Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr., offering an excellent overview of
residential architecture in the early twentieth century. Additional
photographs in the collection include images of Hill family members
throughout the generations; Hill family gatherings in Big Basin Redwoods
State Park; and carte de visite images of the San José Normal
School’s graduating class of 1875, of which Andrew Putnam Hill Jr.’s mother,
Florence Watkins Hill, was a part. Note: the majority of the images in
Binder 1, "Buildings, Interior & Exterior – San José, Santa Cruz, &
Agnews State Hospital, California," are Tucker photos. Note: the
photographs of houses designed by Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. can be found in
Box 4.
Box 4, File 5
Houses Designed by Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr.
Binder 1
Buildings, Interior & Exterior – San José, Santa Cruz &
Agnews State Hospital, California
Binder 2
Photographs by Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr.
Binder 2
California Schools and Churches
Binder 2
Long Beach, California Earthquake
1933
Binder 2
Cabinet Portraits – Hill Family Friends
Binder 3
"Redwoods" Postcard Series
Binder 3
Cartes de Visite – Hill Family Members and Members of the Class of
1875 San José Normal School,
1875
Binder 3
Miscellaneous Postcards,
1860-1935
Binder 3
Andrew Putnam Hill, Sr. – Memorial Fountain Dedication,
1946
Binder 3
Andrew Putnam Hill, Jr. Family Photographs,
1860-1935
Binder 3
Contact Sheets – Various Hill Family Images; and (1) Photographic
Negative Strip of San José, California, 1906
Earthquake
