Collection inventory

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M. Eunice Hilton Papers

An inventory of her papers at the Syracuse University Archives

Finding aid created by: Amanda Galvin
Date: 2006

Revision history:

Biography

M. Eunice Hilton (1899-1975) was a Syracuse University administrator who directed and designed innovative programs that helped empower many women students and brought the University greater national recognition.

Born in Lincoln, Nebraska on November 19, 1899, Martha Eunice Hilton worked as an educator in her home state for years before moving to Syracuse to continue her own education. After earning her Bachelor of Arts in education from the University of Nebraska in 1922, she began teaching in Nebraska high schools. While teaching English and other subjects at multiple grade levels, she was also particularly interested in developing her students’ extracurricular interests. Her leadership in guiding student activities, such as drama and journalism, spoke to her professional belief that an educator should strive to help students grow as people, not just expand their base of knowledge.

After teaching high school for over three years, Hilton returned to the University of Nebraska in 1926 to complete her Master of Arts degree. She then found a new job in education, this time with a junior college in Nebraska. It was there that, in addition to her teaching and extracurricular duties, she also took on an administrative role as Dean of Women. She would soon receive an opportunity to build on that experience from Syracuse University, where new developments were taking place in the office of the Dean of Women.

In 1931, Eugenie Leonard, Syracuse University’s Dean of Women, was implementing new academic and administrative practices that built upon the work of her predecessor, Iva Peters. Leonard saw an opportunity to improve the quality of life for the undergraduate women living in campus housing while also offering certain women graduate students practical experience in student personnel work. In what would be known as the Student Dean Program, select women graduate students served as residential advisors to the women undergraduates living on campus while also studying a newly designed academic program in student personnel work. These graduate students, known as student deans, would not only enforce the rules of the house, they were also meant to provide guidance to the undergraduates in both professional and personal matters.

When Hilton accepted the offer of an assistantship in the office of the Dean of Women at Syracuse University in 1931, she became one of 12 women who comprised the University’s first group of student deans. Considerably more experienced and educated than her fellow student deans, Hilton sought her Ph.D. at Syracuse while also quickly making an impression on administration through her work as a student dean. The following year, she was offered the positions of assistant dean of women in charge of housing and associate professor of personnel administration. In 1934, she became the first woman to earn a Ph.D. in education at Syracuse University’s Teachers’ College. With Leonard’s encouragement, Hilton continued to work at Syracuse University after earning her degree, and she was soon asked to be the acting Dean of Women and the director of the Student Dean Program when Leonard went on leave in 1935. When Leonard did not return to the University by 1936, Hilton was quickly offered the permanent dean position.

In her new roles at Syracuse University, Hilton swiftly implemented her plans to expand the influence of the office of the Dean of Women and, more noticeably, improve upon the early successes of the Student Dean Program. Through the introduction of new academic courses, a strict code of professional conduct, and a progressive guiding philosophy of education, the Student Dean Program under Hilton brought Syracuse University a level of national recognition that it had not previously achieved. Along with Syracuse University at large, the School of Education, in particular, was quickly gaining a reputation as an innovative school that would provide women with unique opportunities for professional development. During its run, the Student Dean Program attracted students from all 50 US states and other countries. Graduates of the program went on to hold a wide variety of positions in education administration, and being known as one of the “Hilton Elite” was said to impress potential employers across the country.

With the Student Dean Program flourishing, Hilton continued to find new ways to bring influential new programs to Syracuse University. In 1943, she drew upon her extensive knowledge of women in history to help develop a course related to the subject. Working primarily with Maxwell School professor Marguerite Fisher, who would teach most sessions of the course, Hilton and colleagues developed a sociology course called “The Status of Women and their Responsibilities.” The course covered the historically evolving roles of women in political, social, and economic spheres within the United States and in countries with other forms of government. At the time, very few universities in the United States offered anything comparable. This course established the groundwork for what would become a new Syracuse University program in women’s studies.

In 1949, Hilton decided to take on a new role at Syracuse University, stepping down from her long-held position of Dean of Women to become the Dean of the College of Home Economics. As she often emphatically stated, Home Economics by this time had evolved from a training course for home makers to a specialized program of professional study that positioned graduates for jobs in various fields. Despite Hilton’s influence, the college proved to be a hard sell in a rapidly evolving time period. Interest in the College of Home Economics slowly waned throughout the 1950s, with enrollment at the end of the decade being about half of what it was at the beginning.

By 1959, after nearly 30 years of bringing change to Syracuse University, Hilton was ready to bring some change to her own life. She married her long-time friend John Thomas Freeland and moved to Denver, Colorado, where she worked at the University of Denver as a professor of education for several years. In her time there, she also directed an honors program, an internship program, and a graduate studies program in student personnel work, the last of which was also her creation.

Hilton retired from the University of Denver in 1966, though she continued to publish, lecture, and work with various professional and political groups. Throughout her life, she received numerous awards and honors for her countless contributions, from state governments, national organizations, and, of course, the schools and universities at which she worked. One such honor came from Syracuse University who, in 1968, presented her with an honorary degree that proclaimed she had contributed more to student personnel administration than anyone else in her time.

M. Eunice Hilton died from illness on October 18, 1975. Her influence at Syracuse University continues to be celebrated, long after things like the University’s Student Dean Program had evolved beyond recognition. In 1992, those appreciative of the professional and personal influence she had on the lives of countless young women established the Hilton Scholarship Fund. The memorial scholarship, awarded for 17 years, was granted to one woman graduate student each year. Hilton Scholars concentrated their studies in student affairs and demonstrated exceptional academic talent as well as a strong commitment to fostering student support, much as Hilton herself did throughout her career.

Scope and Content Note

The M. Eunice Hilton Papers contains materials dating from 1926 to 1970, which has been divided into seven series.

While most series in the collection contain Hilton's professional work, the Personal Materials series includes some materials that were closer to her personal life. These include photographs, scrapbooks and correspondence from new places she visited, cards and notes received from well-wishers, newspaper clippings, and poetry, among other materials. Also included here are lyrics written by "Hilton's Chorus," who were student deans who wrote lyrics to the tunes of popular songs, often playfully lamenting the high standards enforced by Hilton.

The Speeches series collects her speeches and related notes from 1926 to 1970. She often spoke on women in higher education, as well as other topics related to politics, society, history, and education.

The articles and journals found in the Writings series feature her written works and editorial contributions from 1930 to 1968. In addition to numerous articles, this series also includes multiple issues of Guide to Guidance, a yearly publication released by a committee of Student Deans of which she oversaw the production for several years, and a book she wrote titled Builders of Syracuse.

The Programs series contains event programs from 1930 to 1970. These events range from small ceremonies in Nebraska schools to national honorary events and conventions.

The letters found in the Correspondence series date from 1926 to 1970. Spanning five boxes, these exchanges make up a large portion of the collection.

The Business and Professional Women's Clubs series includes correspondence, minutes, research committee notes, and writings related to her involvement with the advocacy organization.

Hilton's many classroom materials can be found in the Class and Lecture Notes series, which collects materials from 1926 to 1970.

The Reports series includes reports on different education and administrative programs dating from 1948 to 1966.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions:

Please note that the collection is housed off-site, and advance notice is required to allow time to have the materials brought to the Reading Room on campus.

Use Restrictions:

Written permission must be obtained from University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries and all relevant rights holders before publishing quotations, excerpts or images from any materials in this collection.

Related Material

The Archives holds clipping and portrait files on Eunice Hilton.

A finding aid for the records of the Student Dean Program are online, and the Archives also holds a clipping file on the program.

Selected Search Terms

Names

Hilton, M. Eunice.
Syracuse University -- History.
Syracuse University.

Subjects

Education--Administration.
Women deans (Education)
Women--Education.
College teachers.
Higher education.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Preferred citation for this material is as follows:

M. Eunice Hilton Papers,
University Archives,
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Libraries

Acquisition Information

The M. Eunice Hilton Papers were donated by Eunice Hilton between 1967 and 1971. The silver vase was transferred from the Chancellor's Office to the Syracuse University Archives in 2016.

Processing Information

Materials were placed in acid-free boxes and folders.

Table of Contents

Personal Materials

Speeches

Writings

Programs

Correspondence

Business and Professional Women's Clubs

Class and Lecture Notes

Reports

Inventory