John Wells Kuykendall Collection

Collection

Identifier: DC008

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection is organized into the following series: 1) Biographical; 2) Addresses; 3) Appointment book; 4) Printed Material; 5) Photographs; 6) Restricted, 7) Inauguration Certificates, 8) Student Papers, and 9)Freshman Hat. The collection contains limited biographical information and information about Dr. Kuykendall's family. There are addresses dating from before 1984, and an appointment book from 1985. The majority of the collection is printed material from Dr. Kuykendall's tenure as president. This includes information about his election and inauguration, as well as invitations and general information. There is also a limited number of photographs. [Note: Speeches given during his term as president are either bound in the Davidsoniana Room or are going to be bound, and can be found in the Archives collection file.] In addition, the manuscript collection contains a vast amount of information from Kuykendall's days as a student at Davidson. Most of the information is Kuykendall's student notebooks that he kept for his Bible, History, Economics, English and ROTC classes. A few of his graded papers are included with the notebooks. The collection also has information on Kuykendall's involvement with Freshman Orientation in September 1958, his selection as a Distinguished Military Student, and his freshman beanie that he wore during his first year at Davidson.

Dates

Creation: 1959 - 1985

Conditions Governing Access

One folder is restricted, also, any graded papers from Kuykendall's student years are restricted

Biographical / Historical

Dr. John Kuykendall graduated from Davidson College in 1959. From 1960-1962 he worked at the college, first as Assistant Director of Alumni and Public Relations, then as Assistant Dean of Students. He graduated from Union Theological Seminary in 1964 with a Bachelor of Divinity, and from Yale Divinity School in 1965 with a Master of Sacred Theology. From 1965 to 1970 he served as Presbyterian pastor at Auburn University, and from 1971-1972 he served as Princeton University's interim Presbyterian campus pastor. He graduated from Princeton University in 1972 with a Master of Arts in American Religion, and returned to Auburn University as an instructor of religion. In 1975 he graduated from Princeton University with a degree of Doctor of Philosophy in American Religion. He became a prfessor of religion at Auburn University and stayed there until 1984, when he accepted the presidency of Davidson College.