The Nathan Comfort Starr correspondence spans from 1920-1939. The collection is comprised of letters, envelopes, postcards, pictures, newspaper clippings, and a pamphlet. Most of the letters relate to Starr’s academic life, such as letters from colleagues and students from universities such as Harvard, St. John’s College, and Oxford, although other correspondence includes letters from military and family friends. Papers also include a poem written by Lieutenant Martin.

The correspondence contains topics such as the transition of the St. John’s Curriculum to the New Program, World War II, congratulations on Starr’s marriage and position as acting dean at William’s College, and condolences for the death of his mother. Many letters are from Richard Kuehnemund, one of Starr’s colleagues from St. John’s College. Kuehnemund taught at St. John’s from 1929-1942, and he documented the changes in the St. John’s program and administration as well as in Germany, his home country, in the 1930s.

Letters from St. John’s College professors around 1937 show how the New Program was viewed. Some approved of the idea, while others were skeptical and objected to the new teaching methods, especially in the laboratory. Most professors left St. John’s or were looking for other teaching opportunities as they could not teach in their profession while in the New Program.