Guide to the O. C. Williams Records
SJSU Library Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
© 2010
Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Guide to the O. C. Williams Records
Collection number: MSS-2010-06-03
SJSU Special Collections & Archives
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library
San José State University
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0028
Phone: (408) 808-2062
Fax: (408) 808-2063
Email: special.collections@sjsu.edu
URL: http://library.sjsu.edu/sjsu-special-collections/sjsu-special-collections-and-archives
Finding aid funded by the generous support of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
- Processed by:
- Robert Donahue
- Date Completed:
- 2010
- Encoded by:
- Robert Donahue
© 2010 Trustees of the California State University. All rights reserved.
Descriptive Summary
Title: O. C. Williams Records
Dates: 1887-1992
Bulk Dates: 1946-1974
Collection number: MSS-2010-06-03
Creator:
Clinton, Otho Williams (1908-1997)
Collection Size:
13 boxes,
15.8 linear feet
Repository:
San José State University. Library.
San José, California 95192-0028
Abstract: The O. C. Williams Records, 1887-1992 (bulk 1946-1974), document Dr. Williams' tenure at San Jose State College, as well as
his professional career as a poet. The records consist of Humanities Department records, index card files, class notes, correspondence,
literary research notes, microfilm records of the Defoe's
Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, and Williams' original poetry. The records are arranged into three series: Series I: Humanities Department Records, 1946-1992
(bulk 1946-1959); Series II: Kappa Alpha and Gamma Delta Fraternity Organizational Records, 1946-1959; and Series III: O.
C. Williams Research Files, 1887-1979 (bulk 1946-1974).
Physical location: For current information on the location of these materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Access
The collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright is assigned to the San Jose State University Special Collections & Archives. All requests for permission to publish
or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Special Collections. Permission for publication
is given on behalf of the Special Collections & Archives. Copyright restrictions may apply to digital reproductions of the
original materials. Use of digital files is restricted to research and educational purposes.
Preferred Citation
O.C. Williams Records, MSS-2010-06-03, San José State University Library Special Collections & Archives.
Project Information
This finding aid was created as part of the Survey and Cataloging Project, a two-year San José State University Library grant
project funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The project began in 2008. The Project Director
is Danelle Moon. The Project Archivist is Erin Louthen.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Robert Donahue. Finding aid EAD encoded by Robert Donahue. Reviewed by Danelle Moon and Erin Louthen.
Biographical History
Dr. Otho Clinton (O.C.) Williams, Professor Emeritus of English and Humanities, was born in Forth Worth, Texas in 1908. He
graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1930 with a B.A. in English, and immediately attended the
University of Southern California (USC) for his secondary credential and master's degree, both of which he received in 1935.
Upon graduation, he attended the University of California, Berkeley (UCB) for his doctorate. Williams was hired by Reed College
in Portland, Oregon after completing all but his doctoral dissertation, but was drafted and joined the Air Force's pre-meteorological
training program. He later spent two and a half years in the Navy as an enlisted man and a classification specialist. Upon
being discharged from the Navy, he returned to his job at Reed College.
In 1946, Williams was appointed professor at San Jose State College, where he taught English and finished his doctoral work
at U.C. Berkeley in 1950. Williams was one of the founders and first coordinators of San Jose State College's Humanities Program.
He also published two volumes of poetry,
This Little Room and Other Poems, 1945-1975, and
Recognition: Poems, 1975-1977. Williams was named Chairman of the Humanities Department when the program gained departmental status in 1964, and he served
as the chair for ten years. He retired from San Jose State College in 1974.
Bibliography
Campus Digest vol. 9, no. 6 (1978).
Melendy, H. Brett.
Otho Clinton Williams, Emeritus Professor of English and Humanities. Oral history transcript. San José State University, 1985.
Scope and Content of Collection
The O. C. Williams Records, 1887-1992 (bulk 1946-1974), document Dr. Williams' tenure at San José State College, as well as
his professional career as a poet. The records consist of Humanities Department records, index card files, class notes, correspondence,
literary research notes, microfilm records of Daniel Defoe's
Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, and Williams' original poetry.
Arrangement
This collection is are arranged into three series: Series I: Humanities Department Records, 1946-1992 (bulk 1946-1959); Series
II: Kappa Alpha and Gamma Delta Fraternity Organizational Records, 1946-1959; and Series III: O. C. Williams Research Files,
1887-1979 (bulk 1946-1974).
Indexing Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Williams, Clinton
San José State University -- Humanities Dept. -- History
San José State University -- History
San Jose State Normal School -- History
San Jose State Teachers College -- History
San Jose State College -- History
California State University, San Jose -- History
Kappa Alpha Order -- History
Gamma Delta Fraternity -- History
Education, Higher -- California -- San José
Greek letter societies -- California -- San José -- Records and correspondence
Collection Contents
Series I:
Humanities Department Records
1946-1992
(bulk 1946-1959)
Physical Description: 3 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series consists of Dr. O.C. Williams' administrative and faculty records. The series includes convocation notes, Emeritus
Faculty Association files, Humanities Department records such as essays and other work produced by Williams' colleagues, and
a framed certificate of appreciation.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date range.
Box 1
Convocation, Correspondence, Faculty-Related Material
1946-1990
Box 2
Emeritus Faculty Association, Correspondence
1950-1992
Box 3
Certificate of Appreciation (framed)
1955
Series II:
Kappa Alpha and Gamma Delta Fraternal Organization Records
1946-1959
Physical Description: 2 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series consists of administrative records retained by Dr. O.C. Williams for the Kappa Alpha and Gamma Delta fraternal
organizations. The series includes financial records such as receipts and travel expenses, along with administrative files
such as fraternity meeting minutes and records of special events such as the Kappa Alpha Dixie Ball.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date range.
Box 4
Kappa Alpha Fraternity Records
1946-1959
Box 5
Gamma Delta Fraternity Records
1946-1959
Series III:
O. C. Williams Research Files
1887-1979
(bulk 1946-1974)
Physical Description: 8 boxes
Series Scope and Content Summary
This series consists of Dr. O.C. Williams' personal and professional records. The series includes Williams' poetry, notes
on poetry, collections of poetry and books, literary analysis, class notes, microfilm records of Daniel Defoe's
Tour thro' the Whole Island of Great Britain, and research notes.
Arrangement
This series is arranged chronologically by date range.
Box 6
Index Card Files, Defoe's Tour (microfilm)
undated
Box 7
Poetry Books, Literary Guides
1887-1978
Box 8
Poetry Books, Papers Authored by Williams
1930-1979
Box 9
Student Papers, Literary Papers
1931-1970
Box 10
Class Notes, Original Poetry
1932-1951
Box 11
Research Notes, Defoe Articles
1938-1951
Box 12
Published Literary Analysis
1949-1965
Box 13
Research Notes, Class Papers, Personal Poetry
1950-1979
