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COLLECTION Identifier: UAII 10.6.1

Records of the Board of Overseers: reports from academic departments

Overview

The Harvard University Board of Overseers is one of two governing bodies of Harvard University. One of the methods by which the Overseers carry out their charge is by organizing visiting committees to visit departments and schools and report back on their findings. Reports describe the status and activities of the academic departments at Harvard University. Most of the reports are handwritten, many of them in the form of letters addressed to the Board of Overseers. Many of the reports are from officials within the departments, rather than from members of the Visiting Committees. Reports from later years are increasingly likely to be typewritten or printed and less likely to be in the epistolary form.

Dates

  • Creation: 1859-1902

Creator

Researcher Access

Open for research.

Extent

2 cubic feet (10 volumes, 2 folders, 1 box)

Reports describe the status and activities of the academic departments at Harvard University. Most of the reports are handwritten, many of them in the form of letters addressed to the Board of Overseers. Many of the reports are from officials within the departments, rather than from members of the Visiting Committees. Reports from later years are increasingly likely to be typewritten or printed and less likely to be in the epistolary form.

Historical Note

The Harvard University Board of Overseers is one of two governing bodies of Harvard University. One of the methods by which the Overseers carry out their charge is by organizing visiting committees to visit departments and schools and report back on their findings.

Organization of the reports

There does not appear to be a distinction in content between the bound and the loose reports. It is likely that the reports were gathered and bound by the Board of Overseers as a means to keep the reports together in chronological groupings by year.

Acquisition information

The documents in this collection are University records and were acquired in the course of University business.

Accural of loose reports

Reports that had not been on hand at the time of binding were added at a later date either by the Board, by librarians, or by archivists.

Related Materials

Collections in the Harvard University Archives:

  1. Reports to the Board of Overseers, 1650, 1685, 1761-1854: http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.ARCH:hua48014
  2. Records of the Board of Overseers: votes and resolutions, circa 1700-1892: http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.ARCH:hua14016
  3. Records of the Board of Overseers: minutes, 1707-1932: http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.ARCH:hua39010
  4. Records of the Board of Overseers: waste-books, 1775-1816: http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.ARCH:hua46010

General note

Groups
  1. Harvard University. Board of Overseers.
  2. Harvard College (1636-1780) -- Administration.
  3. Harvard University -- Administration.

General note

Topics
  1. Universities and colleges -- Evaluation.

Inventory update

This document last updated 2019 April 12.

Processing Information

This finding aid was created by Kate Bowers and Jennifer Pelose in July 2016.

Title
Harvard University. Board of Overseers. Records of the Board of Overseers: reports from academic departments, 1859-1902: an inventory
Language of description
und
EAD ID
hua07002

Repository Details

Part of the Harvard University Archives Repository

Holding nearly four centuries of materials, the Harvard University Archives is the principal repository for the institutional records of Harvard University and the personal archives of Harvard faculty, as well as collections related to students, alumni, Harvard-affiliates and other associated topics. The collections document the intellectual, cultural, administrative and social life of Harvard and the influence of the University as it emerged across the globe.

Contact:
Pusey Library
Harvard Yard
Cambridge MA 02138 USA
(617) 495-2461