IV. Records of the English Department, Faculty, Student, and Staff Personnel Files,, 1940-1966, 1940-1967, 1940-1967

The English Department kept records on all of its employees, including clerical staff, professors, and graduate teaching assistants. In addition, subject files were maintained about events and programs going on within the department. All of the files were updated regularly from 1940-1967 with both professional and personal information about the people and events in question. Through a wide variety of documentation, including correspondence (many letters are labeled as "copies," instead of originals), resumes, transcripts, syllabi, blueprints, reference letters, publications, and newspaper clippings, the collection gives an impression of the climate in the English department during the time period mentioned above. Some key pieces of information can be gathered from the files as a whole. It is very clear that women were employed almost exclusively in clerical positions, with only a few serving in the educational facilities of the department. In addition, many of the students and faculty at the time were recently discharged from the military and now returning to the academic world. There are letters and memos about this throughout the collection, including information about how the institution and curriculum should adjust to this unique group of students. Finally, the English Department during the time period covered by this collection seems to have been active in trying to improve its own situation and the quality of English teaching throughout the state of New Jersey. They had a new building created for them, and had inter-visitation programs with other schools. In addition, an honor society was maintained, and committees and conferences were held all the time to discuss ways to improve teaching in various colleges, as well as in area high schools. There were even regular attempts to revise and improve the Rutgers curriculum in English so that all of the students would get better overall educations.

Files are arranged alphabetically by last name with one person to a folder. Within the folder, materials are organized chronologically. In most cases the position of faculty, graduate assistant or clerical staff is indicated with the person's name for the file. Folders were added to Boxes 10 and 11 to accommodate the photographs and restricted materials removed from other folders.