Mac-Rh, 1919-1923

The vast majority of the collection consists of correspondence to and from Melvin Brannon during his presidency at Beloit College, 1917-1923. Topics discussed include curriculum, development and fundraising (including academic prizes, constructing and updating buildings, endowments, gifts), the 75th anniversary of Beloit College, campus involvement in World War I, personal and business travel, communication with professional organizations, and day-to-day logistics of running a college (dealing with utilities, managing faculty and staff, student and student group issues). Correspondents include board of trustees members, Lloyd V. Ballard, Forest E. Calland, George L. Collie, John Pitt Deane, Hiram D. Densmore, Marion H. Hedges, Frank G. Logan, Irving Maurer, Paul Nilson, Wilfrid A. Rowell, Rollin D. Salisbury, W. Bradley Tyrrell, and future president Herbert Hoover when he worked in the United States Food Administration.

There are more Brannon papers in other collections within the Beloit College Archives, according to respective correspondents and subjects. There is Brannon correspondence in the Eaton Papers primarily regarding his recruitment and hiring in 1917, and also in the correspondence files with his succeeding presidents Irving Maurer, Bradley Tyrrell and Carey Croneis.