This small collection contains papers that concern Bernard Chamberlain's work for the Law School Alumni Association and Class of 1922.
This collection came from Chamberlain's home and from booksellers Vesta Gordon and Paul Collinge, of Heartwood Books in Charlottesville, who found some papers among his books. They were donated to the Law School in the fall of 1988.
Bernard Peyton Chamberlain was born on 21 November 1896 at "Birdwood" in Albemarle County, Virginia. He entered the University of Virginia in 1915, but his studies were interrupted by WWI, in which he served and was member of the University Hospital Unit (Base Hospital #41) in France. He received his B. A. degree in 1919, and in 1922 received his LL.B. from the Law School. He was member of Zeta Psi, Sigma Upsilon, Skull and Keys, the German Club, Secretary of the First Year Law Class, was on the Virginia Law Review Editorial Board, manager of the Glee Club, president of the Virginia Union, president of the Jefferson Society, president of the Y.M.C.A., president of the Interfraternity Council, on the editorial board of Corks and Curls, and member of the Varsity Track Team. He started his law practice in Baltimore, MD, with the firm of Brown, Marshall, Brune, and Parker. In 1924, he returned to Charlottesville and worked with The Michie Company while studying an M.A. degree. In 1926, he began his practice of law in Charlottesville in partnership with Edward W. Scott. Mr. Chamberlain was president of the Charlottesville-Albemarle Bar Association. During WWII, he served with the Office of Price Administration in Richmond as District Rationing Attorney, and later as District Rationing Executive. After the war, he was Rent Director in Charlottesville for four years, and during the Korean war he served with the National Production Authority. Mr. Chamberlain was president of the General Alumni Association (1936), president of the Law School Alumni Association (1969-1971), and chairman of the Track Alumni Advisory Committee. In response to his work, the University elected him to the Raven Society, to Phi Beta Kappa, the Order of the Coif, and honored him with the Algernon Sidney Sullivan Award. He was also a very active member of the community. He was president of the Albemarle County Historical Society, president of the Charlottesville Community Concert Association, president of the Thomas Jefferson Chapter Sons of the American Revolution, member of the Executive Committee of the County Democratic Committee, and chairman of the local Civil War Centennial Committee and of Charlottesville Independence Day Celebrration Committee. He was Senior Warden of St. Paul's Memorial Church. Mr. Chamberlain died in June 1983, at the age of 86.