Abstract Dr. William Darlington (1782-1863) was a physician, botanist, politician, businessman, and philanthropist from West Chester, PA. Darlington earned a medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He practiced medicine, wrote books on botany, served as President of the Bank of Chester County, and ran successfully for three terms as a U. S. Congressman. The collection includes Darlington’s correspondence with many prominent political and botanical figures of his time; speeches and essays...

Overview Dr. Earl Francis Sykes (1902-1977) was a teacher and university administrator from Kansas who served as president of West Chester State College (now West Chester University of Pennsylvania) from 1961-1969. The collection contains administrative material and correspondence related to his duties at West Chester, speeches, course material, and drafts of various writing projects.