Horace B. Eldred Papers

Eldred Papers trace the history of the 1918 alumni with a significant amount of correspondence, official and casual, but also with class photographs (some signed L.L. McAllister), obituaries, newsletters, financial records, and a variety of memorabilia.

The collection holds some programs of university events including Kake Walk. Also present are three programs from the Champlain Shakespeare Festival, some from the time that the festival was held at the Arena Theater in the Fleming Museum. The collection holds a few photographs of University of Vermont buildings, including some of the dedication ceremony of the Fleming Museum in 1931. Eldred may have taken these photographs himself; some may be found in the alumni publication The University of Vermont Bulletin. Most are black and white prints. An additional photograph appears to be a portrait of Eldred.

The culmination of Eldred's work with alumni is represented by a small poster designed to present the gift of the 1918 class to the University of Vermont in 1968, the year of its 50th class reunion. This gift consisted in the creation of the John Dewey Lounge in a space that had previously served as a chapel. The 1918 class provided all the furnishings for this new lounge. Shortly after 50th class reunion and the official presentation of the class gift in 1968, this major renovation received a "Merit Certificate for Architectural Preservation and Improvement" from the Chittenden County Historical Society. The collection houses a photograph of this certificate, as well as a booklet presenting a brief description of all the portraits decorating the lounge, and the stained glass windows that embellish the architecture. Among the latter there is a distinctive Tiffany window.

Another alumni initiative is demonstrated through correspondence related to the granting of an honorary degree to a prominent scientist who was member of the 1918 class: Dr. Hiram Rupert Hanmer, a chemist who had devoted most of his life to research on tobacco. This correspondence dates back to 1941, and it contains a copy of Dr. Hanmer’s Curriculum Vitae. In 1963, at the time that the 1918 class met to celebrate their 45th Reunion, Mr. Hanmer received a Distinguished Service Award from the University of Vermont.

A small amount of personal and professional correspondence relates to his scout-related duties as well as work at the Fleming. The material may be of particular interest to researchers as Eldred was employed at both UVM museums during the transition from a focus on natural history, geology, and anthropology to solely fine art.