Office of the President. Robert S. Shaw Papers
UA.2.1.11

Summary Information

Repository
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Creator
Shaw, R. S., (Robert Sidey), 1871-1953
Title
Robert S. Shaw papers
ID
UA.2.1.11
Date [bulk]
Bulk, 1890-1941
Date [inclusive]
1890-1953
Extent
2.33 Cubic feet
Language
English

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."

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Biographical Note

Robert Sidey Shaw, eleventh University President, was born in Woodburn, Ontario, Canada, July 24, 1871, the son of Thomas and Mary Janet (Sidey) Shaw. His father was an educator and agricultural journalist. Robert S. Shaw graduated from Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph with a B.S.A. in 1893 and then for five years managed his father's farm in Woodburn. He came to the United States in 1898 and during the following four years was assistant professor of agriculture and animal husbandry at Montana State College. In 1902 he went to Michigan Agricultural College in the same capacity and six years later was named dean of agriculture and director of the experiment station there.

In 1928 he became president of the college, which he continued to head until his retirement in 1941 as president emeritus. He had served on three occasions (September 21, 1921-July 1, 1922; May 1923-September 1924; May 24, 1928) before his appointment as acting president, and he was succeeded as president of the college by his son-in-law, John A. Hannah. In 1925 the name was changed to Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science. Immediately after his appointment as president, Shaw instituted a major reorganization of the curriculum and established a graduate school. Under his direction the Applied Science Division was established, including new courses in Hotel Administration, Public Administration, and Physical Education for Men and Women. An All-College Division was set up, including Military, Competitive Athletics, Health Service, Registrar, Publications and Journalism, Library, Radio Broadcasting. He created the positions of Dean of Men and Dean of Women.

Many new structures were erected during his administration and the college's program of erecting buildings on a self-liquidating basis was launched. Mary Mayo Hall, completed in 1932, was reputedly the first college dormitory in the United States to be built on a self-liquidating basis. Much of the development of the school was credited to Shaw's foresight in purchasing 1,000 acres of land surrounding the college. At the time of his retirement in 1941, the staff of the college numbered 680 in contrast to 331 when he became president in 1928. During the same period the enrollment had increased from 2813 to 6776. He succeeded in having the College accredited by such groups as the American Association of University Women, National Association of Schools of Music, and took out an institutional membership in the American Council on Education.

He was a member of Alpha Zeta, Phi Gamma Phi and Sigma Delta Psi. An honorary degree was conferred on him by Michigan State College in 1922. In religion he was a Presbyterian, in politics he was a Republican, having become a naturalized citizen on January 14, 1903. He was married in Portland, Oregon on January 2, 1900 to May, daughter of William Travis, a clergyman of the Presbyterian church, and had four children: Robert Linn, Thomas Travis (died age 10), Sybil (died at birth), and Sarah May, who married John Alfred Hannah (mentioned above). His death occurred in East Lansing, Michigan, February 7, 1953.

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Scope and Content

The Robert Shaw papers contain correspondence (1891-1940), publications, petitions, reports, legislation, council, and other university-related information, news clippings, an article on the sugar beet, and biographical papers, including honorary degrees and a memorial.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections

Conrad Hall
888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu

Revision Description

  June 1999

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Legal Status note

Copyright: Michigan State University. Property Rights: Michigan State University.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Michigan State College.

Genre(s)

  • Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
  • Letters (correspondence)
  • Publications
  • Reports

Personal Name(s)

  • Kuhn, Madison
  • Leonardson, Beatrice
  • Shaw, R. S., (Robert Sidey), 1871-1953

Subject(s)

  • College presidents -- Michigan
  • Sugar beet

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Collection Inventory

Correspondence 
Box Folder

 1891, Undated 

 840 1

 1892 

 840 2

 1900 

 840 3

 1901 

 840 4

A 1902 

 840 5

B 1902 

 840 6

C 1902 

 840 7

E 1902 

 840 8

F 1902 

 840 9

G 1902 

 840 10

H 1902 

 840 11

K 1902 

 840 12

L 1902 

 840 13

M 1902 

 840 14

N 1902 

 840 15

O 1902 

 840 16

S 1902 

 840 17

T 1902 

 840 18

V 1902 

 840 19

W 1902 

 840 20

Z 1902 

 840 21

A 1903 

 840 22

B 1903 

 840 23

C 1903 

 840 24

D 1903 

 840 25

E-F 1903 

 840 26

G 1903 

 840 27

H, I, J 1903 

 840 28

K-L 1903 

 840 29

M 1903 

 840 30

N-O 1903 

 840 31

P-Q 1903 

 840 32

R 1903 

 840 33

S 1903 

 840 34

T, U, V 1903 

 840 35

W 1903 

 840 36

X, Y, Z 1903 

 840 37

B, E, G, F 1904 

 840 38

H, J 1904 

 840 39

M-Z 1904 

 840 40

A 1905 

 840 41

B 1905 

 840 42

C 1905 

 840 43

D 1905 

 840 44

E, F 1905 

 840 45

G 1905 

 840 46

H, I, J 1905 

 840 47

K, L 1905 

 840 48

M 1905 

 840 49

N, O 1905 

 840 50

P, Q 1905 

 840 51

R 1905 

 840 52

S 1905 

 840 53

T, U, V 1905 

 840 54

W 1905 

 840 55

X, Y, Z 1905 

 840 56

 1909 

 840 57

 1912-1919 

 840 58

 1923 

 840 59

 1926 

 840 60

 1928 

 840 61

 1931 

 840 62

W 1932 

 840 63

 1934 

 840 64

G 1935 

 840 65

 1939 

 840 67

 1940 

 840 68

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Box Folder

Radio Script 1938 

 840 66

Alumni 1929-1938 

 840 69

75th Anniversary 1925-1932 

 840 70

Athletic Council 1933 

 840 71

Bank 1926-1933 

 840 72

Correspondence with Newspapers 1932 

 840 73

Conference with Staff Members 1932 

 840 74

Dean Cox's Material 1931-1932 

 840 75

Enrollment Statistics 1930-1933 

 840 76

Expenses for J.A. Baldwin 1932 

 840 77

Financial Material 1931-1933 

 840 78

Health Service 1932 

 840 79

Honor Roll 1928-1929 

 840 80

Information re: Cox, Hasselman, Kedzie 1933 

 840 81

Land 1932 

 840 72

Landscape Architect 1932 

 840 83

Laws, Legislation, etc. (Federal and State) to c. 1929 

 840 84

Laws 1935 

 840 85

Letter of Recommendation 1931 

 840 86

Livestock 1932 

 840 87

M.S.C. Investigation 1932-1933 

 840 88

Michigan State College Bulletin-“The Recent Investigations” 1932 

 841h 25

Miscellaneous 
Box Folder

 1932-1935 

 840 89

 1900, 1903, 1931-1935 

 840 90

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Box Folder

Music 1928-1935 

 840 91

Petitions for Investigations 1931-1932 

 840 92

Policies at Other Schools 1932-1933 

 840 93

Policies and Principles 1932-1941 

 840 94

President's Material 1931-1934 

 840 95

Projects 1935-1940 

 840 96

Publications 1931-1932 

 840 97

Publicity and Public Opinion 1932-1933 

 840 98

Rackham Research Foundation 1937-1939 

 841h 1

Radio 1932-1935 

 841h 2

Reports 1932 

 841h 3

Reports on Investigation 1932 

 841h 4

Reports and Statistics - General 1940 

 841h 5

Retirement 1936-1940 

 841h 6

Roads 1937 

 841h 7

ROTC 1932-1934 

 841h 8

Scholarships 1933 

 841h 9

Social Problems Club 1935 

 841h 10

Student Organizations 1932 

 841h 11

Shielos, Silsbee, Ballard & Jennings 1933 

 841h 12

Senate Investigation 1933 

 841h 13

Undulant Fever Epidemic 1939 

 841h 14

U.S. Office of Education 1935-1939 

 841h 15

Newspaper Clippings 
Box Folder

 1890s 

 841h 16

 1900s 

 841h 17

 1910s 

 841h 18

 1930s 

 841h 19

 Undated 

 841h 20

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Box Folder

"The History of the Sugar Beet and Beet Sugar" by Samuel L. Jodidi 1909 

 841h 21

Appreciation Dinner June 6, 1941 

 841h 22

Shaw's Death February 7, 1953 

 841h 23

Honorary Degrees, Biography 1953 

 841h 24
Box Volume

Letterpress copies of Correspondence September 15, 1902 - March 14, 1904 

 35 1

Letterpress copies of Correspondence March 17, 1904 - November 22, 1905 

 35 2

Letterpress copies of Correspondence November 25, 1904 - March 29, 1907 

 35 3

Letterpress copies of Reports & Correspondence January 26, 1904 - June 11, 1909  

 35 4