Woodrow Wilson and Henry S. Drinker

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Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924). [Letter] Washington, D.C., 1913 December 20, [to] Henry S. Drinker.

An 1871 Lehigh graduate who became president, Drinker presided over the University from 1905 to 1920. He, established the endowment, published an alumni bulletin, and created a business model for running the University. During his tenure, seven buildings were constructed on campus, and academic majors were divided into three separate colleges. At the time this letter was written, Wilson was serving his first term in office, during which he passed anti-trust legislation and labor reform bills.

In this series of letters, scholars can trace a conversation between Dr. Drinker and President Wilson about the Hetch Hetchy bill. The bill relates to the movement of San Francisco to secure the scenic Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite National Park as a site for city reservoir. Naturalists like John Muir opposed the plan, but Congress passed the Raker Act in 1913, which allowed for the still-controversial dam to be built. In this particular letter, Drinker praises Wilson for signing the Hetch Hetchy bill. He calls the arguments of Muir and others “remote and sentimental,” and outweighed by the “practical great good” of the project.

 

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Woodrow Wilson, (1856-1924). [Letter] 1913 December 22, The White House, Washington, D.C. [to] Henry S. Drinker.

Wilson responds to Drinker's letter, stating that it is “gratifying to know that you approve of my action in signing the Hetch-Hetchy bill.”

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Henry S. Drinker, (1850-1937). [Letter carbon copy] 1913 December 23, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania [to] Woodrow Wilson, Washington, D.C.

Drinker acknowledges Wilson's response to his December 20th letter in which he approved of the President’s endorsement of the Hetch Hetchy Valley dam project.

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Henry S. Drinker, (1850-1937). [Letter carbon copy] 1926 June 26, Merion Station, Pennsylvania [to] Mr. Leach.

Drinker writes to Howard Leach, the Lehigh librarian, regarding the missing letter from President Wilson, which he states he is sending for the library's collection. Drinker may be referring to the letter Wilson wrote to him in 1913 about the Hetch Hetchy Valley dam project. Drinker also requests the return of another Wilson-related letter.

 

These letters are available on the digital library project I Remain (Henry S. Drinker, Woodrow Wilson).