Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use

The copyright status of this collection is unknown. Copyright restrictions may apply. Contact Special Collections and University Archives for assistance in determining the use of these materials.

Reproduction or digitization of materials for personal or research use can be requested using our reproduction/digitization form: http://bit.ly/scuareproduction . Reproduction or digitization of materials for publication or exhibit use can be requested using our publication/exhibition form: http://bit.ly/scuapublication . Please contact Special Collections and University Archives (specref@vt.edu or 540-231-6308) if you need assistance with forms or to submit a completed form.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: [identification of item], [box], [folder], Albert L. Sturm Papers, Ms1988-019, Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.

Source of Acquisition

The Albert L. Sturm Papers were donated to Special Collections and University Archives in 1988.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and descripiton of the Albert L. Sturm Papers commenced in March 2020 and was completed in March 2021.

Biographical Note

Albert Lee Sturm Jr., son of Albert L. and Pearl Agnes Wingate Sturm, was born in Appalachia (Wise County), Virginia on August 5, 1911. After graduating from Hampden-Sydney College, he earned master's and doctoral degrees in political science from Duke University, the latter in 1942. Sturm married Virginia Frye Butts in 1941. He served as an officer in the U. S. Naval Reserve during World War II and was wounded during his service.

Sturm served as instructor in political science at the University of Michigan (1941-1942); instructor in political science, naval history, and seasmanship at the U. S. Naval Academy (1942-1943); and associate professor and professor of political science at West Virginia University (1946-1962). During these years, Sturm also held visiting professorships at Duke University (1946 and 1961), Penn State (1949), University of Michigan (1952-1953 and 1962), University of Ankara-Turkey (1957-1959) and University of Nebraska (1968). In 1962, Sturm became director of the Institute of Governmental Research and professor of political science at Florida State University, a position that he held until being named university research professor of political science at Virginia Tech. In addition to classroom instruction, Sturm remained active in academic administration and in 1977 served as director of Virginia Tech's institutional self-study. Sturm maintained research interests in the American presidency and became an expert on the history and development of state constitutions and constitutional revision. He often consulted with individual states on constitutional revision and published several books and numerous articles on the subject.

Albert Sturm retired from Virginia Tech in 1979, when he became professor emeritus at Virginia Tech's Center for Public Administration and Policy. He died in Loudoun County, Virginia, on March 21, 1988.

Scope and Content

This collection contains the papers of Albert Lee Sturm Jr., professor emeritus of political science and the Center for Public Administration and Policy at Virginia Tech; expert on state constitutional development and revision; and director of the 1977 Virginia Tech self-study. The papers include correspondence, reports, printed materials, copies of legislation and court documents. (Sturm's original file titles have, for the most part, been retained, though a few have been altered for the sake of consistency and clarification.)

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in six series:

Series I. Academic Instruction, 1940-1979. This series contains papers relating to courses taught by Sturm and others and includes background materials, outlines, and exam questions. The series spans Sturm's academic career, and papers from multiple institutions may be found in a single file. The series is arranged alphabetically by topic/class name.

Series II. Academic Administration and Consultation, 1952-1988. This series includes materials relating to Sturm's academic activities outside the classroom. The series is divided into two subseries. Subseries A, Academic Administration, includes papers relating to university and departmental issues and personnel. The subseries contains a signficant amount of material on Virginia Tech's 1977 self-study, of which Sturm served as director. The subseries is arranged by institution (with files relating to Virginia Tech preceding those relating to other universities), then alphabetically. Subseries B, Academic Consulting, includes materials relating to Sturm's consultations with other universities, paricularly in Mississippi. The subseries is arranged alphabetically.

Series III. Organizations and Conferences, 1904-1987. Sturm's membership and participation in various organizations and conferences, largely devoted to political science, are documented in this series. The series includes several files relating to Phi Beta Kappa national honor society. The series is arranged alphabetically by name of organization/event.

Series IV. Writings, 1938-1987. This series includes files devoted to Sturm's many publications and public addresses. While some of the files include copies of these writings, many contain only preparatory research materials and correspondence. The series is arranged alphabetically by name of publication/address, with a few general files, relating to multiple articles/addresses, are found at the end of the series.

Series V. Subject Files, 1959-1987. This series, devoted to Sturm's many political science research projects, includes correspondence, printed materials, reports, and studies. Subseries A, Constitutional Commissions and Conventions, contains materials gathered by Sturm in keeping abreast of constitutional revision in the various states, particularly during the 1960s and 1970s. The subseries is arranged alphabetically, with U. S. territories found at the end ofo the subseries. Subseries B, Subject Files, is a more general grouping of files relating to Sturm's research activities in both state and federal political history and constitutional revision. The subseries is arranged alphabetically by subject name.

Series VI. Personal Papers, 1938-1987. A small group of personal papers completes the collection and includes biographical materials and planning calendars. Also included are files relating to Sturm's personal financial investments. Among these are papers relating to Sturm's investment in Adventurland Video of Blacksburg. The series is arranged by subject matter.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Constitutions -- United States
• Constitutions -- United States -- States
• Faculty and staff
• Political science
• University History
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute (1944-1970)
• Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (1970-)

Rights Statement for Archival Description

The guide to the Albert L. Sturm Papers by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 ( https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/ ).