Collection Title:

Stanley and Sheila Newton Papers, 1934-1986, undated

Repository:

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

Creator:

Sheila Newton

Title:

Stanley and Sheila Newton Papers, 1934-1986, undated

Collection No.

C0036

Extent

0.33 cu. ft. (1 box)

Language(s):

English, Hindi, Chinese, Hebrew

Abstract:

Stanley and Sheila Newton came to Milligan and East Tennessee from New Zealand (and originally from Scotland) in the 1960s. Stanley served in multiple positions at Milligan, and they were active in area Christian Churches. The collection includes correspondence, photos, poetry, and more related to this family.

Biographical Note:

Stanley Warke Newton was born on November 17, 1905, in the fishing town of Cullen, Banffshire, Scotland. After graduating from high school, Stanley began an apprenticeship with a drapery company. At age 21 he accepted a job in London and advanced rapidly. He was soon a full time representative to Scotland and transferred to the company’s Glasgow office. It was at this time that he met Sheila Nelmes. Sheila was born September 14, 1915 in Glasgow, Scotland, and grew up in the Shawlands Church of Christ.

Stanley and Sheila were married August 8, 1942. They established a successful business in Scotland had two children – Norman Stanley, born May 12, 1944, and Ruth, born September 22, 1949. The couple worked with Alan Robinson in the establishment of the East Kilbride Church of Christ.

In 1956 the Newtons moved to Nelson Province, New Zealand, where Stanley worked for an insurance company as well as owned his own dress shop and café. Stanley further became the first president of the province’s chapter of Gideon International, served on the National Home Missions Committee and was chairman of the Men’s Fellowship following a Crusades for Christ conference. Sheila was involved in starting Nelson’s first Women’s Church of Christ Conference.

At the invitation of Milligan president Dean E. Walker, the Newton family moved to northeast Tennessee in 1961. Stanley served as Milligan’s first director of the Student Union and later became the part-time periodicals and reference librarian. He also took a number of classes in order to gain an appreciation of American college life. It is said that their home was always open to students.

Stanley and Sheila were members of Hopwood Memorial Christian Church, then served at the integrated congregation at West Main Street Christian Church from 1969 to 1974. Sheila worked as secretary of Emmanuel School of Religion (now Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan) during its opening years. She also served as organist for both the West Main Street congregation and Emmanuel. A biographical sketch by Stanley in the Name Files states that during this period an Inter-racial Collegiate Christian Fellowship was started among Milligan and East Tennessee State University students and students from the West Main Street congregation.

Stanley and Sheila moved to Taiwan in 1974 in order to teach English at the College of Chinese Culture. Due to Stanley’s failing health, the Newtons returned to Johnson City in 1977. Stanley Newton passed away in Johnson City on April 3, 1979. Sheila remained until 1986. She remained an active member of West Main Street Christian Church, was a proofreader for the Johnson City Press, and was active in Contact, a local crisis telephone line. In 1986 she moved to Campbeltown, Scotland, where she died on December 20, 1988.

Stanley Newton expressed himself through painting, photography, and poetry. A number of his poems were published, including a small book, printed in both English and Chinese, titled Places to Go.

Arrangement:

Following the initial processing and collection description members of the Newton family visited campus from Europe and removed many of the items that were of historic and familial importance. By 2013 it was deemed that a large portion of the remaining collection did not have significant historical significance to warrant preservation in the Milligan College Archives. The collection was re-processed to maintain only that which provided significant information on the Newtons and their role as Milligan College staff and friends of students. The collection file holds more detailed information on processing and weeding. The collection is divided into five series: I. Series: Biographical Files; II. Series: Correspondence; III. Series: Other Materials; IV. Series: Photos; and V. Series: Restricted.

Scope and Content Note:

The collection is divided into five series.

I. Series: Biographical Files spans 1942 to 1974 and includes undated material. It contains one folder with documents relating to Stanley’s and Sheila’s lives.

II. Series: Correspondence spans 1952 to 1986 and includes undated material. Included in the correspondence in this series is correspondence from notable Milligan figures such as Roy and Wanda Hampton and Toyozo Nakarai.

III. Series: Other Materials spans 1934 to 1979 and includes undated material. Of note in this series are several poems, drafts of poems, and artwork by Stanley Newton.

IV. Series: Photos spans 1972 to 1985 and includes undated material.

V. Series: Restricted is dated from 1973 and includes undated material. It includes material removed from other folders that contains sensitive information.

Administrative Information

Acquisition Information:

Accession 2007-09-003

The Newton Family Collection came to the Archives through an unknown source. Sheila Newton left seven boxes with a friend (presumably the Donor) in the United States upon her return to Scotland in 1986. It is assumed that after Sheila’s death in 1988 the Donor transferred ownership to the Milligan College Archives. The boxes were finally opened in the early 1990s. They have been significantly weeded. The collection file holds more detailed information on what was weeded.

Access Restrictions:

The collection is open for research.

One folder, Restricted, is restricted for containing sensitive personal information.

Preferred Citation:

[Item], Stanley and Sheila Newton Papers, Collection C0036, The Holloway Archives at Milligan University, Milligan, TN.

Processing Information:

Processed by: Tabra Woolbright, Ginger Dillon, Katherine Banks

Completed in 2019

Folder List

Box 1

I. Series: Biographical Files, 1942-1974, undated

• Biographical: Stanley and Sheila Newton, 1942-1974, undated

II. Series: Correspondence, 1952-1986, undated

• College of Chinese Culture, Taiwan, 1974, undated


• General Correspondence,
  
  
  • 1952-1957, undated
  
  
  • 1963-1969, undated
  
  
  • 1971-1978, undated
  
  
  • 1980-1986, undated
  
  

III. Series: Other Materials, 1934-1979, undated

• Newspaper Clippings, 1934-1979, undated


• Poetry and Artwork by Stanley Newton, 1965-1976, undated

IV. Series: Photos, 1972-1985, undated

• Negatives, undated


• Taiwan, undated


• General Photos, 1982-1985, undated


• General Photos: West Main Street Christian Church, Welshimer Library, other, 1972-1974, undated

V. Series: Restricted, 1973, undated

• Restricted, 1973, undated