Archives and Special Collections – Special Collections & The Gallery

#ArchivesDeepDive: Exploring the Seton family papers with Professor Sean Harvey

We are thrilled to introduce #ArchivesDeepDive, a recurring series of write ups on the research done within the Msgr. William Noe Archives & Special Collections by our own staff and students, faculty, and members of the general public.

The Archives & Special Collections recently welcomed Professor Sean Harvey into the Reading Room for a sneak preview of our new acquisition of Seton Family Papers. These new materials were generously donated by the Sisters of Charity of New York. These papers consist of letters from Elizabeth Ann Seton’s relatives both before and after her lifetime as well as records of the family’s international shipping business, which played such a monumental role in Mother Seton’s life. The sisters not only took meticulous care of these valuable records but transcribed them so that modern readers can easily decipher the contents of the 18th century script.

Harvey focused on the correspondence of William Seton, father-in-law of our university’s namesake, Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton, and his mother from 1782-83. William Seton was a prominent merchant in New York City during the American Revolution. Like many merchants of this time, Professor Harvey notes that he was a Loyalist, who felt the reason for his own success was the result of a prosperous British Empire and faithfulness to King George III. Seton remained in New York City throughout the war since it remained primarily under British control, but the pending British evacuation after the war “left William Seton exposed, vulnerable to retaliation once patriots took control of the city” Professor Harvey regards. While we do not have his own words, we can see this vulnerable sentiment reflected in letters from his mother, Elizabeth Seton, who writes in December of 1782 “you will have it more in your power than ever to make a large Fortune, as the Americans will be wiser, and more selfish, than to drive Honest industrious People out of their Society.”

As the popular idiom says, history is written by the victors, and a simple exchange between a mother and son provides larger insight on what the American Revolution meant to those who opposed it. In addition, Professor Harvey notes, this correspondence “hints at the resiliency of family ties despite an ocean-wide separation and the disruption of war and revolution”.

There is still much to be explored in the Seton family papers. If you are interested in doing your own research, make an appointment with us here. The Archives & Special Collections is open Mon-Fri from 9am-5pm.

Have an idea for your own #ArchivesDeepDive? Email archives@shu.edu.

National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration and a recognition of contributions to the United States from the Hispanic community. Originated in 1968 under President Lyndon Johnson as a weeklong event, it was expanded to a month in 1988 under President Ronald Reagan, starting September 15 and ending October 15 to coincide with national independence days in several Latin American countries. According to Pew Research, the United States Hispanic population reached 62.5 million in 2021 which would mean the Hispanic community accounts for about 19% of the United States population. Here at Seton Hall University, 21% of the student body is Hispanic along with numerous staff members, administrators, and faculty.

During this month, the Archives and Special Collections Center and the Walsh Gallery would like to showcase collections that highlight Hispanic heritage:

MSS 0130 – Father Raúl Comesañas Papers

The Father Raúl Comesañas Papers is the first bilingual finding aid created by the Archives. These papers document the life, work, and activities of Father Raúl Comesañas, a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Newark who was born in Cuba and became a civic advocate for Union City, New Jersey. Below is what the collection contains:

This collection covers materials related to Father Comesañas’s run for the 13th Congressional district of New Jersey, his work as a Catholic priest in New Jersey, and his work as president of the Union of Cuban Exiles (U.C.E.). There is also a variety of background information related to Fr. Comesañas’s political interests including his role on various boards, his post-secondary education and seminary work, and personal correspondence. There is a significant collection of newspapers, including La Nación Americana, El Clarín, La Tribuna, and Vanguardia Católica all of which Fr. Comesañas had a role in the publication or editing of. The remainder of the newspapers in the collection cover news in North New Jersey and is published in English and Spanish.

The collection covers the years 1943, from paperwork and correspondence of Fr. Comesañas’s family prior to arriving in the United States, to 2017, one year before his death.

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Esta colección cubre materiales relacionados a la carrera política para el trece distrito del Congreso de Nueva Jersey, el trabajo como un Padre de la iglesia católica, y el trabajo como presidente de la unión de exiles cubanos (U.C.E.) de Padre Comesañas. También, hay una variedad de información de fondo sobre sus intereses políticos incluyendo su papel en mesas directivas, su educación y trabajo en el seminario, y sus letras personales. Hay una colección significativa de periódicos, incluyendo La Nación Americana, El Clarín, La Tribuna, y Vanguardia Católica, todos en que Padre Comesañas tenía un papel en su publicación o revisión. El resto de los periódicos cubren noticias del norte de Nueva Jersey y se publican en ingles y español.

Los documentos cubren los años de 1943, con documentos de la familia de Padre Comesañas antes de mudarse al Estados Unidos, al 2017, un año antes de la muerte de Padre Comesañas.

Make sure to check out this digital exhibit!

MSS 0020 – Trina Padilla de Sanz papers

The Trina Padilla de Sanz papers covers the writings and correspondence of Trinidad (Trina) Padilla de Sanz, a Puerto Rican poet, suffragist, and composer, known as “La Hija del Caribe” in honor of her father José Gualberto Padilla, a prominent medic, poet, and political activist known as “El Caribe”. Below is what the collection contains:

The Trina Padilla de Sanz papers date from 1845 to 1968, with the majority of records dating from 1902 to 1957, and document the life and literary career of Puerto Rican poet, writer, suffragist, and composer Trina Padilla de Sanz. The collection consists mostly of correspondence, original manuscripts, and printed works and also contains a small number of photographs and family papers.

The collection is arranged into three series: “I. Correspondence, 1845-1957 (Bulk: 1902-1957)”, “II. Writings, 1910-1966 (Bulk: 1910-1956)”, and “III. Personal and family papers, 1905-1968”.

Series “I. Correspondence” dates from 1845 to 1957, with the majority of correspondence dating from 1902 to 1957, and consists of correspondence with friends, family, and notable musicians, poets, politicians, and writers of her day. Prominent correspondents include, but are not limited to: Luis Llorens Torres, a well-respected Puerto Rican poet, playwright, and politician; Luis Muñoz Marin, the first democratically elected governor of Puerto Rico; Cayetano Coll y Toste, an esteemed Puerto Rican historian and writer; José de Diego y Martinez, a statesman and journalist known as the “Father of the Puerto Rican Independence Movement”; Gabriela Mistral, the first Latin American to win the Nobel Prize in Literature; Manuel Fernandez Juncos, a Spanish journalist and poet who wrote the lyrics to Puerto Rico’s official anthem “La Borinqueña”; Braulio Dueño Colón, co-writer of the song series “Canciones Escolares” and lauded as one of Puerto Rico’s greatest composers; and Lola Rodriguez de Tio, the first Puerto Rican-born poetess to achieve widespread acclaim throughout Latin America. Other noteworthy correspondence includes a letter penned by José Gualberto Padilla, known as “El Caribe”, in 1845 and correspondence between La Hija and her son, Angel A. Sanz Padilla, and daughter, Amalia “Malín” Sanz Padilla. This series is arranged alphabetically by correspondent.

Series “II. Writings” dates from 1910 to 1966, with the majority of writings dating from 1910-1956, and consists of articles, essays, poems, short stories, and open letters in both manuscript and printed formats. The series also contains newspaper and magazine clippings of La Hija’s work, writing fragments, and a small number of articles published after her death. Featured in this series are La Hija’s published works in several prominent Puerto Rican magazines, includingAlma Latina,Condor Blanco,Heraldo de la Mujer, andPuerto Rico Ilustrado. This series is arranged alphabetically by title.

Series “III. Personal and family papers” dates from 1905 to 1968 and contains newspaper and magazine clippings related to La Hija and her family, writings about La Hija, photographs, keepsakes and ephemera, a scrapbook documenting La Hija’s musical career, and a small number of papers belonging to her son, Angel A. Sanz Padilla. This series is arranged alphabetically by record type and chronologically thereunder.

This collection will be useful for researchers interested in the social, cultural, political, and economic issues specific to Puerto Rico during the first half of the twentieth century. It provides in-depth insight into a variety of topics of the pressing current events of that era. For researchers focused on the feminist movement, this collection offers insight into the role of women in society, inequality between genders, and domestic affairs. For those interested in the political sphere, La Hija’s writings contain analyses of not only Puerto Rican liberation efforts, but also the dynamic between the country and more powerful foreign influences, specifically the United States. Researchers who wish to study social problems faced by Puerto Rico will find various articles penned by La Hija related to poverty, wealth disparity, divorce, the death penalty, and juvenile delinquency.

Along with the archival collection, there is a small selection of books that belonged to Trina Padilla de Sanz. Included in these books are works by Hispanic authors such as:

Selección de poesías : Alma América, Fiat lux, Oro de Indias y otras poesías by José Santos Chocano

… Essais by Eugenio María de Hostos, translated by Max Daireaux

Las fronteras de la pasión : novela by Alberto Insúa

Make sure to check out this digital exhibit! And some digitized papers from the collection.

The Walsh Gallery holds many objects from all around the world, from places as close as parks within New Jersey to regions that have since been renamed. Here are a select few objects:

Make sure to check out this compiled map with more objects from around the world as well as Google Arts and Culture which has over 217 object photos. And stay tuned for the launch of PastPerfect!

If you are interested in using any of these materials as part of your research, please submit a Research Appointment Form.

If you are interested in using these materials as part of a class visit, please archives@shu.edu.

Learning Opportunities in Archives and Special Collections

image of students viewing artifact — Students in Dr. Laura Wangerin’s “VIKINGS!” class discuss a replica of the Gundestrup Cauldron from the university’s collections

The Archives & Special Collections Center at Seton Hall University welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with faculty on crafting enriching educational experiences for their students. Class visits to the archives often spark a sense of awe and curiosity, which encourages students to participate in active learning activities, engage in inspired conversations, and connect the past to the present.

Primary sources, which comprise the bulk of our archives, rare books, and gallery collections, are powerful instruction tools. All students benefit from learning how to find, analyze, interrogate, and reference primary sources. Past class visits have included a range of disciplines, including Viking and Early Latin American history, typography, Catholic studies, and women’s studies. If you’re not sure our collections will have materials related to your subject area, try us! We love finding gems from the collections to support your research and instruction needs.

We welcome our faculty to contact our Public Services Archivist, Quinn Christie, to talk about how we can work together. Email quinn.christie@shu.edu, find her on Teams, or call (973)275-2033.

Irish Immigrant Solidarity in New Jersey, 1870-Present: New Archival Collections

The Monsignor Noe Field Archives and Special Collections Center is pleased to announce the addition of six new archival collections related to the Irish-American experience. Thanks to a generous grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, we were able to process the following collections that are now available to researchers:

In addition to processing these collections, we have digitized roughly 1,200 files, at just over 9GB of data, primarily from the John Concannon and James Comerford collections.

Irish-American Experience in the 20th Century: Collection Highlights

The correspondence, research files, publications, photographs, and audio-visual materials in these collections provide an inside look at how Irish-American fraternal organizations worked together and separately to wield influence and political pressure on issues of importance to their communities — primarily immigration reform and the Troubles in Northern Ireland. These documents demonstrate how many of these organizations, notably the Ancient Order of Hibernians, maintained close ties with local political and religious leaders in New York and New Jersey.

For the first half of the 20th century, in the absence of larger governmental programs, membership organizations collected dues and shared out their funds to members in need of assistance. The AOH New Jersey and Knights of Columbus collections include ledgers and membership registers that record in granular detail how these organizations provided health insurance and sick benefits to their members.

In addition to serving as advocacy groups, Irish-American organizations provided a sense of community and maintained a full calendar of social events. The New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade is widely documented in the John Concannon collection, as members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians helmed its operation for many decades. The collection includes internal documents, lines of march, invitations, correspondence, and hundreds of photographs.

Digital Exhibits

For an overview of these collections, we invite you to explore two digital exhibits:

Irish-American Organizations: The Power of Connection
Exploring the relationship between Irish-American organizations and political advocacy
James Comerford
Irish-American advocate and New York City judge

New Collections Available to Scholars in the SHU Archives

One year ago, Seton Hall’s Monsignor William Noé Field Archives and Special Collections Center received two grants: one to process the papers of New Jersey politicians, and one to process the papers of Irish fraternal organizations. Apprentice archivists were hired and trained by Seton Hall staff, and they got to work organizing boxes of material, deciphering handwriting, and creating custom archival boxes for obsolete media such as LPs and Super-8 videos.

The results are now ready for scholars:

MSS 132 Papers of Arthur A. Quinn, early 20^th century labor leader

MSS 003 Papers of Richard Hughes, the first Catholic governor of New Jersey

MSS 002 Papers of Bernard Shanley, Chief of Staff to President Eisenhower

MSS 0135 John Concannon Collection, National Historian of the Ancient Order of the Hibernians

MSS 0145 James MacFarland Collection, past president of the AOH New Jersey State Board

MSS 0146 AOH New Jersey Collection, materials documenting Irish American life sourced from the AOH New Jersey

MSS 0147 Knights of Columbus / Catholic Daughters of the Americas Collection, materials from these fraternal organizations

MSS 0148 James Comerford Papers, papers of a New York City judge who spent time as a volunteer in the IRA

MSS 0150 Gloria Schneider Papers, papers which document the donor’s involvement in numerous Catholic organizations in Northern New Jersey

The archives encourage those interested in these newly available materials to make an appointment to see them in the reading room. We look forward to seeing scholars use these collections to enrich our understanding of history!

Asian Studies at Seton Hall University – The First Decade, 1951-1959

From its earliest days, Seton Hall has welcomed international students from locations across the globe. During the post-World War II era, the school made a concerted effort to introduce and promote educational initiatives specifically devoted to the Asian experience. These measures have enhanced the intellectual and interactive opportunities for the benefit of countless Setonians over the past several years.

The formal genesis of a venture into learning more about civilizations across the Pacific Ocean led to the creation of the Far Eastern Institute (now known as the Asia Center) at Seton Hall University on October 29, 1951. This date became a major milestone in school history as Monsignor John McNulty, University President hosted various dignitaries from Japan and the Republics of China (Taiwan), Korea, and Vietnam at the South Orange campus to officially christen the Institute. The basis of this alliance was founded on the principles of offering specialized instruction, promoting scholarship, programming opportunities, and the encouragement of cultural exchange with the faculty, student body, and community at large.

Institute of Far Eastern Studies, Inaugural Prospectus Cover Art, 1951

In more formal terms, the principles of this center were outlined in the following manner: “The Institute of Far Eastern Studies was organized to promote better understanding between the American people and the people of the Far East. The academic courses of this Institute will give the student an opportunity to study the cultural, historical, political, economic, religious and social aspects of the Far East. Since the Institute wishes to use every means available to encourage the interchange of Eastern and Western culture, it is engaged in research work, it conducts public lectures and forums, and publishes articles, monographs and books.”

First Board Advisory Board for the Institute of Far Eastern Studies, 1951

The first advisory board featured a distinguished group of officials who directed the incorporation and implementation of programs ultimately adopted by the Institute. This “regency” of trustees included the following individuals: The Reverend John J. Cain, representative of Seton Hall University and the Archdiocese of Newark; The Most Reverend Paul Yu-Pin, Archbishop (later Cardinal) of Nanking; The Honorable John Chang Nyum, Prime Minister of South Korea; The Honorable Kostaro Tanaka, Chief Justice of Japan, who later became President of Tokyo University; The Honorable Ngo Dinh Diem, former Prime Minister of Việtnam who later became President of the Republic; and Dr. John C.H. Wu, Chinese Jurist and Minister of China to the Holy See who also served as a Professor of Law at the Seton Hall University School of Law.

The first noticeable examples of institutional support came in the form of Seton Hall-endorsed research projects that focused upon various aspects of Chinese socio-political life. The major studies that began this trend included one by the Reverend John Niu, who investigated the cultural and social development of the Industrial Bank of China along with the reorganization of Chinese Economics from a Communistic perspective. In addition, Mr. Yeu Yeu Pan, former Commissioner of Education of Shanghai, conducted research on the principles of democracy as explained by selected ancient Chinese writers representing different centuries and schools of thought.

Concurrent with the inauguration of the Institute, the first documented Asian students to graduate from Seton Hall occurred during the early 1950s. Counted among the first alumni were Mr. Ly-Chanh-Du, ’52, a native of Travinh, Việtnam who earned a B.S. in Social Studies while attaining Dean’s List status and participated in the Le Circle Français Society. Mr. Francis P. Sing, ’53 hailed from Sen-Hui, Kit-Yang, Swallow, China, and earned his B.A. in Science and Management.

The creation of a formal and specific Asia-centric curriculum offered through the Institute commenced during the early-mid 1950s and was open to both high school and college students who could register both on a registered or non-matriculated basis. Courses were held at the University College Center campus located at 31 Clinton Street in Newark as part of the greater Seton Hall University Urban Division. Primary class offerings included Culture, History, Philosophy, and Political Science by country (including India and Pakistan) along with elementary through advanced levels of language instruction opportunities in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese.

In the wake of the growing allure of the Institute, The Reverend R.J. de Jaegher was dispatched by Monsignor McNulty on a goodwill tour of Asia during the late-1950s to meet with various dignitaries to further enhance the program. Counted among his findings included the following highlights . . .

The University of Viet-Nam is willing to exchange books, professors, etc., with Seton Hall. President Diem would like to have Father de Jaegher back to Vietnam for important work there as soon as possible.
Chiang Fu-Tsun, Director of the Chinese National Central Library, is a Catholic convert, and he is willing to exchange books with Seton Hall. Recently he has sent some valuable books for the Seton Hall Centennial.
All the Korean Universities invited me to give lectures and gave me a trunk full of Korean books for our Institute. All those Universities asked for documentation on Seton Hall.
Bishop Paul Marie Kinam Ro of Seoul (Korea) has a Holy GHOST MEDICAL College, the only Catholic College in Korea, and Bishop Ro requested me to ask you to have his College affiliated with Seton Hall Medical Center.
Father Willem Grootaers – a professor from the Catholic University of Peiping, a great authority on linguistics . . . after receiving a Doctorate at Seton Hall, could be research professor for Seton Hall in Japan and do some work for Seton Hall free of charge.

Msgr. John McNulty, University President poses with the following distinguished visitors during Commencement Exercises at Seton Hall University in 1957. Hon. Kotaro Tanaka, Chief Justice of Japan LL.D.; Hon. Chang Chi-Yun, Minister of Education, Republic of China LL.D.; Hon. John Myun Chang, Vice President of the Republic of China LL.D.

Additional advancements were made as the school continued to thrive into the late 1950s and subsequent decades as Seton Hall University teamed with the United States Department of Education, Health and Welfare to offer scholarships to students who were willing to learn to speak fluent Chinese or Japanese. Along with external support, the administration looked to broaden the program and affiliate it with the Department of Social Studies. This led to other opportunities that would arise in subsequent decades including various research endeavors undertaken by a number of faculty and students, the creation of the Seton Hall University Press which specialized in Chinese language texts, and official student and professor exchanges with individual Chinese colleges and universities among other activities of note.

Additional introductory information on the Institute including faculty and graduates of the school can be found within our online yearbook collection – https://scholarship.shu.edu/yearbooks/

Resources related to the Asian Studies experience are varied https://archivesspace-library.shu.edu/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&op%5B%5D=&q%5B%5D=Asia&commit=&field%5B%5D=&from_year%5B%5D=&to_year%5B%5D= Additional specific subject areas and topics beyond the 1950s alone including program development, faculty profiles, and other aspects of Asian Studies at Seton Hall can be made accessible upon request.

For more information on our resources and to schedule an appointment please contact via e-mail: archives@shu.edu or by phone at: (973) 275-2378.

Selected Bibliography

Asia Center, 50^th Anniversary Program. South Orange, NJ: Seton Hall University, 2002.

Far Eastern Institute Prospectus. South Orange, NJ: Seton Hall University, 1951.

“Far Eastern Institute” Files. Office of the President & Chancellor of Seton Hall University: John L. McNulty records Collection, Identifier: SHU-0003-012

“Seton Hall Inaugurates Far Eastern Studies,” The Setonian, 2 November 1951, Vol. XXVI, No. 6, 1-3.

Seton Hall University Catalog(ue) Bulletin, 1956-57. South Orange, NJ: Seton Hall University, 1956.

Pathmakers in New Jersey Politics

exhibit walls behind glass — Pathbreakers in New Jersey Politics on display on the first floor of Walsh Library

Seton Hall cares for fourteen archival collections documenting the careers of New Jersey politicians, illustrating the evolution of this state since its founding in 1787. In 2021, the National Archives awarded Seton Hall a federal grant to process five of these collections: the papers of Arthur A. Quinn, early twentieth-century pioneer in labor activism, the papers of Bernard Shanley, Chief of Staff to President Eisenhower, Governors Richard Hughes and Brendan Byrne, and first Black Congressman from New Jersey Donald Payne. After processing, these unique materials will be available to the public, enriching our understanding of the state we live in and the many people who worked to make it better.

Exhibit case featuring photos, writings, inscribed book, political buttons and bound copy of Shanley diary

The exhibit includes photographs of these politicians, excerpts from their writings, political buttons issued by their campaigns, and most exciting: the daily diary kept by Bernard Shanley when he was Chief of Staff to President Eisenhower. The archives has a full copy of the diary now available to researchers, in addition to the bound copy on display.

painting of trees along a riverside, with sun glinting off the water — Edwin Havas
Along the Delaware
35 1/2” x 47 1/2”
oil on canvas
Date Unknown
2011.29.0001
Seton Hall University Permanent Collection

This exhibit is currently on display in the Archives Reading Room and may be viewed when the library is open. Hanging next to the hallway exhibit is a landscape by Seton Hall professor Edwin Havas, titled “Along the Delaware,” providing a contrast of the natural landscape in which all this political debate took place.

Special Collections and the Gallery acknowledge the support of the National Historic Publications and Records Commission, which generously provided funding for the archival work which made this exhibit possible.

closeup of exhibit text and acknowledgement — Acknowledgement to the National Historic Publications and Records Commission for its support.

Irish Immigrant Mutual Aid Societies in New Jersey

Recently, the Archives received a grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission to organize and describe a large collection of records from Irish immigrant cultural organizations, primarily the Ancient Order of the Hibernians.

These records show how immigrants to the United States organized themselves to help one another. These mutual aid organizations provided an early form of insurance – members would pay a little every month, and if they were injured or got sick or a breadwinner in their family died, the society would pay them a benefit in order to provide financial security. These organizations played a crucial role in supporting working class people before the New Deal provided unemployment insurance on a national scale.

As their original role of financial support receded, these organizations shifted their focus toward celebrating culture and community. The Ancient Order of the Hibernians played a prominent role in organizing the famous St. Patrick’s Day parade in New York.

St. Patricks' Day parade program, printed on green paper — St. Patrick’s Day parade program, 1963

The John Concannon papers, which project archivist Quinn Christie is processing, also contain planning documents for the parade, invitations to local dignitaries to attend and play roles in the celebration, tickets, musical lineups, and much more. As Christie says, “This collection is full of surprises. I never know what I’m going to find when we open a box. In the papers of Concannon, we found the records of James Comerford, who served as President of the AOH and Chairman of the Parade. In addition to papers from his organizational roles, we found his membership card in the Irish Volunteers (predecessors to the IRA) from 1918.”

The collection will be available to researchers by the end of 2022.

Honoring Humanistic Studies at Setonia

December is recognized as Universal Human Rights Month across the planet and this is a focus of study that has been particularly evident on the Seton Hall campus over the last several decades. Promoting the study of Social Sciences in the name of Humanities has been an intellectual-centered staple of the school curriculum and examples have been preserved within our repository showing its development from founding date to the present day.

During the 1960s under the sponsorship of University President, Bishop John Dougherty, the creation of a specialized Humanistic Studies program was one of the highlights of his tenure. His efforts along with the deans and professors on campus during this time helped to enhance the learning experience with specific course offerings that allowed the student body to explore the wide-ranging accomplishments of human endeavor in a more structured manner than ever before.

Humanities Program Course Listing – Spring 1969 Semester

The following abstract provides an overview of this seminal program during the 1969-70 academic year. “The purpose of the Office of Humanistic Studies is the development of a contemporary educational vehicle whose chief feature is to probe the humanistic dimension of knowledge and to communicate data whose significance points beyond the narrow confines of the specialist. As the occasion demands, the Office offers courses in those ‘boundary’ areas which do not fall within the competence of any given department.”

Additionally, the specific course offerings in this area included the following class titles: Humanist Dimension of the Sciences, The Phenomenon of Woman, The Contemporary Dialogue Between Christians and Marxists, The Meaning of Aspiration, Psychotheology, Perspectives in Mind Expansion, The Psychology of Creative Writing, Music in Human Experience, Religion and the American Experience, Films and Their Philosophical Implications: A Revolution in Consciousness, The Revolution of Color in the Afro-Asian World.

For those who qualified for the Humanities Honors Program, this was another high point of educational opportunity that benefited those who engaged in higher level study. This sequence included the following course titles: “The Humanities Honors Program offers the specially qualified student the opportunity to cut across the subject areas of the liberal arts curriculum and to undertake an interdepartmental program of integrated studies in the Western tradition from ancient times to the 20^th century as reflected in history, literature (discursive and imaginative), and the arts. The courses are organized on the principle that some sense of the interdependence of the various human disciplines assures the most meaningful command of each of them. While the lecture method is retained to provide the students with the necessary direction, the emphasis in the program is on intensive reading, discussion, independent research, and co-related project work in the humanities.”

The course titles integrated within the Honors sequence included the following: Ancient Studies, Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Modern Studies, Non-Western Humanities, Philosophy and Drama, Contemporary Russian Culture, Literature and Psychology.

Additionally, the University has been active in the promotion of Human Rights and various statements have been drafted and issued over the the years are also retained for posterity.

The tradition of course offerings in the humanities has moved forward as subsequent semesters has yielded courses and students who have learned from the varied classes offered. Programs and course descriptions can be found via our Vertical Files and Catalog(ue)/Bulletins along with specific listings outlined within our ArchivesSpace catalog found via the following link: https://archivesspace-library.shu.edu/search?utf8=%E2%9C%93&op%5B%5D=&q%5B%5D=Humanities&commit=&field%5B%5D=&from_year%5B%5D=&to_year%5B%5D=

For more information on Humanities along with all aspects of Seton Hall University History, please contact via e-mail at: archives@shu.edu or by phone at: (973) 275-2378.

The History of Chemistry & Setonia – A Successful Experiment

Seton Hall has traditionally been noted for its detailed liberal arts curriculum but has also hosted a number of other major programs across the academic spectrum. Within the natural sciences, the field of Chemistry has been an integral part of the educational offerings for the student body. This year marks the 160^th anniversary of the first documented course offered at Seton Hall College eventually led to increased expansion to a full-fledged program known as the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the present time.

Types of Chemistry Offered to Seton Hall Students, Mid-1960s

The study of Chemistry by general definition found in various primers definition chain of qualities involved with this natural science focuses primarily on the investigation of the properties and behavior connected to matter. This includes the deeper study of elements and compounds involving the reactive behavior of atoms, ions, and molecules in particular.

During the first years of Seton Hall on the South Orange campus, the Chemistry class option was listed within the earliest Seton Hall College Catalog(ue)s/Bulletins under the “Mathematical Course” banner was by all indicators a required course. Between the 1860s-90s, an introductory Chemistry class was offered to enrolled students during the First Term of the Sophomore year at the school and held on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays during a particular semester. The first text-books used included popular works for their time: “First Principles of Chemistry, For the Use of Colleges and Schools,” by Benjamin Silliman (Philadelphia: T. Bliss & Co., 1866) and later, A Class-Book of Chemistry: On the Basis of the New System, by Edward Livingston Youmans (New York: Appleton, 1857) as foundational works to this discipline.

Early Chemistry Laboratory (Alumni Hall), c. 1910s

Moving into the twentieth century, a more specific insight to Chemistry and its place in the Setonia curriculum can be gleaned from the following description of study from the pages of the Seton Hall College Catalogue of 1921-22. This passage from one hundred years ago provides a detailed look at what was involved in the requirements associated with class participation at that time . . .

“SCIENCE. CHEMISTRY – The aims of the course are: (1) to offer all students an opportunity to become acquainted with the facts of modern chemistry and the special forms of reasoning and method applied to those practical sciences which have their basis in chemistry; (2) to fill out the general training of undergraduates; and (3) to prepare the student for later advanced work in the sciences. Special stress is therefore laid on thoroughness of preparation, and the symmetrical development of the student’s knowledge. The elements of inorganic chemistry are taught by lectures, laboratory illustrations nad experiments, and recitations from notes and from a general text-book. Through the scope of the course is essentially fitted to the purposes in view, yet the method of treatment, particularly in the matter of lecture presentation, offers many special advantages to the student. He must learn how to synopsize and generalize a lecture, he must know how to trace its drift and link its lessons with the matter already learned, ad must see its import, as well, in relation to the work yet to be done. The notebook counts for examination results, and a pass-mark cannot be won without it. The course occupies the entire Sophomore year. Its study is obligatory on all B Sc. degree students and for such others as can offer for it no satisfactory equivalent . . . The following is a brief outline of the course: Oxygen; hydrogen; water and hydrogen dioxide; the atomic theory; molecular and atomic wights; chemical calculations; nitrogen; the atmosphere; solutions; acids; bases; salts; neutralization; valence; compounds of nitrogen; sulphur and its compounds; the periodic law; the chlorine group. Carbon and its simpler compounds; flames the phosphorus group; silicon; titanium; baron; the metals; the alkaline-earth group; copper; mercury; silver; tin and lead; manganese; gold and the platinum group; some simpler organic compounds.”

Students in Front of Atom Wall, c. 1960s

Moving forward over the last several decades, scores of Setonia students have either majored in Chemistry or taken a version as an elective or in some other context. Among the lasting testament to this study are lasting course descriptions, papers, and other landmarks across campus. This includes McNulty Hall (now known as the Science Center) featuring the legendary “Atom Wall” relief built during the 1950s has been the host to countless lectures and lab experiments by faculty and students alike to further the knowledge of Chemistry-centered inquiry.

Graduate Studies in Chemistry Overview, 1966

A continuum of supporting the need and advance of those wishing to explore advanced study expanded in large measure when Chemistry became the first University-wide doctoral program established by University during the mid-1960s. A number of Master’s Theses were produced by 1964 and the first PhD degrees earned that year led to published Dissertations released the following year. Specific examples can be found within the Seton Hall University Libraries Catalog by searching via the following link – https://library.shu.edu/library/books within the search term: “Chemistry” and choosing to search within the category of: “Thesis, Dissertation” resources and focusing upon a specific year or year-range.

Renovations to the Science Center, publications arising from Chemistry faculty, and other developments in the new Millennium have provided a success story for those connected to the study and success of this field of endeavor. In documenting the trajectory and evolution of the history within the holdings found at the Monsignor William Noé Field Archives & Special Collections Center there are various resources including various articles in school publications, vertical file content, prospectus booklets, departmental notes along with various faculty notes, and a specific historical textbook collection that shows examples of college-level print aids published mainly from the 1920s-70s. Our Rare Book holdings also contain centuries-old titles and have been consulted by the Seton Hall community over the years including some of the oldest titles found in our catalog . . .

Lewis, William. The Edinburgh new dispensatory: containing, I. The elements of pharmaceutical chemistry. II. The materia medica … III. The pharmaceutical preparations and medicinal compositions of the latest editions of the London and Edinburgh pharmacopoeias … Being an improvement of the New dispensatory by Dr. Lewis. (Edinburgh: William Creeck, 1797) [Seton Hall University Libraries, ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Rare Book Library – IN-ARCHIVES USE ONLY, RS151.3 .L4 1797]

Stack, Richard. Introduction to the study of chemistry; explaining its principles, and their application to arts, manufactures, etc. … (Dublin: Graisberry & Campbell, 1802) [Seton Hall University Libraries, ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS MacManus Irish – IN-ARCHIVES USE ONLY, QD28 .S78]

Buffon, Georges Louis Leclerc, et al. Histoire naturelle, générale et particulière : avec la description du cabinet du roy. (Paris: De l’Imprimerie, 1803-04) [Seton Hall University Libraries, ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Rare Book Library – IN-ARCHIVES USE ONLY]

Brande, William Thomas, et. al. A manual of chemistry: containing the principal facts of the science, arranged in the order in which they are discussed and illustrated in the lectures at the Royal Institution of Great Britain. (New York: George Long, 1821) [Seton Hall University Libraries, ARCHIVES & SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Rare Book Library, QD30 .B82]

Historical Text-Books and Rare Book classified Chemistry works can be found by limiting your search to “Archives and Special Collections” when locating the following site – https://library.shu.edu/library/books Additional resources both historical and contemporary can be found by searching for wider Chemistry resources via the University Libraries Homepage – https://library.shu.edu/home and Chemistry-based Library Guide constructed by Dr. Lisa Rose-Wiles found here – https://library.shu.edu/chemistry

Chemistry Faculty and Students, c. 2000s

For more specific information on Chemistry and Natural Science-centered resources and any other aspect of University History and/or Rare Books we are glad to assist your research efforts. Contact us at: archives@shu.edu or by phone at: (973) 275-2378.