Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Access Restrictions

Collection is open to research.

Preferred Citation

Samuel C. Mitchell collection, Accession #84/Mar/10, Special Collections and Archives, Health Sciences Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated by Dr. Benjamin Sheppard.

Biographical / Historical

Samuel Chiles Mitchell was born in Coffeeville, MS on 24 December 1864. A noted educator, Mitchell receives M.A. from Georgetown (TN) College in 1888. From 1889-1891, Mitchell teaches history and Greek at Mississippi College, then returns to his alma mater in 1892 to teach Latin. He earns his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in 1899.

Mitchell will become first associated with Richmond, VA after 1895 where he taught History at the University of Richmond. Mitchell becomes President of the University of South Carolina in 1908, but in 1913 he was asked to return to Virginia

The Medical College of Virginia and the University College of Medicine were two rival institutions ever since 1893, when faculty split from MCV, forming their own medical school. This rift had been widened due to several incidents, like a fire that destroyed the main UCM building, and graffiti vandalism. After several months of talks the two college presidents, Dr. George Ben Johnston and Dr. Stuart McGuire, decided to merge the two schools. Mitchell was asked to become the first president of the newly integrated Medical College of Virginia. While only in office a short time, Mitchell presidency was able to guide MCV back to prominence. Mitchell then leaves to become President of what is now the University of Delaware in 1914.

Mitchell would return to Richmond in 1920 to resume teaching History at the University of Richmond, a position he would keep until his retirement in 1945. He died 20 August, 1948.

Scope and Contents

The Collection contains newspaper clippings from Richmond, Virginia area newspapers from 1911 to 1913. It chronicles the rivalry between the schools, Mitchell's appointment as President and the early integration efforts. The Collection is limited to only what was in the newspapers during these years and is not a complete representation of Mitchell's career.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in chrological order.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• College presidents -- Archives. -- Virginia -- Richmond
• Medical College of Virginia -- History
• Medical colleges -- history. -- Virginia -- Richmond
• Mitchell, Samuel Chiles, 1864-1948