New York State Education Dept. Commissioner's Office Correspondence Relating to Convocation Ceremonies and Honorary Degrees

Alphabetical by correspondent, then by date.

The office of Commissioner of Education was created in 1904 by the so-called Unification Act (Chapter 40) which established the State Education Department and replaced the Superintendent of Public Instruction and Secretary to the Board of Regents with the Commissioner. Since 1913 the Commissioner has also carried the title of President of the University of the State of New York, conferred by the Board of Regents.

This series consists of correspondence from recipients of honorary degrees and recipients of invitations to University of the State of New York convocation ceremonies. The letters typically include declinations or acceptances of invitations, and plans for convocation addresses. The correspondence rarely exceeds a single typed page per letter. Correspondents include, among others, Albert Einstein, Elihu Root, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Alfred E. Smith, William H. Taft, and John J. Pershing. Letters relate exclusively to honorary degrees and convocations and contain little in the way of personal information.

This series was transferred from the State Library in 1996 but not accessioned until December 2000.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.