Francis Amasa Walker papers
Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MC-0298
Scope and Contents of the Collection
The collection consists of correspondence, speeches, and writings by Walker, most of which concern his presidency at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) from 1881 to 1897. His speeches and writings focus on economics topics of labor, capital, and especially the silver standard. Other topics are technical education, the student workload at MIT, and notes on his experiences during the Civil War and his thoughts on New England and the South after the war. Materials consist of original manuscripts and typescripts of Walker's writings and speeches. There are also many published memoirs about Walker and his endeavors written by others. Scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings about Walker, several published letters he wrote, and telegrams he received. The collection also includes a printed version of the Census of 1810, interleaved with manuscript pages where the printed version is incomplete, and a published volume of the Atlas of Massachusetts.
Dates
- 1862 - 1897
Creator
- Walker, Francis Amasa, 1840-1897 (Person)
Access note
This collection is open.
Intellectual Property Rights
Access to collections in the Department of Distinctive Collections is not authorization to publish. Separate written application for permission to publish must be made to Distinctive Collections.
Biography
Francis Amasa Walker, 1840-1897, BA 1860, Amherst College, was the third president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Walker became MIT president November 10, 1881; he died in office on January 5, 1897.
Francis Walker was an economist, lecturer, educator, and historian. Among the positions that he held were that of Superintendent of the Bureau of the Census. He was superintendent of the United States Ninth Census, 1870-1872, and the United States Tenth Census, 1879-1881. From 1873 to 1881 Walker was also professor of political economy and history in the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University. During the Civil War he served with the Union Army from 1861 to 1865 and was discharged with the rank of brevet brigadier general. From 1884 to 1888 he served as a Commissioner to the U.S. Geological Survery for a topicalgraphical survery of Massachusetts which resulted in the publication of the Atlas of Massachusetts. He served in many other civic roles including as a member of the Massachusetts State Board of Education and the state hospital board, and as commissioner to the World's Columbian Exposition.
Francis Walker was an economist, lecturer, educator, and historian. Among the positions that he held were that of Superintendent of the Bureau of the Census. He was superintendent of the United States Ninth Census, 1870-1872, and the United States Tenth Census, 1879-1881. From 1873 to 1881 Walker was also professor of political economy and history in the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University. During the Civil War he served with the Union Army from 1861 to 1865 and was discharged with the rank of brevet brigadier general. From 1884 to 1888 he served as a Commissioner to the U.S. Geological Survery for a topicalgraphical survery of Massachusetts which resulted in the publication of the Atlas of Massachusetts. He served in many other civic roles including as a member of the Massachusetts State Board of Education and the state hospital board, and as commissioner to the World's Columbian Exposition.
Extent
3.8 Cubic Feet (9 manuscript boxes, 1 half manuscript box, 2 flat storage boxes, 3 volumes, each in enclosure)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Francis Amasa Walker (1840-1897) was the third president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1881-1897. This collection consists of correspondence, speeches, and writings by Walker, most of which he wrote while president of MIT. His speeches and writings focus on labor and capital, especially the silver standard, technical education, the student workload at MIT, and accounts of the Civil War. Scrapbooks contain newspaper clippings about Walker, several published letters he wrote, and telegrams he received. Also includes a printed version of the Census of 1810, interleaved with manuscript pages where the printed version is incomplete, and a printed volume of the Atlas of Massachusetts.
Location
Materials are stored off-site. Advance notice is required for use.
Provenance
A volume of the U.S. Census, 1810, previously designated as MC-0138, was added to MC-0298 in 1995 during the MARC conversion project. Some publications and writings were transferred from the Tech Collection (previously labeled (T- ) or 378.1) to MC-0298.
Bibliography
- Munroe, James P. A Life of Francis Amasa Walker. New York: Holt and Company, 1923. Pages 420-439 are a "Bibliography of the writings and reported addresses of Francis A. Walker."
- MIT Institute Archives and Special Collections. "History of the Office of the MIT President."
- Atlas of Massachusetts / from topographical surveys made in co-operation by the United States Geological Survey and the Commissioners of the Commonwealth, 1884-1888. http://library.mit.edu/item/000467388
Processing Information note
A volume of the U.S. Census, 1810, previously designated as MC-0138 was added to MC-0298 in 1995.
A quote written on Walker's stationery, May 2, 1891, was interfiled into the folder "Correspondence, 1891" in September 2019.
- Economics -- Study and teaching Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Education -- United States Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Geology -- Massachusetts Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology -- History Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- United States. Census Office
- Walker, Francis Amasa, 1840-1897
- presidents Subject Source: Thesaurus for Use in College and University Archives
Creator
- Walker, Francis Amasa, 1840-1897 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to the Papers of Francis Amasa Walker
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Box: 1 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 2 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 3 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 4 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 5 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 6 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 7 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 8 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 9 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 10 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 11 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 12 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 13 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 14 (Mixed Materials)
- Box: 15 (Mixed Materials)
Repository Details
Part of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Libraries. Department of Distinctive Collections Repository
Contact:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries
Building 14N-118
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139-4307 US
distinctive-collections@mit.edu
Massachusetts Institute of Technology Libraries
Building 14N-118
77 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02139-4307 US
distinctive-collections@mit.edu