Alexander Cumming Papers
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The entire collection is scanned and online.
What’s in the entire collection?
The materials were written by Alexander Cumming between 1893 and 1896 and describe his efforts as editor of the University of Michigan Graduation Souvenir, contain notes from his classes at the University of Michigan, describe his efforts to find employment or attend graduate school after completing a degree from the University of Michigan, and his experiences as a graduate student at the University of Chicago. The collection consists of general notes, correspondence, and lecture notes. The two general notes folders contain copies and drafts of correspondence sent and received by Cummings. These papers are perhaps of the most interest to scholars as they contain Cumming’s observations and descriptions of his experiences looking for employment and attending school before the turn of the century. The correspondence from 1893 consists mostly of Cumming’s attempts as editor of the Graduation Souvenir to persuade businesses to take out advertisements. The lecture notes contain information from lectures Cumming documented as a student at the University of Michigan and includes visitor speeches.
About Alexander Cumming
Alexander Cumming was from Oil City, Pennsylvania. He attended college at the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago. While he was a senior at the University of Michigan in 1893, Cumming was the editor for the Graduation Souvenir, a publication given to graduating students. After his graduation from the University of Michigan in 1894, Cumming became a professor of English and History at Grove City College in Pennsylvania. In 1895, Cumming began attending the University of Chicago where he studied sociology and philosophy.
