Folder Numbers 54-61 – Correspondence Between Vernon Schwalm and Otho Winger - The order of this set of folders goes backwards to forwards. This is a vast amount of correspondence and each letter cannot be described. A few are highlighted below –
Folder Number 61 –17 June 1915 – Schwalm to Winger - written from 5743 Dorchester Ave. (the Hyde Park, University of Chicago area) – questions regarding course selection in light of what he will be teaching at Manchester. He beseeches Winger – Allow me to beseech you once more to leave me off from teaching that work in English next year. Most of my courses next year will be new courses and at best will be difficult and I frankly confess I know scarcely as much about that English as an ordinary H. S. graduate ought to know…. 29 October 1915 – Winger to Schwalm –Winger discusses Schwalm’s salary for the summer term in respect to what what Winger, himself, and other college presidents make – and what income brethren missionaries have to depend upon. Perhaps, most importantly, Winger tells Schwalm that “…so I must go ahead into the biggest work we have yet attempted. That is to raise the $200,000 required for a standard college…” 27 June – no year – not sure where this fits into the scheme of things – 5315 Drexel Avenue (the Hyde Park, University of Chicago area). October 1922 – 5705 Drexel Ave., Chicago – (the Hyde Park, University of Chicago area) – …I am settled down to a regular routine of research and reading. My work has been very broken due to father’s sickness…I was with Father through the operation. It was a terribly severe operation. I would hesitate a long time to lie down and let any surgeon cut me up like that…We will have much to be thankful for if he recovers for this trouble is a very critical trouble. J. G. Royer died of this trouble….Beulah Woods seems to be making food in the school of Education here and Cordier is working like a trooper on History…I am grading Thompson’s history papers, about 29 or 30 a week. He is counted about the strongest European History professor here…He has been a very good loyal friend of mine since I took a course with him in 1919…Bagwell is taking a course in the Y.M.C.A. college at present and working part time on the north side. Dio Hall is here but I haven’t seen him. Clemmy Miller is here in the Dept. of Chemistry. Several other Dunkards are here but you can’t discover them all on first appearance. We have a meeting next Friday evening….Mrs. and Betty (daughter) are quite well but rather lonesome. Betty got sick riding on the surface cars this morning gong up town. The time for completing my residence work here and for returning to my work at M. C. cannot come too soon. If I may have some small part in serving the young people of the church thru Manchester College, it shall be a happy privilege for me to return to the work as soon as I can… 1 May 1923 – Winger to Schwalm – Schwalm is still employed by Manchester College. Update on Manchester College , including standards for the N.C.A. – we can easily reach all these standards except the financial. 9 May 1923 – Winger to Schwalm – A snow blizzard on the 9th of May. Situation at Mt. Morris – some changes to occur. 10 May 1923 – Winger to Schwalm - Schwalm is employed by Manchester College. Situation at Mt. Morris – “None of the letters sound like M.M.C. will have a college next year…if it ceases, we must look after our duty and natural heritage. J. E. (Miller) suggests that we might take care of Illinois while McPherson look after the west of the Mississippi. Not only must we look after the students, but as you wrote the faculty is a consideration…” Winger discusses the financial pull that certain teachers will bring if redirected to Manchester. 28 May 1923 – Winger to Schwalm following meeting with Mt. Morris Trustees – …the future of Mount Morris is doubtful… 15 May 1923 – Winger to Schwalm – If Mt. Morris drops out, there will be a division of territory. That Kurtz (McPherson) would take it all, no one doubts. But that he will get it is another question…Winger frankly describes his impression of D. W. Kurtz. … Furthermore no amount of reason would ever divorce Illinois from Manchester for McPherson, if a divide should come. Moreover we have many very good friends in Illinois, and for the most part the M. M. C. men are more friendly to us than McPherson. ….. My letter yesterday will explain the last I have from the Mt. … I might have said one thing more about the spoils. I would be perfectly willing to go into conference to work out a proper division of the territory, etc…..The issues at stake, the good of the future is all too much for any one man or scheme to gobble down without regards for the future. I have written frankly and confidentially… 18 May 1923 – Winger to Schwalm – Letter written at the beginning of commencement week. 22 May 1923 – Winger to Schwalm - Mention of Mt. Morris difficulties – Winger will travel to Mt. Morris – We are not changing any plans on the prospects of Mt. Morris closing. 2 June 1923 – Schwalm to Winger – 5705 Drexel Ave, Chicago (Hyde Park, University of Chicago area) – Discussion about faculty line-up and attitudes of alumni and students. Debate about athletic policies at Manchester. ….I appreciate most highly the higher standards of scholarship which we are able to maintain… 5 June 1923 – Winger to Schwalm - Letter concerning Manchester faculty, and obtaining instructors from the failing Mt. Morris College. …When J. E. Miller announced definitely that there would be no school and that we should assume our share of the responsibility…[J. E. Miller was probably John Ezra Miller who succeeded J. G. Royer as Mt. Morris president, serving until 1915 in that capacity. 17 June 1923 – Schwalm to Winger, written from 5705 Drexel Ave., Chicago. October 27 (no year) - written from 505 Drexel Ave., Chicago. Schwalm to Winger. Speaks of poor condition of his father in Indiana, College business, and Florence and Betty. 16 August 1924 – Schwalm to Winger – regarding football at M. C. and other concerns. Folder Number 60 – Winger and Schwalm Correspondence 1925 through 1931 – Correspondence is too vast to list – following is a sprinkling of letter and topics. 21 October 1927 – Schwalm to Winger at the advent of Winger’s 50th birthday – tribute to Winger’s “remarkable work.” 21 February 1928 – Winger to Schwalm – Talks about trip to the Bible lands and beyond. 29 December 1928 – Schwalm to Winger – Situation at Mt. Morris College – consolidation of some type? 11 February 1929 – Winger to Schwalm – The condition of L. W. Shultz. 24 April 1929 – Schwalm to winger – Church of the Brethren – danger of split due to disturbance in Eastern Pennsylvania. 18 July 1929 – Schwalm to Winger – A flood in Kansas – the drowning of a child – middle Kansas wheat crop failure – It is a bit hard to justify the expenditure of time and money to beg students to come to college and then go out and beg money again to educate them. Only a high spiritual and moral excellency can justify this type of thing… - oil and gas boom in Kansas and the College investment in such (see later letters). 15 September 1930 – Cordier – Historically, the Beginning of the Dust Bowl Years - …I spent about ten days or more with Cordier in Europe and enjoyed it very much. He is getting to be a strong man and will be heard from in wide circles I am sure. He has a good mind and works hard. Dorothy is a charming woman and is a great help to him, to supplement his nature, which is not quite so sociable as is hers. … Our people come straggling in a week late out here in the West. Though we may be a few short; we consider that, to have held our own, in these extreme conditions of dry weather and economic depression will be, to have won a victory… 15 November 1930 – Schwalm to Winger – Historically, the Beginning of the Dust Bowl Years…We find Western Kansas tremendously depressed. The only crop they raise in a good share of this country is wheat and the price of wheat is down between fifty and sixty cents per bushel. These people have paid an enormous price for machinery and have almost no other source of income but from their wheat crops. They are facing a very hard year…. 16 May 1931 – Schwalm to Winger – There are a couple of matters that concern me…I received Noffsinger’s report containing the vote of the Educational Board on the action of the committee to Mt. Morris. I was very sorry that you could not be at Mt. Morris, though I, of course, understand that it was the accident which kept you away. …I should have liked to have both presidents or neither present…I notice that you decline to vote on the report because of the possibility that it might be interpreted that you were voting with the hope of benefiting Manchester…I voted YES on this question because I was in the committee and helped make the report …Since our return from Mt. Morris, I have wondered several times whether you thought our action was wise or unwise in the committee….I do regret just a bit that we did not vote together on this proposition… 28 May 1931 – Schwalm to Winger – Regarding a letter from President Davis (President of Mt. Morris) about the situation at Mt. Morris College and the General Educational Board of the Church of the Brethren …You, no doubt have received President Davis’ letter of protest…Davis’ letter seems to me to amount to this. We want to have our own way at Mt. Morris. We want to build a wall around our territory to keep our people from knowing what the General Educational Board or others think about our program. If you don’t let u have our own way, we threaten to wreck your plan of merger. We will rule or ruin in our territory… 12 July 1931 – Schwalm to Winger - …I feel a bit like a boy who needs some advice from his father, so I’ll write you rather fully about conditions here. Maybe you could give your opinion on some matters… 6 December 1931 - Schwalm [Pres. At McPherson] to Winger – Mt. Morris College …We have been thinking about the meeting with the Mt. Morris merger committee. Personally, I haven’t much faith in the value of the mating. A year ago I was – we all were ready to talk most any plan that seemed in any measure reasonable. … If may become necessary for us to do something rash or radical here but I haven’t any notion of closing just yet and of giving my influence to move both McPherson and Manchester Colleges to Mt. Morris. It seems that that is about the only kind of proposition that the Mt. Morris President and some of their trustees will entertain. … 25 March 1932 – Schwalm to Winger – Congratulations regarding Manchester’s success in getting into the North Central Association (NCA). PAGE TWO of an undated epistle from Schwalm - probably part of the official protest sent by Schwalm to the Church of the Brethren General Educational Board against the method through which the Mt. Morris and Manchester College merger was enabled. Our protest was based on two points: · We object to this manner of dealing. Committees had been appointed including all three schools. They were at work on matters that involve the interests of all three schools and certainly that involves problems with which the General Educational Board has been especially charged…..We feel it was an act of discourtesy to the General Educational Board and to McPherson… · We think that to announce the academic merger with Manchester produced a mind-set in their favor in the Mount Morris territory which will make difficult, it not impossible, the division of the territory on a basis that is just, and equitable and for the best interests of the Brotherhood’s educational program…. …..We have not and probably shall not withdraw our protest. We believe it to have been a wrong method of procedure unfair to McPherson, discourteous to the Board and generally productive of ill will and mistrust. 2 May 1932 – Winger to Schwalm – I am writing you about a meeting that we had in Chicago last Saturday. I had a telegram from Brother Lear asking if I would not meet some Mount Morris representatives on Saturday morning. So I went up and met Lear, Heckman, and Davis. They stated that the Executive Board of Mount Morris has come to the conclusion that they could not continue next year, that they also have decided that if they merged the college with another that it should be with Manchester. That is the scholastic side of it at least. So we outlined some plans by which Manchester could take over their student and alumni records and preserve them for their use in the days to come. They said at this time that they were nto ready to talk about any merger of finance or territory. The territory would have to be left to the districts for later consideration. The financial situation was in no condition to talk about merging. It isn’t likely that after all debts are paid that very much will be left for mount Morris to merge with anyone. Had the territory and finance been under consideration, I would have insisted that McPherson be represented, but, since we did not consider these, and since we had already talked before about some of these other matters, there wasn’t much else to do……. 5 May 1932 letter from President Davis (Mount Morris College) to Schwalm - …..You will be interested to now that today our trustees voted unanimously to merge our academic interests with Manchester College…The question of territory is left open for the option and action of the districts…are offering our plant and what other assets are left after our obligations are liquidated to Bethany provided they will move to Mount Morris…the telegram sent by Dr. Yoder to our trustees arrived after our adjournment… 6 May 1932 – Western Union wire to Dr. J. S. Noffinsinger, Washington, D.C. – McPherson wires objection to reported merger plans between Mt. Morris and Manchester. What shall board do. (Signed) C. C. Ellis. 6 May 1932 – Draft - Probably Schwalm to Winger – Page one only has been found – It is nearly midnight now, but your letter of today has robbed me of any inclination to sleep. We were not entirely surprised by the news of your letter though it was our first word of it. Some events for the past year have pointed to such a consummation but we rested in confidence that your sense of fairness would prevent it from being carried out. It appears that “to him that hath shall be given and from him that hath not shall be taken even that which he hath.” ….. The General Educational Board had appointed committees that were at work on the problem of merging our three schools. …..Committees representing the three schools had comparatively recently met and worked at the task. Now unknown to any of our representatives, two schools have met and arranged a program secretly and have it all planned to carry out before it becomes known to us…. Your own letter indicates you had some misgivings about participating without us represented. You have decided to merge Mt. Morris with Manchester thus fixing the fates, not of your two schools only but practically of ours also…. The claim that you were not merging finance and territory means nothing in practice. Wherever you announce publically that Manchester and Mt. Morris have merged you two colleges disregarding McPherson, you at once make the settlement of territory an accomplished fact. Students will go where the alumni records and the alumni memorials of their parents are. You will create by this method a psychological situation which will not give us a ghost of a show at the students of Iowa…… 7 May 1932 – Letter from Winger to Schwalm – I returned late this evening and find your letter … I might state a few things which you well know. I shall not refer nor reply to some insinuations in your letter involving integrity of purpose and conduct on the part of Manchester and Mt. Morris…You and I talked…I said and so did you that we had nothing to suggest nor to offer. I said that Manchester could offer nothing in merger and would move the work from Manchester and you said the same about McPherson. That is the last time I talked or had any communication with Mt. Morris until J. W. Lear asked (m)e to come to Chicago on 24 hours notice. … Winger then presents a timetable and outline of what proceedings were like in Chicago. He follows with this: Now perhaps it is little use to say this, but this was the way it appealed to us, that is with Lear and myself as we met with the others: That Mt. Morris had fully decided to do as she pleased and that perhaps that was her right. You say it is not a matter between the two schools. But the educational board had tried its hand on the ground and had failed completely. It did seem to us that since neither finance nor territory were involved that there was no great barrier to settle this troublesome question when it seemed possible to solve. And it did seem to the rest and to myself as far as I was capable to judging impartially that the logical place for the records of Mt. Morris was at Manchester, since McPherson is 500 miles further to Mt. Morris than is Manchester and since many of the records pertained to people who live within reasonable reach of Manchester. The only other things to have done would have been to have taken them to Bethany (and who knows where Bethany will be) or to McPherson for the benefit of McPherson, if indeed there is any benefit. … They had said that they had put this off about as long as they could, hoping that there might be some hope. The trustees meeting was called for last Thursday. We met the Saturday before. And contrary to one suggestion in your letter, at least on the part of Manchester, there had never been any intimations of this before we met, and we hardly think the meeting as a secret meeting, except that the representatives of McPherson were invited. I suggested that a representative of McPherson and one from Manchester be called to their trustee meeting. They said they wanted neither there. I asked brother Lear to write you in detail. He said that he would…. 7 May 1932 – J. S. Noffsinger, Secretary Treasurer of the General Education Board of the Church of the Brethren, Washington, D.C. – handwritten letter to Schwalm. Noffsinger’s personal interpretation of the Mount Morris situation, including reflections on the actions of President Davis, along with the suggestion that even though the method of merger was discourteous, the outcome was the best that could have been expected. 10 May 1932 – Copy of letter from Winger to President C. C. Ellis explaining the events leading to the decision to merge Mt. Morris with Manchester College. He gives his frank opinion about the General Educational Board. Winger also reflects: … In the last fifteen years, during which time Mount Morris has had six different presidents and decided twice before to close, I have had some trying times to deal with students from Mount Morris territory and at the same time be fair with Mount Morris. I just received a letter this evening from a former Mount Morris president, speaking of this and expressing his appreciation of how I had lived and worked as a neighbor with him…If there is in any place for the General Educational Board in our church, it is an advisory capacity only. It can do that, but the different sections, like the states, must determine their needs and act as best they can….We are sorry to have this difference with friends at McPherson. They are a great force. They are among the finest and best. But in this affair, we must differ from them but we hope that it will all come out well…We are sorry to disobey your command, but we feel that you far over stepped your rights and what is right and we cannot concede. Neither will we wait until the conference meeting. The terms of the union or merger of the two schools are being carried out as rapidly as possible. The General Board wanted fewer schools. Here is the first case of a merger that makes one less… 11 May 1932 – Davis (President Mt. Morris) to Schwalm – I cannot help but believe that sucha protest is an action growing out (of) incomplete knowledge of what actually place…Inasmuch as our merger left the whole question of territory open and did not finally dispose of our assets, except to offer them to Bethany with a condition which they may be unable or unwilling to accept, it seems to me that McPherson College stands a chance to profit somewhat by the merger…Your chance to secure some advantage out of this merger will be greatly endangered by a protest. I fear that a protest will arouse resentment on the part of Mount Morris people to the extent that you might get nothing…For your own good, I should like to urge that you secure the withdrawal of this protest Everything here has been done in a good spirit and without any influence or dictation from outside interests whatever… 11 May 1932 - Copy of first page of letter from Schwalm to Winger – We at McPherson continue to believe that the action of Mt. Morris and Manchester in merging academically in the manner in which they did was discourteous to say the least and produces a situation disadvantageous to the best interests of McPherson and for the general educational program of the church. … Now all we ask is that there may be some opportunity to have disinterested parties, who have studied the educational problem of the church, suggest lines of division and do what they can that will make for a just and equitable division… 13 May 1932 – Letter from Winger to Schwalm – Letter regarding the publication of the news of the merger and thoughts about how to carry on from here with division of territory. 13 May 1932 – Copy of letter from Schwalm to Winger – Schwalm disavows any responsibility for stopping the presses of the Gospel Messenger. This correspondence is a rebuttal to one of Winger’s prior letters. 16 May 1932 – Winger’s letter to Schwalm – Winger discusses matters of “territory.” Arrangement with Professor Neher, but not for other Mt. Morris men. 19 May 1932 – Copy of letter from Davis (Mt. Morris) to Schwalm – Division of territory and giving Schwalm to solicit students West of the Mississippi. 20 May 1932 – Winger to Schwalm – Regarding what was to be written for the Messenger – Surely that will get the people of Iowa to thinking in terms of McPherson. Refers to Davis letter with Davis’ permission to solicit from Iowa as well. Winger approves Iowa for Schwalm– Now we shall have this attitude that we shall have no active interest in Iowa territory. It is your territory for work and cultivation this summer. If there is anything we can do to encourage all of the territory west of the Mississippi to join with McPherson, we shall be pleased to do so…I shall try and maintain as fair relations with you as I have tried in the past with Mount Morris. 15 May 1932 – Winger to Schwalm – Discussion about how to openly approve Iowa for McPherson. The two presidents will speak together at Annual Conference. 12 August 1932 – Schwalm to Winger – I appreciate your letters and your attitude. Schwalm goes on to talk about the situation in Kansas – It seems to me that the depression has just settled down in dead earnest on our territory. There is scarcely any one who seems to have enough money for college. However, we are negotiating daily with students to work out plans by which they can be in school. 17 August 1932 – Schwalm to Winger – Handwritten letter from Schwalm regarding the depression. …I have worked hard since coming to McPherson. But these people have had hard times ever since I came to McPherson – on these western farms. They are now bankrupt – only most of them don’t know it – or else no one does anything about it since there are so many of them…There is so much economic misfortune everywhere one dreads to go out to meet it after so long. Other Letters from September and October 21 October 1932 – Letter from Schwalm to Winger about the condition of Mrs. Bright and her cancer. 3 November 1932 - Regarding sale of laboratories and laboratory equipment at Mt. Morris. 9 November 1932 –Winger to Schwalm - Mention of Schutz and Watson losing the election in the Democratic landslide. Cordier was disappointed, but I believe we can now get down to work, even a little better than we have been. 14 November 1932 – Dispersal of Cassel and D.L. Miller libraries. Transfer of Mt. Morris College building to Kable Brothers (sale – Kable’s is a printing company in Mt. Morris) and arrangement. November 14 1932 – Disposal of Mount Morris items. 27 December 1932 – Schwalm to Winger - …I received your interesting letter just now regarding the Mount Morris endowment situation. I have no uncertain feeling s to what should be done with the proceeds of the Mount Morris College assets, both annuities and endowment. It ought to go to serve the territory which built up the endowment, and since Manchester and McPherson Colleges are serving this territory it ought to be made to contribute to them. If the Educational Board is unwilling to pledge and bind itself to use the money for the benefit of these colleges I am opposed to turning it over to them… Folder Number 58 – Winger and Schwalm Correspondence, 1933, 1934, 1935 and 1936 – only a few letters are highlighted below: 15 April 1933 – Mrs.Grace Bright and cancer. This was mentioned previously and also in later letters about the cancer’s return. 15 February 1936 – Winger to Schwalm – A history of salaries at Manchester College. Salary policy. 23 May 1936 – Letter of thanks to Otho Winger. …I want to write you personally telling you how much you have influenced my life. Undoubtedly you pulled me out of high school teaching to college teaching. Whether I would ever have gotten to college without your help I do not now. I know it was through your influence I came to Manchester in 1911,that I returned to teach after graduating in 1913, became Dean in 1918. Your encouragement, I am sure, gave me the heart to press on toward my Ph.D. You made it possible for me to go on and complete it with aid from the college. And in 1927, you were most gracious and generous when I had to choose between Manchester or McPherson…. Dust bowl days in Kansas. …I am sitting in a hotel room in Western Kansas, nearly 300 miles from home. I came out on the train to give a commencement address…..This is the last county seat before you get to Colorado and dust storms still seem to have sway here. It is not so very bad today, but they were very bad yesterday. They had rain sometime ago, but it is dusty again. I do not know the answer to the problems of the people here. It is very discouraging. I do not wonder that they grow discouraged. 23 September 1936 – Winger to Schwalm – Winger is extremely supportive of Schwalm’s work. Apparently, Schwalm had asked Winger for some advice. Winger writes…Your situation is partly the result of geographic, climatic, and church conditions. You have a tremendously big territory to cover, and the membership is not so thickly settled in ay part of it…Climatic conditions, of course, have been very much against you the last few years. Geographic and climatic conditions are something very few folks can buck against. You do have a lot of things, I know, that make it hard for you to run a school. On the other hand, you do have some things in your favor. I think the people of the West are just a little more sturdy than the people through here. … Late 1930’s – Dr. Cordier on campus at McPherson and is giving fine lectures, especially, “The Persecution of the Jews.” Folder Number 57 – A massive amount of correspondence between Schwalm and Winger from 1937 and 1938 – these letters contain information about their colleges, individual students, family, friends, issues facing the Church of the Brethren – world events – and other topics. Only several letters are highlighted below: 12 February 1937 – Schwalm to Winger – California is a great country and if I were under thirty years old, I think I’d be tempted to go out and grow up with the far west. The one thing I do not like about California is the conglomeration of intolerant religious-isms. They seem to prevent harmony and peaceful growth. Too many folks who cannot get along at home go to California to retire—or to join in some theological hair-splitting. 3 February 1938 - Winger to Schwalm – I am enclosing a one-thousand-dollar check to McPherson College from the treasurer of the Mt. Morris Endowment Fund. I just received a letter from L. D. today, giving his O.K. upon the matter, so we are sending it at once. … This is the first financial benefit we have gotten from the Mt. Morris school or territory. I think perhaps you have gotten some contributions from the churches, and perhaps some gifts from some of the folks, but as yet we have not solicited anybody or asked the churches for anything. We expect to solicit the Illinois churches before many months, unless finance ( ) completely prevents it. … The young people in the Mt. Morris territory have gotten a whole lot more out of this union than what the schools have gotten. They have gotten better educational facilities, both at McPherson and Manchester, than what they had, and they do not have that terrible strain they had of keeping up the school. 5 April 1938 – Schwalm to Winger – regarding another car accident Winger experienced. 27 September 1938 – Winger to Schwalm – CONFIDENTIAL – The Case of Dr. Meyer – The amount of emotional stress created by the Professor Meyer situation, contributed to Winger’s physical decline during the final years of his presidency. 24 July 1939 – Winger to Schwalm – TROUBLES FOR WINGER - I realize I am not an old man yet, and yet I am not young any more. This is our thirty-seventh wedding anniversary. While I am only sixty-two, yet after all according to the years that my folks have lived I do not have very many more, and then too, a good many of these years I have driven rather furiously. Someone said the life of a man is like that of an auto: It is not so much how old but how many miles it has driven…..There have been times when I have really longed to be away from the strenuous work. We have had some difficult problems this year. I did have some convictions as to what was right, and stuck by them. Some people thought too much so. I was very frank in telling the trustees just where I stood, and I wouldn’t work under any other ideals. To make it perfectly clear and easy for the trustees, my brother and I both handed in our resignations. They were bonafide and sincere. I think personally I would have been happier to have been relieved altogether. The trustees saw it otherwise, and insisted that both of us stay with the school, and we are, at least for the time being, and ( ) stay we are going to do our very best for the cause of education. ….. Winger talks about moving from College Avenue to the west end of town, but “keeping an apartment here in the brick apartment house.” 28 November 1939 – Schwalm to Winger – I am greatly concerned that we might get faculties that are deeply interested in the church and her welfare and in the things of the Kingdom. I wish that we might have more of our own church people who are deeply interested in religion and the things that a church college ought to stand for. Folder Number 56 – Primarily Winger and Schwalm Correspondence 1940, 1941, 1942, although there is some material between Schwalm and Norman Wine - Once again, a large amount of correspondence containing information about their colleges, individual students, family, friends, issues facing the Church of the Brethren – world events – and other topics. Only several letters are highlighted: 2 February 1940 – Schwalm to Winger regarding Income from the Mt. Morris endowment fund. 4 March 1940 – Winger to Schwalm – Regarding retirement - I have just about decided that I am going to be through with active work at 65. I am so notifying the trustees at their meeting this month. 11 April 1940 – Schwalm to Winger – McPherson College accepted by the North Central Association. Reference to letter announcing Winger’s resignation. Perhaps it would be pleasant to unload the responsibilities which you have carried so long, though I do not know what you would do when once you do not have these responsibilities. I did not anticipate that you would plan to withdraw from the work for some little time. 1940 –President’s Report to Trustees, 1940 - Schwalm’s copy of Winger’s report. There is a handwritten note (by Schwalm) that would lead one to think this is Winger’s FINAL report – and it probably it - but there IS one other letter from Winger to the Trustees of Manchester College dated 1 September 1941 in Winger, in no uncertain terms, states everything for everyone to see. 26 July 1940 – Norman Wine to Schwalm – asking Schwalm if he would be interested in the Manchester College presidency? 29 July 1940 – Schwalm to Norman Wine – Response to Wine’s inquiry of 26 July. 18 August 1940 – Schwalm to Winger - Winger involved in yet another auto accident with injury to right arm. Winger was not the driver. Reference to politics and to the Wendell Willkie speech. Wendell’s sister had been a teacher at Manchester and his brother had been a student at the Academy (if the archivist’s memory is not mistaken). 20 September 1940 – Schwalm asks Winger what impact the introduction of roller skating has had on Manchester College. Has it reduced the pressure for social dancing? 28 November 1940 – Roller skating concerns. 14 December 1940 – Winger to Schwalm –The trustees are meeting in January to select my successor. Whoever he may be, I shall be glad to give him my very best help until the close of this year. 26 February 1941 – Cordier’s consideration as next president for McPherson. 2 March 1941 – Winger writes, “Cordier says he thinks he will have to decline McPherson’s offer.” Letters regarding Manchester College business as Schwalm begins to take on responsibility. 26 May 1941- Letter from Schwalm to Winger and 9 June 1941 letter from Winger to Schwalm – Thanks from Schwalm and helpfulness extended from Winger. 1 September 1941 – Otho Winger’s letter to theTrustees of Manchester College, that includes Winger reminding the Trustees of the contract that was made with Oscar Winger. The archivist thinks this contract might have been made after Oscar and Otho handed in their resignations (see letter of 24 July 1939). Winger is blunt and forthright and does not mince words. Letters written by Winger and Schwalm during the presidential transition between Winger and Schwalm. 3 November 1941 – Schutz to Schwalm regarding Winger’s exclusion in the Saturday A.M. inauguration services. – attached - 12 November 1941 – Down-to-earth letter from Winger in response to Schutz’s concerns. Reflections upon the Dean, C. W. Holl. 8 November 1941 –Heartfelt letter from Schwalm to Winger. 26 November 1941 – Administrative Committee – which seems to have superceded the old Executive Board. Formation of an Executive Board by recommendation of the Trustee Board. 1 January 1942 Happy New Year letter from Otho Winger to the Trustees of Manchester College. Winger once again talks about his pension and goes on to blast those who stood in the way of the new Arts Building. Winger launches into a description of political moves that pushed him out of office – how some questioned the “high ideals” of the institution – he outlines incidents that befell his final years as president, including the case of Dr. Myers, the group of male students (desiring dancing, card playing, drinking and smoking) who supposedly worked against Winger during secret meetings with trustees, conflict with the dean (Holl), as well as employee and faculty opposition to the ideals of the college. I don’t hesitate to say that the disloyal conduct of some teachers in the last three years did more to break my health than all student problems in the thirty years. We can expect, correct and overlook such in students, but what about teachers who have signed a contract to be faithful to the ideals of the Church of the brethren. Every teacher knows in general what those ideals are. They ought either to uphold them or resign. And the trustees should be loyal to these ideals or resign and tell their districts why. Winger gives his full support to Schwalm and pleads with the trustees to support Schwalm also. Winger’s last paragraph is a rather bitter farewell. 3 January 1942 – Winger writes Schwalm about his Happy New Year Letter to the Trustees – I am mailing the trustees a letter and to you. It speaks for itself and I am quite willing to back up the statements…..I am hoping it will help prevent any such experience for you such as I had. The same possibility yet abounds. 20 January 1942 – Schwalm writes Winger about Schwalm’s response to the war crisis and his rationale for making the decisions that he has made. I am sorry to seem to cooperate with the war machine, but at least since the boys are drafted we will perhaps be justified in speeding up the school program so they can get as much of their work as possible before they go to war. I think that we can easily join in the spriti of sacrifice and economy and in doing what we can to help relieve the situation anywhere where there is suffering. Many letters of friendship, advice, news between Winger and Schwalm. 7 May 1942 letter from Winger to Schwalm explaining the Happy New Year letter to the Trustees of January 1942. – CONFIDENTIAL - He speaks frankly of the trustees, business manager, dean, dean or women, and Dr. Meyer. He also references and gives background material for the “Helen” scandal. Winger writes how he was pushed out of office –…..but encouraged by appeals from certain faculty members and students, the trustees in a very short private session, when I was not present, voted that I should retire in 3 months (I should retire that fall by taking a leave of absence), (after a year leave of absence)- all of this without saying one word to me, after I had given 28 years of the best of my life for the work of the college and to uphold its ideals. You may search the minutes of all trustees meetings of all our colleges in vain to find a dirtier decision on record. A few trustees were actively in favor of it, but even they would not own it in five weeks – This child (decision) soon became a bastardly child that no one wanted to own and was disowned by unanimous vote (by some reluctantly) of trustees on month later. … You would hardly find such a decision as of May 27, in any meeting of unchristian business men, let alone by a bunch, mostly of Dunker elders, including some so called college men, some graduates of M.C. … The chief qualifications for a good trustee are not many – chiefly a good back bone with enough brains at the top to exercise just good common sense, plenty of guts towards the lower part (Now a more polite expression would be “intestinal fortitude” while perhaps Paul would say “bowels of courage”; and a warm and honest heart located somewhere between and connecting the two. And in our case sense and propriety enough to know and recognize the purpose for which Manchester was founded. Winger gives an opinion about the talent of L. D. Ikenberry and partially blames him for squashing the Arts Building project. 7 September 1942 Warm letter from Schwalm to Winger. Mistake to let Dr. Carman go. Invitation to Winger to come to the college whenever he feels like it. Folder Number 55 – Schwalm and Winger correspondence – 1943 – 1945 – including 28 March 1944 – Schwalm’s condolences at the death of Winger’s wife. Assurance that if Winger feels financially cramped, the college is ready to give assistance. Folder Number 55 – 16 December 1949 – Letter from Dale Strickler to Easter Clergy Bureau verifying that Schwalm is an ordained minister in the Church of the Brethren. 27 January 1950 – Thanks to the Board for extending contract as President for another three year term. I am planning to enter upon the contract with this understanding; that at any time during the period of the contract if the trustees feel I should discontinue my services I shall be willing to do so on six months notice. My reasons for this statement are as follows; There is no fooling the calendar. There are daily reminders that I have been in this teaching business a long time….I’d rather retire five years too early than remain one year too long. The Board will render me and the College a service if they keep close observation of the general situation. 27 March 1951 – Schwalm to Norman Wine – offer to resign office not later than summer of 1952. 16 April 1951 - Schwalm’s 12 month contract with Manchester College. 14 March 1952 letter talking about retirement - For some years Mrs. Schwalm and I have felt that we should retire from the Presidency of the College about the time I reach the age of sixty-five. I will be sixty-five years old twenty days after our Board meets, as I called attention in my letter of last year…we feel we should insist on retirement from the Presidency not later than July 1, 1952. 8 and 9 April 1954 - Draft of letter concerning Schwalm’s retirement and upcoming trip to Africa …We had thought we should take lighter work at about 65. I am now 67. 25 March 1955 letter from Schwalm to Norman Wine and Moyne Landis – search for successor. 17 August letter from Schwalm to Wine calling attention to the importance of calling a meeting of the Committee on Criteria for the selection of the new President. I want to present my resignation to the trustees in September. I have had considerable trouble during the summer with my health or my nerves, I am not sure which, and I do not want to carry on longer than necessary. Folder Number 54 – Undated or missing pages to Schwalm and Winger correspondence. With a bit of research they might be able to fit into the broader picture. | 
