© The contents of this finding aid are the copyright of the University of Chicago Library
© 2012 University of Chicago Library
This collection is open for research.
When quoting material from this collection, the preferred citation is: Kimpton, Lawrence A. Papers, [Box #, Folder #], Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library.
Lawrence A. Kimpton was born on October 7, 1910. He grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and attended college at Stanford University, receiving his B.A. in 1927 and his M.A in 1932. After Stanford, Kimpton attended Cornell University and received his Ph.D. in philosophy in 1935. After receiving his Ph.D., Kimpton began teaching English, German, and philosophy at Deep Springs College in California. After leaving Deep Springs in 1941, Kimpton moved to Nevada and briefly operated a cattle ranch. In 1942 Kimpton joined the University of Kansas City as dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
Kimpton came to the University of Chicago in 1943 as Chief Administrative Officer to the Metallurgical project connected with research on the atomic bomb. He served as Dean of Students and Professor of Philosophy from 1944 to 1946. He became Vice President and Dean of the Faculties in 1946. Kimpton's career at Chicago was interrupted by an interim at Stanford where he was Dean of Students from 1947 to 1950. In 1950 Chancellor Robert M. Hutchins persuaded Kimpton to return to Chicago in the capacity of Vice President in Charge of Development. On April 12, 1951, at the age of 40 Kimpton was named Mr. Hutchins' successor. He was formally inaugurated October 18, 1951.
During his tenure, Kimpton focused on reforming the University's bachelor's degree, renewing the community surrounding the University, rebuilding the University's infrastructure, balancing the budget, and restoring the financial stability of the University.
In 1960 Kimpton announced his resignation. He later assumed the position as a director and general manager in charge of planning for Standard Oil Company of Indiana. Lawrence A. Kimpton died in 1977.
The Lawrence A. Kimpton Papers contain administrative documents, correspondence, speeches, newspaper clippings, photographs, and personal documents of Lawrence Kimpton. Also contained within the collection are documents from Kimpton's career after the University of Chicago. The collection dates from 1890 to 1978, with the bulk of the material dating between 1945 and 1960.
The collection is organized into five series: Series I Personal; Series II Correspondence; Series III Professional; Series IV Photographs; and Series V Oversized. All folders are in chronological order by year of the latest dated document within the folder, with the exception of the correspondence series. The correspondence series is organized in chronological order by year of the latest dated document with the exception of the folders organized by recipient which are organized in alphabetical order.
Series I, Personal, consists of Kimpton's personal documents. Included are birth certificates and other such personal documentation; financial and legal documents pertaining to his family; club membership documents and ephemera.
Series II, Correspondence, consists of correspondence. It is divided into two subseries: Subseries I consists of personal correspondence. Subseries II consists of professional correspondence.
Series III, Professional, consists of three subseries containing documents related to Kimpton's professional career: Deep Spring, University of Chicago, and Standard Oil and Post University of Chicago. Subseries II, University of Chicago, is divided into five sub-subseries: Administrative, Inauguration, Publicity, Speeches, and Resignation.
Sub-subseries I, Administrative, consists of administrative documents related to Kimpton's work at the University of Chicago.
Sub-subseries II, Inauguration, consists of documents pertaining to his inauguration. Included are invitations, official greetings, official acceptances and official regrets.
Sub-subseries III, Publicity, consists of publicity related to Kimpton. This sub-sub series primarily contains newspaper clippings. Also included are press releases, pamphlets and magazines.
Sub-subseries IV, Speeches, consists of Kimpton's speeches and presentations given as chancellor.
Sub-subseries V, Resignation, contains documents pertaining to Kimpton's resignation. It primarily consists of publicity relating to, and correspondence concerning, the resignation of Kimpton.
Series IV, Photographs, consists of photographs. Nearly all of the photographs are unlabeled. Photographs within a photograph album remains grouped together through folders. If loose photographs were part of a discernible series, their grouping was maintained within envelopes.
Series V, Oversized, consists of oversized materials. It includes large scrapbooks, oversized awards, certificates, and documents.
The following related resources are located in the Department of Special Collections: