Donnal V. Smith Papers

Collection – Box: 1

Identifier: MS-0542

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

Incoming and outgoing correspondence from soldiers and their families to Smith, while he was President of New York State Teachers College at Cortland, N.Y.

Dates

Creation: 1943-1944

Extent

.5 Cubic Feet (1 legal manuscript box)

Creator

Smith, Donnal V. (Donnal Vore Smith), 1901-1989 (Person)

Scope and Contents

The Donnal V. Smith Papers, 1943-1944, mainly document personal correspondence between Dr. Smith, then President of New York State Teachers College in Cortland, New York, and students and graduates serving in World War II. Smith made it a practice to correspond, both through individual and group letters, with former students from the college. In return, he received numerous letters detailing activities and chance contacts with fellow class-mates, for inclusion in the future "newsletters".

The bulk of the collection is the correspondence sent from the Cortland students in the service. Smith's correspondents were scattered all over the globe, providing glimpses of the war experience from United States training bases to the European and Pacific Theaters of Operations. The letters express impressions of the military life, foreign duty stations, inquiries and information about other "State" men, family information, and plans for postwar life. Due to the fact that the writers were well-educated, the letters describe their surroundings and activities with insight and humor. Many of the letters are in reduced V-Mail format, which is sometimes difficult to read.

The remainder of the collection consists of a few clippings giving news of wartime service or deaths, and stray "newsletters" sent by the servicemen from their military units.

Biographical Sketch

Donnal Vore Smith was born in 1901. He received a bachelor's degree from Bowling Green State University in 1924, where he was active as a member of the football team and president of the senior class. After receiving a master's degree and doctorate from the University of Chicago, he joined the history faculty of New York State Teachers College in Cortland in 1929. He was appointed president of that institution in 1943. In 1960 Dr. Smith returned to Bowling Green as Assistant to the President under Ralph McDonald, and the following year became Dean of Students under the new University President Ralph Harshman, serving until his retirement on January 31, 1967. Smith was also a cousin of Ervin J. Kreischer, who served as Business Manager at Bowling Green State University.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Donnal V. Smith Papers were donated to the Center for Archival Collections prior to July 1, 1977; however, records documenting the transaction do not exist.