James MacAlister papers, Drexel University Archives and Special Collections

James MacAlister (1840-1913) served as the first president of the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry from 1891 to 1913. He was a proponent of vocational and technical education throughout his career. This collection documents his term as president, his views on education, and his involvement in the early history of the Drexel Institute. Records include MacAlister's letters, a book that he published, lectures, and his personal notebook, as well as research notes believed to have been compiled by Harriet Worrell for the book Drexel Institute of Technology 1891-1941: A Memorial History.

Biographical note

James MacAlister served as the first president of the Drexel Institute of Art, Science, and Industry from its opening in 1891 until his retirement in 1913. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1840 and emigrated with his family to Wisconsin in 1850. After attending Brown University for three years, receiving a degree from Albany Law School in 1864, and practicing law for several years, MacAlister was appointed superintendent of the Milwaukee public school system in 1874 and regent of Wisconsin normal schools in 1878. He was chosen to become the first superintendent of the Philadelphia public school system in 1883, where he was a proponent for technical and vocational education. He wrote a book on the subject, Manual Training in the Philadelphia Public Schools, in 1890 [copy available in the collection].

MacAlister was chosen as the first president of the Drexel Institute because of his belief in the value of practical training in the industrial fields, and he was an advocate for vocational education throughout his term. During his tenure, the institute offered informal courses of study in art and illustration, mechanic arts, domestic arts and sciences, commerce and finance, teacher training, physical education, and librarianship. Public lectures and programs, evening classes, and access to the library and museum were also organized to open the institute to the general public. MacAlister presided over the closing of the department of art (except for the architecture program) in 1905, the physical expansion of the school from the Main Building to additional buildings on Chestnut and 32nd streets, and the growth in the graduation rate from approximately 70 in 1891 to over 500 in 1913.

MacAlister was a member of the board of trustees of the University of Pennsylvania from 1885 to 1897. He joined the board of the Fairmount Park Art Association in 1893. MacAlister retired as Drexel's president in June of 1913 due to failing health. He died shortly thereafter, on Dec. 11.

Scope and content note

The MacAlister papers consist largely of correspondence, mostly by Dr. MacAlister but some letters addressed to him; subjects covered include MacAlister's views on technical education and the administrative and financial concerns of operating the Drexel Institute. Of particular interest among the correspondence are a set of letters to Wilson Brothers and Co., an engineering and architectural firm, pertaining to the construction of Drexel's Main Building, as well as correspondence with notable figures such as Booker T. Washington and Andrew Carnegie. In addition to correspondence, the collection also contains a copy of MacAlister's book, Manual Training in the Philadelphia Public Schools; addresses and a set of lectures by Dr. MacAlister; a brief set of financial records; and Dr. MacAlister's personal notebook.

Before coming to the archives, the collection was used as research material for the writing of the book Drexel Institute of Technology 1891-1941: A Memorial History. MacAlister's correspondence was arranged and heavily annotated by Harriet E. Worrell, who worked as a research assistant for the book. Ms. Worrell served as secretary to President Matheson from 1924 and secretary of the Alumni Association from 1925. The series labeled "research files" includes records produced or gathered by her in preparation for the book. Within the correspondence series, all of the handwritten notes on typing paper, and any of the typed copies of letters that are interfiled with the originals, are believed to be the work of Ms. Worrell.

Series within the collection are arranged alphabetically by subject, with the exception of correspondence, which is placed first because of its size. Within the series, correspondence is arranged chronologically. Many letters have been clipped, annotated, and/or retyped by Harriet Worrell. Photocopies and retyped copies of letters found in Ms. Worrell's research notes, as well as some typed copies of letters not found in the original form, have been interfiled with the original MacAlister letters compiled by Ms. Worrell. Ms. Worrell's research notes have been divided by the archivist into biographical notes about James MacAlister and notes pertaining to the early history of the Drexel Institute. Within the Drexel history file, broad overviews of the institute and its departments are at the beginning, followed by correspondence and research notes, and the list of faculty toward the end.

Arrangement

Correspondence
Addresses
Book
Financial records
Lectures
Notebook
Research papers

Administrative information

Restrictions

Restrictions on use:

Consult archivist regarding copyright restrictions.

Restrictions on access:

The collection is open for research use.

Provenance

Date and circumstances of transfer to the archives unknown.

Preferred citation

James MacAlister papers, Drexel University Archives.

Additional information

Bibliography

McDonald, Edward D., and Edward M. Hinton. Drexel Institute of Technology 1891-1941: A Memorial History. Philadelphia: Haddon Craftsmen, Inc., 1942.

Biographical notes from the collection. Research notes series, James MacAlister papers.