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University of Washington Department of Military Science records, 1900-2003

Overview of the Collection

Creator
University of Washington. Department of Military Science
Title
University of Washington Department of Military Science records
Dates
1900-2003 (inclusive)
1960-1987 (bulk)
Quantity
2.09 cubic feet (4 boxes)
Collection Number
UW Resource No. 00121
Summary
Correspondence, news clippings, photograph albums, scrapbook, and other records of the Department of Military Science at the University of Washington in Seattle
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users.

Request at UW

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for encoding this finding aid was partially provided through a grant awarded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
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Historical Note

On January 24, 1862, the Territorial Legislature of Washington specified that one of the University of Washington's four original institutional departments would be dedicated to the study of military science. Although the creation of a military department was mandated at the opening of the Civil War, it was not until the late 1870s that plans were developed. Finally, in 1882, the university president established a military department and in 1884, an active program was in place. From 1892 until 1916, with the exception of the period between 1902 and 1909, the Board of Regents adhered to a policy of requiring all male students to participate in military training for the first two years.

In 1916, the responsibilities for military training were transferred to the federal government's newly created Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC). The requirement for two years of compulsory basic ROTC was stated in the 1919-1920 catalog and was continued in successive catalogs until the start of World War II. In 1946, the University removed the compulsory aspect of the military science requirement from the catalog; however two-year compulsory basic ROTC was reinstated at the recommendation of the University Senate and the Board of Deans in 1948. After prolonged study, military programs on campus became entirely voluntary in 1962 and have continued in this status to the present time.

The Kinnear Husky Battalion take its name from Cadet Captain C.A. Kinnear, who led a group of UW cadets during an operation to assist the Seattle City authorities in quelling the Anti-Chinese Riots of 1886. The unit received the title Kinnear Husky Battalion in 1984. For their assistance to local authorities, General John Gibbon presented the Battalion with a silk 38-star American flag in 1987, still on display on the ground floor of Clark Hall, outside the Military Science Department offices.

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Content Description

Recordbook, correspondence, news clippings, photograph albums, and scrapbook about the history of the Department of Military Science at the University of Washington.

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Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Public records; use unrestricted when access is granted.

Preferred Citation

University of Washington Dept. of Military Science Records, 1900-2003. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries, Seattle, Washington.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

Organized into 3 accessions.

  • Accession No. 78-094, Dept. of Military Science recordbook of cadets, 1900-1902
  • Accession No. 04-036, Dept. of Military Science records, 1909-2003
  • Accession No. 16-011, University of Washington Department of Military Science records, 1958-1994

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Detailed Description of the Collection

 

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.


2005 (Last modified: 1/10/2017)

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