Holland, Jerome Heartwell

Dr. Jerome Heartwell Holland was born January 9, 1916 in Auburn, New York. Dr. Holland attended Cornell University where he earned a B.S. degree in 1939 and a M.S. degree in 1941. The University of Pennsylvania awarded him a Ph.D. degree in sociology in 1950. He has been a recipient of numerous honorary degrees from universities throughout the nation. Dr. Holland rendered distinguished service and leadership in local, state, and national life through a career embracing teaching, industrial personnel administration, research, and educational administration. He has held positions as an instructor in sociology at Lincoln University (1939-1942), director of personnel for Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company (Yard #4) in Pennsylvania (1942-1946), director of the Division of Political and Social Sciences and end football coach at Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State University (1946-1951); social research consultant for the Pew Memorial Foundation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1951-1953), and president of Delaware State College (1953-1960). Dr. Holland was appointed president of Hampton Institute in 1960 and served until his resignation in 1970, after having accepted a position as the ambassador to Sweden. Under Dr. Holland's leadership, Hampton experienced a new period of growth. Twelve new buildings were constructed at a cost of approximately $19,000,000. Alumni contributions increased by 643 per cent; annual budgets of the school increase by 300 per cent; the faculty increased in number by 66 per cent; and the average faculty salary doubled. Dr. Holland's interest in international affairs has taken him to Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. He received a grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York which enabled him to visit countries in the Far East and Middle East. As a sponsor of the Council for African Training, Dr. Holland supported efforts to establish a program in Africa to train selected Africans in practical business skills and administration. In addition, he received a short-term leave grant from the Danforth Foundation which enabled him to travel in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and Eastern European countries. He has held memberships with the Board of Directors of the American Arbitration Association; Council on Foreign Relations; the Rockefeller University Council; the Executive Committee of the Southern Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools; National Advisory Committee on Television; the National Committee for Cooperative Education; the College Entrance Examination Board; the Commission on Federal Relations of the American Council on Education; the Virginia Cultural Development Study Commission; the Public Health Services National Advisory Council on Health Research Facilities; the President's Task Force on Career Appointments; the national Medical Fellowships, Incorporated; the United Negro College Fund; the Board of Overseers of the Virgin Islands; the Cornell University Council; the Board of Trustees of Cornell University; and the Board of Corporations of Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has served as chairman of the Personnel and Public Relations Committee of the Board of Governors of the American National Red Cross, Board of Directors of the National Urban League, and the President's Commission on All-Volunteer Armed Forces. He is a life member of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Having achieved fame as a two-time all American end during his undergraduate years and having gained recognition through the years as an outstanding educator and citizen, Dr. Holland has received the distinctive honor of being named to the National Football Hall of Fame. In addition, his home community, Auburn, New York, name the high school stadium in his honor. The National Collegiate Athletic Association presented him its highest award, the Theodore Roosevelt Award. He has held the position of director of New York Stock Exchange, American Telephone and Telegraph (A.T. and T.), General Foods, Union Carbide, Manufacturers Hanover Trust Company, Federated Department Stores, Continental Insurance Company, Chrysler Corporation and the General Cigar Company.

The papers of Jerome Heartwell Holland consist of material dealing with administrative affairs of the school, mostly typewritten letters from various correspondents, annual reports, departmental reports, publications, newspaper clippings, pictures, and miscellaneous and personal memorabilia.