Frederick Rudolph Papers
Scope and Contents
The Frederick Rudolph Papers span Rudolph's career, from his undergraduate days at Williams, through his military service in World War II and life as a Williams academic, and into his retirement. The collection is especially strong on material from the 1960s and 1970s. His papers reflect his role as the unofficial Williams college historian, and active participant in the college community. Researchers will find material relating to the changing nature of the college, its people and its place in higher education.
Dates
- Creation: 1938 - 2000
Conditions Governing Access
The Frederick Rudolph Papers is open for research. Researchers are encouraged to contact Special Collections staff prior to a visit.
Box 31, folder 2 contains envelope restricted by donor for 50 years until April 2021. Box 35 is restricted.
Conditions Governing Use
In consultation with Special Collections staff, reproductions may be made upon request. Please consult with staff regarding questions about publishing materials from Williams Special Collections. Researchers are responsible for handling any copyright issues that may be associated with collections and materials.
Frederick Rudolph (1920-2013)
Frederick Rudolph (1920-2013, Williams 1942) was one of the country's leading authorities on the history and philosophy of higher education in America. His scholarship was concerned, in his words, with "the career of humanistic values and traditions in the United States as revealed in the life and history of educational institutions, particularly higher education." He was a keen historian, devoted alumnus, and profoundly dedicated mentor. Rudolph's tendency to form close relationships with his students was legendary even during his own time: One remarkably prophetic student wrote: "Dear Fred—I guess I have now secured my place in the future volume The Letters and Papers of Frederick Rudolph with this, my first letter, to you. Perhaps this knowledge of future notoriety puts a bit of pressure on me to muster up my wit and intellectual powers in order to make telling comments about the day so that future cultural historians can gain valuable insights into the 80's …"
Biographical Chronology
- 1920
- born Charles Frederick Rudolph, Baltimore, MD 19 June
- 1938
- graduates Wyoming Seminary
- 1942
- receives B.A., Williams College
- 1942-1946
- serves in U.S. Army (Captain)
- 1946-1947
- serves as Instructor in History, Williams College
- 1949-1950
- serves as Assistant Instructor in History, Yale University
- 1949
- receives M.A., Yale University
- 1949
- marries Dorothy Dannenbaum 18 June
- 1951
- daughter Marta born
- 1951-1953
- serves as Instructor in History, Williams College
- 1953
- receives Ph.D., Yale University
- 1953-1958
- serves as Assistant Professor of History, Williams College
- 1954
- daughter Lisa born
- 1956
- publishes Mark Hopkins and the Log: Williams College, 1836-1872 (Yale)
- 1958-1959
- Guggenheim Fellow
- 1958-1961
- serves as Associate Professor of History, Williams College
- 1960-1961
- serves as Visiting Lecturer in History and Education, Harvard University
- 1961-1964
- serves as Professor of History, Williams College
- 1962
- publishes The American College and University: A History (Knopf)
- 1962-1966
- serves as Vice President, Berkshire County Historical Society
- 1963-1966
- serves as member of Commission on Plans and Objectives, American Council on Education
- 1964-1982
- serves as Mark Hopkins Professor of American History, Williams College
- 1965
- edits Essays on Education in the Early Republic (Harvard)
- 1966-1968
- serves as President, Berkshire County Historical Society
- 1968-1969
- Guggenheim Fellow
- 1971-1980
- serves as Chairman of American Civilization Program, Williams College
- 1974
- serves as Trustee, Shaker Community, Inc.
- 1975-1977
- serves as Director, Berkshire County Historical Society
- 1976-1979
- serves as Trustee, Wyoming Seminary
- 1977
- publishes Curriculum: A History of the American Undergraduate Course of Study Since 1636 (Jossey-Bass)
- 1980
- receives Frederick W. Ness Award, Association of American Colleges
- 1980-1982
- serves on National Institute of Education panel on post-secondary education
- 1980-1984
- edits Change: The Journal of Higher Education
- 1982
- retires from Williams College
- 1982
- receives Rogerson Cup, Williams College
- 1982-1985
- serves on Committee on Baccalaureate Degrees, Association of American Colleges
- 1983
- serves as Visiting Associate, Center for Studies in Higher Education, U.C. Berkeley
- 1983
- serves as Visiting Professor, School of Education, U.C. Berkeley
- 1983
- edits Perspectives: A Williams Anthology
- 1984
- edits (associate) Higher Education: A Bibliographic Handbook, Vol. 1
- 1985
- drafts "Integrity in the College Curriculum" (AAC's curriculum report)
- 1985
- receives Litt.D. (honorary) Williams College
- 1985
- serves as Trustee, Bennington Museum
- 2013
- passes away on June 3
Extent
45.132 Linear Feet (29 manuscript boxes letter, 1 half manuscript box letter, 20 record storage boxes, 1 9" record storage box, 4 10" shoe boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
Arranged into nine series: I. Undergraduate Papers, II. Army Papers, III. Personal Correspondence, IV. Speeches and Writings, V. Course Material, VI. Fraternity Files, VII. Coeducation Papers, VIII. Subject Files, IX. Restricted Material, X. Addition 2017-105. Wherever possible, Rudolph's original filing structure was retained; therefore some material may be found in multiple places (e.g., Rudolph filed some fraternity correspondence in personal correspondence folders, some in Sigma Phi folders, and some in the Standing Committee folders).
Physical Location
Library Shelving Facility
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Frederick Rudolph, early 1980s. Gift of Marta Rudolph and Lisa Cushman (daughters), May/June 2017.
Processing Information
Processed by Bethany Sayles (Williams 2003), Summer 2001.
- Title
- Frederick Rudolph Papers
- Author
- Nash, Katie and Laura Zepka
- Date
- 2017
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the Williams College Archives Repository
Sawyer Library
26 Hopkins Hall Drive
Williamstown, MA 01267
specialcollections@williams.edu