Mildred McAfee Horton Papers

Collection number: UA 1/7/2
Size: 1 boxes (0.33 cu.ft.)

About Mildred McAfee Horton (1900-1994)

Mildred Helen McAfee Horton (1900-1994) served on the University of New Hampshire's Board of Trustees from 1963-1974, and was the Board's Chair from 1972-1974. Previously she had been the first director of the US Navy's WAVES (Women's Reserve) program, as well as president of Wellesley College (1936-1949). During her time at UNH, she lived in Randolph, N.H. with her husband Douglas Horton.

Dr. Thomas N. Bonner (1923-2003)

Thomas Neville Bonner was president of the University of New Hampshire from 1971-1974, having previously been provost at the University of Cincinnati. His presidency came during some of the most contentious years in the University's history, marked by wide spread social upheavel and the extreme budget cuts imposed by then-governor of New Hampshire Meldrin Thompson. Despite this Bonner focused his energies on public outreach, lowering tuition, laying the foundations for the current University System of New Hampshire, and making UNH affordable and accessible for all residents of New Hampshire. UNH, he felt, should be the "people's university". He left UNH in 1974 to become president of Union College. He was also an influential writer on the history of medicine.

About the Mildred McAfee Horton Papers (1969-1974)

The Horton papers consist of two series: one reflecting social issues of the late 1960s-early 1970s such as UNH's efforts to recruit more African-American students, racially motivated protests, removal of the women's curfew, and protests against the American War in Vietnam; the second series consists of writings, press, and correspondence from Dr. Thomas Bonner who served as president of UNH from 1971-1974. Bonner published a weekly newsletter for the UNH faculty, staff, students, alumni, and parents. Copies of this newsletter form the bulk of his writings in this collection, and cover a wide array of issues which shaped the university and greater society during the late 1960s to early 1970s. There are also several speeches.

Of particular interest to many researchers is Folder 6 on the Gay Student Organization at UNH. This highly controversial group attracted the ire of many (and the support of just as many others), and led to a landmark federal court case asserting their right to exist as an organization at a public university. The materials in this folder contain press releases and behind-the-scenes correspondence involving NH politicians and UNH leadership, prior to the establishment of the legal case. See also the Gay Student Organization Scrapbooks (UA 7/1/2).

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

This collection is open.

Copyright Notice

Contents of this collection are governed by U.S. copyright law. For questions about publication or reproduction rights, contact Special Collections staff.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Mildred McAfee Horton Papers, 1969-1974, UA 1/7/2, Milne Special Collections and Archives, University of New Hampshire Library, Durham, NH, USA.

Acquisitions Information

Donation from Wellesley College, 1998 (Accession no. 98.011)

1DD7.McAfee Mildred McAfee Horton Papers at Wellesley College.

Separated Material

The materials donated to UNH by Wellesley College primarily consisted of Board of Trustees minutes which are duplicated elsewhere in the repository's collection, and thus were discarded. UNH's papers were originally separated from the larger collection at Wellesley.

Collection Arrangement

The collection is arranged in two series: subject files which are roughly alphabetical, and the writings of Thomas Bonner, which are choronological.

Collection Contents

Series 1: Subject Files, 1969-1974

(13 folders)

Files of correspondence, press releases, newsletters, and related materials on specific topics of importance during Horton's time on the Board of Trustees.

Box 1
Box 1, Folder 1Materials from/about Mildred Horton, 1969-1974
Box 1, Folder 2Unionization of Faculty: AAUP and UNH, 1973
Box 1, Folder 3Recruitment of African-American Students, 1971
Box 1, Folder 4Reports on Racially-Charged Violence on Campus, 1971
Box 1, Folder 5Drug and Alcohol Raids on USNH Campuses, 1973
Box 1, Folder 6Gay Students Organization, 1973
Box 1, Folder 7Energy Crisis, 1970s
Box 1, Folder 8Model Cities Program Controversy, 1973
Box 1, Folder 9UNH's Environmental Impact Statement for the proposed Great Bay Oil Refinery, 1974
Box 1, Folder 10Student's Rights, 1969
Box 1, Folder 11Demonstrations (American War in Vietnam; other issues), Descriptions of striking organizations and activities on UNH campus, 1969-1970
Box 1, Folder 12Winniford Walsh v. UNH et. al., 1973
Box 1, Folder 13Removal of Women's Curfew at UNH, 1969-1970

Series 2: President Thomas Bonner, 1970-1974

(6 folders)

Presidental search materials, inauguration programs, correspondence (notably with Gov. Meldrin Thompson regarding university funding), newsletters written by Bonner on a wide array of UNH-related subjects, and press materials. See also Bonner's vertical file available by request from Special Collections staff.

Box 1
Box 1, Folder 14Presidental Search and Inauguration Materials, 1970
Box 1, Folder 15Speeches and Correspondence, 1971
Box 1, Folder 16Newsletters, Press, Correspondence, Feb.-July 1972
Box 1, Folder 17Newsletters, Press, Correspondence, Aug.-Dec. 1972
Box 1, Folder 18Newsletters, Press, Correspondence, 1973
Box 1, Folder 19Newsletters, Press, Correspondence, Resignation Materials, 1974