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Paul Butterfield Freeland Scrapbook and Miscellaneous

 Collection
Identifier: DC0238s

Scope and Contents

As a student at Davidson, Paul B. Freeland kept an extensive scrapbook. This scrapbook documents the history of Davidson from 1921-1925. The scrapbook is divided into four time periods -- each according the the four years that Paul was a student -- his freshman, sophomore, junior and senior year. Of particular note, there is a listing of the scores of football, basketball, track and tennis scores from 1921-1922. There is also a lot of information on the history of the class of 1925. Photographs of Egg Rock, a local geological formation, are found here. Paul also included his vote on a ballot to abolish hazing. Photographs of the miltary and of the burning of Watts Dormitory and Chambers Building are found throughout the scrapbook. In the senior section of the scrapbook, you will find a fair amount of information on Commencment 1925. Paul attended the Blue Ridge Summer School, and information and photographs of this school are available. A brochure from Davidson Day (October 2, 1922) is available, as well as several postcards from various places around the United States. The pages of the scrapbook were already numbered, beginning with the number 111. Thus, we used this numbering to located the various items in the scrapbook. In addition, there is a folder in the Box entitled "Miscellaneous." This folder contains (1) a copy of the "Midsummer Letter" -- a publication of Union Theological Seminary in July 1925; (2) various clippings that depict Old Chambers, views on campus, the Guest House, Martin Chemistry Building, the Wildcat Stadium, etc. (3) photograph of the D road that was on the Campus of Davidson; (4) a booklet called "The Davidson College Bulletin showing Views of Davidson College in June-August, 1913; (5) a booklet called A Souvenir Album of Davidson College in November 1903; (6) a good copy of the commencement brochure from 1925; (7) a copy of the Wildcat Handbook in 1922; and (8) Paul Freeland's report card in 1924.

Dates

  • Creation: 1921 - 1925

Biographical / Historical

Paul Butterfield Freeland (1904-1976) graduated from Davidson College in 1925. After his graduation, Freeland studied at Union Theological Seminary and was ordained to the minsitry in 1928. In 1932-33, he also studied at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. For 20 years, he was a pastor in Louisiana and Oklahoma. From 1950 to 1963, he was secretary of the Overseas Relief and Interchurch Aid Department of the Board of World Missions of the Presbyterian Church, U.S.A., leading the denomination's contributions toward post-war reconstruction and assistance. In 1958, he chaired the executive committee of Church World Service, the principal Protestant agency providing world relief such as food, clothing, and medicine. He was a member of the U. S. Conference of the World Council of Churches, a member of the General board of the National Council of Churches in 1958-60, and the NCC's Department of International Affairs in 1954-63. Upon his retirement in 1963, Davidson College awarded Freeland with the honorary doctor of divinity degree. An avid stamp collector, Freeland's collection was sold at the time of his death for more than $1 million. $500,000 of this money was given to Davidson College. The rest of the money was divided betwen the Historical Foundation of the Presbyterian and Reformed Churches in Montreat, N.C., Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, V.A., the Mountain Retreat Association in Montreat, N.C., and Freeland's home church in Crowley, LA.

Extent

1 folders_oversize (1 folder and 1 scrapbook)

Language

English