Use Restrictions

The copyright and related rights status of this collection have not been evaluated (See http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/)

Access Restrictions

Certain materials in the collection are restricted due to personally identifiable information.

Preferred Citation

Lavinia Scott papers, C0506, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Acquisition Information

The papers were brought to George Mason University by former Provost Peter Stearns, Lavinia Scott's nephew, in 2018. Before coming to Special Collections in early 2021, members of the George Mason University history faculty, as well as history graduate students, worked with the material.

Processing Information

Processing completed by Meghan Glasbrenner from September 2022 - August 2023. Finding aid completed by Meghan Glasbrenner in August 2023.

Biographical Information

Lavinia Scott (also known as Clara Lavinia Scott) was born on March 21, 1907 in Yankton, South Dakota to George Harvey and Mary Maud Cole Scott. The youngest of four children, including the future Dr. Franklin Scott, Lavinia spent her life surrounded by education. As a child she attended local public schools, including Jacksonville High School, and in 1923 enrolled in a Bachelor's degree program at Illinois College, where her father served as a Dean for eight years before his sudden death in 1926. Lavinia graduated the following year (1927) with a B.A. in History and it was here that she began to devote her life to education full-time, securing a teaching position with Illinois' Harvard Community High School District Number 153 which she held for approximately two years.

Around the beginning of the 1930s, Lavinia's focus shifted from secular education to international educational missionary work. She enrolled in a Master's program with the Yale Divinity School and upon moving to Connecticut spent two years in training with the United Congregational Church in Bridgeport. In August 1932, less than two months after receiving her Master of Art's degree in June, Lavinia was assigned a teaching position at Adams College (formerly Amanzimtoti Institute) in South Africa under the direction of the Congregational Church affiliated American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions (ABCFM).

Lavinia remained at Adams College until she was transferred to nearby Inanda Seminary in 1936 where she assumed the role of Principal, a title which she held for over 30 years. During this time, she fought back against the South African government's discriminatory Apartheid policies, particularly the Bantu Education Act of 1953, which both significantly lowered the quality of education available to Black South Africans and removed government funding for private missionary schools. She also oversaw the school's Centenary Celebration in 1969, as well as several expansions to the campus, including the beginning of what would become the "Lavinia Scott Chapel". In 1969, she left Inanda Seminary, transferring to the newly formed Federal Theological Seminary where she returned to a teaching position until her formal retirement circa 1974.

While her retirement saw a return to the United States, ultimately assuming residence in Claremont, California, it did not mean the end of her mission work. For the next 20 years, Lavinia was an active speaker on behalf of the newly formed United Church of Christ as a South African mission representative for the United Church Board for World Ministries (UCBWM), formerly the ABCFM. She also continued her social justice advocacy, working on behalf of both domestic and international causes, including extensive work throughout the 1980s with the Claremont branch of the Task Force on Central America. Despite her busy schedule, Lavinia still found time to continue her love of traveling, including domestic trips with family and friends, and several returns to South Africa and Inanda Seminary.

While Lavinia never fully stopped her missionary work, she did eventually move to a UCC affiliated retirement community in Claremont known as Pilgrim Place where she lived until her passing on July 10, 1997 at the age of 90. She is buried near her family in Jacksonville's Diamond Grove Cemetery.

Scope and Content

The Lavinia Scott papers largely consist of correspondence, reports, newspapers, promotional materials, magazines, speeches, sermons, writings, educational records, travel maps and postcards, photographs, and audiovisual materials created between circa 1860s-1998. The collection contains 7 series.

Series 1: Correspondence (circa 1860s, 1900s-1997) includes sent and received correspondence, both personal and professional. Types of correspondence include postcards, letters on stationary, airmail letters, greeting cards, Christmas and general holiday letters, and carbon copies of sent letters. While the majority of the correspondence is between Lavinia Scott and others, this series also includes correspondence received by others that was then passed on to Lavinia either for review or after their passing. The bulk of the correspondence covers the 1920s – 1970s, with a slight gap in coverage during the 1980s, and a shift to more general cards and holiday letters in the 1990s. This series is arranged alphabetically by correspondent last name, group title, or type of correspondence, such as Family letters sent by Lavinia during her years in South Africa.

Series 2: Professional activities (1885, 1917-1997) includes both direct and indirect materials related to Lavinia's professional life as a Christian missionary speaker and educator. It is further divided into two subseries. Subseries 1: South African mission (1885, 1917-1990s) includes all materials related to both Lavinia's direct education work in South Africa (such as reports, magazines, newsletters, promotional materials, yearbooks, speech/sermon drafts), materials related to both American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions and United Church Board for World Ministries themselves (reports, meeting minutes, policy guides, conference materials), and any general materials or writing related to South Africa, particularly regarding mission work and the fight against Apartheid. The bulk of the materials cover the 1930s – 1970s, with some more general materials from the 1980s – 1990s. This subseries is arranged alphabetically, primarily by organization name (including Adams College, Inanda Seminary, and Federal Theological Seminary) or material type. Writings were divided by title and arranged alphabetically by author's last name where possible. Subseries 2: United Church of Christ (1919 – 1997) includes all other professional materials related to Lavinia's work with the United Church of Christ, and the earlier Congregational Christian Church, not directly connected to the South African mission. These include materials from local Congregational and United Church of Christ congregations, general conference materials, extensive materials from Lavinia's involvement with the Central American Task Force in Claremont, CA, and general writings and speeches related to Christianity. The bulk of the materials cover the 1920s – 1930s and the 1970s – 1990s. Items are arranged alphabetically, primarily by organization name or material type. Writings were divided by title and arranged alphabetically by author's last name where possible. Newsletters and periodicals published by affiliated professional and/or religious organizations can be found in Series 4.

Series 3: Personal materials (1891, circa 1909-1998) includes materials related to Lavinia's personal life, including family, friends, and personal travels. It is further divided into three subseries. Subseries 1: Records and mementos (1891, circa 1909 – 1998) includes educational records, creative writings by Lavinia and others, souvenirs and other mementos, travel maps and brochures, personal and correspondence notes, and publications by Lavinia's brother Dr. Franklin Scott. Items are arranged alphabetically, primarily by creator, organization, or material type. Writings were divided by title and arranged alphabetically by author's last name where possible. Subseries 2: Souvenir and travel postcards (circa 1930s – 1980s) includes all non-correspondence souvenir postcards grouped together by general location, starting with non-South African international, followed by United States, South Africa, and general Africa. Postcards used for correspondence can be found in Series 1 and personal photographic postcards can be found in Series 5. Subseries 3: Daily diaries (1920 – 1997) consists of Lavinia's 45 individual personal daily diaries, arranged chronologically. Several diaries contain entries for multiple years.

Series 4: Newspapers and periodicals (1920s – 1997) includes news and periodical print publications and newsletters, both full text and selections, including many from South Africa in both English and Afrikaans. It is further divided into two subseries. Sub-series 1: Full text editions (1927 - 1997) includes all full editions of newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Magazines and newsletters published by schools and colleges, such as Inanda Seminary and Illinois College, are kept in context and can be found in Series 2-3. Subseries 2: Clippings (1920s - 1997) includes article or section clippings from newspapers, magazines, and newsletters. Most articles cover social and political stories related to South Africa, Apartheid policies and resistance, Lavinia's speaking engagements or mission work, and members of the Scott and Stearns family, such as marriage announcements or community profiles.

Series 5: Photographs and negatives (circa 1870s – 1990s) includes photographs and negatives related to Lavinia's work and personal life. The contents cover a wide array of sizes and mediums, including gelatin prints, black and white and color snapshots, and color processed prints. Many, but not all, prints include some level of identifying inscription on the back, including stamps from local photographers. It is further divided into two subseries. Sub-series 1: South African mission (1930s – 1990s) includes photographs that document Lavinia's work as a missionary educator in South Africa. Major areas of coverage include Inanda Seminary, including campus development, Centennial Celebration, staff and student group and individual portraits, and visits by Lavinia and others after the 1970s, as well as Adams College, The Federal Theological Seminary, and visits by American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions representatives and South African political figures such as Chief Lutuli (also spelled Luthuli). Prints have been divided into groupings based on general size or type; further organization by subject has not been completed at this time. Sub-series 2: Personal travel (1920s – 1990s) includes photographs that document Lavinia's personal, non-mission related travel with family and friends mostly within the United States. Prints have been divided into groupings based on general size or type with some attempt at organization by location where possible based on identifying information provided. Sub-series 3: Family (1870s – 1990s) includes photographs of Lavinia's family and friends, including formal portraits. Prints have been divided into groupings based on general size or type with some attempt at organization by subject and/or time period where possible based on identifying information provided. Sub-series 4: Negatives (circa 1930s – 1990s) includes all negatives covering subjects from each of the three sub-series. Negatives have been grouped where possible by size and most do not include identifying information; further organization by subject has not been completed at this time.

Series 6: Audiovisual materials (circa 1930s – 1997) includes all audiovisual materials including photographic slides, both labeled and unlabeled cassette and VHS tapes, three professional .45 records, and one unlabeled Magnetophoband BASF reel to reel tape. Cassette and VHS contents reflect Lavinia's mission work in South Africa, including recordings of sermons and ceremonies at Inanda Seminary, sermons and speeches on various religious and social issues, and oral history interviews with mission workers such as Lou Ann Parsons, as well as 6-7 tapes containing an extensive interview with Lavinia herself. The bulk of these materials cover the 1970s – 1980s. Additionally, the photographic slides depict both South African mission work and Inanda Seminary, as well as personal family events and travels, including numerous souvenir professional slides from international locations. The bulk of these materials cover the 1950s – 1970s. All items in this series have been grouped by medium; some photographic slides include identifying information but, further organization by subject has not been completed at this time.

Series 7: South African artifacts (circa 1970s – 1980s) includes carvings, beadwork, and other artifacts likely purchased by or gifted to Lavinia during a return trip to South Africa that reflect Zulu cultural traditions and crafts.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged in seven series.

Related Material

Northwestern University holds the Lavinia Scott (1907-1997) Papers which consists mostly of correspondence, largely to Lavinia's mother Mary Maud Scott, as well as the full Franklin D. Scott (1901-1994) Papers . Harvard University holds several archival collections for the American Board of Commissioners of Foreign Missions divided by location, including the African missions records , as well as the Finding Aid for the Inanda Seminary Oral History Project completed between 2008 – 2010.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Adams College (Amanzimtoti, South Africa)
• Amanzimtoti Institute
• American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
• Anti-apartheid movements -- South Africa
• Apartheid
• Correspondence
• Education -- South Africa
• Education, Higher
• General Council of the Congregational Christian Churches of the United States
• Illinois College
• Inanda Seminary (Inanda, South Africa)
• KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa)
• Luthuli, A. J. (Albert John), 1898-1967
• Missions, South African
• Newspapers
• Nguni (African people)
• Nguni languages
• Paton, Alan (Alan Stewart) (1903-1988)
• Photographs
• Postcards
• Scott, Franklin D. (Franklin Daniel), 1901-1994
• Scott, Lavinia, 1907-1997
• Slides
• Social justice -- Religious aspects -- Christianity
• South Africa
• South Africa -- Politics and government -- 20th century
• South African newspapers
• Stearns, Peter N.
• United Church Board for World Ministries
• United Church of Christ
• Women missionaries
• Wood, Agnes A., 1896-
• Zulu (African people)