Inventory of the Benjamin Lee Smith Papers, 1916-1961, bulk 1930-1961
[top]Descriptive Summary
Repository
Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke
University
Creator
Smith, Benjamin Lee
Title
Benjamin Lee Smith Papers, 1916-1961, bulk 1930-1961
Language of Material
Material is in English
Extent
12.4 Linear Feet
9300 Items
Abstract
9300 Items
North Carolina educator and superintendent of public schools in Greensboro, N.C.
The papers of Benjamin Lee Smith, North Carolina educator and Duke University alumnus, span the years 1916-1961, and contain correspondence, memoranda, clippings, and other printed material related to public education at both the local and state levels in North Carolina. There are also several dozen photographs of N.C. school buildings and personnel, circa 1930s-1950s. Papers are arranged in the following series: Correspondence, Subject Files (the largest series in the collection), Clippings, Printed Material, and Speeches. Other topics include prohibition and the elections of 1928, and religion and politics in North Carolina. A small but significant amount of material concerns school integration in Greensboro and associated civil rights issues in North Carolina (located within boxes 10, 11, 14-16, 21, 24, 26 and 31). Collection also includes material on charitable organizations in which Smith was active, especially the Methodist Church, North Carolina Education Association (NCEA), Kiwanis Club, Boy Scouts, and the Horace Mann League.
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Administrative Information
Access RestrictionsCollection is open for research.
However, collection may contain materials to which the Acknowledgment of Legal Responsibilities and Privacy Rights form applies. Patrons must sign this form before using this collection.
Also, all or portions of this collection may be housed off-site in Duke University's Library Service Center. Consequently, there may be a 24-hour delay in obtaining these materials.
Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library to use this collection.
Copyright Notice
The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the copyright section of the Regulations and Procedures of the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Benjamin Lee Smith Papers, Rare Book,
Manuscript, and Special Collections Library, Duke University.
Provenance
The Benjamin Lee Smith Papers were received by the Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library as a
gift in 1961.
Processing Information
Processed by Ted Holt, February 2008
Encoded by Ted Holt, February 2008
Accession 68-238 is described in this finding aid.
Descriptive sources and standards used to create this inventory: DACS, EAD, NCEAD guidelines, and local Style Guide.
This finding aid is NCEAD compliant.
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Biographical Note
Chronology List
| 1893 Feb. 6 | Benjamin Lee Smith born, Granite Falls, Caldwell County, N.C. |
| 1916 | A.B., Duke University |
| 1916-1917 | Served in U.S. Army |
| 1919-1924 | Superintendent of Schools, Forest City (N.C.) |
| 1922-1934 | Taught summer school classes for Appalachian State Teachers College, N.C. |
| 1924-1929 | Superintendent of Schools, Rutherfordton-Spindale |
| 1925 | Served as secretary for the newly chartered Rutherfordton Kiwanis Club |
| 1927-1934 | Member of NC Textbook Commission |
| 1929-1934 | Superintendent of Schools, Shelby |
| 1935-1958 | Superintendent of Schools, Greensboro |
| 1937 | M.A., Duke University |
| 1938-1939 | President, N.C. Education Association (NCEA) |
| 1949-1950 | President, Horace Mann League of the U.S. |
| 1958 | Retired from position as N.C. schools superintendent |
| 1959 | Participated in National Civil Rights hearing on school integration |
| 1961 | Year of death |
Collection Overview
The papers of Benjamin Lee Smith, North Carolina educator and Duke University alumnus, span the years 1916-1961, and contain correspondence, memoranda, clippings, and other printed material related to public education at both the local and state levels in North Carolina. There are also several dozen photographs of N.C. school buildings and personnel, circa 1930s-1950s. Papers are arranged in the following series: Correspondence, Subject Files (the largest series in the collection), Clippings, Printed Material, and Speeches. Other topics include prohibition and the elections of 1928, and religion and politics in North Carolina. A small but significant amount of material concerns school integration in Greensboro and associated civil rights issues in North Carolina (located within boxes 10, 11, 14-16, 21, 24, 26 and 31). Collection also includes material on charitable organizations in which Smith was active, especially the Methodist Church, North Carolina Education Association (NCEA), Kiwanis Club, Boy Scouts, and the Horace Mann League.
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Subject Headings
These are searchable subject entries for this collection. Performing a search on these subjects in the Duke University Libraries online catalog will bring up other related research materials.
- Smith, Benjamin Lee.
- Boy Scouts of America.
- Horace Mann League.
- Kiwanis International.
- Methodist Church--North Carolina.
- African Americans--Segregation--North Carolina.
- Civil rights--North Carolina.
- Educators--North Carolina--Correspondence.
- Elections--North Carolina--1928.
- Prohibition--North Carolina.
- Public schools--North Carolina.
- Presidents--United States--Election--1928.
- School integration--North Carolina.
- Segregation in education--North Carolina.
- Greensboro (N.C.)--History.
- North Carolina--Politics and government--1865-1950.
- North Carolina--Politics and government--1951-
- North Carolina--Race relations.
- North Carolina--Social conditions.
Detailed Description of Collection
Correspondence Series, 1935-1961
(4 boxes)
Folders house incoming and outgoing correspondence generated over the course of Benjamin Smith's career as an educator. Many letters are routine exchanges such as letters of recommendation, requests for assistance, and invitations to speak. Arranged alphabetically; some letters may have more than one folder of materials. Individuals or topics represented by their own folders include: Dr. George Harley, the Palmer Memorial Institute, Susan Blair Smith, and Personal Correspondence.
Box 1
Folders A-G
Box 2
Folders H-P
Box 3
Folders P-S
Box 4
Folders S-Z
Subject Files Series, 1916-1961, bulk 1930-1961
(23 boxes)
Houses files assembled by Smith on a variety of topics, chiefly related to associations with which he was involved, or events and activities of personal and professional interest. The largest two groups of files document the career and personal affairs of Benjamin Lee Smith, and selected activities and aspects of the Methodist Church. Other individuals or topics represented by a substantial group of folders include the Boy Scouts of America; the centennial celebration for public education; Duke University; Greensboro Public Schools; integration of schools in N.C.; and the North Carolina Education Association. Materials on the public school system of North Carolina and selected counties can be found scattered throughout the collection, particularly within boxes 10, 11, 14-16, 21, 24, 26 and 31. There is one folder containing several dozen exterior and interior photographs of N.C. public school buildings (most unidentified, but some in Shelby), circa 1930s-1950s, along with shots of school personnel; there are also photographs of Smith (circa 1899, 1916-1917, and circa 1958) included in his personal files. Arranged in alphabetical order as received, with original titles by Smith.
Box 5
American Association of School Librarians
(3 folders)
American Trails Pioneer Association
Appalachian Summer School
Architects
Aycock Memorial
Boy Scouts of America
(5 folders)
Box 6
Boy Scouts of America
(6 folders)
Brooks School dedication
(2 folders)
Box 7
Carolina Charter Tercentenary Commission
Centennial celebration of progress in public education in N.C.
(8 folders)
Box 8
Centennial celebration of progress in public education in N.C.
(8 folders)
Box 9
Centennial celebration of progress in public education in N.C.
(3 folders)
Character education, courtesy
(3 folders)
Christians and Jews, National Conference
(2 folders)
Children
Church
Box 10
Citizen Award and retirement letters
(3 folders)
Commission on Civil Rights
[Contains material on integration]
Conferences
(3 folders)
Daniels, Josephus
Declamations, debates
Box 11
Desegregation
(3 folders)
[Contains material on integration]
Distribution of state funds
Duke, centennial celebration of Normal College
(2 folders)
Duke University, Loyalty Fund
(3 folders)
Box 12
Duke University
(7 folders)
Box 13
Duke University
(3 folders)
Education
(4 folders)
Educational theory
English
Foreign Service, Mary Blair Smith
Good roads
Greensboro War Memorial
Greensboro Mission Society
Box 14
Greensboro Public Schools
(7 folders)
[Contains material on integration]
Box 15
Greensboro Public Schools
[Contains material on integration]
Guilford College, Greensboro advisory board
Harrell, Bishop Costen,
"My Son"
Historical miscellaneous materials, clippings
Holidays
(2 folders)
Hunter School
Integration
(3 folders)
Box 16
Integration
(2 folders)
Kiwanis Club
(2 folders)
Legislation
(2 folders)
Box 17
Legislation
Libraries
(3 folders)
Littlejohn's Church
Log schoolhouse preservation
Lowder, Hurley C.,
"A Father's Letter to his Soldier Son"
Methodist Church
(5 folders)
Box 18
Methodist Church
(9 folders)
Box 19
Methodist Church
(12 folders)
Box 20
Methodist Church
Miscellany
(2 folders)
Moral and spiritual values
(2 folders)
Mount Grove dedication
Nawakwa
North Carolina
North Carolina, Council of Churches
Box 21
North Carolina, Council of Churches
North Carolina Education Association
(9 folders)
Box 22
North Carolina Education Association
(6 folders)
North Carolina Public Schools
(3 folders)
Older Boy's Conference
(2 folders)
Box 23
P.T.A.
Pfeiffer College
(4 folders)
Phi Beta Kappa
Pictures, school buildings and personnel, "Shelby"
[Contains photographic materials, most unidentified; not all are of Shelby schools.]
Poetry
Prohibition, Al Smith versus Herbert Hoover [elections of 1928]
Public versus private, Conant versus Polk
Readings
Reports
Box 24
Rittenhouse, Montreal, Canada, the school library
Rutherford County
Rutherfordton-Spindale Schools
Schools - finance
(2 folders)
Schools
(2 folders)
Schools and Universities Committee
Schools - Shelby, North Carolina
Segregation
Smith, Benjamin Lee
(2 folders)
Box 25
Smith, Benjamin Lee
(12 folders)
[Contains photographic materials]
Box 26
Smith, Benjamin Lee
(4 folders)
[Contains material on integration]
Southeastern Jurisdictional Council
State School Commission, finance
Superintendent's conference
Supervised study
Supplementary Election
Box 27
Supervisor-Teacher
UNC
United States
George Washington
(2 folders)
West Market Church
Woodrow Wilson Memorial
Youth Conservation
Clippings Series, 1930-1961
(3 boxes)
Contains loose clippings chiefly regarding education and the school system in N.C.; the majority are from the Greensboro Daily News. Series also includes a number of issues of State School Facts, a bi-monthly publication from the state superintendent of public schools office. Organized in order received, roughly chronological.
Box 27
1930s-1950s
(7 folders)
Box 28
1950s-1961
(13 folders)
Clippings and quotations
(1 folder)
Oversize Box 29
State School Facts
(4 folders)
Printed Material Series, 1939-1961
(1 box)
Contains assorted materials which pertain to Benjamin Lee Smith's religious involvement and duties as superintendent of schools. In order as received.
Box 30
Cities, promotional materials and Methodism
Magazine excerpts
Notes
(2 folders)
Pamphlets and programs
(3 folders)
Speeches Series, 1916-1961, bulk 1930-1961
(1 box)
Contains speeches primarily authored by Benjamin Lee Smith, some of which deal with issues from his years as superintendent of schools. Also included is an essay submitted as an undergraduate to the Braxton Craven Contest. Miscellaneous folders contain assorted topics, the majority of which pertain to education, character values, morality, and inspirational themes on American life. Arranged in alphabetical order by topic.
Box 31
Education
(4 folders)
Horace Mann League
Integration
Libraries
Methodist Church
Miscellaneous
(2 folders)
Notes, from other's speeches
Smith, Benjamin Lee,
"Public Education in the South Prior to 1860,"
Braxton Craven Contest
Thirtieth anniversary of the chartering of the Rutherfordton Kiwanis Club
