Title: Donald C. Slichter Papers
Inclusive Dates: 1936-1978

Creator:

• Slichter, Donald Charles, 1900-1978

Call Number: Mss 573

Quantity: 1.2 c.f. (3 archives boxes)

Repository:

Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Papers of Donald C. Slichter, a prominent Wisconsin business executive and civic leader documenting his later-life professional and civic activities. Slichter was president of the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company (NWL), was active in Milwaukee civic and University of Wisconsin alumni affairs, and headed several educational studies. Besides materials such as speeches, awards, and related correspondence documenting Slichter's personal activities, this collection contains a large number of congratulatory letters written to Slichter as president of NWL which throw some light on the company's history and operation; correspondence between Slichter and Karl Paul Link, the Nobel Prize-winning biochemist. and with Warren Knowles, Governor of Wisconsin, 1965-1970; correspondence, reports, and newspaper clippings documenting many of Slichter's University of Wisconsin and civic activities; and a file of correspondence, writings, and clippings by and concerning Slichter's brother Sumner, a Harvard economist.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-mss00573

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Donald Slichter, a prominent Wisconsin business executive and civic leader, was born in Madison on July 3, 1900. Youngest of the four sons of the well-known University of Wisconsin professor of applied mathematics and graduate school dean Charles S. Slichter, Donald Slichter received a chemical engineering degree from Wisconsin in 1922. His early business experience was in engineering, but in 1929 he entered the investment field. He joined the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company, one of the nation's largest insurance companies, in 1934, rising steadily in position until he was elected company president in 1958. He became Chairman of the Board in 1965 and retired shortly thereafter. He was also a corporate director of a number of Wisconsin firms. Slichter was active in various Milwaukee civic and charitable organizations. He chaired task forces studying the Milwaukee public school system and Wisconsin medical education, and held positions in the University of Wisconsin Alumni Association and other University of Wisconsin organizations. He was also the chairman of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin's History of Wisconsin Advisory Committee; his activities with that committee are well documented in the files of the Research Division of the State Historical Society.

Sumner Hubert Slichter (1892-1959), Donald Slichter's oldest brother, was a respected Harvard economist and the author of many economic theories, articles, and books.

For a history of the Slichter family see Charles Slichter's “Two Hundred Years of Pioneering,” (SC 1666) in the manuscripts collection. Additional biographical and genealogical information can be found within this collection under Personal Materials and Sumner H. Slichter Materials.

The Donald C. Slichter Papers document some of Slichter's many civic and professional activities. The collection is divided into four series; Personal Materials, Professional Activities, Civic Activities, and Sumner H. Slichter Materials.

The bulk of Slichter's PERSONAL MATERIALS pertains to speeches Slichter delivered and awards he received. To each speech or award is devoted one folder, which generally contains a copy of the speech or award, correspondence relating to the event at which the speech or award was given, letters of congratulations and Slichter's replies, and newspaper clippings. The congratulatory correspondence is a sample of about one-eighth of the whole; the more routine letters in this group have been returned to the donor. Included among the speeches is an address criticizing Ralph Nader and excessive government regulation, originally presented before the American Society of Civil Engineers. It was later published as an article, reactions to which are also documented. There are several other Slichter speeches in this collection: see the Citizens Advisory Committee to Comprehensive Survey of Milwaukee Public Schools, University of Wisconsin Alumni Club, and Class of '22 folders. Slichter's Personal Materials also contain a file of personal correspondence with Karl Paul Link, the Nobel Prize-winning University of Wisconsin biochemist, which is especially revealing of Link. The file of miscellaneous correspondence includes several letters between Slichter and Warren Knowles, Governor of Wisconsin, 1965-1970.

The materials filed under PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES: Northwestern Life Insurance Company (NWL) pertain only to Slichter's promotion to the presidency of the company in 1958 and his retirement in 1965. The largest portion of these files consists of congratulatory letters and Slichter's acknowledgements. Again, those filed with the collection represent only about one-eighth of those received; the rest were returned to the donor. Those retained were chosen for being revealing of Slichter, his correspondent, or NWL. Those returned generally limited themselves to formal congratulations and thanks. Miscellany includes an interview with Slichter (May 1958), a statistical compilation of American corporate directorship practices, and three pieces of personal correspondence.

The records of Slichter's CIVIC ACTIVITIES are divided into two categories: those dealing with education task forces and those dealing with the University of Wisconsin specifically. The four files grouped under education generally contain reports, statements, correspondence, and newspaper clippings related to the four task forces on which Slichter served. The two University of Wisconsin files include speeches delivered to the Alumni Clubs of Madison and Milwaukee. Each contains copies of Slichter's speeches as well as related correspondence and clippings. The file containing Slichter's speech before the Engineers' Dinner, 50th Reunion, Class of '22, a nostalgic look at the twenties and the class's years at the University includes much material used in preparing it. The Class of '22 pledged funds to the University for the beautification of the University Bay area on the Madison campus. Slichter was appointed co-chairman of the Gift Fund Committee, and the file pertaining to that project contains correspondence, reports, and clippings. The file of Elizabeth McCoy materials includes correspondence and biographical information about her and her work on the University Bay Project.

The last five files of this collection contain SUMNER H. SLICHTER MATERIALS. Sumner Slichter`s correspondence includes a number of letters between him and his brother Donald, as well as letters from third parties concerning Sumner's economic views.

Correspondence concerning Sumner Slichter primarily relates to the posthumous publication of various Slichter articles and lectures, and secondarily to the Sumner H. Slichter Memorial Fund at Harvard. The file of writings, clippings, and obituaries contains clippings about Slichter's economic views and assessments of his theories. Of his writings there is an autobiographical sketch written about 1952 and a copy of an address he delivered to the Annual Engineers' Dinner, University of Wisconsin, 1957, at which Slichter and his three brothers were honored. (See also Donald Slichter's awards file.) Materials related to Slichter's estate and trust include a copy of his will, a few financial records, and correspondence.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Mrs. Donald C. Slichter, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 1979. Accession Number: M79-10

Processing Information

Processed by Peter J. Lysy and Joanne Hohler, October, 1981.

	Series: Personal Materials
Box   1 Folder   1	Resume, Obituaries, Biographical Information
	Awards
Box   1 Folder   2	College of Engineering, 1957
Box   1 Folder   3	Wisconsin Alumni of the Year, 1961
Box   1 Folder   4	Beta Gamma Sigma, 1963
Box   1 Folder   5	Honorary LLD, University of Wisconsin, 1964
Box   1 Folder   6	“Pro Urbe,” Milwaukee, 1966
Box   1 Folder   7	Distinguished Service, Wisconsin Alumni Club, Milwaukee, 1967
Box   1 Folder   8	Frye Award, Milwaukee, 1968
Box   1 Folder   9	United Community Services, Milwaukee, 1971
Box   1 Folder   10	Milwaukee Press Club, 1971
Box   1 Folder   11	Phi Kappa Phi, 1976
Box   1 Folder   12	Bard Award, Chi Psi Fraternity, 1978
	Speeches
Box   1 Folder   13	Institute of Paper Chemists, 1950, 1955, 1956, 1958
Box   1 Folder   14	Milwaukee Security Analyst Society, 1956
Box   1 Folder   15	Harvard Business Club of Northern California, 1958
Box   1 Folder   16	United Way, 1966 (three speeches)
Box   1 Folder   17	Harvard Business Club of Cleveland, 1970
Box   1 Folder   18	American Society of Civil Engineers, 1971
Box   1 Folder   19	Town and Gown Club, 1970, 1974-1976
Box   1 Folder   20	Fragment, concerning engineers and the environment, undated
	Correspondence
Box   1 Folder   21	With Karl Paul Link, 1960-1974
	Armco Cruise
Box   1 Folder   22	1964
Box   1 Folder   23	1970
Box   1 Folder   24	Miscellaneous, 1954-1976
	Series: Professional Activities: Northwestern Life Insurance Co.	⇧
	Promotion to Presidency, 1958
Box   2 Folder   1	Slichter's Telegram and Clippings
Box   2 Folder   2	Form Letters for Replies and Lists of Gifts and Visitors
	Congratulatory Letters and Replies
Box   2 Folder   3	A-H
Box   2 Folder   4	I-Z
Box   2 Folder   5	25th Anniversary with Company, Congratulatory Letters and Replies, 1959
	Retirement, 1965
Box   2 Folder   6	Announcement and Clippings
Box   2 Folder   7	Congratulatory Letters and Replies
Box   2 Folder   8	Recognition Dinner, Congratulations and Replies
Box   2 Folder   9	Retirement from Executive Committee, Congratulations and Replies, 1972
Box   2 Folder   10	Miscellany
	Series: Civic Activities	⇧
	Education
Box   2 Folder   11	Citizens Advisory Committee to Comprehensive Survey of Milwaukee Public Schools , 1965-1968
Box   2 Folder   12	Round Table of National Organizations for Better Schools Meeting, 1966
Box   2 Folder   13	Governor's Task Force on Medical Education, 1967-1971
Box   2 Folder   14	Wisconsin Regional Medical Program, Resignation, 1976
	University of Wisconsin
	Alumni Club
Box   3 Folder   1	Madison, Speech, 1960
Box   3 Folder   2	Milwaukee, Speeches, 1961, 1965, 1968, 1969
Box   3 Folder   3	Indianapolis, Founders' Day Banquet, 1965
	Class of '22
Box   3 Folder   4	50th Reunion, Engineers' Dinner, Speech, 1972
Box   3 Folder   5	Engineers' 55th Reunion, Newsletters and Correspondence, 1977
Box   3 Folder   6	University Bay Project, 1972-1977
Box   3 Folder   7	File re Elizabeth McCoy, 1964-1978
Box   3 Folder   8	File re Gift of Frances Street House, 1955-1970
Box   3 Folder   9	File re Renovation of Downer College Buildings, 1973-1978
	Series: Sumner H. Slichter Materials	⇧
Box   3 Folder   10	Correspondence, 1936-1959
Box   3 Folder   11	Correspondence re, 1959-1962
Box   3 Folder   12	Writings, Clippings, and Obituaries, 1949-1967
Box   3 Folder   13	Genealogical and Biographical Information
Box   3 Folder   14	Estate and Trust, 1959-1962