Monograph: James C. Risk. Numismatic Notes and Monographs: NO.106 The American Numismatic Society, 1945

File — Box: 4, Folder: 12

Staff Only

Scope and Content

From the Collection: The Harold Stark Collection, 1923- 1972, contains paper material such as letters, pamphlets, reports, newspaper clippings, records, documents, booklets, memos, and photographs. This collection also contains physical items such as flags, ribbons, and canes once owned or related to Harold Stark’s legacy. All of these different items and papers highlight two impactful parts of his life: the first was his military service during World War I and World War II, and the second was his role as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Wilkes College from1959 to 1964. This collection spans from 1923-1972, demonstrating Stark’s contribution in serving every aspect of the United States from the local to the national level.

This collection is divided into three separate series, with smaller subseries found within to aid in the organization of the different topics and content. With his position as both an Admiral in the United States Navy and Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Wilkes College, he was involved with overseeing many important events and issues both on Wilkes’ campus as well as different operations during World War II.

The first series, Series I: Wilkes Affiliation, 1935-1972, contains a variety of institutional records that Harold Stark received when he was the Chair of the Board of Trustees of Wilkes College from 1959 to 1964 and became honorary chairman from 1963 until his passing in 1972. This series contains institutional records such as academic and administrative committee meeting memorandums, various speeches at Wilkes College events, budget and donation records, Wilkes College development pamphlets and booklets, correspondence between Stark and Wilkes College administrators and external individuals, and publications concerning Wilkes College. Some notable documents involve significant historical figures that Stark knew during his military service, specifically letter exchanges between Winston S. Churchill and President Dwight D. Eisenhower on the creation of the Stark Learning Center in 1957. The correspondence within this series concerns Wilkes College compared to correspondence found within Series III: Military Career, 1923-1957. This series is arranged into seven subseries: Subseries I: Board of Trustees Committee Meetings, 1955-1965, Subseries II: Wilkes College Finances, 1935-1967, Subseries III: Speeches at Events, 1941-1964, Subseries IV: Wilkes College Development, 1933-1972, Subseries V: Correspondence, 1942-1972, and Subseries VI: Publications, 1956-1968, and Subseries VII: Oral History transcript. Subseries I is restricted for the next 80 years from the date of creation.

The second series, Series II: Newspapers, 1956-1966, contains newspaper clippings and articles that mention Harold Stark and his involvement with Wilkes College development. These articles are from local Wilkes Barre newspapers, and cover a ten year period from 1956 through 1966.

The third series, Series III: Military Career, 1923-1957, are files and photographs that document Harold Stark’s service in the United States Navy. This series contains photographs with handwritten signatures of people he served with both in World War I and World War II, navy ships, and portraits of prominent individuals with handwritten signatures including Queen Elizabeth II, Former U.S. Secretary of State George Marshall, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Winston Churchill, Former President of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Former President of France Charles de Gaulle. Additionally, this series contains notable awards Stark earned during his time in the navy at the end of World War II, such as honorary titles from both Britain and Norway in 1945 as well as World War II correspondence.