Hutchinson, William Thomas. Papers, 1912-1976

© The contents of this finding aid are the copyright of the University of Chicago Library

The collection is open for research, with the exception of material in Series XI which contains correspondence concerning academic appointments, restricted for 50 years from date of record creation, and evaluative student material restricted for 80 years from date of record creation.

When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Hutchinson, William Thomas. Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.

William T. Hutchinson (1895-1976), Preston and Sterling Morton Professor of American History, was a member of the University of Chicago faculty for almost fifty years. After receiving his A.B. at Rutgers and A. M. at Columbia, Hutchinson came to Chicago in 1924 as both instructor in history and graduate student. Awarded a Ph.D. in 1927, his advancement in professional rank was steady, culminating in his appointment to the Morton chair in 1956. An authority on American constitutional history and historiography, Hutchinson joined Louis Gottshalk and James Lea Cate in formulating a pioneering course on historical methods. Hutchinson retired from the University in 1961, but continued to offer courses until 1967. His major publications include biographies of Cyrus Hall McCormick (1927, 1935) and Frank O. Lowden (1957). He also served as senior editor of the Papers of James Madison.

The William Thomas Hutchinson Papers contain personal and professional correspondence, diaries, manuscripts, reports, minutes, speeches, articles, teaching materials, research materials, bibliographies, papers and notes Hutchinson wrote as a graduate student, student papers, as well as two ties. The collection documents Hutchinson’s correspondents include George Beadle, Chauncey Boucher, Samuel Eliot Morison, Bessie Louise Pierce, Arthur Schlesinger, Sr., Leonard White, and others. Contains notes and correspondence relating to biographies of Cyrus Hall McCormick and Frank O. Lowden. Also included in the collection are materials relating to the editing and publishing of the papers of James Madison.

The Hutchinson papers offer a rich source of information on mid-twentieth century academic life, especially that of the University of Chicago. Hutchinson’s diary, begun in 1912 and ending in 1971, provides a daily chronicle of the activities of an energetic scholar and a view of the institution at which he worked. His extended correspondence with scholars throughout the country, colleagues at Chicago, and several generations of students have been preserved, along with material deriving from numerous faculty and administrative responsibilities.

The Hutchinson Papers are made up of eleven Series: Series I: Hutchinson’s Diaries; Series II: Personal Correspondence; Series III: Professional Correspondence; Series IV: Research Projects; Series V: Publications and Speeches; Series VI: Hutchinson as Student; Series VII: Faculty and Administrative Committee Materials; Series VIII: Teaching Materials; Series IX: Addenda Diaries; Series X: Memorabilia; and Series XI: Restricted.

The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections:

• Names
  • Beadle, George Wells, 1903-
  • Boucher, Chauncey Samuel, 1886-1955.
  • Morison, Samuel Eliot, 1887-1976.
  • Pierce, Bessie Louise, 1888-1974.
  • Schlesinger, Arthur Meier, 1888-1965
  • White, Leonard Dupee, 1891-1958
  • Hutchinson, William Thomas, 1895-
  • Lowden, Frank O. (Frank Orren), 1861-1943
  • McCormick, Cyrus Hall, 1809-1884
  • Madison, James, 1751-1836
  • University of Chicago -- History
  • University of Chicago. Dept. of History
  • University of Chicago -- Curricula
• Subject
  • History -- Study and teaching (Higher)
  • Historians