Hinckley Institute of Politics records

Hinckley Institute of Politics records, 1937-2002

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Hinckley Institute of Politics
Title: Hinckley Institute of Politics records
Dates: 1937-2002 (inclusive)
19372002

1965-2002 (bulk)
19652002
Quantity: 3.50 Linear Feet
Collection Number: Acc0544
Summary: The Hinckley Institue of Politics was established in 1965 as a research agency of the University of Utah to promote political and civic involvement and to engage students in the political process. The first series of this collection contains correspondence, financial reports, minutes, and miscellaneous records pertaining to the Institute's administration, educational programs, internships, and scholarships. The second series of this collection consists of the correspondence of Ted L. Wilson who served as director of the Hinckley Intsitute from 1985 to 2003.
Repository: University of Utah Libraries, University Archives and Records Management
University Archives and Records Management, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
666 Guardsman Way
Salt Lake City, UT
84112
Telephone: 8015818242
david.buhler@utah.edu
Access Restrictions: Materials must be used on-site; advance notice suggested. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Languages: English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

The Hinckley Institute of Politics was established on May 10, 1965 through a bequest by Robert H. Hinckley and the Edward J. Noble Foundation in order to implement Hinckley's conviction that college students should be instilled with respect for politicians and the political process and that they should be involved in practical politics. Robert H. Hinckley's political career included representing Sanpete County in the Utah State Legislature; serving as mayor of Mount Pleasant, Utah; and being Chairman of the Civil Aereonautics Authority, Assistant Secretary of Commerce, and Director of Contract Settlement in the Franklin D. Roosevelt Administration. The Hinckley Institute of Politics fulfilled its mission by engaging students in the political process through courses; political forums; internships on local, national, and international levels; and scholarships.

J.D. Williams served as the first director of the Institute from 1965 until 1975. Williams had a distinguished career as a professor of political science, from 1952 until his retirement in 1992, which included being named University Professor for the academic year 1985-1986. He was a liberal fire-brand in conservative Utah who ran unsuccessfully for the United States Senate in 1968, lost a campaign for the Utah State House of Representatives in 1976, and advocated for the impeachments of both Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan.

The second director of the Institute was R. J. Snow, associate professor of political science, who served simultaneously as the director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics and as Vice President for University Relations From 1975 until he left the latter position in 1984. He formally resigned as director of the Hinckley Institute in 1985.

Ted L. Wilson served as the third director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics from 1985 until 2003. Prior to becoming director, he was appointed as an administrative assistant to Congressman Wayne Owens (D-Utah) in 1973, appointed as the director of the Department of Social Services in Salt Lake County in 1975, and was the mayor of Salt Lake City from 1976 to 1985. He also ran unsuccessfully against Orrin Hatch for United States Senate in 1982. He accepted the position of the director of the Hinckley Institute in 1985. In 1988 he took a leave of absence to run for Governor of Utah, but lost to Norm Bangerter. Ted Wilson retired from the directorship in 2003 and was awarded emeritus status in political science.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The first series of this collection consists of 2.25 linear feet of correspondence, financial reports, intern lists, meeting minutes, newsclippings, newsletters, and pamphlets pertaining to the Hinckley Institute's administration and educational programs. The majority of the material covers the administration of R.J. Snow. Two files of correspondence are from Robert H. Hinckley including correspondence with Ben D. Wood, director of the Bureau of Collegiate Educational Research at Columbia University, who was his longtime friend and colleague. One file of correspondence is from Bae Gardner who acted as the assistant director of the Hinckley Institute from 1976 to 1990. Other records in this series include agendas, minutes, and reports from the Institute's Advisory Board, Board of Directors, and Governing Committee; programs sponsored by the Hinckley Institute such as " Coffee and Politics" and " Books and Banter." The internships and scholarship programs covered by the collection include the Abrelia Clarissa Hinckley Graduate Scholarship, the Brockbank Enrichment Grant, the Robert A. Taft Institute of Government Seminar, the Truman Scholarship, Winter Winterim, and the William H. Lawrence Scholarship.

The second series of this collection consists of 1.25 linear feet of correspondence from Ted L. Wilson covering his years as the director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics. This correspondence documents Wilson's interactions with national, state, and local politicians; colleagues; community organizations, private businesses, former and current students, members of the community, as well as more personal relationships with friends and acquaintences. Highlights of this correspondence include Ted Wilson's unsuccessful campaign for Utah State Governor in 1988, his pursuit of mountaineering, environmental activism, and his interactions with the Clinton Administration.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Preferred Citation

Initial Citation: Hinckley Institute of Politics records, Acc. 544, Box [ ]. University Archives and Records Management. University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott. Salt Lake City, Utah.

Following Citations:Acc. 544

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following two series: Administrative Records and Ted L. Wilson Correspondence. The first series is arranged alphabetically; the second series is arranged chronologically.

Acquisition Information

The bulk of the collection came from Records Center accessions 90-073, 90-419, 91-452, and 93-399. An additional two cubic feet of Ted Wilson's mixed correspondence was picked up from the Hinckley Institute in August 2003 as he was leaving as Director of the Institute.

Separated Materials

Four photographs were taken to photo-archives

Processing Note

Processed by Tad Garland in 2014.

Related Materials

Acc0077: Hinckley Institute of Politics meeting minutes and agendas 1965-1975

Acc0359: Hinckley Institute of Politics records 1965-1980

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Administrative RecordsReturn to Top

Container(s): Series 1

Container(s)	Description	Dates
Box
1	Abrelia Clarissa Hinckley Graduate Scholarship to Coffee and Politics
Folder
1	Abrelia Clarissa Hinckley Graduate Scholarship	1977-1987
2	Advisory Board Meetings	1974-1987
3	Board of Directors Meetings	1965-1985
4-6	Books and Banter	1974-1987
7	Brockbank Enrichment Grant	1979-1980
8-10	Coffee and Politics	1974-1981
2	Coffee and Politics to Correspondence
Folder
1-6	Coffee and Politics	1982-1987
7	Correspondence - Gardner, Bae	1977-1987
3	Correspondence to Intern Lists
Folder
1	Correspondence - Hinckley, Robert H.	1965-1978
2-3	Correspondence - Snow, R.J.	1975-1985
4	Correspondence - Thank You Letters	1978-1984
5	Correspondence - Williams, J.D.	1966-1977
6-9	Correspondence - Wood, Ben D.	1937-1977; 1983-1986
10	Finiancial Reports	1970-1984
11	Forums/Press Conferences	1980-1985
12	Governing Committee Meetings	1981-1984
13	Intern Alumni	1979-1985; undated
14	Intern Lists	1965-1986
4	Newsclippings to Robert A. Taft Institute of Government Seminar
Folder
1-2	Newsclippings	1969-1988
3	Newsletters	1977-1987
4	Pamphlets	1967-1976
5-7	Robert A. Taft Institute of Government Seminar	1970-1983
5	Robert A. Taft to William H. Lawrence Scholarship
Folder
1	Robert A. Taft Institute of Government Seminar	1984-1988
2	Truman Scholarship	1977-1988
3	Washington Winterim	1978-1983
4	William H. Lawrence Scholarship	1977-1987

Ted L. Wilson Correspondence, 1984-2002, undatedReturn to Top

Container(s): Series 2

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Political participation--Utah--History--Sources
Universities and colleges--Utah--Salt Lake City--History--Sources

Personal Names

Wilson, Ted--Correspondence

Corporate Names

Hinckley Institute of Politics
University of Utah--Archives

Geographical Names

Utah--Politics and government

Form or Genre Terms

Correspondence
Minutes

Archives West Finding Aid

Table of Contents