Gest Program, 1974-1983 (1978 missing)
Dates
- Creation: 1974-1983 (1978 missing)
Conditions Governing Access
Restricted. Permission for all access must be obtained from the College Archivist. Files closed until 2023 at Stevens request, letter, May 10, 2005; Letter to Stevens from Thomas R. Tritton, May 17, 2005: "I suggest that the College be in contact if requests come to locate specific information in your papers so that you might consider, on a case-by-case basis, whether historical information could be made available prior to 2023."
Biographical / Historical
The Gest Program was established by Margaret Gest bequest in memory of her parents Emily Judson Baugh and John Marshall Gest "to promote better understanding among peoples" through the study of the "fundamental unity of religions" without "negating the differences." Housed in Gest Center, one of the College's oldest buildings, restored through the generous gift of a friend of Margaret Gest, Miriam Thrall. The program includes several interrelated dimensions: visiting professorship; seminars; Annual Lecture series on the Unity of Religions (open to the community); annual Spring Dialogue exploring common religious frontiers; Community Seminar in comparative religion. Haverford Catalog, 1989-1990.
Extent
5 folders (Correspondence, memoranda, reports on program established through bequest (1955) of Margaret Ralston Gest in honor of her parents Emily Judson Baugh and John Marshall Gest for cross cultural study of religion and their surrounding cultures and located in Founders Annex reconstructed for Center in 1970, courtesy of Miss Miriam Thrall. Program planning began following death of Thrall in October 1976; includes, basic program outline 3/22/1977, Judge Judith Jamison's insistence that program adhere to letter of will, 1979-80, hiring of Ashok Gangadean Convener, and his progress and planning reports, 1981, 1982.)
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