William Harry Jellema Collection, 1868-1982 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library

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Collection Overview

Title: William Harry Jellema Collection, 1868-1982

ID: COLL/135

Primary Creator: William Harry Jellema (1893-1982)

Extent: 63.0 Boxes

Arrangement: Folder level description

Abstract

Philosophy professor at Calvin College and at Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, Michigan. This extensive collection includes lectures; articles; pamphlets; reports; correspondence; a study entitled “The Curriculum in a Liberal Arts College”; an interview detailing memories of the Christian Reformed Church, its ministers, and the Dutch community; gown, cap, and two hoods; family correspondence and genealogy materials; compact discs; and sound recordings. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]

Biographical Note

William Harry Jellema was born in Chicago, Illinois on March 10, 1893. Jellema attended Calvin College and graduated in 1914. He went on to earn his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan. In 1920, Jellema returned to Calvin, not as a student, but as a professor of philosophy. Jellema served Calvin until 1936 when he accepted a faculty position at Indiana University. While at Indiana University, Jellema served as head of the university’s philosophy department until 1947. Jellema returned once again to Calvin College to teach philosophy, and did so until his “first” retirement in 1963.

A former student of Jellema, Alvin Plantinga once said, “By far, he was the greatest teacher of philosophy I’ve ever encountered and probably the greatest teacher of anything I’ve ever encountered.” Inspired by Jellema, Plantinga also became a philosophy professor at Calvin.

Although “retired,” Jellema accepted an offer from Grand Valley State Colleges to set up the new state school’s philosophy department. Jellema served GVSC until his official retirement in 1975. At the age of 89, the philosophy professor of fifty-five years, William Harry Jellema, passed away at Butterworth Hospital on May 16, 1982. His wife, Frances, preceded him in death, but five of his children survived him: Dirk, Jon, Gay, Mary, and Trudy.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Biographical Material, 1910-1980],
[Series 2: Preparatory Years, University of Michigan, 1914-1922],
[Series 3: Early Calvin College Period, 1920-1948],
[Series 4: Indiana University Period, 1937-1953],
[Series 5: The Harvard University Semester, 1938-1939],
[Series 6: Late Calvin College Period, 1948-1963],
[Series 7: Hope College, 1944; Fuller Seminary, 1954-1958],
[Series 8: Haverford College Experience, 1960-1962],
[Series 9: Grand Valley State College Period, 1963-1974],
[Series 10: Philosophy Department, Calvin College, 1928-1959],
[Series 11: Philosophy Department, Calvin College, 1928-1959],
[Series 12: Philosophy Department, Indiana University, 1936-1966],
[Series 13: Bibliographies, 1938-1949],
[Series 14: Correspondence, 1920-1975],
[Series 15: Notes re: Various Subjects, 1923-1974],
[Series 16: Papers, 1917-1962],
[Series 17: Published Articles, 1921-1967],
[Series 18: Speaking Engagements, 1920-1965],
[Series 19: Special Reports, 1926-1969],
[Series 20: Calvin Foundation Activities; Junior College Studies, 1949-1959],
[Series 21: Grand Rapids Christian High Board; Christian Labor Association (CLA) Contacts, 1932-1963],
[Series 22: Resource Material: Abstracts and Articles Reprinted],
[Series 23: Resource Material: Educational Bulletins, Curriculum],
[Series 24: Resource Material: Brochures],
[Series 25: Publications],
[Series 26: Publications, Bound Copies],
[Series 27: Books with Notations],
[Series 28: Resource Material, Brochures, Reprints],
[Series 29: Books, Brochures, Reprints: A - E],
[Series 30: Books, Brochures: E - W],
[Series 31: Published Articles; Resource Material],
[Series 32: Grand Valley State College, Philosophy Department Material, 1967-1969],
[Series 33: Grand Valley State College, Philosophy 101, 1963-1977],
[Series 34: Grand Valley State College, Preliminary Drafts of the Blue Book, 1970-1977],
[Series 35: Grand Valley State College Blue Books, 1967-1973],
[Series 36: Grand Valley State College, Lectures on Ethics],
[Series 37: Artifacts],
[Series 38: Family Correspondence and Genealogy, 1868-1982],
[All]

Series 13: Bibliographies --- 1938-1949

Box 25

Folder 1: American philosophers (early Calvin College period)
Folder 2: Apologetics (late Calvin College period)
Folder 3: Aristotle
Folder 4: Augustine (Indiana University period)
Folder 5: Bible (Indiana University period)
Folder 6: Book listings, Philosophy Department (early Calvin College period)
Folder 7: Books catalogued since January 1949
Folder 8: Calvin and Calvinism (late Calvin College period)
Folder 9: Conference of Allied Minister of Education, books and periodicals since 1939
Folder 10: Correspondence on book lists --- 1938-1948
Folder 11: Ethics (Indiana University period)
Folder 12: German (early Calvin College period)
Folder 13: Gilson, Etienne
Folder 14: Hegel (Indiana University period)
Folder 15: History of the Christian Church (Indiana University period)
Folder 16: History of religion (early Calvin College period)
Folder 17: Jewish religion (Indiana University period)
Folder 18: Liberal education (Indiana University period)
Folder 19: Logic (Indiana University period)
Folder 20: Philosophy Department, general listings
Folder 21: Plato (Indiana University period) 323, religion (early Calvin College period)
Folder 22: Religious books list --- 1946
Folder 23: Student lists for philosophy classes
Folder 24: Theology (Indiana University period)
Folder 25: Thought of the 19th century, general bibliography

Box 26

Folder 1: Book analyses, notes on books, bound notebook --- 1927
Folder 2: Calvin, Jean. Some presuppositions of Calvin's Institutes
Folder 3: Communism, brief notes on books on communism
Folder 4: Cooley. Life and the student, book notes --- 1927
Folder 5: Du Nouy, Pierre Lecomte. Wij en onze bestemming, reprint of book review in Geloof en Wetenschap and other books
Folder 6: Drake, Durant. Invitation to Philosophy, notes --- 1953
Folder 7: Drews, Arthur C. H. Die deutsche Spekulation seit Kant, book notes --- 1929
Folder 8: Fuller. History of Philosophy, outlined --- 1949
Folder 9: Hibben, John Grier. Problems of Philosophy, outlined --- 1921
Folder 10: Hocking, E. Thoughts on death and life, reflections --- 1937
Folder 11: Hoeksema, T. Geschiedenis der Philosophie, book review on religion and culture --- 1927
Folder 12: Kromminga, D. Pagan preparation for the Gospel, book evaluation
Folder 13: Kroner, Richard. Kant's Weltanschauung? various notes
Folder 14: Kuijper, F., Geloof en Wereldbeeld een Cultuur, extensive notes --- 1957
Folder 15: Lassoon, Georg. George Wilhelm, Friedrich Hegel, notes --- 1920
Folder 16: Magoun, H. W. Some Minor Biblical Problems Scientifically Considered, summary of theses of the book
Folder 17: Niehbuhr, Richard. Christ and Culture, outlined
Folder 18: Quotes from books and articles
Folder 19: Randall, J. K. Making of the Modern Mind, outlined
Folder 20: Swets, W. Fifty years of music at Calvin College, evaluation of manuscript
Folder 21: Ueberweg, Friedrich. Die Deutsche Philosophie des XIX Jahrhunderts und der gegenwart, notes
Folder 22: Urban, W. M. The Intelligible World, critical analysis --- 1936
Folder 23: Wild, John. Plato's theory of man, book review by J. De Boer
Folder 24: Word study: Baconian method to problem, definitions
Folder 25: Word study: problematic to Zwingli, definitions