Talmage DeWitte Foster Papers, 1925-1950

Access and use

Location of collection:
Library of Virginia
The Library of Virginia
800 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Archives Reference Services
Phone: (804) 692-3888
Restrictions:

Teacher applications and some correspondence are restricted for 75 years from date of creation.

Terms of access:

There are no use restictions.

Preferred citation:

Talmage DeWitte Foster Papers, 1925-1950. Accession 50869. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Summary

Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Talmage DeWitte Foster Papers, 1925-1950. Accession 50869. Personal papers collection, The Library of Virginia, Richmond, Virginia.

Background

Scope and content:

Papers, 1925-1950, of Talmage DeWitte Foster (1896-1960), relating to his duties as superintendent of schools for Sussex County, Virginia. Includes correspondence, lists of teachers, publications, school enrollment reports, and teacher applications.

The majority of the collection consists of correspondence and applications submitted for teacher and school principal positions. There is incoming and outgoing correspondence with applicants, letters from Foster to college deans seeking qualified candidates, and to college placement bureaus seeking credentials on individuals. The application forms include personal data, educational history, courses taken, experience, and references. There are letters of recommendation, resumes, college transcripts, and photographs. The correspondence and applications are divided by "white" and "colored" applicants. There is a name index to the applications included in the finding aid to the collection.

The collection also includes letters to and from Thomas D. Eason (1887-1939) of the Virginia Department of Education regarding mainly teacher examinations and certification, and there is also a good deal of correspondence with Eley Marshall Estes (1897-1960), who was principal of the Wakefield Agricultural High School, and also includes annual reports, teaching plans, schedules, and supervised practice work reports of the school.

Biographical / historical:

Talmage DeWitte Foster was born in Bertrand, Lancaster County, Virginia on 28 March 1896. He was the son of Luther B. Foster (1860-1930) and India Carter (1856-1936). He served in World War I in the military police corps. Foster earned his bachelor and master degrees at the College of William and Mary. He then moved to Sussex County, where he served as superintendent of schools for 35 years. Foster married Margaret Waterfield (1902-1999). He died in Richmond on 23 January 1960, and is buried in Waverly Cemetery in Sussex County.

Acquisition information:
Purchased.
Physical description:
3.325 cubic feet (8 boxes).