Scope and Content Note
The papers of William Orr (1860-1939) consist of diaries, correspondence, articles, speeches, reports, the draft of an unpublished partial autobiography, clippings, printed matter, and memorabilia. The material extends from 1890 to 1939, with the bulk of the papers falling within the period 1920-1927.
Much of the collection concerns the period 1920-1927 when Orr served as an education adviser on a special mission for the YMCA in Europe. This material consists of reports and memoranda relating to YMCA activities and articles by William and Charlotte Orr concerning their travels in Europe. The majority of the reports and articles relate to the countries of Eastern Europe. The remainder of the papers consists of diaries describing Orr’s trips to Europe in 1901, 1902, and 1905; congratulatory letters relating to his election as principal of the Central High School in Springfield, Massachusetts, and to the deputy commissionership of education for Massachusetts; notes of a geological survey of Springfield; and an autobiography.
“Seven Years under Twenty-Seven Flags” is an unpublished account of Orr’s experiences in Europe from 1920 to 1927.