Indiana University President's Office records, 1857-1875
A Guide to the Records at the Indiana University Archives
Finding aid prepared by Danielle Emerling
Summary Information
Repository
Indiana University Archives
1320 East Tenth Street
Herman B Wells Library E460
Bloomington, IN 47405-7000
Phone: 812-855-1127
Email: archives@indiana.edu
http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives
Creator
Indiana University.
President.
TitleIndiana University President's Office
records,1857-1875
Collection No.
C487
Extent
.2 cubic feet (1 box)
Language
Materials are in English
Abstract
Cyrus Nutt served as the fifth president
of Indiana University from 1860-1875. Nutt died on August 23, 1875, a month after
being dismissed by the Board of Trustees. The collection consists of administrative
files, correspondence, and writings and addresses.
Access Restrictions
Collection is open for research. Advance notice required for access
Administrative History/Biographical Note
Born in Trumball County, Ohio in 1814, Cyrus Nutt held various educational positions
and served as a Methodist minister before becoming the fifth president of Indiana
University. He graduated from Allegheny College in Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 1831,
and upon completing his studies served as the principal of the College’s Preparatory
Department. He later moved to a similar position at Indiana Asbury University (now
DePauw), which he held until 1843 when he began pastoral work in the Indiana
Conference at the Bloomington station. He then returned to Asbury before serving as
president of the Fort Wayne Female College and Whitewater College. Between 1855 and
1860, he resumed his work in the ministry and served as both a mathematics professor
and president at Asbury University.
In 1860, Nutt was elected president of Indiana University. During his presidency, the
University attempted to create an agricultural and mechanical school under the terms
of the Morrill Act, though by 1869 Purdue was established as the land grant college
of Indiana. In 1867, the Board of Trustees voted to admit women to classes, and
around the same time the university experienced the beginning of organized athletics
with students embracing the game of baseball. The junior and senior-class-controlled
newspaper The Student also was founded that year.
The final years of Nutt’s presidency saw growing tensions with students, though the
reasons are unknown. Students published a bogus newspaper in March 1873 titled
The Dagger in which they attacked Nutt. In 1875 the Board
of Trustees dismissed Nutt, likely over internal problems with the board and the
students. Nutt died on August 23, 1875, approximately one month after his dismissal.
Arrangement
Collection is organized into three series: Administrative, Correspondence, and
Writings and Addresses.
Scope and Content Note
This small collection of records dating from Nutt’s tenure as Indiana University
President span the period from 1857-1875 and are organized into three series:
Administrative, Correspondence, and Writings and Addresses.
The Administrative series includes a report to the Board of Trustees from Daniel
Kirkwood regarding the mathematics department, reports made by President Nutt to the
Board of Trustees, and a list of books purchased at the sale of Nutt’s library.
Correspondence consists of a letter of application and letters of recommendation for
Asa M. Weston, and a few letters from officials and the citizens of the City of
Bloomington to Indiana Governor Joseph A. Wright. James A. Garfield is among the
individual correspondents. The Writings and addresses series include Nutt’s 1861
baccalaureate sermon and a sermon titled “Prayer Gauge.”
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Indexing Terms
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The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
IUCAT, the IU Libraries'
online catalog. Materials about related topics, persons or places can be found by
searching the catalog using these terms.
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Administrative Information
Acquisition Information
Accession numbers: 0780, 1043, 1050
Usage Restrictions
Collection is in the public domain. For more information, please contact the Indiana University Archives staff.
Preferred Citation
[Item], Indiana University President's Office records, Collection C487, Indiana University Archives, Bloomington.
Provenance
Daniel Kirkwood’s report on the Mathematics Department, 28 June 1864, was removed
from Collection C52. The Asa M. Weston letters of application and recommendation
were pulled from reference files. Letters to Governor Joseph A. Wright were
pulled from Cyrus Dodd reference file.
Processing InformationProcessed by Danielle Emerling.
Completed in 2012.
Container List
Series:
Box 1
Administrative, 1864,
1875,
undated
Books bought at the sale of Nutt’s library, 1875?
![[image]](images/image_icon.gif)
View item(s)
Indiana Board of Trustees – Daniel Kirkwood Report on the
Mathematics Department, 1864 June
28
View item(s)
Indiana Board of Trustees, Reports to, 1864,
undated
View item(s)
Series:
Box 1
Correspondence, 1857-1866
Citizens of Bloomington to Gov. Joseph A Wright, 1860
View item(s)
Nordhoff, Charles to Gov. Joseph A. Wright, 1860
View item(s)
Owen, Richard,
to James H. Maxwell, President, Board of Trustees, 29 August 1863
to Board of Trustees, 26 January 1864
Letters of Recommendation and Application – Asa M. Weston,
1857-1865
View item(s)
Series:
Box 1
Writings and Addresses, 1861-1863,
1874
