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Preferred Citation:  Lee, Emily.  Papers.  SC# 5007, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Descriptive Summary.
     Physical Characteristics: Consists of one and 3/4s Hollinger boxes.
     Abstract: The collection includes James Madison University related correspondence, newsclippings, photographs, scrapbooks, interview, and reunion booklets.

Scope and Content:  This collection documents Emily Lee’s work with James Madison University’s Alumni Association and the Board of Visitors.  Much of her correspondence includes letters to her fellow alumnae from the class of 1943.  Her awards, appointments and accompanying news clippings are included as are booklets compiled for alumni reunion weekends and homecomings.  Of special interest is the history of the university’s processional mace, a gift of the Class of 1943, presented to the University on Founder’s Day, 1979.  Of more recent interest are a 2001 interview with journalist Nancy Bondurant Jones and two subsequent articles on World War II and plans for an Alumni Center Terrace to honor JMU's contribution to it.

Series 1, Correspondence, 1953- (1973-1983)-2001 and undated, contains letters mainly regarding reunion planning, plus Lee's annual “Lee News” bulletins for 1981, 1983-1991, with similar reports in 1997, 1999 and 2001.

Series 2, Scrapbooks and Guestbooks, contains two large scrapbooks largely of color photographs compiled either for or after the 35^th, 40^th and 45^th Reunions of the Class of ’43.  The first of these has a small selection of black & white photographs from the 1940s.  The three smaller guestbooks contain signatures from alumni receptions and luncheons dating from 1956-1989.  The first of these books belonged to the Madison Alumni Richmond Chapter, and the other two are most likely from on-campus alumni events.

Series 3, Ephemera, contains a clipping about Mrs. Lee from the “Alumni Bulletin” Vol. 2, No. 1; the “Home Economics Alumni Newletter,” No. 17, December 1981 with front page coverage of Mrs. Lee receiving an alumni service award; reunion booklets from the 1978 and 1979; and an undated alumni publication, “From Blue Stone Hill to You,” among other programs and flyers. Included here are an interview with Nancy B. Jones (March 15, 2001), and Jones' article in the Harrisonburg Daily News Record on April 17 and in the JMU Alumni magazine Montpelier in Summer, 2001. 

Series 4, University Mace, concerns the university’s processional mace and includes a letter from the artist, Prof. Ron Wyancko, newsclippings, fundraising for the Mace Fund, and notes on the Founder’s Day processional 1978-1979.

Series 5, Photographs, contains a 5x7” b&w print of Emily Lee presenting the mace to President Carrier in 1979, an 8x10” of her reunion group ca. 1983 and  four snap shots of awards and reunion banquets from the early 1980s.

Biographical/Historical:  Emily Lewis Lee (Mrs. Luther Lee) was a 1943 Home Economics graduate.  She was appointed to serve on Madison College’s Board of Visitors in 1980-1983 where she chaired the Education and Student Life Committee and the Alumni Relations Committee.  She also served as Secretary for the Alumni Association’s Board of Directors receiving the “Distinguished Alumni Service Award” in 1981.  Mrs. Lee was her class’ “fund agent” in the late 1970s and is largely responsible for procuring funding for the University’s processional mace.

Organization:

Series 1:  Correspondence 1953-2001, undated.
Series 2:  2 Scrapbooks and 3 Guest books, 1956, 1974-1989.
Series 3:  Ephemera 1956, 1978-1983.
Series 4:  University Mace 1978-1979.
Series 5:  Photographs.

Contents:

Box 1, Series 1: Correspondence.
Folder 1:  1953, 1973-2001

Box 1, Series 2:  Scrapbooks and Guestbooks.
Folder 2:  Scrapbook 1, 1942-1986.
Folder 3:  Scrapbook 2, 1980-1989.
Guestbook 1 (1956-1979) and 2 (1977-1989).

Box 2, Series 2, Guestbook, con't.
Guestbook 3 (1974-1979).

Box 2, Series 3: Ephemera.
Folder 1:  Ephemera 1956, 1973-1988, 2001, undated.

Box 2, Series 4: University Mace.
Folder 2:  1978-1979.

Box 2, Series 5: Photographs.
Folder 3:  1979-1983.

Acquisition Information:  Received from Alumni Relations May, 2003.