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 18: Speaking Engagements --- 1920-1965

Box 36

Folder 1: Academic freedom in a confessional church, Christian Reformed Ministers' Institute --- June 5-7, 1962
Folder 2: American culture and Christian education, Detroit Alumni --- 1963
Folder 3: Antithesis --- 1954
Folder 4: Art of questioning, questioning generation --- 1925
Folder 5: Bavink's philosophy of revelation --- c. 1920
Folder 6: Being academic, Junior-Senior Banquet --- May-28
Folder 7: Brazen mean (early Calvin period)
Folder 8: Building a philosophy of life, Baptist Youth --- 23-Sep-39
Folder 9: Calvin College and Calvin, Muskegon Alumni --- 1960
Folder 10: Calvinistic and rival perspectives, First Presbyterian Church of Bloomington, outlines --- Indiana; September - December 1945
Folder 11: Calvinist in a changing world, outline and notes --- Apr-39
Folder 12: Calvinism and Democracy and the modern mind, notes of lectures at Calvinistic Congress, Amsterdam --- 1948-1949
Folder 13: Challenge of the modern world and Calvinism, Synod of the Reformed Presbyterian Church, notes --- Jun-45
Folder 14: Challenge of modern world and Calvinism, Ministers' conference
Folder 15: Chapel, club, and commencement talks --- 1924-1930
Folder 16: Chapel, club, and commencement talks --- 1930

Box 37

Folder 1: Christianity and socialism, Chicago Inter Nos --- January 8, 1950
Folder 2: Christianity and socialism, Inter Nos, notes of lecture taken by secretary --- January 1951
Folder 3: Commencement address as reported in the Banner --- June 11, 1948
Folder 4: Common grace, science and education; Ontario Ministers' conference; notes and outline --- 1957
Folder 5: Crisis of our time, additional notes --- 1945
Folder 6: Cultural impact of Calvin College and Seminary --- undated
Folder 7: Different world, youth --- September 1946
Folder 8: Dutch Calvinists, La Grave CRC --- November 1948
Folder 9: Dozen don'ts for wives, radio talk
Folder 10: Dust is all? Memorial Day address --- undated
Folder 11: Duty and opportunity of our teachers to help students develop a distinctive world and life view (early Calvin period)
Folder 12: Ethos and ethics, Knickerbocker Society --- November 20, 1929
Folder 13: Faith and reason, Plato Club Banquet --- 1929
Folder 14: Freedom --- June 16, 1928
Folder 15: Further cause of Christian education outside of our own circles, outline, Men's Alliance
Folder 16: Higher provincialism
Folder 17: Introductory speech (Indiana University period)
Folder 18: Inventory of addresses --- 1923-1934
Folder 19: Is war wrong? chapel, Armistice Day --- 1929
Folder 20: Man John Calvin, Englewood --- January 1926
Folder 21: A man's job, Hull Academy --- June 1928
Folder 22: Modern Christianity and modern philosophy, notes for address
Folder 23: Modern Man --- 1931
Folder 24: Modern man and the faith of the fathers, Whitinsville --- February 1939
Folder 25: Modern secular mind, notes on address in Pasadena
Folder 26: Modern theology and faith of our fathers, outline
Folder 27: More stately mansions --- undated
Folder 28: My Christian beliefs, First Presbyterian Church
Folder 29: New religious education, outline
Folder 30: On I Corinthians, a response --- 1953
Folder 31: Our Christian schools, outline
Folder 32: Our distinctive world and life view and education, National Union of Christian Schools --- Aug-24
Folder 33: Our questioning generation, outline and notes --- November 1926

Box 38

Folder 1: Participating in kingdom activity, Pine Rest Annual --- September 25, 1941

Folder 2: Personal defense of teaching --- January 28, 1928

Folder 3

Item 1: Philosophy of Christian Education, Princeton Club --- 1948
Item 2: Christian Teachers Club --- 1957

Folder 4: The possibilities of idealism as a method for Christian philosophy, Wheaton --- November 22, 1957

Folder 5: Principles governing modern education, outline; Oakdale Parent Teacher Association --- Jun-24

Folder 6: Quest from certainty, outline of commencement address given at Holland, Michigan; Hull, North Dakota; and Corsica, South Dakota Christian high schools --- 1930

Folder 7: Reality and personality of God, Eastern Ministers Conference, typed --- April 1939

Folder 8: Reason for rationality, copy of typed address (late Calvin period)

Folder 9: Reformation and the modern mind, outline --- 1961

Folder 10: Reformed view in a communistic era, conference CAC --- 1954

Folder 11: Religion and the moderns, Open Forum, notes, brochures, etc. --- 1945-1946

Folder 12: Roots of democracy, Wabash College --- March 25, 1943

Folder 13: Separate schools (early Calvin period)

Folder 14: Sermon on the Mount, Methodist Church, notes --- June 1965

Folder 15: Some problems fundamental in modern philosophy, Interdenominational Conference, outline --- 1927

Folder 16: Standpoint for judging our popular magazines, Federation of Women's Clubs, outline and notes --- March 15, 1925

Folder 17: Teaching a Christian philosophy at Calvin, Detroit alumni --- 1952

Folder 18: Ten Commandments, La Grave CRC, senior high class (early Calvin period)

Folder 19: Testimony to Henry Denkema --- December 6, 1948

Folder 20: Texts but no glue, notes --- November 22, 1949

Folder 21: Three perspectives in Western civilization, Midwestern Christian Teachers Association, notes --- 27-Oct-39

Folder 22: Three perspectives of Occidental civilization --- October 1939

Folder 23: Tragedy of a lost soul, sermon at Central Church of Christ, typed --- November 12, 1933

Folder 24: Trends of religious education in America, two outlines and notes

Folder 25: Twofold temptation confronting the Christian academic community Ministers' Institute --- 1962, typed

Folder 26: The value of education and other addresses on education, outlines --- 1924

Folder 27: Various kinds of folly (early Calvin period)

Folder 28: The virtue and worth of our Christian schools, drive for Grand Rapids Christian High --- 1940

Folder 29: Vrijheid, Orange City, Iowa, notes and outline --- July 4, 1928

Folder 30: What is the good? Central Reformed Church, notes --- 1931

Folder 31: What is wrong with the doctors? Notes --- 1933

Folder 32: What ought we to mean by distinctive Christian education? Michigan Christian Teachers Institute (MCTI), handwritten and typed --- Oct-23

Folder 33: What shall we think of man? --- April 22, 1924

Folder 34: World, La Grave CRC luncheon, notes --- November 1957

Folder 35: Worth and dignity of man, Law Day (Grand Valley period) --- 1965

Folder 36: Worth of a vocation, MCTI --- October 1930

Folder 37: Year of decision; one faith or two, address by E. Runner, notes --- November 1956

Folder 38: Youth Building for Tomorrow --- November 13, 1935