Donnal V. Smith Papers

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.