Lucius Moody Bristol Papers

Collection

Identifier: Ms Coll. 035

Scope and Content

See more See less

This collection consists primarily of projects undertaken as a Special Status Professor from 1938 to 1945. Included are manuscripts for "Introduction to Social Philosophy", a multi-disciplinary approach to understanding social values, and "Democratic Home and Community", a text designed for high school civics classes. Both works are unpublished.

The third project is a memoir entitled "Memoirs of a 'Yank' at the University of Florida, 1920-1945". In it are Bristol's commentaries on social conditions in Florida. Bristol deals extensively with the question of race relations, public welfare programs, public health care, the history of the University of Florida, and his teaching and professional experiences. The memoir also includes a description of a 1936 trip to the Soviet Union to study social work in that country and a synopsis of his views on society and sociology.

Also included in the collection are typescripts of articles, including two on the ethics of prisoners at the Florida State Prison at Raiford, a four page report to the director of the Commission on Interracial Cooperation, and a notebook on "basic concepts in human relations". The collection also includes letters from individuals who knew Woodrow Wilson as a child. These are in response to a questionnaire sent to them by Bristol. A copy of the questionnaire is included with one of the responses. The collection also contains correspondence related to his special status projects.

Dates

Creation: 1940-1946

Creator

Bristol, Lucius Moody, 1872-1953. (Person)

Access

University Archives collections are available for research. Portions of the collections may be restricted due to the requirements of applicable state and federal laws, including but not limited to FERPA and HIPAA, and in accordance with best practices as defined by the Society of American Archivists.

Biographical/Historical Note

See more See less

Lucius Moody Bristol was born in Castle Creek, New York, May 21, 1872. He studied at Wesleyan University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Boston University School of Theology, and Harvard University. At Harvard he studied under Thomas Nixon Carver. His dissertation, Social Adaptation (published in 1915) was, in part, a critique of Carver's views on Social Darwinism.

Bristol taught at Tufts College, Brown University, and the University of West Virginia and was active in social welfare work. In 1920, he came to the University of Florida to head the Department of Sociology and Economics. In 1926, after the creation of the College of Commerce and Journalism, the department was reorganized as the Department of Sociology. He served as head of the department until his full retirement in 1945. He was a charter member and first vice-president of the Southern Sociological Association.

During his years in Florida, Bristol was active in various social and health programs including the Tuberculosis and Health Association, State Conference of Social Work, and the Florida chapter of the National Society for Crippled Children and Adults [now known as the Easterseals]. He died May 9, 1953.