Scope and Contents From the Collection: The manuscript file collection on early University of Iowa history is a rich source on 19th-century and early 20th-century developments at the University of Iowa. It consists of the University's earliest known records documenting its business transactions, academic activity, and external communications. For the most part the material was prepared or received by William J. Haddock (1832-1906), secretary to the Board of Trustees, later Regents, from 1864 to 1901. It is also considered the foundation collection of the University Archives, as it resulted from the first institutional attempts to document University of Iowa history. Many types of records comprise the collection: correspondence, receipts from Iowa City businesses and those located in Des Moines, Chicago, New York and elsewhere, official memos, expense records, contractor's bids, applications for employment, letters of reference, resignations, status reports of buildings and departments, supply requests, signed protests...

Scope and Contents

Includes 1885 petition from seven students to the Board of Regents of S.U.I.:  "We the undersigned members of the present Senior class of the school of science do, in consideration of the fact that we have done more work in said course than is usually required in other colleges and universities, and    in view of the fact that the degree of B.SC. has become degraded in popular opinion, we do respectfully petition that the degree of A.B. be granted us instead of the customary one of B.SC.” At least four of the seven signatures are from women.

Scope and Contents

Original document