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San José State University Office of the President, John T. Wahlquist Records
MSS.2009.04.04  
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Collection Details
 
Table of contents What's This?
  • Access
  • Publication Rights
  • Preferred Citation
  • Processing Information
  • Project Information
  • Organizational History
  • Related Material
  • Scope and Content
  • Arrangement

  • Language of Material: English
    Contributing Institution: SJSU Special Collections & Archives
    Title: San José State University Office of the President, John T. Wahlquist Records
    creator: San José State University. Office of the President
    Identifier/Call Number: MSS.2009.04.04
    Physical Description: 45.0 boxes (46.84 linear feet)
    Date (inclusive): 1937-1976
    Date (bulk): 1952-1964
    Abstract: The Office of the President is the highest administrative office for the campus, reporting to the California State University (CSU) Chancellor and Board of Trustees, respectively. As such, the Office of the President records document the overall policies, practices and procedures of the daily operation of the campus, as well as interaction with other CSU campuses and with CSU administration. The San José State University Office of the President, John T. Wahlquist Records, 1937-1976 (bulk 1952-1964), document Wahlquist's tenure as university president (1952-1964). Wahlquist was Dean of the School of Education at the University of Utah before becoming president of SJSU in 1952, succeeding President Thomas MacQuarrie (1927-1952).The records consist of correspondence, awards, personal diaries and scrapbooks. The records also contain historically significant documents such as master building indexes, the Stanton-Hutchinson court case files, and photographs of Richard Nixon at SJSU. This collection is arranged into seven series: Series I. Administrative Files, 1937-1976 (bulk 1952-1964); Series II. Awards, Certificates, and Photograph Albums, 1953-1969 (bulk 1953-1964); Series III. Correspondence, 1952-1964; Series IV. CSC Trustees Correspondence, 1961-1964; Series V. Diaries, 1952-1967; Series VI. Publicity, 1952-1964; and Series VII. Stanton-Hutchinson Controversy, 1959-1966 (bulk 1960-1962).

    Access

    The collection is open for research, with the exception of reel-to-reel tapes in Series VII, which are restricted.

    Publication Rights

    Copyright is assigned to the San José 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.

    Preferred Citation

    San José State University Office of the President, John T. Wahlquist Records, MSS-2009-04-04, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.

    Processing Information

    Collection processed by Thomas Stamps. Finding aid EAD encoded by Mary Ellen Petrich. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen.

    Project Information

    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.

    Organizational History

    In 1857 the San Francisco Board of Education established Minns' Evening Normal School for current and prospective teachers in the city. Named after its principal, George W. Minns, the institution was formally established as the first California State Normal School by the State Legislature in 1862. A decade later, the Legislature voted to move the Normal School to San José, and the school relocated to its new home on Washington Square prior to the fall term of 1872. After a fire destroyed the Normal School building in 1880, the Legislature authorized $200,000 to construct a new building on the same site. Completed in 1881, the building was commonly referred to as the Second State Normal School. After several names and curriculum changes, Minns' Normal School is now San José State University, offering more than 134 bachelor's and master's degrees with 110 concentrations, and is recognized as one of the top public universities granting such degrees in the West.
    Dr. John T. Wahlquist was Dean of the School of Education at the University of Utah before becoming president of SJSU in 1952, succeeding President Thomas MacQuarrie (1927-1952). During Wahlquist's twelve-year term, he took annual tours across America to recruit experienced teachers from prestigious colleges to keep pace with San José State's growing student enrollment. Over time, Wahlquist increased the faculty from 300 to 1,000 members. Wahlquist also organized the largest construction development in San José State's history, adding many buildings to the campus including Hugh Gillis Hall, Dudley Moorehead Hall, and Sweeney Hall.

    Related Material

    CSU Board of Trustees Records, MSS-2009-03-10
    SJSU Office of the President, Robert D. Clark Records, 2009-08-03

    Scope and Content

    The Office of the President is the highest administrative office for the campus, reporting to the California State University (CSU) Chancellor and Board of Trustees, respectively. As such, the Office of the President records document the overall policies, practices and procedures of the daily operation of the campus, as well as interaction with other CSU campuses and with CSU administration.
    The SJSU Office of the President, John T. Wahlquist Records, 1937-1976 (bulk 1952-1964), document Wahlquist's tenure as university president (1952-1964). Wahlquist was Dean of the School of Education at the University of Utah before becoming president of SJSU in 1952, succeeding President Thomas MacQuarrie (1927-1952).The records consist of correspondence, awards, personal diaries and scrapbooks, as well as President's Council meeting minutes and agendas, budget reports, speeches, travel records, newspaper clippings, and photographs. Chronicling the many changes implemented on campus during President Wahlquist's twelve-year term, the records also contain historically significant documents such as master building indexes, the Stanton-Hutchinson court case files, and photographs of Richard Nixon at SJSU. In addition, the records include President Wahlquist's mementos and his autobiography.

    Arrangement

    This collection is arranged into seven series: Series I. Administrative Files; Series II. Awards, Certificates, and Photograph Albums; Series III. Correspondence; Series IV. CSC Trustees Correspondence; Series V. Diaries; Series VI. Publicity; and Series VII. Stanton-Hutchinson Controversy.

    Subjects and Indexing Terms

    Education, Higher -- California -- San José
    San José State University. Office of the President
    California State University, San José -- History
    California State University. Office of the Chancellor -- Trials, litigation, etc.
    San Jose State College
    San José State University -- History
    San José State University. President's Office -- History
    San José State University. President's Office -- Records and correspondence
    Wahlquist, John Thomas, b. 1899