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Beacom College Historical Records

Historical Records of Beacom College

Folder 2

Copies of Goldey College letters that apparently were obtained by Beacom College and held in its files as evidence of Goldey's "unethical" solicitation practices:

  1. May 7, 1901, handwritten letter from H. S. Goldey to Prof W. C. Stevenson re Pitman and Gregg shorthand systems. (Goldey taught Pitman, and Beacom taught Gregg, and each asserted the superiority of its system.
  2. June 12, 1906, copy of a letter from Judge Love addressed "TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN," apologizing for his remarks at a Goldey College graduation and denying that they had any reference to the Wilmington Business School (Beacom).
  3. Aug. 25, 1908, Goldey College letter to Miss Mary Ellis, a prospective student. Author is unknown since the last page is missing, but the first two pages are devoted to presenting the superiority of the Pitman shorthand system over any other.
  4. Copies of seven letters from the Business Manager of Goldey College to prospective students, dated Aug. 31, 1902 - Sept. 7, 1908. Written to persuade these students of Goldey's superiority to "another" Wilmington school, five of the letters are devoted to entirely proclaiming the superiority of Pitman shorthand to Gregg.
  5. Five copies of letters from President William Douglas of Goldey College to persuade them to choose Goldey over Beacom. The letters are dated from Aug. 5 - October 12, 1922.
  6. Accreditation and Pitman pamphlets used by Goldey College to assert its superiority to Beacom.

Folder 3

Beacom 1922 correspondence related to Goldey rivalry:

  1. Nov. 1, 1922, letter from Ruth Adams to J. Wilbur Hirons re a Queen Anne, Md., student's decision to attend Beacom rather than Goldey College.
  2. Nov. 3, 1922, handwritten letter from A. Raymond Jackson to Mr. Beacom regarding "unfair competition" by Goldey in Stewartstown, Pa., recruiting.
  3. Nov. 2-22, 1922. Notarized statements from 11 Beacom students attesting to attempts of Goldey College's solicitors to persuade them against enrollment at Beacom. (2 notarized copies of each statement)
  4. Four-page undated memo from J. Wilbur Hirons to President of Beacom citing unethical behavior of Goldey solicitors from 1909-1922. (original and one carbon copy)

 

Folder 4

Correspondence with the National Association of Accredited Commercial Schools regarding Beacom College's desire for accreditation by that Association, Dec. 12, 1916 - Jan. 30, 1923.

  1. Letters dated Dec. 12, 1916, through May 1, 1917, relate to Beacom's initial rejection as a member of the Association because of unacceptable advertising and solicitation practices.
  2. Letters dated Sept. 5, 1922, through Jan. 30, 1923, relate to Beacom College's eventual acceptance for membership and accreditation in 1923. The bitter rivalry between Beacom College and Goldey College becomes evident in these letters and results in the instance of the Accreditation Association that the two colleges cooperate to resolve their differences if they are to continue to be accredited. A January 1923 letter from the Association President sets forth standards of practice that Goldey and Beacom Colleges may have violated and states that the two colleges must cooperate if their membership is to be continued. Conferences between the colleges were begun as a result.

 

Folder 5

Five 1922 letters of the recommendation of Beacom College related to accreditation. Apparently at the request of W. H. Beacom, these letters were written between November 7 and December 14, 1922, to support Beacom College's application for accreditation by the National Association of Accredited Commercial Schools. the authors include the Wilmington Mayor, the President of the City Board Education, the President of Wilmington High School, the Superintendent of Wilmington Public Instruction.

 

Folder 6

Papers re the conferences between Beacom and Goldey Colleges held from 1923-1928 in their efforts to improve relations:

  1. Feb. 17, 1923, notes on conference at Hotel Du Pont.
  2. May 3, 1923, Beacom minutes of meetings with Goldey on Feb. 17, March 10, and March 17, 1923.
  3. May 15, 1923, Goldey condensed minutes of the same 1923 meetings.
  4. W. H. Beacom's Instructions to Beacom College Solicitors, dated May 4, 1923, followed by one page of supplementary instructions dated Oct. 4, 1923.
  5. Notes on Spring 1224 conference, written up on May 13,1925.
  6. May 13, 1925. Two different memoranda of a conference -- possibly one from each college.
  7. April 21, 1926, memo of meeting.
  8. May 26, 1926. Two different memos of meeting -- possibly one from each college.
  9. May 28, 1926, Beacom's President's Instructions to Field Representatives.
  10. March 4, 1927, two different memos of meeting.
  11. Feb. 4, 1928, memo of conference in Baltimore of Beacom and Goldey Colleges with Baltimore Business College, Strayer College, Bryant and Stratton College, and Brewbaker School.
  12. Feb. 22, 1928, two different memos of meeting.
  13. Undated carbon copy of Goldey President W. E. Douglas's Instructions to Field Representatives (from Beacom files).

Folder 7

Correspondence and memos regarding the conduct of Goldey and Beacom field representatives, July 30, 1924 - Oct. 5, 1928.

  1. July 30, 1924, five-page letter from Goldey President W. E. Douglas to Beacom President W. H. Beacom regarding controversial incidents involving field representatives of the two colleges.
  2. Undated, unsigned 2-page memo to Mr. Beacom "to be used in replying to W. E. Douglas's letter of July 30, 1924" (listed above).
  3. Aug. 7, 1924, two-page letter from W. E. Douglas to W. H. Beacom, adding on to Douglas's letter of July 30, 1924.
  4. Aug. 11, 1924, handwritten letter from a student to Mr. A. R. Jackson regarding her treatment by Goldey.
  5. May 18, 1925, carbon copy of W. H. Beacom's reply to W. E. Douglas's letter of July 30, 1924.
  6. Undated, unsigned, 2-page memo from J. W. Hirons covering Goldey soliciting incidents between June 1, 1924, and May 13, 1925.
  7. Unsigned, undirected memo citing more Goldey soliciting incidents. Undated, but after July 10, 1925. (2 copies)
  8. Oct. 6, 1925, handwritten letter of student regarding problems with a Goldey solicitor.
  9. Short, unsigned memo citing three soliciting incidents. Undated, but after July 17, 1925.
  10. Jan. 11, 1926, memo from J. W. Hirons citing soliciting incidents involving Alvah Phillips of Goldey College.
  11. Undated, unsigned 2-page memo citing statements made by G. C. Green of Goldey College during June and July of 1927.
  12. Undated, unsigned memo about another incident with G. C. Green of Goldey. Written after Aug. 1927. (2 copies).
  13. Feb. 24, 1928, letter from J. W. Hirons to W. E. Douglas regarding soliciting incidents.
  14. April 11, 1928, handwritten note of Ira T. Ellis about remarks of Mr. Green of Goldey to prospective students.
  15. June 14, 1928, memo concerning a conversation of G. C. Green of Goldey and a prospective student, as reported by Ira Ellis of Beacom.
  16. Oct. 5, 1928, one-page memo from J. W. Hirons concerning Ralph Cooley's experience with Goldey when he asked for a release from Goldey to go to Beacom.

Acknowledgements

This guide was made machine-readable by Briana Daly, November 2017.