Harold S. Wood Vice-Presidential Papers, 1931-1950
| Oberlin College Archives
Administrative/Biographical History
Harold Sanford Wood (1898-1989), the son of Charles H. and Minnie Tuttle Wood, was born in Hartford, Connecticut. He received his A.B. from Oberlin College in 1923. He married Elisabeth Bartlette Thomas (1900-1988) who was enrolled at Oberlin from 1919-22, and 1923. He did graduate work at the University of Michigan (1925-26), but was to complete an A.M. degree at The Ohio State University in 1937. Wesleyan University (Connecticut), where Wood was employed, awarded him an honorary degree in 1939.
Wood began his career at Ohio State University as a physical education teacher and the Director of Intramural Athletics (1928-37). He rose to the rank of Associate Professor (1934), but left Ohio State to accept the post of Chairman of the Physical Education Department and Director of Athletics at Wesleyan University (Middletown, Connecticut) in 1937. He stayed at Wesleyan until 1944 when Oberlin College appointed him Vice President.
Wood was apparently the first person to hold the title of Vice President (a newly created position) at Oberlin College. His predecessor, William F. Bohn, had been a secretary (1905-13) and assistant (1913-44) to two presidents. Wood also served two presidents, Ernest H. Wilkins (1927-46) and William E. Stevenson (1946-59) during his tenure. His responsibilities at Oberlin were mainly the solicitation of funds, including the raising of funds to erect new dormitories on the growing Oberlin College campus. In addition, he also served on the Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association’s Board of Trustees.
In June 1948, Wood’s four year appointment as Vice President ended by mutual agreement. Wood moved on to become Vice-President at Beloit College (1949).
Harold S. Wood died on August 23, 1989. He was survived by one daughter, Patricia.
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Administrative Information
The papers of Harold S. Wood mainly document his activities as Vice President from 1944 to 1948. Included is documentation on his involvement in the fund-raising campaigns to finance new campus buildings and scholarships for students.
This collection consists of four record series: 1. Annual Reports of the Vice-President; 2. Correspondence (Donor Files); 3. Oberlin College Buildings and Grounds; and 4. Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association. These files though not significant in terms of quantity, report on role Wood played, along with other administrators, in the development of Oberlin College in the post-World War II era.
The single annual report outlines Wood's accomplishments one year while he served as Vice President. Wood's annotations are written on one copy of the report. Summary documents are complimented by his correspondence.
Wood's correspondence files, which offer detail on his activities in particular and Oberlin College's development efforts in general, under Presidents Ernest Hatch Wilkins and William E. Stevenson. The series is divided into two subseries: 1. Name Files and 2. Subject Files. The name files comprise a much larger volume of the material. Included are letters from Oberlin friends, faculty and alumni, such as Arthur Vining Davis, Lucien C. Warner, Hope Hibbard, and Mary Gerrish Sieberling relating to donations made to the college. The subject files, though modest, contain important correspondence documenting the many scholarships, grants and other funds established at Oberlin College. Several noteworthy files found here include the Glen Gray Scholarship, Harry N. Holmes Prize Fund, Seaman Scholarship Fund and the Orville Wright donation.
Historical materials that document the planning and financing of many new campus buildings are located in series 3. The research material is modest in scope and size, but the files help to document changes to the physical plant initiated under President Stevenson (1946-59) and carried forward by President Robert K. Carr (1960-70).
Wood's role on the Board of Trustees of the Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association is documented in the last series which contains various historical documents from meetings and activities relating to the Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association.
SERIES DESCRIPTIONS
Series I. Annual Reports of the Vice-President, 1946-1947 (0.1 l.f.)
One folder containing the file copy and an annotated version of the annual report of the Vice-President for 1946-47.
Series II. Correspondence (Donor Files), 1931-50 (1.3 l.f.)
Includes correspondence, arranged alphabetically, from Oberlin alumni, faculty and friends concerning fund-raising for new dormitories and scholarships. The record series is divided into two subseries: 1. Name Files and 2. Subject Files. The name files differ from the subject files in that each folder contains correspondence on various subjects that relate to the creator while the subject files each contain a discussion of only one subject (which is identified on the folder).
Series III. Oberlin College Buildings and Grounds, 1944-1948 (0.2 l.f.)
Documentation relating to the construction of new campus buildings and other structures such as the athletic field gate and new dormitories.
Series IV. Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association, 1944-1948 (0.4 l.f.)
Includes minutes and research materials used by Wood as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association.
INVENTORY
Series I. Annual Reports of the Vice President
Box 1
Annual Reports, 1946-47
Series II. Correspondence, 1944-48 (Donor Files)
Subseries 1. Name Files
Box 2
Allen
Bailey-Budington
Cairn-Curtis
Davis-Dorn
Edwards-Fauver and Fauver
Gage-Grabill
Hibbard-Hunt
Inter-Office (Dean of Women to Dean of Recreation)
Johnson
Kaserman-Kurg
Lanphear-Lutz
MacNab-Mosher
Newsom-Oberlin Women's Club
Paterson-Pusey
Box 3
Raine-Rorimer
S-Siddel (incls.: W. H. Seaman and Mary Gerrish Seiberling)
Snyder-Stevenson
Taylor-Vradenburg
Warner-Wilkins
Yale-Zurcher
Subseries 2. Subject Files
Box 3 (cont.)
Admissions Policy, 1945
Allen Hospital, Oberlin, 1946
Alumni War Scholarships, 1945
Alumni/ae, 1945
Hazel Nichols Cont Fund, 1946
"Dear Friends" Letter, 1945
Endowment and Building Fund Campaign, 1945
Box 3 (cont.)
Field Foundation Fund, 1948
Howard Phillips Frank Fund, 1946-47
Fraternity Question, 1945
Glen Gray Memorial Scholarship, 1946-47
The Griswold Fund, 1946
Box 4
The Frank Blair Hanson Jr. Prize Award, 1946
The Agnes E. Harlan Fund, 1947
Harry N. Holmes Prize Fund (chemistry), 1945-47
Faustina Hurlbutt Prize Fund, 1945-46
Johnson Foundation, 1947
Johnson Scholarship, 1947
Nash Fund, 1944
New York-Oberlin Women's Club (re: Scholarships), 1946
Outdoor Theater, 1946 Outside Representation, 1946-50
Portrait-E.H. Wilkins, 1945
Post-War Plans, 1945
Pyle-Bosworth Biography, 1947
Radio and Higher Education, 1947
Radio, 1931-47
Rockefeller Brothers Foundation, 1945
Seaman Scholarship Fund, 1949-50
Seaman Memorial, 1948-49
Smoking, 1947
Student Union, 1945-47
Vice President's Office, 1946
Wager Room, 1946
Helen Ward Memorial Fund, 1947
Orville Wright donation, 1948 (2f)
Series III. Oberlin College Buildings and Grounds
Box 5
Athletic Field Gate, n.d.
Burton Hall Dedication, 1947
Dormitories, 1946-50
Field House, 1947
Proposed Science Building Group, 1946
Residence and Dining Halls, 1945-48
Series IV. Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association
Box 5 (cont.)
Shansi, 1946-48 (3f)
Oriental Problems, 1946-48 (2f)
Box 6
Oriental Studies, 1946-48 (2f)
Far Eastern Studies, 1946-48 (4f)