The Bellwood papers consist of administrative files from the
Arizona State College and the records of the Navy V-12 training program. Topics covered
in the first series relate to various administrative programs and other college related
issues. This collection was put together from two separate donations originating from
the same collection, thus there is a slight break in the totality of series one. The
most interesting material in the collection pertains to the Navy V-12 program. This
program established a college level military training program at Arizona State College
during World War II.
Collection Number
NAU.ARCH.1.9
Language
English.
Repository
Cline Library. Special Collections and Archives
Department.
Northern Arizona University
Box 6022
Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6022
Phone: 928 523 5551
Fax: 928 523 3770
Email: Special.Collections@nau.edu
Biographical Note
Tom Octavius Bellwood was born in Heighington, England in 1896 and passed away in 1971.
Bellwood was president of the Arizona State College from 1945-1947. Bellwood was the
youngest of ten children. In 1909, he emigrated to Central City, Colorado with his
father--a cabinet maker, undertaker, tax collector, and notary public. The rest of the
family followed the next year. Bellwood completed high school in 1915 and then worked in
a cabinet shop and in an ore-crushing mill. After a year at Barnes Commercial School in
Denver, he enrolled at Colorado State Teachers College in Greeley and graduated in 1921
with his Bachelor of Arts degree. He held a position as the assistant pastor of a
Presbyterian church, while pursuing his master's degree in education (awarded in
1922).
Bellwood moved to Flagstaff, where he became an instructor in commerce. He and his
wife, Grace, became active in the community. Bellwood--a tenor--directed the Federated
Church choir and participated on the church board. In his spare time, Bellwood was an
avid motorcyclist. He served as a dean of the Arizona State Teachers College under
President Grady Gammage and President Thomas J. Tormey. From 1943-1944, Bellwood
functioned as acting president. He was appointed president upon Tormey's resignation in
1944. Bellwood established programs for veterans after the war, and enrollment at the
college rose. In 1947, the College--renamed Arizona State College in 1945--was
authorized to grant bachelor's degrees in subjects other than education. Bellwood
resigned the presidency that year for health reasons but resumed his duties as dean.
From 1955 until his retirement in 1963, he taught full-time. President Bellwood died in
1971.
Condensed from Platt Cline, Mountain Campus: The Story of
Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff: Northland Press, 1983), chapter VII.
Scope and Content Note
The Bellwood papers consist of administrative files from the Arizona State College and
the records of the Navy V-12 training program. Topics covered in the first series relate
to various administrative programs and other college related issues. This collection was
put together from two separate donations originating from the same collection, thus
there is a slight break in the totality of series one. The most interesting material in
the collection pertains to the Navy V-12 program.
At the beginning of World War II the Arizona State College became one of only 238
institutions nationally to be home for specialized military training at the college
level. These records reflect the story of this two year military training
experience.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner
of the copyright (the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her
transferees, heirs,legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless the Arizona Board of Regents for Northern Arizona University, its
officers, employees, and agents from and against all claims made by any person
asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.
Other material about Northern Arizona University can be found in the general archive
collection. An online exhibit about the University's history can be found at
http://www.nau.edu/library/speccoll/exhibits/first100/linx.html
Lacey Eastburn Presidental Papers,NAU.ARCH.1.10
Lawrence Walkup Presidential Papers, NAU.ARCH.1.11
Northern Arizona University Photographic Archives
Access Points
Personal Name(s)
Bellwood, Tom O. (Tom Octavius),
1896-1971--Archives.
Corporate Name(s)
Arizona State Teachers College at
Flagstaff--Curricula.
Arizona State Teachers College at
Flagstaff--History.
