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William Macy Stanton Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: SFHL-RG5-242

Scope and Contents

Contains the papers of William Macy and Lois V. Stanton, compiled by Lois V. Stanton. The Stantons were active Quakers, and William Macy Stanton, Jr., was a conscientious objector in WWII. Both Stantons served in the American Friends Service Committee relief and reconstruction efforts in Europe after the war as well as other Quaker activities and organizations. William Stanton worked for Swarthmore College for over twenty-five years. Of particular interest are the transcribed and annotated correspondence concerning alternate service and relief and reconstruction after World War II and especially William Stanton's participation in the University of Minnesota controlled starvation experiment in 1945.

Organized into two series:

  1. Correspondence
  2. Topical subjects

Dates

  • Creation: 1937-1995

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce items in this collection beyond the bounds of Fair Use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder or their heirs/assigns. See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-RUU/1.0/.

Biographical / Historical

William Macy Stanton, Jr., a birthright Quaker, was born in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1919. He was educated at Lansdowne Friends School, Westtown School, and the University of Wisconsin. His parents were noted architect William Macy Stanton (1888-1969) and Edith Cope Stanton.

After graduation, he worked for Grinnell Company until he was drafted. As a Quaker and conscientious objector, he performed alternate service during World War ii. He served in the Civilian Public Service (CPS), including participation in the controlled starvation experiment conducted at the University of Minnesota in 1945. After the war, he served in the relief and reconstruction administered by the American Friends Service Committee in France. While serving in the post war relief effort, in December 1947 he married Lois Virginia Plumb, the daughter of John C. and Gail Plumb. Lois Stanton was a graduate of Wilson College, Pa., studied post-graduate at Middleburg College, and earned an. M.A. from Haverford College. She served as the director of Quaker transport in Paris for the AFSC and then transferred to Darmstadt, Germany, where she and her new husband worked at the Neighborhood Center established by the AFSC.

After returning to the United States, William Stanton worked at Earlham College in the buildings and grounds department, then as business manager of Park College, Parkville, Mo. In 1957, he became superintendent of buildings and grounds at Swarthmore College. From 1958 to 1984, he was director of physical plant at the College.

Active in Quaker concerns, William Stanton served as chairman of the board of Friends Center, Philadelphia, Pa., which had been established in 1975 as a combined effort of Philadelphia Yearly Meeting, AFSC, and Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting. He also served on the board of Pendle Hill and in other civic and philanthropic capacities. The Stantons were members of Middletown Monthly Meeting, Lima, Pa. William Stanton died in 1995.

Extent

1.25 linear ft. (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Contains the papers of William Macy and Lois V. Stanton, compiled by Lois V. Stanton. The Stantons were active Quakers, and William Macy Stanton, Jr., was a conscientious objector in WWII. Both Stantons served in the American Friends Service Committee reconstruction efforts in Europe after the war as well as other Quaker activities and organizations. William Stanton worked for Swarthmore College for over twenty-five years, serving as director of physical plant. Of particular interest are the transcribed and annotated correspondence (photocopies) concerning the Stantons' education, alternate service, and relief and reconstruction activities after World War II and especially William Stanton's participation in the University of Minnesota controlled starvation experiment in 1945.

Physical Location

For current information on the location of materials, please consult the Library's online catalog.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Donor: Lois V. Stanton, 1995-1999 (Accession number: 95-041,045, 96-021, 99-028)

Existence and Location of Copies

A second copy of the annotated correspondence (Series 1) is stored in RG 6/L, Faculty and Staff: Stanton, William M.

Related Materials

RG 6/ Swarthmore College Archives

RG 2/ Middletown Monthly Meeting, Concord Quarterly Meeting, and Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Records

Swarthmore College Peace Collection, Civilian Public Service Personal Papers.

Separated Materials

RG 2/Concord Quarterly Meeting Records: Files relating to Concord Quarterly Meeting (copies of minutes, etc., 1993-1994) and Concord QM, account book, treasurer in account with Concord QM, 1929-1956

RG 2, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Records. Files relating to Friends Center, Philadelphia, Pa., \

RG 2/ Lansdowne Monthly Meeting Records: File containing 1977 and 1927 anniversary material on Lansdowne Monthly Meeting, Lansdowne, Pa., including photographs (1927) and a skit showing the founding of Lansdowne Friends School.

Swarthmore College clippings, photographs, etc., added to appropriate reference files.

RG 6/L Faculty and Staff, Stanton, William M.: Duplicate copies of Lois Stanton's annotated correspondence (Series 1)

Two videos, one on the University of Minnesota Semi-Starvation Project and one on the 1995 Reunion, stored with FHL Audio-Video Collection.

Processing Information

Papers received in four deposits between 1995 and 1999. Records of Middletown Monthly Meeting (Delaware Co., Pa.), part of Accession 95-045, transferred to Quaker Collection, Haverford College on 1/2/1996. Civilian Public Service files, part of same deposit, transferred to Swarthmore College Peace Collection and added to Civilian Public Service Personal Papers and Collected Materials, DG 056, Series 1.

In October 2004, the collection was processed and the following materials transferred to more appropriate collections within Friends Historical Library of Swarthmore College:

Files relating to Concord Quarterly Meeting (copies of minutes, etc., 1993-1994) and Concord QM, account book, treasurer in account with Concord QM, 1929-1956, transferred 1/5/2004 to RG 2/Concord Quarterly Meeting Records

Files relating to Friends Center, Philadelphia, Pa., transferred to RG 2, Philadelphia Yearly Meeting Records.

File containing 1977 and 1927 anniversary material on Lansdowne Monthly Meeting, Lansdowne, Pa., including photographs (1927) transferred to RG 2/ Lansdowne Monthly Meeting Records

Pendle Hill Property Committee files, 1972, transferred to RG4/066, Pendle Hill Records.

Swarthmore College clippings, photographs, etc., added to appropriate reference files.

Duplicate copies of Lois Stanton's annotated correspondence (Series 1) removed to RG 6/L Faculty and Staff: Stanton, William M.

Title
Finding aid for William Macy Stanton Family Papers, 1937-1995
Author
FHL staff
Date
2007
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Find It at the Library

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