Title: Alexander G. Ruthven Papers Creator: Ruthven, Alexander Grant, 1882-1971 Dates: 1901-1961 (Majority of material found within 1906-1951) Extent: 65.4 linear feet, 1 oversize folder Abstract:
Zoologist, college professor, president of University of Michigan, 1929-1951. Professional files relating to his career with the University Museum and as a professor of zoology, and presidential files containing correspondence, reports, speeches, and other University materials, including budget and legislative files, material relating to changes in University administration, his relationship with faculty, students and alumni, and photographs.
Call number: 86550 Aa 2 UAm Language: The materials are in English. Repository: Bentley Historical Library
1150 Beal Ave. Ann Arbor, MI
48109-2113 Phone:
734-764-3482 Fax:
734-936-1333 e-mail:
bentley.ref@umich.edu Home Page: http://www.bentley.umich.edu/
Finding aid prepared by: Michigan Historical Collections staff
Access and Use
Acquisition Information:
The bulk of the collection was transferred over from the President's Office (donor no. 566) in 1948. Professional papers were transferred from the Museum of Zoology (donor no. 837) in 1982.
Access Restrictions:
The collection is open for research.
To protect fragile audiovisual recordings (such as audio cassettes, film reels, and VHS
tapes), the Bentley Historical Library has a policy of converting them to digital
formats by a professional vendor whenever a researcher requests access. For more
information, please see: http://bentley.umich.edu/research/duplication/.
Copyright:
Copyright is held by the Regents of the University of Michigan but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright is not held. Patrons are responsible for determining the appropriate use or reuse of materials.
Preferred Citation:
item, folder title, box no., Alexander G. Ruthven Papers, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan
Biography
Alexander G. Ruthven was born April 1, 1882 in Hull, Iowa. He received his BS degree in 1903 from Morningside College and his Ph.D. in Zoology from the University of Michigan. As a zoologist, Ruthven's major interest was in reptiles and amphibians - snakes, lizards turtles, frogs, etc. He wrote extensively in his disciple and also directed various scientific expeditions in North, South and Central America. Also, before assuming the presidency, Ruthven was chief field naturalist with the Michigan Geological and Biological Survey (1908-1912).
Ruthven's entire career was spent at the University of Michigan where he was successively instructor of zoology and curator of the Museum of Zoology (1906-1911); assistant professor and curator of the Museum of Zoology (1911-1913); assistant professor and director of the Museum of Zoology (1913-1915); profess and director of the Museum of Zoology (1915-1929); director of University Museums (1922-1936); chairman of the department of zoology and director of the Zoological Laboratories (1927-1929); and dean of administration (1928-1929). Upon President Little's resignation, Ruthven was named to a committee of three to administer the affairs of the University. With administrative skills demonstrated in this position, Ruthven in October 1929 was selected by the regents as president of the University of Michigan. He served in this position until 1951 when Harlan Hatcher assumed office.
Upon assuming office as president, Ruthven worked to reform the administrative structure of the university. He believed that the university must distribute authority and responsibility among the many units and officers which make up the total structure. Early on he selected two vice-presidents, one in charge of business affairs and the other in charge of educational investigations. He also appointed a director of plant extension, and some time later, a vice-president in charge of university relations outside the campus. In 1944, the university's administrative structure included a provost, two vice-presidents, and a secretary. Deans and directors of schools, colleges, and other educational units were given authority commensurate with their responsibilities. Usually, advisory or executive committees were set up to aid unit heads with their duties.
During Ruthven's tenure, the School of Music was formally affiliated and integration with the university. In 1941, the School of Public Health was established; and in 1951, the School of Social Work was established. Other important developments during his tenure were the creation of an Institute of Public Administration and the reorganization of the School of Forestry as the School of Natural Resources.
Ruthven died January 19, 1971.
Collection Scope and Content Note
The Alexander Ruthven papers consists of two series of records. The first is the papers of Ruthven as president of the University of Michigan, 1929 to 1951. The second, and smaller, series is the files maintained by Ruthven as a zoologist with the University Museum and as professor of zoology. This latter series dates largely from 1908 to 1929 but also includes collected earlier files from the 1870s.
Subject Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the finding aid database and catalog of The Bentley Historical Library/University of Michigan. Researchers desiring additional information about related topics should search the catalog using these headings.
African Americans -- Michigan.
Anti-Nazi Movement -- United States.
Antisemitism -- Michigan.
Athletics -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor.
Child welfare.
Conservation of natural resources.
Dormitories -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor.
Draft -- Michigan.
Drugs -- Michigan.
Education -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor.
Elections -- Michigan -- 1948.
Greek letter societies -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor.
Indians of North America -- Michigan.
Isle Royale (Mich.)
New Deal, 1933-1939 -- Michigan.
Palestine.
Peace -- Societies, etc.
Philippines -- History -- 1898-1946.
Philippines -- History -- 1946-1986.
Philippines -- History -- Japanese occupation, 1942-1945.
Prohibition -- Michigan.
Radicalism -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor.
Refugees.
Soviet Union.
Spain -- History -- Civil War, 1936-1939.
Women's rights -- United States.
Working class -- Education -- Michigan.
World War, 1939-1945.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Education and the war.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Michigan -- Ann Arbor.
Weddings.
Caricatures.
Drawings.
Photographs.
Ann Arbor School of Religion.
B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation (University of Michigan)
Mackinac Bridge Authority (Mich.)
Michigan Memorial Phoenix Project.
University of Michigan -- Administration.
University of Michigan -- Alumni and alumnae.
University of Michigan. Board in Control of Intercollegiate Athletics.
University of Michigan. Center for Japanese Studies.
University of Michigan. Dept. of Anthropology.
University of Michigan. Department of Astronomy.
University of Michigan. Dept. of Fine Arts.
University of Michigan. Dept. of Military Science and Tactics.
University of Michigan. Dept. of Physics.
University of Michigan. Dept. of Zoology.
University of Michigan -- Student housing.
University of Michigan. English Language Institute.
University of Michigan -- Faculty.
University of Michigan -- History.
University of Michigan. Institute for Social Research.
University of Michigan. Library.
University of Michigan. Medical School.
University of Michigan. University Museum.
University of Michigan. President.
University of Michigan -- Publishing.
University of Michigan. School of Dentistry.
University of Michigan. School of Music.
University of Michigan. School of Public Health.
University of Michigan -- Students -- Discipline.
University of Michigan -- Students -- Social life and customs -- 1931-1940.
University of Michigan -- Students -- Social life and customs -- 1941-1950.
University of Michigan -- Students -- Societies, etc.
University of Michigan. University Hospital.
University of Michigan. Women's League.
William L. Clements Library.
Ruthven, Alexander Grant, 1882-1971.
Ruthven family.
University of Michigan. President.
University of Michigan -- Students -- Social life and customs -- 1921-1930.
Acheson, Dean, 1893-1971.
Adams, Charles C. (Charles Christopher), 1873-1955.
Adams, James P. (James Pickwell), 1895-1969.
Adams, Randolph Greenfield, 1892-1951.
Agassiz, Alexander, 1835-1910.
American Civil Liberties Union.
American Council on Education.
American Wildlife Institute.
Angell, James Rowland, 1869-1949.
Angell, Robert Cooley, 1899-1984.
Babst, Earl D., 1870-1967.
Baits, Vera Burridge, 1892-1963.
Baker, Newton Diehl, 1871-1937.
Baker, Ray Stannard, 1870-1946.
Ball, Joseph H. (Joseph Hurst), 1905-1993.
Barbour, Thomas, 1884-1946.
Bartlett, Harley Harris, 1886-1960.
Bates, Henry Moore, 1869-1949.
Beal, Junius E. (Junius Emery), 1860-1942.
Bentley, Alvin M. (Alvin Morell), 1918-1969.
Bevis, Howard L. (Howard Landis), 1885-1968.
Billington, Ray Allen, 1903-1981.
Bingay, Malcolm Wallace, 1884-
Bishop, Russell Spencer, 1886-1946.
Bishop, William Warner, 1871-1955.
Bizzell, William Bennett, 1876-1944.
Blakeman, Edward W. (Edward William), 1880-1963.
Bliven, Bruce, 1889-1977.
Bonner, Campbell, 1876-
Booth, Evangeline, 1865-1950.
Boring, Edwin Garrigues, 1886-1968.
Bradley, Omar Nelson, 1893-1981.
Bricker, John W. (John William), 1893-1986.
Brooks, Van Wyck, 1886-1963.
Brown, Joe E. (Joe Evan), 1892-1973.
Brown, Prentiss M. (Prentiss Marsh), 1889-1973.
Brown, William Ellis, 1896-1970.
Brucker, Wilber Marion, 1894-1968.
Brumm, John Lewis, 1878-1958.
Bryan, William Lowe, 1860-1955.
Bunche, Ralph J. (Ralph Johnson), 1904-1971.
Bursley, Joseph Aldrich, 1877-1950.
Butler, Orma Fitch.
Byrd, Harry Flood, 1887-1966.
Byrd, Richard Evelyn, 1888-1957.
Cabot, Hugh, 1872-1945.
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Carr, Lowell Juilliard, 1885-
Celler, Emanuel, 1888-1981.
Christian, David Palmer, 1885-1947.
Churchill, Winston, Sir, 1874-1965.
Clements, William L. (William Lawrence), 1861-1934.
Coffey, Wilford L., 1879-
Coffman, Lotus Delta, 1875-1938.
Compton, Arthur Holly, 1892-1962.
Compton, K. T. (Karl Taylor), 1887-1954.
Comstock, William Alfred, 1877-1949.
Conant, James Bryant, 1893-1978.
Connable, Alfred B. (Alfred Barnes), 1904-
Cook, Franklin Mead, 1863-
Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933.
Copeland, Royal S. (Royal Samuel), 1868-1938.
Couzens, James, 1872-1936.
Cram, Esther Marsh.
Dana, Samuel Trask, 1883-1978.
Darrow, Clarence, 1857-1938.
Day, Edmund Ezra, 1883-1951.
De Kruif, Paul, 1890-1971.
Denny, George Hutcheson, 1870-1955.
Dern, George Henry, 1872-1936.
Dewey, John, 1859-1952.
Dewey, Thomas E. (Thomas Edmund), 1902-1971.
Dickinson, Luren Dudley, 1859-1943.
Dingell, John D. (John David), 1894-1955.
Dodds, Harold W. (Harold Willis), 1889-1980.
Dondero, George Anthony, 1883-1968.
Donovan, William J. (William Joseph), 1883-1959.
Downey, Sheridan.
Downs, Tom, 1916-
Dulles, John Foster, 1888-1959.
Eckert, Otto E., 1890-
Ecological Society of America.
Edmonson, James Bartlett, 1882-1954.
Effinger, John R. (John Robert), 1869-1933.
Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969.
Eisenhower, Edgar, 1889-1971.
Eisenhower, Milton Stover, 1899-1985.
Ferguson, Homer, 1889-1982.
Fern, George Henry, 1897-
Ferry, Dexter Mason, 1872-1959.
Fitzgerald, Frank Dwight, 1885-1939.
Ford, Edsel, 1893-1943.
Ford, Guy Stanton, 1873-1962.
Ford, Henry, 1917-1987.
Forrestal, James, 1892-1949.
Foster, Richard Clarke, 1895-1941.
Frank, Glenn, 1887-1940.
Frost, Robert, 1874-1963.
Furstenberg, Albert Carl, 1890-1969.
Gore, Victor M.
Green, Fred W. (Fred Warren), 1872-1936.
Grew, Joseph C. (Joseph Clark), 1880-1965.
Griffin, Clare E. (Clare Elmer), 1892-1979.
Guest, Edgar A. (Edgar Albert), 1881-1959.
Haber, William, 1899-1988.
Hale, William J. (William Jay), 1876-
Hannah, John A., 1902-1991.
Hayden, Joseph Ralston, 1887-1945.
Hays, Will H. (Will Harrison), 1879-1954.
Hayward, Ralph A., 1895-1951.
Herbert, J. Joseph, 1894-1956.
Hershey, Lewis Blaine, 1893-1977.
Hill, Lister, 1894-1984.
Hobbs, William Herbert, 1864-1952.
Hoffman, Clare Eugene, 1875-1967.
Hoover, Herbert, 1874-1964.
Hoover, J. Edgar (John Edgar), 1895-1972.
Hopkins, Harry L. (Harry Lloyd), 1890-1946.
Hopkins, Louis Allen.
Hubbard, Lucius L. (Lucius Lee), 1849-1933.
Hubbs, Carl L. (Carl Leavitt), 1894-1979.
Huber, Gotthelf Carl, 1865-1934.
Hughes, Charles Evans, 1862-1948.
Hulbert, Henry Schoolcraft, 1869-1959.
Hull, Cordell, 1871-1955.
Hutchins, Harry B. (Harry Burns), 1847-1930.
Hutchins, Robert Maynard, 1899-1977.
Ickes, Harold L. (Harold LeClair), 1874-1952.
Kahn, Reuben L. (Reuben Leon), 1887-1979.
Karpinski, Louis Charles, 1878-1956.
Kelly, Harry F. (Harry Francis), 1895-1971.
Kennedy, Charles Stuart, 1887-1966.
King, William Lyon Mackenzie, 1874-1950.
Kipke, Harry G., 1899-1972.
Knight, John Shively, 1894-1981.
Knudsen, William S., 1879-1948.
La Guardia, Fiorello H. (Fiorello Henry), 1882-1947.
Lamont, Robert Patterson, 1867-1948.
Lane, Alfred C. (Alfred Church), 1863-
Lane, Robert Porter, 1891-1953.
Larue, George R. (George Roger), 1882-
Lilienthal, David Eli, 1899-1981.
Lindbergh, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1902-1974.
Little, Clarence C. (Clarence Cook), 1888-
Lloyd, Alice Crocker, 1893-1950.
Lorch, Emil, 1870-1963.
Lynch, John David, 1890-1946.
McCallum, George P. (George Porterfield), 1871-1952.
MacLeish, Archibald, 1892-1982.
Maddy, Joseph E. (Joseph Edgar), 1891-1966.
Malcolm, George A. (George Arthur), 1881-1961.
Mapes, Carl Edgar, 1874-1939.
Marshall, George C. (George Catlett), 1880-1959.
Marshall, S. L. A. (Samuel Lyman Atwood), 1900-1977.
Matthaei, Frederick C. (Frederick Carl), 1892-1973.
Maverick, Maury, 1895-1954.
Meader, George, 1907-1994.
Mershon, Wm. B. (William Butts), 1856-1943.
Michener, Earl C. (Earl Cory), 1876-1957.
Moody, Blair, 1902-1954.
Morgenthau, Henry, 1856-1946.
Mott, Charles Stewart, 1875-1973.
Murfin, James Orin, 1875-1940.
Murphy, Frank, 1890-1949.
Murrow, Edward R.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
National Research Council (U.S.)
Nelson, J. Raleigh (Joseph Raleigh)
Nimitz, Chester W. (Chester William), 1885-1966.
Okkelberg, Peter Olaus, 1880-
Osborn, Chase S. (Chase Salmon), 1860-
Page, Herman, 1866-1942.
Paxson, Frederic L. (Frederic Logan), 1877-1948.
Peale, Norman Vincent, 1898-1993.
Peckham, Howard H. (Howard Henry), 1910-1995.
Peterson, Enoch Ernest, 1891-
Peterson, Reuben, 1862-1942.
Phillips, Ulrich Bonnell, 1877-1934.
Pollock, James K. (James Kerr), 1898-1968.
Pond, Irving K. (Irving Kane), 1857-1939.
Rackham, Horace H., 1858-1933.
Reeves, Jesse Siddall, 1872-1942.
Reighard, Jacob, 1861-1942.
Reuther, Walter, 1907-1970.
Rightmire, George W. (George Washington), 1868-1952.
Roberts, Kenneth Lewis, 1885-1957.
Rockefeller, John D. (John Davison), 1874-1960.
Rockefeller, Nelson A. (Nelson Aldrich), 1908-1979.
Roosevelt, Eleanor, 1884-1962.
Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945.
St. Laurent, Louis S. (Louis Stephen), 1882-1973.
Sawyer, Walter H. (Walter Hulme), 1861-1931.
Shields, Edmund Claude, 1871-1947.
Shorts, Robert P. (Robert Perry), 1879-1975.
Sigler, Kim, 1894-
Sloan, Alfred P. (Alfred Pritchard), 1875-1966.
Smith, Harold Dewey, 1898-1947.
Smith, Richard Root, 1869-1940.
Smith, Shirley Wheeler, 1875-1959.
Sproul, Robert Gordon, 1891-1975.
Stason, E. Blythe (Edwin Blythe), 1891-1972.
Stearns, Robert Lawrence, 1892-
Stimson, Henry L. (Henry Lewis), 1867-1950.
Stoll, Albert, 1884-
Stone, Ralph, 1868-1956.
Strauss, Louis Abraham, 1872-1938.
Sundwall, John, 1880-1950.
Tapping, Theodore Hawley, 1889-1969.
Thompson, William Oxley, 1855-1933.
Titiev, Mischa, 1901-1978.
Titus, Harold, 1888-1967.
Untermeyer, Louis, 1885-1977.
Vandenberg, Arthur H. (Arthur Hendrick), 1884-1951.
Van Wagoner, Murray Delos, 1898-
Vaughan, Henry F. (Henry Frieze), 1889-1979.
Vinson, Fred M., 1890-1953.
Wagner, Robert F. (Robert Ferdinand), 1910-1991.
Walcott, Jesse P., 1893-
Walker, Bryant, 1856-1936.
Wallace, Henry Agard, 1888-1965.
Wallace, W. Atwood.
Walter, Erich Albert.
Ward, Marcus Llewellyn, 1875-1963.
Waterman, Leroy, 1875-1972.
Weideman, Carl May, 1898-1972.
Welles, Sumner, 1892-1961.
Wenger, Christian Nat, 1886-
Whalen, Grover A. (Grover Aloysius), 1886-1962.
Wheeler, Burton K. (Burton Kendall), 1882-1975.
White, Leslie A., 1900-1975.
White, Stewart Edward, 1873-1946.
Wilbur, Ray L. (Ray Lyman), 1875-1949.
Wilkins, Roy, 1901-1981.
Williams, G. Mennen, 1911-1988.
Willkie, Wendell L. (Wendell Lewis), 1892-1944.
Winter, John Garrett, 1881-1956.
Wood, John S. (John Stephens), 1885-1968.
Woodring, Harry Hines, 1887-1967.
Woodruff, Roy Orchard, 1876-1953.
Yost, Fielding Harris, 1871-1946.
Allen, Glover Morrill, 1879-1942.
Amaral, Afræanio, do, 1894-
Bailey, Vernon, 1864-1942.
Baird, Spencer Fullerton, 1823-1887.
Blanchard, Frank Nelson, 1888-1937.
Eigenmann, Carl H., 1863-1927.
Hankinson, Thomas Leroy, 1876-1937.
Kelly, Howard A. (Howard Atwood), 1858-1943.
Noble, Gladwyn Kingsley, 1894-1940.
Pearse, A. S. (Arthur Sperry), 1877-1956.
Stejneger, Leonhard, 1851-1943.
Taverner, Percy Algernon, 1875-1947.
Van Denburgh, John, 1872-1924.
Williamson, Edward Bruce, 1878-1933.
Contents List
Request materials for use in the Bentley Library
Container / Location
Title
President's Office 1929-1952 [series]
The President's Office subgroup documents Ruthven's tenure as president including the major administrative reorganization of the university he undertook, the extensive building program the impact of the depression and World War II on the university. The papers consist largely of correspondence with regents, deans, administrators, faculty and state officials as well various reports and project files. The President's Office papers are organized into four series: Correspondence Files, 1929-1952; Subject Files, 1929-1952; Photographs; and Topical Files, 1931-1935.
Correspondence Files 1929-1951 [series]
The correspondence file was maintained by academic year and arranged alphabetically. Of importance in locating relevant materials is the fact that Ruthven's staff decided to file materials relating to most of the university's schools and departments under the name of the dean or department chief. There are some exceptions to this rule as will be apparent from reading the container listing. For example, files pertaining to the Clements Library are file under C and not under the name of the library's director Randolph Adams and files about the football program are filed under Football and not under the name of the football coach or the athletic director. The researcher should usually look first under the name of a faculty member or staff officer for matters falling within his/her jurisdiction or control. Other matters which are filed under topic rather by name are: correspondence with associations; fellowships, scholarships and loans; foreign institution aid; foreign students; questionnaires; and U.S. legislative matters. As a guide to locating other correspondence, the library has prepared a card index file to selective correspondents within the Ruthven papers. This file is located in Box 66.