William Torrey Harris papers
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Scope and Content
The William Torrey Harris papers consists of letters, manuscripts, typescripts, notes, and leaflets collected and created by William Torrey Harris, 1857-1909. In addition to letters from major philosophers of the period, including John Dewey, Josiah Royce, William James, and George H. Howison, the collection also contains manuscripts and notes penned by Harris and material related to the Philosophical Union of the University of California.
Dates
- Creation: 1857 - 1909
Creator
- Harris, William Torrey (Person)
- James, William (Person)
- Watson, John (Person)
- Wasson, David Atwood (Person)
- Stirling, James Hutchison (Person)
- d'Alfanso, Nicolo (Person)
- Abbot, Francis Ellingwood (Person)
- Dewey, John (Person)
- Caird, Edward (Person)
- Cabot, James Elliot (Person)
- Howison, George Holmes (Person)
- Hough, Williston S. (Williston Samuel) (Person)
- Holden, Edward S. (Edward Singleton) (Person)
- Hodgson, Shadworth Hollway (Person)
- Simon, Thomas Collins (Person)
- Royce, Josiah (Person)
- Peirce, Charles S. (Charles Sanders) (Person)
- Morris, George Sylvester (Person)
- Everett, Charles Carroll (Person)
- Gilman, Daniel C. (Daniel Coit) (Person)
- Hall, G. Stanley (Granville Stanley) (Person)
- Hedge, Frederic H. (Frederic Henry) (Person)
- Hegel, Karl (Person)
- Henry, C. S. (Caleb Sprague) (Person)
- Eucken, Rudolf (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Advance notice required for access.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Manuscripts Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Biographical note
William Torrey Harris (1835-1909) was an American educator, lexicographer, and philosopher. Born in Connecticut, Harris graduated from Phillips Andover Academy and enrolled at Yale University, but left in his junior year. He moved to St. Louis, where he accepted a position as a teacher of shorthand in the St. Louis public school system. He eventually rose to become the superintendent of schools in that city, a post he held from 1867 to 1880. Shortly after his arrival in St. Louis, Harris became interested in modern German philosophy, specifically the work of Hegel. From 1867 to 1893, Harris edited the Journal of Speculative Philosophy, the quarterly publication of the St. Louis Philosophical Society (of which he was co-founder) and the first such journal to be published in the United States and in English. In 1873, Harris, with Susan E. Blow, founded the first permanent public school kindergarten in St. Louis. In 1880, Harris moved to Concord, MA where he helped establish the Concord School of Philosophy; he lectured at the School until 1889, when he accepted the position of United States Commissioner of Education, a post he held until 1906. In 1906, he was awarded the first meritorious award by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. He published many books on both education and philosophy, including "The Psychological Foundations of Education" (1898).
Extent
1.88 Linear Feet (5 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
The William Torrey Harris papers, 1857-1909, consists of letters, manuscripts, typescripts, notes, and leaflets collected and created by noted 19th century educator, philosopher and lexicographer William Torrey Harris. In addition to letters from major philosophers of the period, including John Dewey, Josiah Royce, William James, and George H. Howison, the collection also contains manuscripts and notes penned by Harris and material related to the Philosophical Union of the University of California. Harris (1835-1910) was the editor of the Journal of Speculative Philosophy, and one of the founders of both the "St. Louis Movement" and the Concord School of Philosophy. A prolific author, he also edited and published early work by William James, Josiah Royce, and John Dewey, and introduced Hegel to the American intellectual scene.
Custodial History
Originally housed in the USC Hoose Library of Philosophy; transferred to Special Collections in late 1990s.
Acquisition
Gift of Edith Davidson Harris, 1951, 1954, 1957, 1967.
Subject
- Harris, William Torrey -- Correspondence (Person)
- Wasson, David Atwood -- Correspondence (Person)
- Stirling, James Hutchison -- Correspondence (Person)
- Simon, Thomas Collins -- Correspondence (Person)
- d'Alfanso, Nicolo -- Correspondence (Person)
- Abbot, Francis Ellingwood -- Correspondence (Person)
- Dewey, John -- Correspondence (Person)
- Caird, Edward -- Correspondence (Person)
- Cabot, James Elliot -- Correspondence (Person)
- Harris, William Torrey -- Archives (Person)
- Howison, George Holmes -- Correspondence (Person)
- Hough, Williston S. (Williston Samuel) -- Correspondence (Person)
- Holden, Edward S. (Edward Singleton) -- Correspondence (Person)
- Hodgson, Shadworth Hollway -- Correspondence (Person)
- Royce, Josiah -- Correspondence (Person)
- Peirce, Charles S. (Charles Sanders) -- Correspondence (Person)
- Morris, George Sylvester -- Correspondence (Person)
- James, William -- Correspondence (Person)
- Everett, Charles Carroll -- Correspondence (Person)
- Gilman, Daniel C. (Daniel Coit) -- Correspondence (Person)
- Hall, G. Stanley (Granville Stanley) -- Correspondence (Person)
- Hedge, Frederic H. (Frederic Henry) -- Correspondence (Person)
- Watson, John -- Correspondence (Person)
- Philosophical Union of the University of California -- Archives (Organization)
- Hegel, Karl -- Correspondence (Person)
- Henry, C. S. (Caleb Sprague) -- Correspondence (Person)
- Eucken, Rudolf -- Correspondence (Person)
- Title
- Finding aid for the William Torrey Harris papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sue Luftschein; data entry by Carly Rustebakke
- Date
- 2014 April
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the USC Libraries Special Collections Repository
Doheny Memorial Library 206
3550 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles California 90089-0189 United States
specol@usc.edu