William Miller Beardshear Papers, Finding Aid

RS 2/5

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY Special Collections Department 403 Parks Library Ames, IA 50011-2140 515 294-6672 http://www.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/spcl.html

RS 2/5 William Miller Beardshear (1850-1902) Papers, 1884-1980, n.d.

RS 2/5

2

Descriptive summary creator:

Beardshear, William Miller (1850-1902)

title:

Papers

dates:

1884-1980, n.d.

extent:

1.68 linear feet (4 document boxes)

collection number:

RS 2/5

repository:

University Archives, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University.

Administrative information access:

Open for research

publication rights:

Consult Head, Special Collections Department

preferred citation:

William Miller Beardshear Papers, RS 2/5, Special Collections Department, Iowa State University Library.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

RS 2/5

3

Biographical note Born in Ohio in 1850, William Miller Beardshear joined the Union Army at the age of 14 and served throughout the Civil War. He studied for the ministry at Otterbein College and Yale Divinity School. He filled several pastorates before coming to Iowa in 1881 as the President of Western College in Toledo. In 1889, he was appointed Superintendent of Schools in West Des Moines. In 1891, Beardshear was appointed President of Iowa State, and during his tenure, ISC truly came of age. Beardshear developed new agricultural programs and was instrumental in hiring premier faculty members such Anson Marston, Louis B. Spinney, J.B. Weems, Perry G. Holden, and Maria Roberts. He also expanded the university administration, and the following buildings were added to the campus: Morrill Hall (1891); the Campanile (1899); Old Botany (now Catt Hall) (1892); and Margaret Hall (1895). While Beardshear was President, the following events also occurred at Iowa State: the school colors of cardinal and gold were named, Iowa State became known as the Cyclones (1895), and the first Bomb (the university yearbook) was published in 1893. He died in 1902 of complications following a heart attack. In his honor, Iowa State named its central administrative building (Central Building) after Beardshear in 1925. Collection description This collection (1884-1980, n.d.) contains reports, biographical data, newspaper clippings, family materials, correspondence, published items, ISC catalogs and a Bomb, and a Bible. Included are Beardshear’s annual reports to the Board of Trustees for Iowa State; correspondence with Iowa State faculty, staff, and students about a variety of topics, such as finances, excuse from military drills, and the resignation of faculty members; and newspaper clippings which describe an accusation against Beardshear for plagiarism. The remainder of the collection consists of biographical information about Beardshear and Beardshear family members, Iowa State ephemera, and 2 publications by Beardshear. Organization This collection is currently unarranged.

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

RS 2/5

4

Container list Box

Folder

Titles

Dates

1

1

Report to the Board of Trustees

n.d.

1

2

Report to the board of Trustees

1891

1

3

Report to the Board of Trustees

1892

1

4

Report to the Board of Trustees

1893

1

5

Report to the Board of Trustees

1894

1

6

Report to the Board of Trustees

1895

1

7

Report to the Board of Trustees

1895

1

8

Report to the Board of Trustees

1896

1

9

Report to the Board of Trustees

1897

2

1

Report to the Board of Trustees

1898

2

2

Report to the Board of Trustees

1899

2

3

Reports from Professors

1899

2

4

Report to the Board of Trustees

1900

2

5

Reports – 5-Year Department Needs

1900

2

6

Report to the Board of Trustees, Jan – Jun

1901

2

7

Report, to the Board of Trustees, Sep – Dec

1901

2

8

Report to the Board of Trustees

1902

2

9

Report to the Board of Trustees

1902

3

1

Addresses

1902

3

2

Biographical Data

1884-1982, n.d.

3

3

Obituaries, Memorials

1902

3

4

Presentation of Portrait

1938

3

5

Correspondence

1891-1900

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY

RS 2/5

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3

6

Correspondence

1901-1903

3

7

“Plagiarism” Clippings

1900

3

8

Josephine Mundhenk – Wife

1902, 1904, 1939

3

9

Metta Beardshear-Burt – Daughter

1936

3

10

William M. Beardshear – Son

1913-1957

3

11

Charles L. Beardshear – Son

1930

3

12

Constance (Beardshear) Moye – Daughter

1915-1980, n.d.

3

13

Ralph A. Moye – Son-In-Law

1937

3

14

Charles Mundhenk – Brother-In-Law

1907, 1962

3

15

Papers

1893, 1896, 1898, 1899, 1900, n.d.

3

16

The Three H’s In Education by W.M. Beardshear

1902

3

17

A Boy Again, And Other Prose Poems by W.M. Beardshear, published by Republican Printing Co.

1904

3

18

Wesleyan College, Commencement Program (President Beardshear Gave Address/Sermon)

1889

4

1

ISC Catalog, 1900-1901 – Personal Copy

1901

4

2

The Century Bomb – Personal Copy

1900

4

3

Bible

1871

4

4

Iowa State College Catalog – Personal Copy,

1899-1900

SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT

IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY