George Seward Papers
1948-1964 [bulk 1948-1958]
MS 6

Descriptive Summary

Creator: Seward, George Curry
Title: George Seward Papers
Dates: 1948-1964 [bulk 1948-1958]

Abstract: Papers relating to the administration of George Seward as interim President of Oglethorpe University.

Quantity: 2.5 cubic feet

Administrative History

George Curry Seward was a professor of Philosophy, Vice-President and Dean of Oglethorpe University. Dr. Seward served as interim President of Oglethorpe University from 1964 to 1965. These papers were collected in the course of his administration as interim President and retained by Oglethorpe University.

Biography

George Curry Seward served as interim President of Oglethorpe University for three years before Paul Rensselaer Beall took office. Dr. Seward was born on December 15, 1914 in Warriors Mark, Pennsylvania and graduated summa cum laude from Amherst College. Afterwards, Seward travelled to Germany in the 1930s, first he attended Heidelberg University, but was shocked by the pro-Nazi philosophy he encountered and attended Tubingen University instead, where he received his Ph.D. Before coming to Oglethorpe, Dr. Seward taught philosophy at both Amherst College and Columbia University. On August 3, 1940, he married Janice Morgan Meredith and he had two daughters by her, Jeanette Meredith and Elizabeth Ann, before finally arriving at Oglethorpe University in 1944. Dr. Seward held many positions at Oglethorpe University over the years. He was a professor of Philosophy, served as Vice President for faculty, and served as both Dean and Vice President of Oglethorpe University. Some of Dr. Seward’s major contributions to Oglethorpe University as Vice-President of Humanities were the development of a new curriculum that focused on humanities and social sciences, and the fact that he became a major ally to Philip Weltner in his efforts to attain accreditation for Oglethorpe. Dr. Seward was an outspoken advocate of Oglethorpe University’s new undergraduate curriculum that combined the liberal arts with general education. During Dr. Seward’s years at Oglethorpe, he was involved with many programs associated with Oglethorpe University, including the “Cooperative Program for Elementary Education” (C.P.E.E.). He also served as a lecturer for an educational program at the Atlanta Penitentiary called the “Personal Advancement Program”. Dr. Seward belonged to a number of academic organizations, including the American Philosophical Association, Phi Beta Kappa, and Phi Theta Delta. Dr. Seward was a member of the Georgia Academy of Sciences as well as serving as their President in 1955. As a member of his community, he cofounded the North DeKalb Kiwanis Club and served as their first president. He was a member of Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. Dr. George Seward passed away in his residence at Norcross, Georgia in 1984.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged alphabetically.

Description

The collection consists of papers relating to George Seward’s administration as interim President of Oglethorpe University from 1964-1965. The items include memos, reports, and notices relating to Oglethorpe University, programs for events, various schedules, course guides, brochures, correspondences to and from George Seward, and items pertaining to the University of Chicago, the Atlanta Penitentiary and the Cooperative Program for Elementary Education (C.P.E.E.).

Restrictions

None.

Subject Headings

Oglethorpe University (Atlanta, GA) — Faculty.

Seward, George Curry, 1914-1984.

Cox, Johnnye V.

Cooperative Program for Elementary Education.

Folder List

Box 1

Folder 1. Administrative Papers. 1948-1964.

Folder 2. Cooperative Program for Elementary Education. 1954-1957.
Folder 3. Correspondence. 1948-1959.
Folder 4. “Personal Advancement Program” at Atlanta Penitentiary. 1956-1958.
Folder 5. University of Chicago Material. 1948-1949.
Folder 6. Miscellaneous Printed Materials. 1940s-1956.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation:
Please cite George Seward Papers, MS 6, Archives, Philip Weltner Library, Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia. Permission to publish from this collection must be approved in writing by the Director of the Library, Oglethorpe University.