Collection Overview
Title: John P. Van Haitsma Collection, 1913-1961
ID: COLL/293
Creator: Van Haitsma, John P. (1884-1965)
Extent: 2.75 Cubic Feet. More info below.
Arrangement: Folder level description
Abstract
Professor of biology at Calvin College. The collection includes class lecture notes; correspondence; book reviews; chapel talks; pamphlets; subject files; genealogical information; and notes detailing the history of Oakdale Park Christian Reformed Church at Grand Rapids, Michigan. [See also the Campus Titles Database.]
Biographical Note
John Peter Van Haitsma was born in Zutphen, Michigan on April 1, 1884. Haitsma attended the University of Michigan where he studied organic science, botany, and zoology. He received both his Bachelor's and Master's from the University of Michigan. In 1909 Van Haitsma accepted a faculty position in Calvin College's science department. He eventually became head of the college's organic science department. During this time, he also furthered his own education. He attended the University of Michigan and the University of Chicago. He ultimately earned his Ph.D. and during his research in parasitology, he discovered two new species of fish parasites.
As a professor of biology, Van Haitsma also taught the subject with a Christian point of view. He was also involved with student life as a sponsor of the student biology club, the Phytozoon Society. Van Haitsma also published a book, The Supplanter Undeceived, 1942 and during his retirement he wrote articles in the Banner.
On April 6, 1965 Professor John Peter Van Haitsma passed away due to a brief illness. His wife of 51 happy years of marriage, Kate Kuizema preceded him in death. They were survived by their daughter, Janice; son-in-law, Jacob Aldrink; and three grandchildren.
Administrative Information
Alternate Extent Statement:
6 Boxes
Related Materials:
See: Peter Hoekstra, Coll 109, Box 3
[LP Record, side one]: “Farewell Chapel Talk,” by Peter Hoekstra, May 10, 1954 [HHLP0002]
[LP Record, side two]: “Farewell Chapel Talk,” by J.P. Van Haitsma, May 7, 1954 [HHLP0002]
Box and Folder Listing
- Series 1: Personal items, Correspondence, Chapel talks and prayers
- Box 1
- Folder 1: Personal items: Academic records; brief biography of Calvin tenure; Book review of his book; a Child's Story Book; household records
- Folder 2: Personal items: Family history
- Folder 3: Personal items: a Dutch devotional book
- Folder 4: Personal items: 2 journals of household expenditures, 1898-99
- Folder 5: Correspondence: A-B --- 1924-52
- Folder 6: Correspondence: C-F --- 1931-52
- Folder 7: Correspondence: G-K --- 1931-61
- Folder 8: Correspondence: with Ed Y. Monsma --- 1927
- Folder 9: Correspondence: M (including U of M) --- 1919-54
- Folder 10: Correspondence: N-S --- 1921-55
- Folder 11: Correspondence: U-W --- 1913-51
- Folder 12: Correspondence --- undated
- Folder 13: Correspondence: Calvin College --- 1919-55
- Folder 14: Chapel talks --- undated
- Folder 15: Chapel prayers --- undated
- Series 2: Teaching Materials
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Analytic geometry notebook
- Folder 2: Anatomy and Physiology lab exercises
- Folder 3: Anatomy Course outline
- Folder 4: Bacteriology 304 notes
- Folder 5: Book reviews
- Folder 6: Botany notes
- Folder 7: (Elementary) Botany notes
- Folder 8: The Cat (M. Klesner)
- Folder 9: The Cat (K. Seidel)
- Folder 10: Chemistry notebook
- Folder 11: Class-record books
- Folder 12: Contributions of some Calvin students to conservation
- Folder 13: Embryology notebook
- Folder 14: Embryology questions
- Folder 15: Lab drawings
- Series 3: Teaching Materials Concluded; Writings
- Box 3
- Folder 1: Lab exercises
- Folder 2: Latin notebook
- Folder 3: Math notebook
- Folder 4: Medical notebook
- Folder 5: Nutrition course outline
- Folder 6: Test questions
- Folder 7: A: Amphibia of Michigan; Arthritis notes
- Folder 8: B: Bears; Bible Plant Difficulty; Biblical Vine, the; Biological Approach to Human Kindness, A; Black Death: its Mystery; Book of Nature outline
- Folder 9: C: Carebs, Swine, and a Spendthrift; Charles Bormet and the Performation Theory; Cedars of Lebanon; Chief of the Ways of God; Cleavage of the Ovum; Convictions and Experiments; Crassophilia Bulboglosa Abstract) --- 1925
- Folder 10: D: Degeneration of Organisms; Degeneration of Plants; Design in nature; Development of Natural Science at Calvin College; Divinelyplanned social industries
- Folder 11: E: Evolution; Three Kinds of Evidence for Evolution
- Folder 12: F: Fish of Michigan; Fungi notes
- Box 4
- Folder 1: G: Germ notes
- Folder 2: H: Hippos and Lions; Horse intelligence; Horse Sense Speaks; How Hans became so Clever
- Folder 3: I: Influence of Corn Starch on Roughage Digestion
- Folder 4: J: Jacob's Lesson on Heredity
- Folder 5: K: Kindergarten and Health; King of the Birds
- Folder 6: L: Linen teaches Creation and Resurrection
- Folder 7: M:antia Cultures; Messengers of Peace; Methods by which a parasite may injure its Host; Moths corrupt Treasures --- March
- Folder 8: N: Nature and Scripture Club; Nitrogen nutrition of Green Plants; Notes on Bittersweet Culture (Holly); Nutrition problems of Geriatric medicine
- Folder 9: O: Origin of Living beings; Origin and nature of the Living Organism; Our Potato bug
- Folder 10: P: Paleontological Arguments; Pathogenesis of Polio-myolitis; Peptic Ulcer Control; Physiological Principles; Plant growth; Prophetic mind in Plants and Animals
- Folder 11: R: Respiration
- Folder 12: S: School Garden of the Adolescent Boy's Summer Vacation; 2 on: Some effects of sin in nature; The Smoke; Spermatogenesis in the Mouse
- Folder 13: T: Texts on Caring for the Body; Theory of Immunity; Triumphant Palms and Righteous People; Twisting Water Monster, A
- Folder 14: V: Value of Public Libraries, the; Vitamins
- Folder 15: Z: Zoology Guide
- Folder 16: Speech: Address at the Erection of the Science bldg. (Franklin campus); Farewell Speech
- Folder 17: Speech: Talks to the Phytozoon (Student) Club
- Folder 18: Speech: Talks on Christian Education
- Folder 19: Speech: Talks on the "Brotherhood"; God's Natural Revelation --- undated
- Series 4: Miscellaneous Material
- Box 5
- Folder 1: Iowa's request for a Summer Session Branch College
- Folder 2: Report of the "Committee of Ten" --- 1939
- Folder 3: Journal: Information on Biological problems (gathered from various sources)
- Folder 4: Journal: Symptoms of various diseases (gathered from several sources)
- Folder 5: Journal: Symptoms of diseases in animals
- Folder 6: Envelope of news-clippings of popular science topics
- Folder 7: Envelope of Class slides
- Folder 8: History of Oakdale Park CRC, including an abstract of its organization
- Folder 9: Geshiedenis Van Nederland, an outline (900-1891) (hand written in a small notebook
- Folder 10: Document (in Dutch) on the Governance of Calvin College
- Series 5: Personal Academic Items
- Box 6
- Folder 1: Pamphlets
- Folder 2
- Item 1: Manuscript and materials re: J.V.H.'s PhD thesis: "The Life History of Diplostomum Flexicauda". Includes several published abstracts --- 1929
- Item 2: Manuscript of a book: Principles of the Book of Nature --- undated