Walter Herman Bell Papers

Collection

Collection ID: RG 17-4B1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

The collection contains letters and photographs pertaining to Walter Herman Bell and his relationship with Mr. and Mrs. Cecil B. Smith.

Dates

1962-1970, undated
Other: Date acquired: 03/07/1980

Creator

Bell, Walter Herman (1900-1982) (Person)

Extent

0.20 Linear Feet

Conditions Governing Access

Open to researchers without restriction.

Conditions Governing Use

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.

Biographical or Historical Information

Walter Herman Bell was born on July 9, 1900 in Clark County, Virginia. Bell attended Randolph-Macon College majoring in Latin and minoring in French. After graduating in 1922, he attended the Graduate School of Romance Languages at John Hopkins University on scholarship. Bell's first teaching job was professor of modern languages at Hampden-Sydney College, a position that he held for twenty years. During World War II, Bell served as an American Red Cross Field Director with the Second Infantry Division in Europe. After the war, Bell moved to Norfolk to head the Norfolk Regional Consultations Service, a counseling service for adults who were mostly veterans. In 1952, he became the Director of Guidance for the Portsmouth School System. Five years later, Bell accepted the post of Assistant Professor and Director of Counseling at the College of William and Mary in Norfolk (later Old Dominion College) and held this position till 1967, when he became Professor of French. Bell retired from academic service in 1970. Walter Herman Bell passed away on September 27, 1982.

Note written by Kathleen Smith