James L. Wattenbarger Papers

Collection

Identifier: MS Coll 161

Scope and Content

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The James L. Wattenbarger Papers contain publications, reports, conference materials, awards, scrapbooks, photographs, and audiovisual material related to James L. Wattenbarger and the history of Florida's Community Colleges. The collection is arranged into three series including:

Series 1. “Publications and Reports, 1950-2015” which primarily contains publications, reports, and plans authored by James Wattenbarger that demonstrate his outline for creating the modern community college system in Florida as well as his influence and consulting work on many other community colleges around the United States. The series is arranged chronologically.

Series 2. “General Files, 1962-1999” contains various files including speeches, Inter-institutional Research Council (IRC) material, audiovisual material, a transcript of an oral history interview conducted with Wattenbarger by the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program, and other miscellaneous files. The series is arranged in roughly chronological order.

Series 3. “Awards and Memorabilia, 1936-2008” contains various certificates, awards, plaques, photographs, scrapbooks, and other memorabilia belonging to James Wattenbarger. Key awards include his receipt of the 1987 Leadership award from the Association of American Community and Junior Colleges, among other tributes to his career. The series is arranged alphabetically.

Dates

Creation: 1936 - 2015

Creator

Wattenbarger, James L. (James Lorenzo), 1922-2006 (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

James Lorenzo Wattenbarger was born in Cleveland, Tennessee on May 2, 1922. He graduated with an associates degree from Palm Beach Junior College in 1941, and with his Bachelors (1943), Masters (1947), and Ph.D. (1950), all from the University of Florida.

His dissertation, The Organization, Administration, and Financing of Public Junior Colleges in the State of Florida, became the basis on which the state of Florida created the modern community college system in 1955. As a result, Wattenbarger is referred to as the Father of the Community College System of Florida.

In 1968, Wattenbarger returned to UF and became a professor in the College of Education. He founded and headed the Institute of Higher Education at the College of Education in 1968. He retired from UF in 1992. Wattenbarger passed away in Atlanta, Georgia, on August 14, 2006.

Extent

7.5 Linear Feet (9 boxes)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

Publications, reports, conference materials, awards, scrapbooks, photographs, and audiovisual material related to James L. Wattenbarger and the history of Florida's Community Colleges.

Location

Please note that a portion of this collection is housed in the Auxiliary Library Facility off campus and will require advance notice for timely retrieval. Please contact the Special and Area Studies Collections department prior to your visit.