Edward C. Barrett Collection on Early Caltech History

Collection

Identifier: 10036-MS

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The collection contains historical and administrative documents relating to the early years of Caltech and Throop, as well as correspondence of Caltech's founders and early leaders, including Arthur A. Noyes, James A. B. Scherer, Arthur Fleming, George Ellery Hale, and Robert A. Millikan.

The collection is organized into the following series:

Historical and Administrative Papers
Correspondence
Miscellaneous Papers

Dates

Creation: 1891-1950

Access

The collection is open for research. Researchers must apply in writing for access.

Publication Rights

Copyright may not have been assigned to the California Institute of Technology Archives. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Caltech Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the California Institute of Technology Archives as the owner of the physical items and, unless explicitly stated otherwise, is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Biography

Edward Cecil "Ned" Barrett was born March 20, 1880, in Springfield, Massachusetts. As a boy, he moved with his family to Iowa, where he attended the University of Iowa, receiving a bachelor's degree in 1906. In 1911 he began his long tenure at Caltech--then still Throop Polytechnic--as business agent and secretary to the Board of Trustees. He became assistant treasurer to the Board in 1912 and was appointed lecturer in business law in 1914. He was secretary of the Executive Council during the whole period of that body's existence under the leadership of Robert A. Millikan, from 1921 to 1945. In 1934 Barrett was named comptroller of the Institute.

Barrett died in Pasadena on February 23, 1952.

Extent

1 linear feet (2 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Edward Cecil "Ned" Barrett was for many years the only business officer of the California Institute of Technology and of its forerunner institution, Throop University/Polytechnic Institute. The collection contains historical and administrative documents relating to the early years of Caltech and Throop, as well as correspondence of Caltech's founders and early leaders, including A. A. Noyes, James A. B. Scherer, Arthur Fleming, George Ellery Hale, and Robert A. Millikan.

Arrangement

The Barrett collection was revisited in 2007, at which time it was decided not to disturb the original arrangement of the papers, which dates back to circa 1970. Despite Barrett's long tenure at Caltech--41 years--the collection is small. There are three short series. The first contains an assortment of files pertaining to the business matters of the Institute, as well as some notes by Barrett himself about the history of Caltech, which he planned to write. The second series consists of correspondence pertaining to the founders and early leaders of Caltech, namely George Ellery Hale, Arthur Amos Noyes, Robert A. Millikan, Arthur Fleming, Henry M. Robinson, James A. B. Scherer, and a number of early trustees, donors, and faculty members. There is overlap between the two series, in that correspondence is interfiled among administrative papers in the first series. The third series represents a small miscellany pertaining to the history, governance, and early finances of Caltech.

Acquisition Information

The Edward C. Barrett collection was preserved in the Caltech president's office until 1967, when the material was transferred to the Millikan Library. In 1968 the papers were turned over to the newly created Institute Archives.

Related Material

Related collections in the Caltech Archives with important material on the early history of Caltech are: the James A. B. Scherer Papers, the George Ellery Hale Papers, and the Robert A. Millikan Papers.