Guide to the Mother Mary Hilda Miley papers, 1947-1997

(bulk 1950-1965)

Series 1. Biographical Information
This series includes an outline and several overviews of Mother Mary Hilda's life and career, letters concerning honorary degrees she received from Rhode Island College and the University of Rhode Island, and programs from the ceremonies at URI and Providence College, where she was also honored.

Series 2. Correspondence and Documents Relating to Salve Regina
This series contains correspondence and reports concerning many different aspects of the college. Of particular note are letters regarding several of the facilities on campus (Vinland, Wayside, etc.) and on efforts to improve Salve's early library through donations from both the community and the Library of Congress. The folder of Cornelius Moore's letters also contains information on his Early American Silver Exhibit from 1964. Also of note are speeches given by Mother Mary Hilda and the annual reports from 1955-1964, which describe the accomplishments and improvements in each department, from both faculty and students, from year to year.

Series 3. Correspondence With Religious Figures
Another series of correspondence, to and from people involved with Catholicism. The Bishop Keough folder includes a copy of his obituary. The second Bishop McVinney folder contains much correspondence about student housing concerns, especially for nursing students, along with two Christmas cards and a post card from Rome. The Generalate folder has the agenda from the 1960 General Council meeting of Presidents and Deans of Provincial Colleges. The Provincialate folder contains Annual Reports to the Mother Provincial from 1951-1969, detailing numbers of students and faculty, how many enrolled in each major, and other information. Finally, there is a folder regarding Mother McAuley, containing a short report about her, and two other papers.

Series 4. Correspondence With Government Officials
This series contains correspondence to and from the government on both local and national levels. Correspondence with the mayor of Providence deals with the housing of nursing students. The Federal file includes letters to and/or from well known figures such as Theodore Francis Greene, John E. Fogarty, and Barry Goldwater. Much correspondence relates to politicians' support of education-related legislation. President Kennedy's folder includes information about the Kennedy Memorial Scholarship, created after his assassination in 1963. There are letters from Senators Pastore and Pell regarding the donation of books from the Library of Congress for Salve Regina's collection (see also: Correspondence: Gifts/Donations to the Library). There are also two examples of reports Claiborne Pell sent to Rhode Islanders concerning actions in Congress, from both 1962 and 1963. State papers include letters from Governors Del Sesto, Notte, and John H. Chafee. Finally, the State of RI Commission for the Study of Higher Education includes a copy of the report that was released on the state's college aged population.