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Special Collections and University Archives

Finding Aid

Papers of Virgil M. Hancher
RG 05.01.11
Collection Dates: 1940-1964
278.25 lin. ft.

Access and Restrictions: This collection is open for research.

Digital Surrogates: Except where indicated, this document describes but does not reproduce the actual text, images and objects which make up this collection. Materials are available only in the Special Collections Department.

Copyright: Please read The University of Iowa Libraries' statement on Property Rights, Copyright Law, and Permissions to Use Unpublished Materials.

Use of Collections: The University of Iowa Libraries supports access to the materials, published and unpublished, in its collections. Nonetheless, access to some items may be restricted by their fragile condition or by contractual agreement with donors, and it may not be possible at all times to provide appropriate machinery for reading, viewing or accessing non-paper-based materials. Please read our Use of Manuscripts Statement.

Acquisition and Processing Information: These materials were transferred to the University Archives from the Office of the President at various times. The collection inventory below was prepared by Xuefan Sun on July 3, 1996. Guide posted to the Internet 2000; revised December 2006.

Photographs:

Virgil M. Hancher
Virgil M. Hancher, thirteenth president
of the State University of Iowa


Biographical Note

Virgil Melvin Hancher served as the thirteenth president of the University of Iowa, from 1940 to 1964.

A Rhodes scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Hancher led the university for a quarter-century, a period of unprecedented growth for the campus.

Trained in the law, Hancher received the B.A. degree in 1919 and the degree of Juris Doctor in 1924 from the University of Iowa. From Oxford University in England, he received the Bachelor of Arts degree in jurisprudence in 1922 and the Master of Arts degree in 1927.

A strong advocate of higher education, Hancher often appeared before the Iowa Legislature to appeal for greater funding for the university during the post-World War II enrollment boom. He was nationally recognized for his service to higher education, including terms as chairman of the American Council of Education and as president of both the State Universities Association and the National Association of State Universities.

Hancher was born on a farm near Rolfe, Iowa, on September 4, 1896. He married Susan Cannon on June 9, 1928. They had three children. Hancher died on January 30, 1965, in New Delhi, India, while serving as a consultant in higher education for the Ford Foundation. He was 68.

[D. McCartney; 12/2006]


Related Materials

Freimuth, Vicki Sue Beckman. "An Analysis of Virgil M. Hancher's Methods of Speech Preparation and Revision in Three Representative Addresses." M.A. thesis, University of Iowa, 1967. 126 pp. Includes biographical sketch. Main.

Hancher, Susan. "Oral History Interview." University of Iowa Oral History Project, 19. 54 pp. 1976. Archives.

Hancher, Virgil M. "The Summing up." Iowa Business Digest 35, no. 2 (February 1964): 3-8. Also in Iowa Alumni Review 17, no. 4 (June 1964): 4-8, illus. Includes reminiscences of freshman year, 1914-1915. Main; Archives (Iowa Alumni Review only).



Box Contents List

 

Since the Walter Jessup administration in 1916, the President's Office has maintained an index of Presidential Correspondence in the form of a Kardex file to which name and subject entries are posted. A new alphabetical sequence is begun approximately each fiscal year. These cards files have been photocopied and a bound copy is available in the University Archives; these primary files are not yet available on-line. They are, clearly, essential to tracing correspondence on specific subjects. To locate Hancher speeches and personal papers, find them on the shelf after the correspondence boxes; determine box number by label information.

The Kardex entries concerning correspondence consist of the name or subject and reference to a folder number (which may change from year to year for a particular subject although in a short span of years it often remains the same). To find the current physical location of the referenced folder, readers must consult the photocopied Kardex entries, note the number of any folder they wish to review, and then determine from the list which follows the number of the storage box in which the folder has been placed.


Box - Folders

1940-1941

1 1-10
2 11-21
3 22-22A
4 23-part of 25
5 25 (continued)-25A
6 25A (continued)
7 26-26A
8 27-37
9 38-47
10 48-55
11 55-59
12 60-71
13 76-78C (part)
14 78C (continued)-82
15 83-89
16 90-104
17 105-107D
18 107E-118
19 118 (continued)-118D
20 118D-120
Unnumbered folders in box 20:
Inauguration (citations and addresses), 1941
Inaugural luncheon and dinner
President's reception given by deans and wives to President and Mrs. Hancher, 1940
21 121-127
22 127-145 (part)
23 145 (continued)-155

1941-1942

24 1-9
25 10-17
26 18-23
27 24-25B (part)
28 25B (parts 2-7)
29 25B (parts 8-9)
30 25B (end)-26A
Unnumbered folders in box 30:
University Hospitals budget, 1941-42
Psychopathic Hospital
31 27C-34
32 35-46 (part 1)
33 46 (part 2)-49
34 50-57
35 58-61 (part 1)
36 61 (part 2)-79
37 80-90
Unnumbered folder in box 37:
Liberal Arts budget, 1941-42
38 91-107
39 108-113
Unnumbered folder in box 39:
Medicine budget, 1941-42
40 114-119C
41 119D-125 (part 2)
42 125 (part 3)-132
43 132B-153
44 154-175

1942-1943

45 1-4
46 5-16
47 17-22
48 22A-25 (part 1)
49 25 (continued)-25B
50 25B (continued)
51 25B-26
52 26A-30A
53 31-44 (part 1)
54 44 (part 2)-45 (part 3)
55 46-56
56 57-60
57 61-79
58 79
59 79-80
Unnumbered folder in box 59:
Liberal Arts budget, 1942-43
60 81-106
61 107-118
Unnumbered folder in box 61:
Medicine budget, 1942-43
62 118-119
63 120-124
64 125-131 (part 1)
65 131 (part 2)-155
66 155B-156
67 157-164
68 164A-177
69 178-190

1943-1944

70 1-8
71 9-15 (part)
72 15 (part)-22
73 22-25 (part)
74 25 (part)-25B
75 25B
76 25B (continued)
77 25B-26A
78 27-35
79 36-44
80 45-53
Unnumbered folder in box 80:
Graduate College budget, 1943-44
81 54-57B
Unnumbered folder in box 81:
University Hospital budget, 1943-44
82 58-70
83 71-84
Unnumbered folder in box 83:
Liberal Arts budget, 1943-44
84 85-106
Unnumbered folder in box 84:
Libraries budget, 1943-44
85 101-118
Unnumbered folder in box 85:
Medicine budget, 1943-44
86 118-119D
87 120-123
88 124-130
89 131-145
90 146-164
91 164 (A-C)
92 164D-182
93 183-190; Room Reservation Lists 1940-1942

1944-1945

94 1-9
95 10-23
96 23-23B
97 23C
Unnumbered folders in box 97:
Budget, 1944-45
Grants
98 23C (continued)
99 23C (continued)
100 23C-25A
101 25B-32
102 32A-45
103 46-57
104 58-60
105 61-67
106 68-75A
107 76-81
108 81-82
109 82-91
110 92-110
111 111-122
112 122-124
113 125-129
Unnumbered folder in box 113:
Class registration records, 1944-45
114 130-145
115 145A-163
116 165-198
117 198-206

1945-1946

118 1-3A
119 3A-15
120 16-23
121 23-23B
122 23B-24
123 24
124 24-24A
125 24B
126 24B
127 24B
128 25-25A
129 25A-30A
130 31-45
131 45-54
132 54-58
Unnumbered folder in box 132:
Harnwell, Gaylord P.
133 58-61
134 61-71
135 72-86
136 87-101
137 102-111G
138 111H-122B
139 122B-127
140 128-129
141 129-135
142 136-151
143 152-168
144 169-182
145 183-192

1946-1947

146 1-3A
147 3B-10
148 11-19
149 20-23
150 23A
151 23A
152 23A-24
153 24
154 24
155 24
156 24
157 24
158 24-24B
159 25-25A
160 25B-39
161 40-48
162 49-58
163 58B-60
164 60-69
165 69 (Audit)
166 70
167 71-81
168 81-88
169 89-105
170 106-114
171 115-122 (A&C)
172 122B-125
173 126-129
174 129-137
175 138-159
176 160-178
177 178-182; Proposed Adult Welfare Research Station 

1947-1948

178 1-4
179 5-9A
180 10-22
181 23-23A
182 23B-23B1
183 23C-24
Unnumbered folders in box 183:
Administration - general expenses - student services
Teaching and research
Extension - libraries - museum - physical plant - summer session
Hospitals - psychopathic hospital - state laboratory
184 24
Unnumbered folders in box 184:
Budget Committee
Budget recommendations for 1947-48
185 24A-25
Unnumbered folders in box 185:
Budget requests, 1947-48
New positions, budget 1947-48
186 25A
187 25A-30A
188 31-40A
189 41-45
190 46-57
191 57-68
192 69-72
193 72-82
194 82-93
195 94-99A
196 100-112
197 112A-123
198 124A
199 124B-127
200 128-131
201 131-138
202 138-149
203 151-176
204 177-181

1948-1949

205 1-5
206 6-11
207 12-24
208 24-24A
209 24A-25
210 25
211 25A-27A
212 25A-29
213 30-32A
Unnumbered folder in box 213:
Catalog copy
214 32A-32B
215 31-42
216 43-54
217 54-63
218 63-80
219 81-84
220 85
221 85
Unnumbered folder in box 221:
Auditor's report
222 85
Unnumbered folder in box 222:
Old data - 1949 legislative
223 85
224 85
225 85
226 86-93
227 94-113
228 114-119
229 120-128
230 128A-128D
Unnumbered folder in box 230:
Dinner event, November 16, 1948
Faculty reception, 1948-49
231 130-133A
232 134-141
233 142-162
234 163-186

1949-1950

235 1-4
236 4-7
237 7-15
238 16-22
239 22-22C
240 22C-23
241 23
Unnumbered folders in box 241:
Legislative askings for 1949-51 biennium
Budget miscellaneous, 1948-49
Promotions in rank, 1949-50
242 23A-29A
243 30-43
244 43-49
245 50-60
246 60
247 61-72
248 73-83
249 83-92
250 93-114A
251 115
252 115-116
253 117-126
254 126-126D
255 127A-131
256 131A-143
257 144-176
258 177-184

1950-1951

259 1-5
260 6
261 6-18
262 18-21C
263 21-21F
264 22A
Unnumbered folders in box 264:
Psychopathic hospital
Psychiatry medical staff
Psychiatry fee reserve - general expense
Key personnel - data sheets
Budget: material used for printing, 1950-51
265 23-25
Unnumbered folder in box 265:
Askings
266 26-40
267 41-44
268 45-54
269 53-72
270 74-94
271 97-108B
272 109-120
273 118-120C
274 122-126
Unnumbered folders in box 274:
Reception, 1950 - Deans' Dinner and Hostesses
1950 Invitation List for President's Reception
President's Office: Social Events
New Year's Day Open House - January 1, 1951
275 127-132
276 133-147
277 149-153
Unnumbered folder in box 277:
U.S. Navy Questionnaire of Facilities
278 154-160

1951-1952

279 1-4
Unnumbered folders in box 279:
Table Arrangements - 1952
Guest List, 1952
Finkbine Dinner- 1952 - Acceptances
Finkbine Dinner - 1952 - Regrets
280 5-10
281 11-20
282 21-23
Unnumbered folder in box 282:
Married Student Housing Problem - Mrs. Sonius
283 23-23A (Board of Education Blue Book)
284 23B-24
285 24
286 24
287 24-28
288 29-42
289 43-50
290 51-56
291 57-87
292 88-102
293 103-116
294 117-127
295 128-135
296 136-146
297 147-148
298 148-155
299 156-163

1952-1953

300 1-5
Unnumbered folders in box 300:
Dr. Virgil M. Hancher
Joint Committee on Educational Television
301 5R-7
Unnumbered folders in box 301:
Relatively active
Relatively inactive
Institutional Research Meeting
302 8-17
303 18-23
304 23-23A
305 23B-23T
306 24
307 24-27
Unnumbered folders in box 307:
1952-53 Budget
Promotion Materials 1952-53
308 28-43
309 43-52
Unnumbered folders in box 309:
Finkbine Dinner - 1953 - Guest List
Finkbine Dinner - 1953 - Regrets
Finkbine Dinner - 1953 - Acceptances
Finkbine Dinner - 1953 - Programs, requisitions, etc.
310 53-58
Unnumbered folder in box 310:
Polio Epidemic
311 58-74
Unnumbered folders in box 311:
Legislature: Budget and Financial Committee (Interim)
SUI Inspection Tour, October 22 and 23, 1952
SUI Inspection Tour, October 22 and 23, 1952 - Interim Committee
312 75-76
Unnumbered folders in box 312:
Legislature: Representatives
Legislature: Enrollment
Legislature: Senators
313 76-87
314 88-110A
315 110A-114
316 115-121C
317 122-127
Unnumbered folders in box 317:
Publicity and invitations, 1952
Hostesses and seating at Deans' Dinner, 1952
Summer Session Reception - 1952
1952 Reception
318 128-138
319 139-153 (see also box 320)
320 147-162 (see also box 319)

1953-1954

321 1-5
322 5-10
Unnumbered folder in box 322:
Annual meeting of the American Council of Education, October 8-9, 1953
323 11-15
Unnumbered folder in box 323:
NASU file
324 16-23
325 23-23A
326 23B-24
327 24-34
328 35-43
329 44-52
330 53-66A
331 66-83
332 84-104
333 105-117
334 117A-125B
335 125B-125G
336 125G-135
337 136-144
338 146-171

1954-1955

339 1-5
340 5
Unnumbered folder in box 340:
ACE-Inst Res Report, 9/1954
341 6-14A
342 15-24
343 24-24A
344 24A-24B
Unnumbered folder in box 344:
President's biennial report, 1954
345 24C-25
Unnumbered folders in box 345:
1954-55 budget (2 folders)
346 25
347 26-40
348 41-45
349 46-56A
Unnumbered folders in box 349:
Finkbine Dinner - Regrets - 1955
Rebates - Tuition
350 56H-63
351 63A-79
352 80-83
353 84-115
354 116-121
355 122-130B
356 130B-130E
Unnumbered folders in box 356:
Reception, 1954, Hostesses, Dinner, etc.
Reception, 1954, Invitation List
357 130G-136
358 137-148
359 149-164
360 165-174

1955-1956

361 1-5A
Unnumbered folders in box 361:
Virgil M. Hancher, Chairman - Memos and Worksheets for General Session and Business Session
American Council on Education Annual Meeting, October 6-7
362 5A-12
Unnumbered folder in box 362:
Council of State Governments Conference Mackinaw (Mackinac) Island, July 25, 1955
363 13-14A
Unnumbered folders in box 363:
MURA - reorganization
Atomic Energy Commission meeting with MURA presidents - August 3, 1955
364 14A-18
365 19 -21
366 22-24A
Unnumbered folders in box 366:
Iowa State Board of Regents letters, 1955-56
Board letter #6, 1956, and enclosures: Memorial Union dedication materials
Letter to Dean Nelson - relation of Psychopathic Hospital to College of Medicine and General Hospital
367 24B-25
368 25
Unnumbered folder in box 368:
1955-56 budget
Promotions
369 26-27
Unnumbered folder in box 369:
State University of Iowa Hospitals Budget - first copy
370 27A-44
Unnumbered folder in box 370:
Budget and Financial Control Committee, State University of Iowa, October 14, 1955 - Capital Appropriations and Projects
371 45-47A
Unnumbered folders in box 371:
Finkbine Dinner - 1956 - Guests
Finkbine Dinner - 1956 - Program, Seating Chart, Requisitions
1956 - Finkbine Dinner - Correspondence
Finkbine Dinner - Permanent ODK Lists
372 51-63
373 64-70
374 70A
375 70A-72
376 73-90
377 91-112
378 113-123
379 124-132
380 133-133E
381 133G-141
382 142-168
383 169-178

1956-1957

384 1-4C
385 4D-4I
386 4J-4N
387 40-4S
388 6-6D
389 6D-7
390 8-16A
391 16B-28
392 29-38
393 39-48
394 48-48B
395 48B1-60P
396 60Q1-60Q2
397 60Q3-61F
398 62-69A
399 69A-80C
400 80D-80K
401 80R-88
402 89-95D
403 95E-112

1957-1958

404 1-4B1
Unnumbered folder in box 404:
Virgil M. Hancher
405 4Bi-4H1
Unnumbered folder in box 405:
Council of State Governments, April 28-30
406 4H2-4M1
407 4N
408 4O-4P2
409 4P3-6C
410 6C-6D
411 6D-8
Unnumbered folders in box 411:
Promotions material
1957-58 budget
412 8-9.1
Unnumbered folders in box 412:
Big 10 Faculty Members Comparable to SUI
Toledo Meetings Data
1957-59 Biennial Askings
Budgets
413 9.1A-17
414 18-27
415 27A-35
416 36-43
417 43-47
418 48-58
419 60-60Q2
420 60Q2-62
421 63-74
422 77-80E
423 80F-88
424 89-102
425 104-112

1958-1959

426 1--4B
427 4B1-4D
Unnumbered folders in box 427:
AUBC Committee Expenses
AUBC Iowa City visit, Sept. 13-15, 1958
AUBC - Canada-U.S. trips
AAU - Annual Meeting, October 28-29, 1958
428 4D-4L
429 4M-4P3
430 4P2-6A
431 6B-6C
Unnumbered folder in box 431:
Utilization
432 6C-8
Unnumbered folder in box 432:
University Hospital
433 9-20
434 20.1-28
435 29-40
436 41-48E1 (conservation problem here)
437 48E2-60L
438 60M-60Z
439 61-73
440 74-80D
441 80E-86
442 86-95D
443 95E-105B
444 I05C-112

1959-1960

445 1-4B
446 4B1-4I
447 4J-4R
448 4S-6B
449 6B-6D
450 6D-8
451 8
Unnumbered folder in box 451:
1959-60 budget
452 9-22
453 23-27C
454 28-34
Unnumbered folder in box 454:
Deanship for Extension Division
455 35-39
Unnumbered folder in box 455:
14th General Assembly - Jan. 20, 1960
456 40-47
457 48-58
458 60-69Q1
459 60Q1-60R
460 60S-68
461 69-80E
462 80F-85
Unnumbered folders in box 462:
Unfinished business
Diary
463 86-105C
464 105D-112

1960-1961

465 1-4B
466 4B1-4D
467 4C--4D
468 4D-4I
Unnumbered folders in box 468:
AAU Oct. 25-26, 1960
Association of American Universities Meeting, April 25, 1961, Chicago
469 4J-5
Unnumbered folders in box 469:
NASU Annual Meeting, 1960-61
NASU Mods Letter Jan. 6, 1958
470 6-6B
Unnumbered folder in box 470:
Memo to the Board, 1960-61
471 6C-14
472 15-27
473 27A-36
474 36A-46
475 47-48B1
476 47
477 48E1-60O
478 60N-61B
479 61C-65T
480 66-80B
481 80C-80R
482 80S-88
483 89-105
484 105A-107
485 108-112

1961-1962

486 1-4B
487 4B1-4E
Unnumbered folders in box 487:
AAU - Bills
Executive Officer - AAU
AAU - April 3-5, 1962
488 4F-4M1
Unnumbered folder in box 488:
AAU - Annual Meeting - Oct. 24-25
489 4N-6A
490 6-6B
491 6C-6D
492 6D-8
Unnumbered folders in box 492:
1961-62 Budget
1960-61 Budget materials
Promotions
Salary Adjustment Recommendations - Liberal Arts
Salary Adjustments and Promotions
1961-62 Budget
SUI Proposed Budgets 1961-62
493 9-23
494 25-31
495 32-33D
Unnumbered folder in box 495:
Faculty Activities - 1962
496 33E-42
497 43-48
498 46B-56
Unnumbered folders in box 498:
State University of Iowa Budget and Financial Control Committee Visit, November 9-10, 1961 (Vol. II) General Operations - Background information
----. (Vol. I) Capital Appropriations Report
499 56-60P
500 60Q1-62
501 63-77
502 80B-80E
503 78-80R (except #80B-80E)
504 80R-81
505 82-84
506 85-93
507 94A-105A
508 105B-107
509 108-112

1962-1963

510 1-2C
511 3-4C
512 4D-4M1
513 4N-5
514 6
515 6-6D
516 7-14
517 15-23
518 24-28
519 29-39
Unnumbered folder in box 519:
Extension Statement #I-1-a
520 40-43
Unnumbered folder in box 520:
Hospital Discount Policy
521 43-48B
522 48B1-60
523 60A-61B
524 61C-69A
Unnumbered folders in box 524:
Oakdale conversion
Oakdale Rehabilitation Center - State Sanitorium
525 69-78
Unnumbered folders in box 525:
NASA - Space Lab
April 9 - NASA
526 79-80E
527 80F-82A
528 82B-92
529 93-105
530 105A-106
531 107-112

1963-1964

532 1-4B
533 4B2-4E
534 4F-4N
535 4N1-6
536 6-6A
Unnumbered folder in box 536:
ELF
537 6B-8
Unnumbered folder in box 537:
Salary Studies
538 8-9
539 9-22
540 23-28
541 29-35
542 36-40
543 41-47
544 48B-53
Unnumbered folder in box 544:
A Report to Governor Hughes: Resignations, Recruitment and Retention Efforts Involving the State University of Iowa Faculty, 1959-63
545 54-60R
546 60S-65A
547 65B-79
548 80-80E
549 80E-84
Unnumbered folder in box 549:
Photo Service
550 85-94D
551 94F-105G
552 106-112

 

Addendum 1:

Box 1-16:

Speeches

Box 17:

Speeches, cataloged/titled

Box 18:

Speech materials, 1940-1964

Box 19:

Statements, 1945-1965

Box 20:

Published articles, speeches, reports

Box 21:

Articles, uncataloged

Box 22:

Diaries, travel notes, travel letters (unpublished)

Box 23:

Memoranda, correspondence, 1932-1964

Box 24:

Press releases, 1940-1966

Box 25:

Press material

Box 26:

Drafts of 1956-1957 Report to Alumni

MSS of proposed book and ten-year report

Correspondence on speeches, 1944-1945

 

Addendum 2:

Box 1:

Personal papers (1940 -- 1964), A-B

Box 2:

----. B-C

Box 3:

----. Church correspondence

Box 4:

----. D-E

Box 5:

----. F-H

Box 6:

----. H-Hancher family

Box 7:

----. Earl Hall correspondence

Box 8:

----. "Illness" 1957; estate matters; Mrs. Hancher (Susan); Virgil, Jr.

Box 9:

----. Income tax; Mrs. M.P. Hancher; John Heuss

Box 10:

----. I-Mc

Box 11:

----. M-N

Box 12:

----. N-P

Box 13:

----. Q-S

Box 14:

----. Sigma Nu fraternity

Box 15:

----. S-T

Box 16:

----. U-Z

Box 17:

----. Cards and notes received; foreign universities materials

Box 18:

----. English letters; genealogy; India letters

Box 19:

----. Anglican Congress; book lists; family clippings; foreign brochures; photographs (President Hancher)

Box 20:

----. Letters to Board of Education, 1954-1958; speeches

Box 21:

----.

Diary, trip to England, 1956.

Diary

Fitzgerald Letters

Inauguration

New York University Offer

World Affairs

Miss Wormer Letters

Box 22-23:

Biographical materials

Personal papers

Box 24-26:

Scrapbooks