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Overview

Biographical Note

Scope and Content

Arrangement

Preferred Citation

Restrictions on Access

Restrictions on Use

Subject Terms

Container List [ + ]

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Guide to the Priscilla Rose Morton Papers

Prepared by Myong Shin Jeon, Student Assistant and Mark C. Shenise, Associate Archivist

United Methodist Archives and History Center
General Commission on Archives and History of The United Methodist Church
(Published for the Drew University Methodist Library)

07/15/2014


Overview of Collection

Record Creator: Morton, Priscilla Rose
Title: Priscilla Rose Morton Papers
Date Span: 1920-1980
Abstract: Priscilla Rose Morton (1920-1980), United Methodist Lay Pastor, was born in 1920 at Binghamton, New York to P. D. and Alice Brown Morton. Her high school teaching career started as an English teacher and librarian at Pierson High School, Sag Harbor, New York and finished at Princeton High School, New Jersey. From Princeton, Morton decided to enter the field of higher education and became Dean of Women and Instructor of English in a variety of colleges and universities. When United Methodist women in the ministry became more common, she retired from education and prepared as a lay pastor in the New York Annual Conference. Morton died February 19, 1980, at Nassau Hospital after a long illness. Her remains were laid to rest in the Binghamton Chenango Valley Cemetery. The collection primarily documents her role as Dean of Women in various higher education institutions. Another aspect of this collection includes religious writings and documentation of her deacon status with the New York Annual Conference.
Extent: 0.36 cubic feet
Resource ID: drew.ms.2404



Biographical Note

Priscilla Rose Morton (1920-1980), United Methodist Lay Pastor, was born in 1920 at Binghamton, New York to P. D. and Alice Brown Morton. Both her initial undergraduate and graduate degrees were in English from State University of New York, Albany. Subsequent degrees and diplomas were earned at Columbia University, Mercer Theological Institute, and Union Theological Seminary. She was a Danforth Scholar in Ecumenical Theology and Problems in Higher Education.

Her teaching career started as an English teacher and librarian at Pierson High School, Sag Harbor, New York. From there she took teaching positions at Sewanhaka High School, Floral Park and Johnson City High School all of which are in New York. After teaching at Johnson, Morton taught at Princeton High School in New Jersey.

From Princeton, Morton decided to enter the field of higher education and became Dean of Women and Instructor of English at Albright College, 1953-1958; Associate Dean of Students, Director of reading Laboratory and Assistant Professor of Psychology, Eastern New Mexico University, 1960-1961; Dean of Women and Associate Professor, Mansfield College, 19632-1963; Dean of Women and Associate Professor of English, Ohio Northern University, 1964-1966; and English Professor, Centenary College in New Jersey, 1966-1969.

Morton was an organist and musician who directed and participated in this field at a number of local Methodist churches. When United Methodist women in the ministry became more common, she retired from education and prepared as a lay pastor in the New York Annual Conference. In 1978, the annual conference ordained her deacon. With her new church credentials in hand, Morton was appointed to the South Floral Park church.

Morton died February 19, 1980, at Nassau Hospital after a long illness. Her remains were laid to rest in the Binghamton Chenango Valley Cemetery.


Scope Note

The collection primarily documents her role as Dean of Women in various higher education institutions. Almost all the folders are arranged by topic or higher education institution. Here the researcher will find the many manuals Morton wrote describing the work and procedures for student handbooks that a dean and their subordinates were to follow. There is a three-part diary in the Student Papers folder which also includes other psychology research manuscripts submitted for various courses. Another aspect of this collection includes religious writings and documentation of her deacon status with the New York Annual Conference.


Arrangement

Materials have been arranged in the following manner.

The material is arranged by school name or record type.


Preferred Citation

When citing material from this collection please use the following format: Direct reference to the item or its file folder, Priscilla Rose Morton Papers, Methodist Collection - Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. Do not make use of the item's call number as that is not a stable descriptor.


Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions regarding this collection. Copyright still owned by Drew. Permissions to publish must be directed to Drew.


Restrictions on Use

Detailed use restrictions relating to our collections can be requested from the office of the archivist at the General Commission on Archives and History. Photocopying is handled by the staff and may be limited in certain instances. Before using any material for publication from this collection a formal request for permission to publish is expected and required.

Index Terms

Subject Topics
Education, Higher
Psychology
Religion
Temperance
Subject Geographic
New Mexico
New York (State)
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Genre
Clippings
Correspondence
Diaries
Manuscripts
Photographs


Container List

Call Number Folder Title Date(s)
2141-7-7: 1 Albright College 1953-1958
2141-7-7: 2 Church Related Documents 1978
2141-7-7: 3 Correspondence 1969-1977
2141-7-7: 4 Devalliere Central School 1941-1942
2141-7-7: 5 Eastern New Mexico University 1961
2141-7-7: 6 Mansfield State College 1962-1963
2141-7-7: 7 Ohio Northern University 1965-1968
2141-7-7: 8 Religious Speeches and Writings 1957
2141-7-7: 9 State University of New York 1941
2141-7-7: 10 Student Papers 1940-1941
2141-7-7: 11 Student Papers 1952-1960