Material in these first folders deals with the separate lives of Morris R. Mitchell and Grace L. Gates, Mitchell's first wife. In 1898, there is a letter from Mrs. Frederick T. Gates to Grace. In 1915 and 1916, there is correspondence between Grace and Francis Stuart Stevenson ("Stu"), containing comments about Princeton, where Stu was a student, and each other's activities. Correspondence between Grace and Morris began in October 1916.

Items from Mitchell's childhood include a poem in 1904; themes in 1908, 1909, and 1912; and material concerning his graduating class at Hyatt's Park High School, including the 1912 class history. There is little material concerning Mitchell's college life, from September 1912 through May 1913 at the University of South Carolina; from September 1913 through May 1914 at the University of Virginia; and from the summer of 1914 through May 1917 at Delaware College. There are numerous letters from friends and family in October 1915, when Mitchell was in Johns Hopkins Hospital for a nose operation. There is a certificate that he received after attending a Military Instruction Camp at Plattsburg, New York, from 5 July to 8 August 1916. In 1916 and 1917, there is correspondence with Grace and other students about Kappa Alpha dances at Delaware College and the yearbook which he edited (see The Blue Hen, volume 3). Of note is a letter from Broadus Mitchell to his mother about preparation for war in Canada (9 July 1916, 5 pages).

Primarily of correspondence between Morris R. Mitchell and Grace L. Gates. Scattered throughout are letters from Mitchell's parents, Mary, Terry, and Broadus, as well as from numerous members of Grace's family.

Mitchell first attended Officers' Training Camp at Fort Myer, Va., and then was stationed at Camp Lee, Va. In July, he was offered a position as second lieutenant with a Delaware Regiment, but declined. On August 9, he received an official commission from the War Department as first lieutenant in the Infantry Reserve Officers' Corps. He was transferred from the 320th Infantry to the 315th Machine Gun Battalion on 19 October, and in November he was ordered to the Infantry School of Arms at Fort Sill, Okla. In January, he returned to Camp Lee, where he remained until he left for France in May. From May 1917 through April 1918, Mitchell's letters contain comments about camp life, including his impression of aliens in the army and the English officers conducting the training at Fort Sill. There are also plans for various trips to see Grace and other members of his family.

From May until December 1918, Mitchell was with the American Expeditionary Forces, primarily in France. He managed to save only a few letters that he received, and they are scattered throughout the letters that he wrote home. These papers contain descriptions of his landing at Saint Nazaire, France, his trip to the fron in Belgium in July, and his experiences at the front until October when he was sent to a hospital at Pangues les Eaux. The remainder of the year, his letters are about recuperation and trying to convince the doctors to send him back to the front. Many of Mitchell's letters to Grace describe the French countryside, homes, and customs; indicate a developing interest in farming; and discuss plans for their future in North Carolina.

The papers during these nine years consist primarily of letters between Morris R. Mitchell and Grace during periods that they were separated. Their letters contain family news, information about the children, descriptions of Mitchell's work, and discussions of future plans. There are also scattered letters from former Ellerbe students.

During this period, Morris R. Mitchell was headmaster of the Park School. His son was suffering from an osteomyelitis condition, so much of the correspondence between Mitchell and Grace contains extensive descriptions about the different treatments Morris Jr. received, including heliotherapy and a maggot treatment used by Dr. William S. Baer of Baltimore, Md. There are scattered items giving information about Park School and some correspondence about several students who lived with Mitchell while Grace and the children were moving about for Morris Jr.'s health.

There are almost no papers reflecting the period that Morris R. Mitchell spent traveling in Europe and England. The little correspondence there is in this section of his life is with Dr. Bruce Payne about a possible position at Peabody and with Dr. Thomas Alexander about New College, an experimental program at the Teachers College, Columbia University. There are several letters to his parents about their trip in Europe and about possible places for them to stay. Of note is a letter about Mitchell's desire to remain in Europe to work with the international youth movement (20 Aug 1934) and a letter from his father about Mitchell's desire to work for peace (17 July 1935). In this last letter, Mitchell's concept of world community is mentioned.

During this period, Morris R. Mitchell was working with numerous projects promoting community development. Although his primary affiliation was with New College, he was released from his major responsibilities there to work with the Resettlement Administration from August 1936 through December 1937, and then to work with the Farm Security Administration for the following year. The papers contain little information about his work with these government agencies. There are numerous invitations to speak during these four years, but there are few copies of his remarks. Scattered throughout the papers are letters from his children and letters from students at New College, primarily discussing a proposed major in Community Planning.

While head of the Department of Education at Florence State Teachers College, Morris R. Mitchell worked in surrounding counties in Alabama helping to develop community systems of education. In 1941 and 1942, he also served as a consultant and educational technician for the Arkansas Valley Regional Planning Project sponsored by the National Resources Planning Board. During the trips to Arkansas, there is correspondence between Mitchell and Barbara Jaynes (his second wife) about her work and the college. There is little information concerning his work with the college of the Arkansas project.

There are very few papers for this period. Most of the time Morris R. Mitchell spent dairying at the Macedonia Cooperative Community near Clarkesville, Ga. He served as Director of a School of Cooperative Living in a Civilian Public Service Camp for conscientious objectors at Wahalla, Mich., in 1943 and 1944. While he was at Wahalla, Barbara continued to work for Bowen in Chicago. Correspondence between the two includes information about the Arkansas Valley Plan, the Rochdale Institute (Wisc.), and Macedonia.

Of note is a short history and director of men at the Civilian Public Service Camp (mimeographed, 1944); material about the Rochdale Institute College Camp (24-29 September 1945); "Introduction to a Cooperative Society" (mimeographed, 25 October 1949); and notes about White Pines, Mitchell's home in Georgia.

Morris R. Mitchell's work with this experimental graduate school included recruiting students, hiring faculty members, raising money, and planning the curriculum. In keeping with his concept of study tours, he took his students on numerous trips to Puerto Rico, Mexico, Sweden, Denmark, parts of Europe, Africa, Asia, and around the world. Much of the papers concern plans for these trips. There are also letters from former students and acquaintances asking advice about jobs or trips they were taking.

In addition to information about the school, the papers for these years reflect Mitchell's participation in local affairs. There are numerous invitations to speak and frequent references to local projects in which he was involved. Few of the speeches are among the papers. Organizations with which his work at Putney overlapped included the Experiment in International Living, World Youth Argosy, Inc. (1950-1956), Woolman Hill at Deerfield, Mass. (1957-1964), and the Robert Flaherty Foundation (1957-1964). He maintained interest in these organizations even after his active participation had terminated. Therefore, there are scattered references to these groups in the remainder of the papers.

Each year while Mitchell was at Putney, there is some information about a Spring Conference for educators which he attended and scattered correspondence with people whom he had known at Macedonia. During this period, there is extensive correspondence with Ed Whitworth, Wilmer Brandt, Paris Whitworth, and Devereaux Stewart about his land in Georgia. These letters discuss timber stand improvement work, experimentation with black walnut trees, and surveying and establishing property lines.

In organizing Friends World College, Morris R. Mitchell served as Director of Academic Programming, President, Provost, and faculty member. The educational program he envisioned and helped implement was one of international design. The seven centers affiliated with the college gave students the opportunity to study emerging concepts in cultures and countries throughout the world. During these years, he planned the academic program, raised money, recruited students and faculty members, and conducted various study tours. Finally he moved to Clarkesville, Ga., to head up the Southern Center of the college at his home at White Pines.

See Series 2 for post-1975 materials.

Sixteen themes written by Morris R. Mitchell in his last semester at Deleware College.

Notes Morris R. Mitchell made on a trip to Russia and expense accounts from the European tour he took with his family.

Morris R. Mitchell and his wife Grace agreed to a separation in November 1935 and divorced circa 1936. During this period, Mitchell grew increasingly interested in cooperatives and began his work at Macedonia.

In 1943, Mitchell joined the Society of Friends and strengthened his commitments to pacifism and cooperative living. Between 1943 and 1946, he lived off and on at the Macedonia cooperative as its manager, worked summers as the director of a school at the Walhalla (Michigan) camp for conscientious objectors, and traveled to keep speaking and conference engagements. From 1946 to 1949, he split his time between teaching at the Rochdale Institute, leading summer study tours, and traveling. During these years Mitchell and Barbara spent much of their time apart. In 1943 and 1944, Barbara continued working for E. R. Bowen in Chicago, and then later in 1944 took up full residence at Macedonia. Most of the personal correspondence for this period consists of letters written during their separations.

See Series 1 for undated materials.

Arrangement: chronological.

Accession Information: Accession 102061 (Addition of July 2014).

Accession Information: Accession 102498 (Addition of January 2016).