Summary
Overview
Roy Heath Class of 1954 Advisee Project Interviews
1950-1979 (mostly 1950-1954)
8.31 linear feet, 19 boxes
Abstract
Roy Heath was a member of the Princeton University class of 1939. He later served on the faculty as professor of psychology and was appointed director of a sweeping study of undergraduate education at Princeton, the results of which were published in The Reasonable Adventurer (1964). The collection comprises materials related to a study that Heath, a clinical psychologist, conducted on 36 members of the Class of 1954 during their years at Princeton.
Description
Description
The collection comprises materials related to a study that Heath, a clinical psychologist, conducted on 36 members of the Class of 1954 during their years at Princeton. Most of the documents are transcriptions of interviews Heath conducted with the students on a regular basis. The students are coded by number, but Heath provided a list to enable individuals to be identified once the collection is opened in 2035. Heath's work was published in The Reasonable Adventurer (1964), which spawned a follow-up volume comparing the study participants with other members of the class of 1954 as part of the class' 25th reunion activities. Series 1 contains advisee files on each participant, and Series 2 contains materials related to the project such as reports and summarized responses on specific topics, as well as one 25th reunion interview titled "Soundings."
Heath maintained eight folders on each student: three on their freshman year, one on their sophomore year, two on their junior year, and two on their senior year. Exceptions exist when folders are missing, or when students died during the course of the study (as did students number 156 and 181), or dropped out of Princeton (as did students number 103, 249, and 371). The first folder contains information on student grades and extracurricular activities.
Although the bulk of the documents are transcriptions of interviews, there is a variety of other material on the students as well. Because Heath served as their faculty advisor all four years, he kept extensive records of their progress at the university academically, socially, and emotionally. He visited the students' homes and took notes on their family make-up and socio-economic background. A few files contain student personal memorabilia Heath considered of interest, such as drawings, newspaper clippings, and freshman English compositions.
The interviews themselves primarily concern University issues, such as course selection and rooming arrangements. Many of the students discussed deeply personal matters with Heath as well. There are some standard questions Heath asked each student to address at different points, questions relating to their perceptions of ethnic and racial minorities, religion, sexual behavior, women, and the Princeton club system. During November of the academic year 1953-54 Heath gave each student a short test for which they had to produce a drawing and writing sample; he discussed it with them afterwards and the interviews were transcribed.
All the interview sheets have code numbers printed on their upper-right hand corners which correspond to the code numbers of the discs on which the interviews were recorded.
Collection Creator
Biography
Roy Heath was a member of the Princeton University class of 1939. He later served on the faculty as professor of psychology and was appointed director of a sweeping study of undergraduate education at Princeton, the results of which were published in The Reasonable Adventurer (1964). The study entailed Heath acting as the advisor to thirty-six members of the Class of 1954 throughout their undergraduate careers and documenting the social and academic progress of the students through periodic interviews.
Collection History
Acquisition
Series 1 materials were donated by Roy Heath in 1990, accession number AR.1990.018. Series 2 materials were donated by Charles Millard in 2011, accession number AR.2011.140.
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Andrea Schorr in 1990. Finding aid written by Andrea Schorr in 1990.
Access and Use
Access Restrictions
This collection is closed until January 1, 2035, but may be used by scholars who agree to use it for statistical purposes only.
Use Restrictions
Single photocopies may be made for research purposes. Permission to publish material from the collection must be requested from the University Archivist. The Library has no information on the status of literary rights in the collection and researchers are responsible for determining any question of copyright.
Preferred Citation
Roy Heath Class of 1954 Advisee Project Interviews; 1950-1979 (mostly 1950-1954), Princeton University Archives, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Princeton University Library.
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