The collection contains correspondence, legal documents, publications, photographs, and other material created and collected by Paul T. Schweitzer, a Norfolk, Virginia businessman, school board and city council member. The bulk of the collection consists of material related to Norfolk during massive resistance, when public schools were closed to prevent the admission of African Americans. Of particular note are letters written to Schweitzer both in favor of and against admission of African American students to the public schools.
The collection is arranged into six series: Series I: Correspondence; Series II: Legal Documents; Series III: Publications; Series IV: Photographs, Series V: Miscellaneous, and Series VI: Oversized Materials.
Open to researchers without restrictions.
Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, and the holder of the copyright, if not Old Dominion University Libraries.
Mrs. Edna S. Schweitzer
Gift. Accession #A77-23
[Identification of item], Box [insert number], Folder [insert number and title], Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Paul T. Schweitzer was born on August 1, 1903, on a farm near Malta, Illinois. Three years later the family moved to Arizona where his father became manager of a cattle ranch outside of Tucson. Several years later the elder Mr. Schweitzer moved into Tucson where he founded the Schweitzer Machine Company which specialized in water pumps. The family moved to Los Angeles in 1918 where the younger Mr. Schweitzer completed high school and went to work for a mortgage and loan company. He remained with the firm until its dissolution in 1935. He then traveled to Washington, D.C. where he opened a branch of Layne-Atlantic Company, a firm that develops and engineers large-scale water distribution systems. Joining company headquarters in Norfolk in 1939, he was made vice president and ultimately chairman of the board.
Mr. Schweitzer's contributions as a businessman and civic leader to the recent history of Norfolk were most distinguished. He was appointed to the Norfolk School Board in 1952, elected chairman in 1955 and served in this capacity until he was appointed to the Norfolk City Council in March 1960. During his years as chairman of the school board, Norfolk experienced the massive resistance crisis. From September 1958 until January 1959 three white high schools and three white junior high schools in the city were closed under Virginia law by order of Governor J. Lindsay Almond, Jr. because the schools were under court order to integrate. Schweitzer was in the forefront of those who worked to have the schools reopened. Mr. Schweitzer was re-elected as chairman of the reorganized Norfolk School Board in July 1959. In the following year he was appointed to the Norfolk City Council to replace George R. Abbott who resigned. Schweitzer was elected in 1960 and re-elected in 1964. He was defeated for re-election in 1968.
Mr. Schweitzer's civic activities were numerous. He served on the board of trustees of Lynchburg College from 1957 until May 1976. As chairman of the board he was involved in launching the college's Partnership for Progress development program in 1966. According to Dr. Carey Brewer, president of Lynchburg College, the Partnership of Progress program which raised more than $10 million was "perhaps the major advancement in the total history of the College." Mr. Schweitzer was also a member of the board of directors and the president of the Norfolk Central YMCA, a member of the National Council of the YMCA and chairman of the recreation and education division of the United Communities Council of Social Agencies. He was also vice president of the Tidewater Virginia Development Council, Norfolk region, a member of the board of directors of the Norfolk General Hospital and vice chairman of the board of trustees of Virginia Wesleyan College. He was also chairman of the board of deacons and elder emeritus of First Christian Church.
Mr. Schweitzer attained a respected position in the business community. In addition to his position at Layne Atlantic Company, Mr. Schweitzer was director of the Lakewood Water Company in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and of the Belvedere Water Company in Glen Burnie, Maryland. He was the author of several technical papers on ground water which were published in the Journal of the American Water Works Association. He was a member of the Society of American Military Engineers.
Mr. Schweitzer was married in 1940 to the former Edna Ilene Stillman of Alexandria, Virginia. They had three children, Mark, Betty Mae and Kay Marie. Mr. Schweitzer passed away in 1976.
Note written by James Sweeney
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 1, Correspondence, 1957 March-1958 July, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 2, Correspondence, 1958 August-September, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 3, Correspondence, 1958 September-October, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 4, Correspondence, 1959 January, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 5, Correspondence, 1959 February, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 6, Correspondence, 1959 March-May, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 7, Correspondence, 1959 October, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 8, Correspondence, 1960 February, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 9, Correspondence, 1960 March, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 10, Correspondence, 1960 May-June, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 11, Correspondence, 1960 July, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 12, Correspondence, 1961 July, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 13, Correspondence, 1961 December-1966 May, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 14, Correspondence, 1968 June-July, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 15, Correspondence, 1968 August-September, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 16, Correspondence, undated, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 17, Legal Documents, 1958-1962, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 18, Tidewater's Guardian, 1957 October, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 19, Business Week, 1958 February 22, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 20, Time, 1958 September 22, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 21, Life, 1958 September 22, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 22, Business Week, 1958 October 4, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 23, Business Week, 1958 November 15, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 24, Time, 1959 February 2, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 1, Folder 25, Time, 1959 February 9, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 1, Better Schools, 1960 February, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 2, Virginia School Boards Association Newsletter, 1960 March, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 3, National Civic Review, 1961 February, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 4, Newspaper Clippings, 1957 February, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 5, Newspaper Clippings, 1957 July, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 6, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 August 1-20, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Digitization numbers 1-21
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 7, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 August 21-31, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Digitization numbers 22-47.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 8, Newspaper Cippings, 1958 August 21-31, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Digitization numbers 48-75.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 9, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 August 21-31, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 10, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 September 1-7, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 11, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 September 8-15, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 12, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 September 16-23, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 13, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 September 24-26, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 2, Folder 14, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 September 28-30, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 1, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 October, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 2, Newspaper Clippings, 1958 November, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 3, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 January, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 4, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 January, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 5, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 January, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 6, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 February, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 7, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 May, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 8, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 July, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 9, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 August, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 10, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 September, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 11, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 October, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 12, Newspaper Clippings, 1959 November, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 13, Newspaper Clippings, 1960 February, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 14, Newspaper Clippings, 1968 July-August, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3, Folder 15, Newspaper Clippings (Copies), 1976 November, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3A, Folder 1, Newspaper Clippings, undated, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3A, Folder 2, Photographs: Norfolk City Council, circa 1960-1968, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3A, Folder 3, Photographs: Norfolk Operation Understanding Group I, circa 1952-1968, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3A, Folder 4, Photographs: Norfolk School Board, circa 1952-1960, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Includes an outside proof of a newspaper advertisement-petition urging the reopening of the closed schools.
[Identification of item and date], Box 3A, Folder 5, Miscellaneous Material: Program, Advertisement, Campaign Brochures, Etc., undated, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Two Scrapbooks of Newspaper Clippings, undated, Oversize Box 4, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Two Newspaper Tabloid Sections, undated, Oversize Box 4, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Two Certificates, undated, Oversize Box 4, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
One Print, undated, Oversize Box 4, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
One Mounted Newspaper Article, undated, Oversize Box 4, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Two Framed Photos, undated, Oversize Box 5, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.
Five Campaign Posters, undated, Oversize Box 5, Paul T. Schweitzer Papers, Special Collections and University Archives, Old Dominion University Libraries.