Raymond D. Bell Papers
Collection
Identifier: Ms-0319
Scope and Contents
The Raymond D. Bell papers comprise 1.5 linear feet and span the years 1912-1950. The collection contains primarily of ten volumes of Bell’s journals. Bell numbered the journals volumes I-XI, with volume V, 1922 missing from the collection. The journals contain information on Bell’s daily life. They begin with background information on his family and his school years and continue through his illnesses, retirement from the army and becoming a professor at the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts. In addition to the journals, the collection also contains clippings, a technical manual, a ledger of books read, and photographs.
The collection is arranged with all of the journals first, followed by the remaining materials arranged alphabetically.
Dates
- 1912-1950
Biographical / Historical
Raymond Duffield Bell was born on January 24, 1893 in New York City to Nelle Sweet March and Dr. William Duffield Bell. His mother died when Raymond was three years old. He was raised by his paternal grandparents in Washington, D.C. His father died of an alcohol related illness in 1910. Bell wanted to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and join the military.
After graduating from public school in 1907, Bell attended a series of different high schools until 1911 when he decided to enter the army through West Point. Because applications from western states were lower, Bell spent a year in Wyoming to establish residency and apply to West Point from there. He began attending classes in September 1912 and in December was appointed to Second Lieutenant.
Bell spent two months with the infantry in Leavenworth, Kansas in 1917 where he graduated from General Service Schools. He was promoted to Captain in 1918 and transferred to China in 1919. He spent almost two years in China before returning to the United States. He graduated from infantry school in 1924.
Bell had been appointed to Major prior to his arrival to the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (NMCA&MA) in 1942 where he was a professor of military science and tactics. From 1943-1944, Bell served as a member of the Academic Senate Army Specialized Training Unit Committee. He left NMCA&MA in June 1944.
Extent
1.50 Linear Feet (3 Boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Processing Information
Portia Vescio with Roxanne Klunczyk and Cecelia Carrasco, May 2002
- Title
- Guide to the Raymond D. Bell Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Portia Vescio with Roxanne Klunczyk and Cecelia Carrasco
- Date
- May 2002
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
Repository Details
Part of the New Mexico State University Library Archives and Special Collections Repository