Series I: War Training Files, dated 1939-1945, contains correspondence, course descriptions and syllabi and reports related to training workers, including women and African-Americans, for war production positions. Some of the material relates to the Norfolk Naval Base and Norfolk Navy Yard. This series makes up roughly half of the collection. It is organized by alphabetically by subject within each year.

Series II: Administrative Files, dated 1932-1969, contains correspondence and reports related to the administrative functions of the college. It is organized alphabetically by subject within each decade.

Series III: H. H. Sisson, Director of Administration, this small series dated 1936-1969, primarily contains correspondence related to the business dealings of the college. It is organized by date.

Series IV: Evening College, dated 1946-1979, contains bulletins, a scrapbook and newspaper clippings. It is organized alphabetically by subject.

Series V: Director of Admissions and Registration, dated 1940-1969, includes reports related to student admission, demographics, performance, and graduation. It is organized alphabetically by subject within each decade.

Series VI: Academic Files, dated 1931-1968, contains meeting minutes, guidelines, procedures related to the faculty. It is organized alphabetically by subject within each decade.

Series VII: Technical Institute, dated 1947-1969, includes correspondence, course outlines, reports and enrollment data. Arranged alphabetically by subject.

Series VIII: Student Activity Files, dated 1930-1968, is a small series containing correspondence, program notes, and the school song.

Series IX: Faculty Advisory Committee, dated 1941-1962, contains correspondence and meeting minutes notes. Organized chronologically.

Series X: Music Concert Series, 1941-1969, contains minutes, member lists, and reports. It is organized alphabetically.

Series XI: College Newsletters and Publications, dated 1950-1966, contains miscellaneous college newsletters, histories and reports. It is organized alphabetically.

Series XII: College Expansion, dated 1952-1971, documents the building expansions on the campus with correspondence, reports, and technical plans. It is organized alphabetically.

Series XIII: General correspondence, notes, reports, speeches, studies, and summaries, 1943-1959. It is organized alphabetically.

Subjects: College of William and Mary. Norfolk Division, Old Dominion College, Old Dominion University--History, World War, 1939-1945--War work

Languages: English

Abstract

These papers documents the college’s early years as a two-year branch campus, the industrial training courses during World War II, the creation of the Evening College and Technical Institute, and its transition to an accredited university. Included in the papers, dated 1930 to 1979, are correspondence, newspapers, reports, college histories, building plans, bulletins, course descriptions and syllabi, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and several photographs.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Records of the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary and Old Dominion College document the college’s early years as a two-year branch campus, the industrial training courses during World War II, the creation of the Evening College and Technical Institute, and its transition to an accredited university. Included in the papers, dated 1930 to 1979, are correspondence, newspapers, reports, college histories, building plans, bulletins, course descriptions and syllabi, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, and several photographs.

Collection Historical Note

In 1930, the College of William and Mary developed a two-year campus in Norfolk, located in the former Larchmont grade school on Hampton Boulevard. Initially known as the Norfolk Division of the College William and Mary, the college’s name changed as its course offerings expanded and contracted. In 1931, “Virginia Polytechnic Institute” was added to the school’s title as it began offering engineering classes. In an effort to increase enrollment during World War II, the school began teaching industrial and academic war training courses for the Navy. After the war, these courses were expanded into the Technical Institute, a new division of the college. The Technical Institute, at times part of the Evening College, was created to provide non-credit trade and industrial education for white men and a few courses for white women. In 1958, as the college became increasingly focused on academic instruction, “Virginia Polytechnic Institute” was dropped from the school’s name. Moving towards independence, the school became the “Norfolk College of William and Mary” in 1961. Finally, in 1962 it broke formal ties with the College of William and Mary and became accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) as a separate college with a new name, Old Dominion College. Two years later the college admitted its first African-American student. In 1969, the college expanded its graduate offerings and became Old Dominion University.

Subject/Index Terms

College of William and Mary. Norfolk Division
Old Dominion College
Old Dominion University--History
World War, 1939-1945--War work

Administrative Information

Repository: Special Collections and University Archives

Alternate Extent Statement: 41 Hollinger document cases

Access Restrictions: Open to researchers without restrictions.

Use Restrictions: Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.

Acquisition Source: Unknown

Acquisition Method: Some of the material was gathered by the faculty Committee on Archives and Records in the 1950s and 1960s. Other portions were collated by Dr. Robert C. McClelland and librarian Benjamin Franklin Clymer.

Preferred Citation: [Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Records of the Norfolk Division of the College of William and Mary and Old Dominion College, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series I: War Training Files, 1939-1945, undated],
[Series II: Administrative Files, circa 1932-1969],
[Series III: H.H. Sisson Director of Administration, Correspondence, 1936-1969],
[Series IV: Evening College, 1948-1979],
[Series V: Director of Admissions and Registration, circa 1940-1969],
[Series VI: Academic Files, 1931-1969, undated],
[Series VII: Technical Institute, 1947-1968, undated],
[Series VIII: Student Activity Files, circa 1930-1964, undated],
[Series IX: Faculty Advisory Committee, 1941-1962],
[Series X: Music Concert Series, 1941-1969],
[Series XI: College Newsletters and Publications, 1949-1966],
[Series XII: College Expansion, circa 1930-1971],
[Series XIII: General Correspondence, Notes, Reports, Speeches, Studies, and Summaries, 1943-1959, undated],
[All]

Series IV: Evening College, 1948-1979

Box 30

Folder 9: Digest of Procedures, 1953
Folder 10: Evening News Bulletin, 1962-1965
Folder 11: Evening News Bulletin, 1965-1969
Folder 12: Evening News Bulletin, 1969-1979
Folder 13: Evening College and Continuing Education Memos, 1953-1966
Folder 14: Media/News Releases and Publication Material, 1949-1953
Folder 15: Night Cap, 1956
Folder 16: Scrapbook, 1946-1947
Folder 17: Scrapbook--Spring Semester, 1948
Folder 18: Scrapbook--Fall Semester, 1948
Folder 19: Scrapbook, 1949
Folder 20: Scrapbook--Spring Semester, 1950
Folder 21: Scrapbook--Fall Semester, 1950

Box 31

Folder 1: Scrapbook--Spring Semester, 1951
Folder 2: Scrapbook--Fall Semester, 1951
Folder 3: Scrapbook--Spring Semester, 1952
Folder 4: Scrapbook--Fall Semester, 1952
Folder 5: Scrapbook, 1953
Folder 6: Scrapbook, 1954
Folder 7: Scrapbook, 1955
Folder 8: Scrapbook, 1956
Folder 9: Scrapbook, 1957
Folder 10: Survey of Policies and Procedures, 1955

Special Collections and University Archives