MC 32 J. Rodman Paul papers, 1917-1935, 0.33 Cubic feet
This collection contains some of the papers of J. Rodman Paul, trustee of the Drexel Institute from 1904-1941.
Four presidents of Drexel University are represented in the collection: James Creese (1896-1966, president 1945-1963), William Walsh Hagerty (1916-1986, president 1963-1984), William Samuel Gaither (b. 1932, president 1984-1987), and Richard Breslin (b. 1937 or 1938, president 1988-1994). The collection consists of subject files, reports, and other materials compiled by the staff of the Office of the President between 1950 and 1989.
Richard David Breslin (b. 1937 or 1938), Drexel's tenth president, began his academic career in 1968 at Villanova University, where he became dean of the College of Arts and Sciences in 1972. He later became vice president for academic affairs at Iona College and president of the University of Charleston in West Virginia. Dr. Breslin served as president of Drexel from 1988 to 1994. The collection consists of a chronological record of Dr. Breslin's outgoing correspondence; subject files on administrative topics, organizations, events, and Drexel colleges and offices; and material relating to Dr. Breslin's inauguration as president. Included with the collection are a set of minutes of Board of Trustees meetings from 1973 to 1987 and 1989 to 1991.
Drexel's ninth president, William Samuel Gaither (b. 1932), received a Ph.D. in civil engineering and in 1970 became dean of the College of Marine Studies at the University of Delaware. He served as president of Drexel for three years before resigning in October of 1987, after being accused of sexual harassment in April and receiving a vote of no confidence from the faculty in June. The Gaither papers chiefly consist of a set of subject files on organizations, university offices and departments, special projects, and administrative topics. The collection also contains a record of Dr. Gaither's outgoing correspondence from June 1984 to December 1986 and a box of certificates presented to him at his inauguration.
Drexel’s eighth president, William Walsh Hagerty (1916-1986), served from 1963 to 1984. Trained as an engineer, Dr. Hagerty served as an adviser to NASA and a board member of the National Science Foundation and was appointed by President Lyndon Johnson to the board of the Communications Satellite Corporation (COMSAT). The collection consists primarily of two sets of subject files: one that includes mostly papers that Dr. Hagerty inherited from the previous president, James Creese, and one created by Dr. Hagerty and his staff. The collection also includes the outgoing correspondence of Dr. Hagerty and his staff, several of Dr. Hagerty's speeches, and some reports submitted to Dr. Hagerty from leaders of the colleges and divisions of Drexel University.
