Collection Summary

Creator: Barton, Jr. Robert T.
Title: The Papers of Robert T. Barton, Jr. re: Law Alumni Association [1958-1980]
Accession: MSS 85-11
Description: 1box,1/3 linear ft
Location: SC - Basement
Photograph Collection: View 0 digitized photographs
Digitized Content: 0 objects
Use Restrictions: There are no restrictions.

Collection Description & Arrangement

This small collection consists of correspondence between Mr. Barton and University of Virginia officials, Law School Foundation administrators, and fellow classmates of the Law Class of 1914.  The core of the collection relates to fundrising issues of the Annual Giving Program of the Law Alumni Foundation, 1958-1980.

Barton was a supportive alumni interested in the public image of UVA, the Law School and the track team.  Particularly interesting are some letters that Mr. Barton wrote to Edgar P. Shannon, president of the University regarding the University’s position on the Vietnam War (Nov. 1969) and the student protests. There is also some correspondence regarding curriculum, a residence advisor and other interesting issues related to UVA.

 

 

 

Biographical & Historical Information

Robert T. Barton (Class of ’14) was born in Winchester, Virginia in 1891 and received his education at the Shenandoah Valley Academy and the University of Virginia, which awarded him the degrees of B. S. and L. L. B. in 1914. He served as a lieutenant in the Infantry in the Mexican border campaign of 1916 – 1917 and as a captain in the Field Artillery in 1918 – 1919, participating in the battles of St. Mithiel and the Meuse Argonne. In World War II, he saw eighteen months’ service overseas with the Army Air Corps as a colonel.

Mr. Barton took an active part in Virginia politics, having been a member of the Virginia General Assembly in 1926 and on the staffs of three governors of Virginia. He was a member of every Democratic State Convention since 1920 and he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1936.

Among his services to the work of the organized Bar, Mr. Barton was a member from Virginia of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws since 1934, and chairman of its executive committee in 1942 – 1943, and he was a former vice president and chairman of the executive committee of the Virginia State Bar Association.

 

Acquisition Information

Date Received 1985
Donor Information This collection was transferred from the Manuscripts Department of Alderman Library to the Law School Archives in June of 1985.  Originally the collection was given to Alderman Library by Mrs. Charles Sheerin, the daughter of Robert T. Barton.

Content List

Box 1:

 

  • Folder 1: Correspondence with University of Virginia President Edgar F. Shannon, Jr. re university’s policy and regulations; student demonstrations (1969); curriculum; correspondence with Craig B. Smith, Associate Professor of Speech Communication; correspondence with David A. Shannon, Provost of UVA and William L. Zimmer, Rector,  re controversial resident advisor, 1966-1976.
  • Folders 2-4: Correspondence re Law School and Law School Foundation fund-rising, 1958-1980  (3 folders).

 

Associated People

Use Policy

Access There are no restrictions.
Use Restrictions There are no restrictions.
Preferred Citation

Papers of Robert T. Barton, Jr. re: Law Alumni Association [1958-1980], MSS 85-11, Special Collections, University of Virginia Law Library
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