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FONDS Identifier: HUG 4546

Papers of David Thompson Watson McCord : Harvard material, 1917-1921 and ca. 1940-ca. 1959

Overview

David Thompson Watson McCord (1897-1997), noted poet and essayist, was graduated from Harvard College in 1921. He earned a masters degree in 1922, and in 1956 was awarded Harvard's first honorary doctorate of humane letters. Well-known for his literary and humorous approach to fundraising, McCord served as Executive Director of the Harvard Fund from 1925 until his retirement in 1962 and was editor of the Harvard Alumni Bulletin from 1940 to 1946.

Dates

  • Creation: 1917-1921 and 1940- 1959

Creator

Extent

1.15 cubic feet (3 document boxes, 1 flat box, 1 scrapbook)

The Papers of David McCord document McCord's relationship with Harvard as student, fundraiser, editor, and literary contributor to occasions of moment.

A scrapbook documents McCord's undergraduate experience. The bulk of the papers are correspondence and subject files, ca. 1940-ca. 1959, that reflect his work with Harvard organizations.

Biography of David McCord

David Thompson Watson McCord, noted poet and essayist, was graduated from Harvard College in 1921. He earned a masters degree in 1922, and in 1956 was awarded Harvard's first honorary doctorate of humane letters.

Well-known for his literary and humorous approach to fundraising, McCord served as Executive Director of the Harvard Fund from 1925 until his retirement in 1962. He was editor of the Harvard Alumni Bulletin from 1940 to 1946. McCord was honorary curator of the Farnsworth Room and the Woodberry Poetry Room in the Harvard College Library and a member of the Overseers' Visiting Committee for Astronomy. He was also associated with Lowell House,Dudley House, and the Signet Society. David McCord died in 1997 at the age of 99.

Custodial History

The Papers of David McCord include material from University Archives' accessions 14073, 14547, 14738, and 14739, to which were added material previously classified as HUG 4546.15 and HUH 152.10.

Related Material

A fuller record of McCord's role within the University is documented by records held in the Harvard University Archives. Researchers are advised to consult University records relating to the Harvard Fund, records relating to the Harvard Alumni Bulletin, and the Records of the Signet Society. More Papers of David McCord are held at Harvard University's Houghton Library (MS Am 2130 and *2002M-39) and at The Boston Public Library.

Inventory update

This document last updated 2016 August 9.

Processing Information

In accordance with collection policies at the time of receipt, much of the material included in these accessions was either discarded as duplicates or sent to the Boston Public Library, Special Collections.

Title
McCord, David Thompson Watson, 1897- Papers of David Thompson Watson McCord : Harvard material : an inventory
Author
Harvard University Archives
Language of description
und
EAD ID
hua21003

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:
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