President. Smith, Henry Louis. Records, 1901-1912, 1943

Sub-Group

Identifier: RG02-10

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection consists primarily of correspondence from the years 1911 and 1912, with only a few items from the 1907 to 1910 period. Some of the correspondence from the president's office is signed by Miss Cornelia Shaw, who acted as the president's assistant. Topics covered in these records include advertising for the college, athletics, fraternities, the code of honor system, hazing, apple orchards, the Davidson Cemetery, honorary degrees, faculty housing, the College's 75 anniversary the Southern Educational Association, and Rhodes Scholarship Committee. The files also include considerable correspondence with parents of students and letters of recommendation for students. Faculty members represented in the collection include Walter L. Lingle and John Wilson MacConnell. There are also two reports written by Smith on Davidson College and his work as president.

Dates

Creation: Majority of material found within 1901 - 1943

Creator

President. Smith, Henry Louis (Organization)

Biographical / Historical

Henry Louis Smith, 1859-1951, was a native of Greensboro, NC. He was graduated from Davidson College in 1881 and the University of Virginia in 1891. He returned to Davidson as a professor of physics in 1887 and was elected president of the College in 1901. Smith served as president until 1912. During his tenure he established an electric light plant; oversaw the construction of the Carnegie Library, the YMCA Hall, Martin Chemical Laboratory and three dormitories; and saw student enrollment grow from 137 to 340 students. He encouraged the organization of a student government and the development of an athletic field. As a scientist Smith was involved in early work with X-rays. He left Davidson in 1912 to assume the presidency of Washington and Lee University.