Collection Title:

Virgil Elliott and Elmer Lewis Administrative Records, 1899-1949, bulk 1944-1949, undated

Repository:

The Holloway Archives at Milligan University
P. H. Welshimer Memorial Library
200 Blowers Blvd.
Milligan, TN 37682
Email: archives@milligan.edu

Creators:

Virgil Elliott, Elmer Lewis, J. Fred Holly, J. Goff Long

Title:

Virgil Elliott and Elmer Lewis Administrative Records, 1899-1949, bulk 1944-1949, undated

Collection No.

C0039

Extent

1.5 cubic feet (2 boxes)

Language(s):

English

Abstract:

The Virgil Elliott and Elmer Lewis Administrative Records contain correspondence, financial records, student information, and administrative information from the time that Virgil Elliott and Elmer Lewis were president of Milligan College (now Milligan University). Virgil Elliott was president from 1944 to 1948, and Elmer Lewis was Acting President from 1948 to early 1950. These men were president during the transition period from the World War II/Navy V-12 Program years to the Dean Walker years.

Biographical Note:

Virgil Leroy Elliott was born in 1906. Originally from California, Elliott graduated from Bethany College in 1928, Yale Divinity School in 1931, and the University of Pittsburgh in 1942. During World War II, he served as a chaplain for a Naval Training School for Radio in Bedford, Pennsylvania. He and his wife Geneva, who also attended Bethany, came to Milligan College (now Milligan University), where Elliott served as president from 1944 to 1948. During his tenure, Elliott worked to grow the school, promoting athletics – especially football – and using the choir as a recruitment tool. He wanted to build more buildings on campus, but unfortunately, those plans were never realized during his time. One of his greatest accomplishments was bringing Mildred Welshimer to the school, who would serve as Dean of Women and eventually bring in funds to the school. After resigning from Milligan’s presidency in 1948, Elliott became the chaplain at American Community Mutual Insurance Co. Elliott died in 1992.

Elmer Clifford Lewis was born September 21, 1896 in Homestead, Pennsylvania. An ordained minister in the Restoration Movement, Lewis preached in Pennsylvania during the 1920s. He graduated from Pittsburgh Academy in 1923, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Bethany College in 1927, a Master of Arts and a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in 1937 and 1957 respectively. Lewis taught at Belle Vernon High School in Pennsylvania from 1928 to 1942 while attending the Carnegie Institute of Technology and the University of Pittsburgh. Lewis further attended the Army Chaplain School at Harvard University in 1943 before going overseas and serving as a chaplain during World War II. In 1946, Lewis came to Milligan College (now Milligan University), where he served in many roles until 1954. At various times, he was the public relations director, director of printing, chaplain, and a professor. On the resignation of Virgil Elliott in 1948, Lewis became Acting President of Milligan until Dean Walker was installed as president in early 1950. Lewis was teaching at Johnson Bible College in 1957 when he earned his PhD. Lewis spent the last years of his life as the pastor of Squirrel Hill Christian Church in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He died May 4, 1984.

J. Fred Holly graduated from Milligan in 1937. Holly taught social science at Milligan from 1940 to1946. He also served as the business manager and treasurer from 1945 to 1946.

J. Goff Long graduated from Milligan in 1924. He later taught English and education at Milligan from 1937 to 1946 and then served as Milligan’s treasurer and business manager 1946-1949.

Arrangement:

This collection was found in the archives under Virgil Elliott’s name. A box list that somewhat correlates with the contents of this box was also found. Katherine Banks arranged the material in the box into eight series and named the collection after both Virgil Elliott and Elmer Lewis because both names as president were found. The collection was also called the Administrative Records of these two presidents because the bulk of the material is administrative files, such as financial records and Board of Trustees files. Files were also removed from C0135 C. E. Burns Papers (Accession 2020-10) and placed into this collection, as they were files dealing with Virgil Elliot’s time as president and not C. E. Burns. The collection is arranged into eight series, in alphabetical order, with each series’ files arranged in alphabetical order except for the Board of Trustees series, which is arranged chronologically : I. Series: Alumni, 1945, undated ; II. Series: Athletics: 1944-1949, undated ; III. Series: Board of Trustees, 1944-1949, undated ; IV. Series: Correspondence, 1899-1949, undated ; V. Series: Navy Programs, 1944-1949, undated ; VI. Series: President’s Files, 1944-1945, undated ; VII. Series: Student Files, 1944-1948, undated ; and VIII. Series: Financial Records, 1944-1948, undated.

Scope and Content Note:

The collection is organized into eight series: Alumni, Athletics, Board of Trustees, Correspondence, Navy Programs, President’s Files, Student Files, and Financial Records.

The Alumni series has items from 1945 and undated items. This series contains alumni contact information, most likely for fundraising efforts.

The Athletics series spans 1944 to 1949 and includes undated material. This series contains correspondence, contracts, and purchase orders relating to athletics.

The Board of Trustees series spans 1944 to 1949 and includes undated material. This series contains Board of Trustees member lists, as well as reports.

The Correspondence series spans 1899 to 1949 and includes undated material. This series contains several folders of correspondence to and from Milligan administrators, mostly Virgil Elliott. The folder Correspondence – Elliot Admin. has a note which says, “Representative sample of college and ‘Church’ correspondence,” presumably from a previous Milligan archivist.

The Navy Programs series spans 1944 to 1949 and includes undated material. This series contains paperwork related to Milligan’s status as a school operating as part of the Navy V-12 program during World War II, including financial documents and correspondence, as well as a naval aviation program after the war ended.

The President’s Files series spans 1944 to 1945 and includes undated material. This series includes some of Elliott’s financial documents as well as a file of information on the review of the president.

The Student Files series spans 1944 to 1948 and includes undated material. This series includes student enrollment files and work contracts, matriculation information, and prospective student information, as well as a file of Spanish tests.

The Financial Records series spans 1944 to 1948 and includes undated material. This series contains financial statements and fundraising information.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information:

Accession 002-10-2007, 2020-10

Access Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

The Student Files and the Financial Records series are restricted at this time, but may be able to come open in the future.

The archivist reserves the right to determine on a case-by-case basis if certain folders within the collection that have been requested for viewing cannot be made available due to various restriction compliance, including but not limited to student information, private personal information, and organizational information of a restricted nature.

Preferred Citation:

[Item], Virgil Elliott and Elmer Lewis Administrative Records, Collection C0039, The Holloway Archives at Milligan University, Milligan, TN.

Processing Information:

Processed by: Katherine Banks

Completed in 2020.

Folder List

Box 1

I. Series: Alumni, 1945, undated

• Alumni Appeal, undated


• Alumni Information ’45, 1945, undated

II. Series: Athletics: 1944-1949, undated

• Baseball, 1945


• Basketball, 1944-1945, undated


• Football, 1944-1948


• Letter Sweaters, 1947, undated


• Volunteer State Athletic Conference, 1949

III. Series: Board of Trustees, 1944-1949, undated

• Board of Trustees Milligan College, 1944-1946, undated


• Board of Trustees – June 1946, 1946


• Board of Trustees – 1947, undated


• Board of Trustees – February 1949, 1948-1949, undated

IV. Series: Correspondence, 1899-1949, undated

• Bra-Brn 1944-45, 1945


• Bro-Bt 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Bro-Bt 1945-46, 1946


• Bu-Bz 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Bu-Bz 1945-46, 1946


• Ca-Cd 1944-45, 1945


• Ca-Cd 1945-46, 1945-1946, undated


• Ce-Cn 1944-45, 1944-1945, undated


• Ce-Cn 1945-46, 1946


• Coa-Con 1944-45, 1945-1946


• Coa-Con 1945-46, 1946


• Coo-Cq 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Coo-Cq 1945-46, 1946


• Correspondence – Elliott Admin., 1947-1948


• Cr-Ct 1945-46, 1944-1946


• Cu-Cz 1945-46, 1946


• Da-Dh 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Da-Dh 1945-46, 1946


• Di-Dq 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Di-Dq 1945-46, 1946


• Dr-Dz 1944-45, 1945


• Dr-Dz 1945-46, 1946


• duPont, Jessie Ball – Very Important, 1947


• Ea-En 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Ea-En 1945-46, 1946


• Fe-Fk 1944-45, 1945


• Fe-Fk 1945-46, 1946


• Fi-Fq 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Fl-Fq 1945-46, 1946


• Form Letters and Lists 1944-45-46, undated


• Fr-Fz 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Fr-Fz 1945-46, 1946


• Ga-Gh 1944-45, 1945-1946, undated


• Ga-Gh 1945-46, 1945-1946


• Gi-Gq 1944-45, 1944-1946


• Gi-Gq 1945-46, 1945-1946, undated


• Gr-Gz 1944-45, 1944-1945, undated


• Gr-Gz 1945-46, 1946


• Haa-Haq 1945-46, 1946


• Har-Hd 1944-45, 1945


• Har-Hd 1945-46, 1946


• Hayden Correspondence, 1947-1948


• He-Hh 1945-46, 1946


• Hi-Hn 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Ho-Ht 1944-45, 1944


• Ho-Ht 1945-46, 1945


• Holly, J. Fred – Correspondence, 1944-1945, undated


• Hu-Hz 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Hu-Hz 1945-46, 1946, undated


• I 1944-45, 1944-1945


• I 1945-46, 1946


• J 1944-45, 1944-1945


• J 1945-46, 1946


• Ka-Kh 1944-45, 1945


• Ki-Kq 1944-45, 1945


• Ki-Kq 1945-46, 1946


• Kr-Kz 1944-45, 1945


• La-Ld 1944-45, 1944


• La-Ld 1945-46, 1946


• Le-Lh 1945-46, 1946-1947


• Li-Lz 1944-45, 1945, undated


• Li-Lz 1945-46, 1946


• Long, G J Correspondence, 1945-1949, undated


• Ma-Mb 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Ma-Mb 1945-46, 1946


• McA-McD 1944-45, 1945-1946


• McA-McD 1945-46, 1944-1946


• McE-McK 1944-45, 1944-1946


• McE-McK 1945-46, 1946


• McL-Md 1944-45, 1945


• Me-Mn 1944-45, 1899-1946


• Me-Mn 1945-46, 1946


• Mo-Mx 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Mo-Mx 1945-46, 1946


• My-Mz 1945-46, 1946


• Na-Nm 1944-45, 1945


• No-Nz 1944-45, 1945


• No-Nz 1945-46, undated


• O 1944-45, 1945


• Organization Charts, 1945, undated


• Pa-Ph 1944-45, 1944-1946


• Pa-Ph 1945-46, 1945-1946


• Pi-Pq 1944-45, 1944


• Pi-Pq 1945-46, 1946


• Pr-Pz 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Pr-Pz 1945-46, 1946


• Q 1944-45, 1945


• Ra-Rh 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Ra-Rh 1945-46, 1946


• Ri-Rof 1944-45, 1944


• Ri-Rof 1945-46, 1946


• Rog-Rz 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Rog-Rz 1945-46, 1946


• Sa-Scq 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Sa-Scq 1945-46, 1946


• Sch-Sd 1945-46, 1946


• Se-Shd 1944-45, 1944-1945


• She-Shz 1945-46, 1946


• Si-Sn 1944-45, 1944-1946


• Si-Sn 1945-46, 1946


• So-Ss 1944-45, 1945


• So-Ss 1945-46, 1946, undated


• Sta-Sth 1944-45, 1944-1946


• Sta-Sth 1945-46, 1946


• Sti-Stz 1944-45, 1945


• Sti-Stz 1945-46, 1946


• Su-Sz 1944-45, 1945


• Su-Sz 1945-46, 1946


• Ta-Tn 1944-45, 1944-1945, undated


• Ta-Tn 1945-46, 1946


• To-Tz 1945-46, 1946


• To-Tz, 1945-1946


• V 1944-45, 1944-1945


• V 1945-46, 1946


• Wa-Wd 1944-45, 1944-1946


• Wa-Wd 1945-46, 1946


• We-Wg 1944-45, 1945


• We-Wg 1945-46, 1946


• Wh 1944-45, 1945


• Wh 1945-46, 1946


• Wia-Wil 1944-45, 1944-1945


• Wia-Wil 1945-46, 1945


• Wo-Wz 1944-45, 1946


• Wo-Wz 1945-46, 1946


• X-Y 1945-46, 1946

V. Series: Navy Programs, 1944-1949, undated

• Conversion from V-12 College, 1945-1946, undated


• JGL: Veteran Benefits, 19447-1948, undated


• Naval Aviation College Program c. 1946-48, 1947-1949, undated


• Navy Surplus, 1945-1948


• Navy V-12: General, 1944-1945, undated

VI. Series: President’s Files, 1944-1945, undated

• Review of the Work of the President Since 1944, undated


• Virgil L. Elliott, Milligan College, Tennessee (S-38)

VII. Series: Student Files, 1944-1948, undated [RESTRICTED]

• Matriculation Cards, 1946


• Prospective Students 1945-46, 1944-1946, undated


• Spanish Tests, 1947, undated


• Student Material – Enrollment, Queries, etc., 1946-1948, undated


• Student Work Assignments for Fall 1946, undated

Box 2

VIII. Series: Financial Records, 1944-1948, undated [RESTRICTED]

• Balance Sheets/Financials: 1936-1944, 1944-1945


• Balance Sheets: 1946-1948, 1946-1948


• Bookstore, 1944-1945


• Building and Endowment Campaign ’45, 1945, undated


• Church Relations, 1948


• Compton, Viola Annuity, 1944, undated


• Contributions, 1943-1947, undated


• Financial – Elliott Admin., 1945-1946, undated


• Financial Lists (Tenn. Contributions Teacher’s Salaries 1944-45) Financial Arrangement with athletes for 1946-47, undated


• Financial Statement (Spring 1946), 1946, undated


• Fundraising, undated


• Hopwood Fund, Sarah LaRue, 1945


• Pension Fund, 1947-1948, undated


• Waddy Trust, 1944-1945, undated